Insolvency & Commercial Debt · Bulgaria
Find a trusted bankruptcy lawyer in Bulgaria
Bulgarian commercial and debt matters sit inside a continental civil-law system built on the Commercial Act and the Civil Procedure Code. Tell us about your situation and we will introduce you to a vetted attorney whose practice covers the problem you face. The introduction costs you nothing.
- Attorneys registered with a Bulgarian Bar Association
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- You decide whether to instruct
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Bankruptcy and insolvency matters in Bulgaria
Bulgaria follows the continental civil-law tradition, and matters touching on insolvency, business debt and failed companies sit within a framework built on the Commercial Act and the Civil Procedure Code. Whether you are a director facing pressure from creditors, a sole trader whose liabilities have become unmanageable, or a creditor trying to recover what you are owed, the practical questions are the same: which route, which court and which specialist. A bankruptcy lawyer in Bulgaria can assess your position, explain the procedural steps that apply to your case and represent you before the regional courts (okrazhen sad), which hear first-instance commercial cases of higher value or greater gravity. Our free matching service introduces you to a Bulgarian attorney working in the area you need — no introduction fee, no obligation to instruct.
Bulgaria in practice
How the Bulgarian legal system shapes an insolvency or debt case
Bulgaria has been a member of the European Union since 1 January 2007, and EU law takes precedence over conflicting national provisions. Procedure, court fees and limitation periods are all set at national level, so the details below matter when you plan a commercial or debt-related case in this country.
How the courts are organised
Civil and commercial disputes begin either before the district court (rayonen sad) or before the regional court (okrazhen sad), which hears first-instance cases of higher value or greater gravity and also acts as the appellate court for district-court judgments. Appeals then go to one of the five appellate courts — Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna, Burgas and Veliko Tarnovo — while the Supreme Court of Cassation in Sofia sits at the top.
Who may practise as your lawyer
Only a person who has taken the statutory oath and is entered in the register of a Bar Association (advokatska kolegia) may practise as an attorney-at-law; the profession is reserved to Bulgarian attorneys and registered EU lawyers. Admission requires a Master’s degree in law, legal capacity, at least two years of legal service record and a bar examination, and the Supreme Bar Council keeps the single register.
Representation and cassation
In civil and commercial litigation you may in principle appear in person before the district (rayonen sad) and regional (okrazhen sad) courts. Representation by an attorney-at-law is mandatory in cassation proceedings before the Supreme Court of Cassation and in proceedings before the Supreme Administrative Court, so the later stages of a dispute will require a qualified lawyer.
Court fees and legal aid
State court fees are set by the Schedule of state fees under the Code of Civil Procedure: 4% of the value of a standard monetary claim, subject to a minimum of BGN 50 (about EUR 26), and 2% in order-for-payment proceedings. Appeal and cassation fees are generally reduced by half. State-funded legal aid, administered by the National Legal Aid Bureau, is available to persons who meet statutory means criteria.
Limitation periods that decide a debt case
Timing often decides whether a claim survives. The general limitation period for debt recovery is five years, while a specific three-year period applies to categories such as wages, contractual damages and periodic payments. Judicial review of an administrative act must be sought within 14 days, and tort claims run for five years from discovery of the offender.
Property, security and registration
Where the assets in question include immovable property, the transfer or encumbrance of ownership must be effected by a notarial deed executed before a notary competent for the location of the property and entered in the Property Register kept by the Registry Agency to be effective against third parties. Real-estate payments above BGN 10,000 must pass through a special bank account.
The country information on this page comes from official Bulgarian authorities and the European e-Justice Portal, consulted in 2024.
- European e-Justice Portal — National justice systems: Bulgaria
- Bulgarian Bar Act (Ministry of Justice publication)
- European e-Justice Portal — Costs of proceedings in Bulgaria
- European e-Justice Portal — Time limits in civil cases in Bulgaria
- Bulgarian Labour Code (Ministry of Labour and Social Policy)
- Bulgarian Code of Administrative Procedure (Ministry of Finance)
- European e-Justice Portal — Land registers in Bulgaria
Common situations
What clients bring to us
Most enquiries about commercial debt and insolvency in Bulgaria start with one of these three problems.
