How Long Does It Take to Register a Company in Bulgaria?

To register a Bulgarian company in 2025, the filing-to-decision stage typically takes 1–3 business days once your documents are clean, while the full journey—from kick-off to “company registered” with a usable bank account—usually fits inside 3–7 business days for straightforward EOOD/OOD setups.

Company Registration Timeline in Bulgaria: From Idea to “Registered”

I’ve helped hundreds of founders compress their timelines by sequencing steps correctly. If you want the legal mechanics and document checklist in one place, the detailed flow sits in our company incorporation steps for Bulgaria. Below is the realistic timeline you can plan around in 2025.

End-to-End Timeline for Bulgarian Company Registration (Typical EOOD/OOD)

Phase	What Happens	Who Drives It	Typical Duration	Speed Tips
Planning & Name Check	Pick structure; confirm company name; gather IDs	You + legal team	Same day–1 day	Have 2–3 backup names ready
Registered Address & Drafting	Confirm address option; draft Articles and appointments	Provider	1 day	Use a compliant virtual-office or lease letter
Capital Deposit (if Ltd./JSC)	Open temp account; deposit capital; obtain certificate	Agent + bank	Same day–1 day	Keep capital aligned with Articles
Filing at Commercial Register	Submit full pack electronically	Authorized filer	1 day	Ensure notarised/translated docs are complete
Registry Decision	Company appears in the Register	Registry Agency	1–3 business days	Respond fast if clarifications are requested
Bank Conversion & Go-Live	Capital account converts to operating account	Bank	Same day	Pre-book the bank follow-up

For the official portal where filings and status checks happen, bookmark the Bulgarian Commercial Register & Registry Agency. Electronic service routes are also described on the Bulgarian e-Government portal.

What Speeds Up—or Slows Down—Your Setup

Every timeline lives or dies by a few key variables: name approval, address proofs, banking KYC, and whether you’re signing remotely. If you’re still brainstorming a brand, our short guide on Bulgarian company naming rules will help you avoid rejections.

Speed Factors That Impact Your Bulgarian Company Timeline

Factor	Effect on Time	How to Optimize	Common Pitfall
Company name	+0–1 day	Prepare 2–3 variants	Choosing a protected or confusing name
Registered address	+0–1 day	Use a provider’s compliant contract	Insufficient owner consent or lease data
Bank KYC	+0–2 days	Pre-book, send IDs early	Name/ID spelling mismatches
Remote notarisation	+1–3 days (country-dependent)	Notarise & apostille together	Forgetting the apostille where required
Translations	+0–1 day	Use sworn translators	Uncertified translations

Timeline by Company Type: EOOD, OOD, EAD, AD

EOOD/OOD (Ltd.) formations are the fastest. JSCs (EAD/AD) add board/meeting records but can still be streamlined with proper drafting. You can always start lean and transform later as you scale.

Expected Durations by Company Form (Typical Cases)

Company Type	Core Docs	Typical Additional Steps	Usual Timeline	Who Chooses It
EOOD (single-member Ltd.)	Founding Act, director appointment	—	3–5 business days	Solo founders, freelancers
OOD (multi-member Ltd.)	Articles, minutes, share split	Partner consents	4–6 business days	Co-founders, agencies
EAD (single-member JSC)	Founding Act, board/sole director resolution	Share structure rules	5–8 business days	Investor-ready scale-ups
AD (JSC)	Articles, constitutive minutes	One- or two-tier board setup	6–9 business days	Fundraising, larger teams

Not sure which fits your goals? This concise comparison of why Bulgaria is a strong base for company formation gives you the strategic context for picking the right form today with room to grow tomorrow.

Remote Formation vs In-Person: Which Is Faster?

Both are fast. Remote setups add notarisation, apostille, and courier time; in-person requires your travel.

Remote vs In-Person Formation—Time & Trade-Offs

Aspect	Remote Setup	In-Person Setup
Travel	No travel	Flight & meetings
Notary & apostille	Yes (adds 1–3 days)	Usually not needed
Bank KYC	Agent & remote checks where available	On-site appointment
Overall speed	3–7 business days	3–6 business days

Bank Account & Capital Deposit: Timing and Tips

For Ltd. and JSC structures, you deposit the share capital into a temporary account before filing. The bank issues a certificate. After the registry approves the company, that account converts to an operating account—usually the same day. Regulatory and supervision context is published by the Bulgarian National Bank.

Capital Deposit & Banking Conversion—Time Map

Bank Step	What You Prepare	Output	Typical Time
Open temporary account	IDs, draft Articles, address proof	Account details	Same day
Deposit capital	Share capital amount	Deposit certificate	Same day
Post-registration conversion	Registry entry confirmation	Operating account	Same day

Address Requirement & Documents: Do They Add Time?

Yes—if they’re incomplete. A valid Bulgarian address (lease, owner’s consent, or virtual-office contract) is required for filings and banking. Document consistency (spellings, capital amount, director details) is the #1 way to prevent registry queries.

Address & Document Readiness—Time Savers

Item	Why It Matters	Target State	Impact on Time
Registered address proof	Public record & mail reception	Signed contract/consent with full address	Avoids 1–2 day queries
Articles/Founding Act	Aligns governance & capital	Drafted, checked, and signed	Keeps filing same-day
Specimen signatures	Bank KYC	Notarised where required	Prevents bank re-visits

Branches & Trade Representative Offices: How Long?

If you already have a foreign company, a Branch or Trade Representative Office (TRO) can be quicker because there’s no local share capital. A Branch can trade; a TRO cannot.

Timeline Snapshot—New Entity vs Branch vs TRO

Structure	Capital	Can Trade?	Typical Timeline	When It’s Best
EOOD/OOD	~1 EUR	Yes	3–7 business days	Fresh start, full control
EAD/AD	25,000 EUR	Yes	5–9 business days	Investor-ready governance
Branch	0	Yes	3–6 business days	Leverage parent company
Trade Representative Office	0	No	3–5 business days	Market research, pre-launch

Post-Registration Tasks: When Can You Start Trading?

You can issue invoices as soon as the company is registered and you have an operating bank account. If you need VAT, registration timing depends on your activity/thresholds. Guidance sits with the National Revenue Agency, and EU VAT/e-commerce frameworks are maintained by the European Commission.

After Registration—What Starts When

Action	When You Can Do It	Typical Time	Notes
Start invoicing	After registry decision & bank conversion	Same day	Operating account ready
VAT registration	If activity/threshold requires	Few days	Depends on documents & activity
Payroll (if hiring)	Any time post-registration	1–3 days	Contracts + employer files

Realistic Costs & Time Together

Budget and timeline go hand in hand. If you want exact line items, see the breakdown of costs to register a company in Bulgaria and the broader perspective on how much it costs to set up including ongoing compliance.

Lean Founder Plan—Time & Budget Snapshot (EUR)

Item	Typical Cost	When It Occurs	Time Impact
Legal drafting & filing	450	Day 1	Enables same-day filing
Registered address (annual)	120	Day 1	Required for filing & bank
Translations & apostilles (remote)	150	Day 1–2	Allow buffer by country
Official registry fees	60	Filing day	—
Courier of originals (remote)	40	Day 1–2	—

Common Mistakes That Add Days (or Weeks)

Nobody likes preventable delays. The most frequent issues are simple: misspellings, missing apostilles, and weak address proofs. We’ve listed the biggest risks here and a deeper guide to mistakes to avoid when forming a Bulgarian company.

Delay Traps—and Fast Fixes

Mistake	Why It Delays	Fix That Saves Time
Name or ID spelling mismatch	Registry queries; bank flags	Copy passport spelling exactly everywhere
Insufficient address documentation	Registry doubts contactability	Use a solid lease or virtual-office contract
Missing apostille on POA	Remote filing not acceptable	Notarise & apostille together; courier originals
Capital/Articles mismatch	Rejection or re-submission	Align Articles with the bank certificate
DIY filings without context	Extra rounds of questions	Use an experienced filer for first-time setup

Your Fastest Route: Sequence the Steps

Want a single page that stitches the whole process together? Here’s an action-oriented guide to the six steps to register a company in Bulgaria. If you just want an expert team to do it end-to-end, we provide fast, secure and tax-optimized company registration in Bulgaria and ongoing compliance via our dedicated accounting services.

Talk to a Specialist—Free 30-Minute Plan

Tell me your deadline and I’ll map the shortest, cleanest path—entity type, address, bank route, and exact dates. Book your free 30-minute consultation and we’ll give you a precise, founder-friendly timeline for 2025.

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