Creditors are applying pressure
Calls, letters and enforcement steps are mounting, and you need to know which procedural options exist under Bulgarian law before the position deteriorates further.
You cannot tell which route fits
Business debt, personal guarantees, unpaid invoices and secured property can point to different procedures and different courts. A specialist can map the options to your facts.
The matter crosses borders
Creditors, contracts or immovable property may sit outside Bulgaria, while the court seised is Bulgarian. You need a lawyer who can handle the national procedure and the cross-border elements.
Why use our service
Matched with the right Bulgarian lawyer
We do not give legal advice. We do the introduction that puts you in front of an attorney who handles your type of matter.
Verified professional standing
Every attorney we introduce is entered in the register of a Bulgarian Bar Association, which keeps the single register of attorneys-at-law under the Supreme Bar Council.
Practice-area matching
Your request is routed by the legal issue you describe — commercial debt, enforcement, insolvency-related disputes — rather than sent blindly to the nearest available lawyer.
You see costs before you commit
Court fees in Bulgaria follow the Schedule of state fees, and lawyers’ fees are freely agreed. Your matched lawyer can set out both before you decide to instruct.
Free and without obligation
The introduction costs nothing and creates no retainer. You remain free to speak to more than one attorney before choosing who represents you.
European coverage
Also matching across Europe
Bulgarian matters often involve parties or assets elsewhere. Alongside Bulgarian attorneys, we match clients with specialists in neighbouring and other European jurisdictions.
Questions and answers
Bankruptcy and debt questions in Bulgaria
How do I find a bankruptcy lawyer in Bulgaria?
Start by setting out the facts: who the creditors are, whether the assets include Bulgarian immovable property, and which court is likely to hear the matter. Our free matching service uses those details to introduce you to a Bulgarian attorney whose practice covers insolvency and commercial debt. There is no charge for the introduction and no obligation to instruct.
Will I need a lawyer to appear before a Bulgarian court?
Not always at first instance. In civil and commercial litigation, parties may in principle appear in person before the district (rayonen sad) and regional (okrazhen sad) courts. Representation by an attorney-at-law is mandatory in cassation proceedings before the Supreme Court of Cassation and in proceedings before the Supreme Administrative Court.
Which court deals with higher-value commercial disputes in Bulgaria?
First-instance cases of higher value or greater gravity are heard by the regional court (okrazhen sad), which also acts as the appellate court for district-court judgments. Appeals against regional-court decisions go to one of the five appellate courts, and the Supreme Court of Cassation in Sofia is the supreme instance in civil and criminal matters.
What court fees apply in Bulgarian civil proceedings?
Under the Schedule of state fees for civil proceedings, an application in a standard monetary claim carries a fee of 4% of the value of the claim, with a minimum of BGN 50 (about EUR 26). Order-for-payment proceedings are charged at 2% of the material interest, and appeal and cassation fees are generally reduced by half.
How long do I have to pursue an unpaid debt in Bulgaria?
The general limitation period for debt recovery is five years. A specific three-year period applies to certain categories, including wages, contractual damages and periodic payments. Tort claims based on unlawful damage run for five years from the moment you discover the offender, and other short periods apply elsewhere, such as 14 days for judicial review of an administrative act.
Can I recover legal costs, and is legal aid available?
Legal fees are freely agreed between lawyer and client, with non-binding reference amounts issued by the Supreme Bar Council. The losing party in civil proceedings is generally ordered to reimburse the winning party’s reasonable fees and costs. State-funded legal aid under the Legal Aid Act of 2005 is available to persons meeting statutory income and means criteria.
Next step
Describe your case and get matched today
Send us a short summary of what has happened — the debts, the parties and any property involved. We will match you with a Bulgarian attorney who handles this kind of matter, and you decide whether to instruct. The introduction is free.