BULGARIAN ROAD TAX / VIGNETTE

[pauly]

Sell Overseas Property

I have just found out that buying your road tax is some 5 times cheaper if you buy it in Bulgaria than it is if you get it when you cross the border (where you have no choice but to buy it there otherwise they wont let you in); does anybody know why this is, or we just robbed. If it is a set charge for the Country as a whole why are borders charging considerably more.

[thegreatescape]

Sell Overseas Property

Hi Pauly,
Having a senior blonde moment here - are you talking vignette's or road tax as we know it and how do you get through the border without buying one ?
from Estelle

[pauly]

Sell Overseas Property

No your not having a moment. Road tax or Vignette all the same to me. You cant cross the border without paying for the minimum duration available which i think was for a month. I found out from a neighbour recently that you can buy this at any petrol station, as in other European countries where such apply, far cheaper that what we paid at the border and wondered why this is. Maybe the answer is, get someone in Bulgaria to get you one and post it to you with the receipt though!

[Mat]

Sell Overseas Property

Its 10 leva for 7 days. 60 odd for the year.

[brits]

Sell Overseas Property

So the roadtax is the same for each car no matter what you have? as I will be buying a car in Germany and bringing it to Bulgaria in 1st week of september and I don't know what car I am getting yet so ........60 lev a year for anycar?????

Thanks

[balkankiwi]

Sell Overseas Property

Yep, for the vinetka (vignette) - the tax to drive on highways and byways outside urban areas - all cars and jeeps are in Class 3 and you can buy for a week, a month or a year. Pricing as per Mat. I very much doubt its any different whether u buy at the border or in the country. Can be readily bought at major service stations (Shell, OMV, Petrol, Lukoil etc), also any post office.

Road tax is a different thing. Known locally in Bulgaria as "puten danek" (road tax), this is payable to the municipality in which a vehicle is registered - so only applies to Bgn-rego vehicles. Again is a modest amount - around 35 leva pa. Its one of the payments required when first registering a vehicle. You're also supposed to produce proof that its paid when you get your annual GTP - godishen teknichesken pregled (annual technical inspection).

[Bammy]

Sell Overseas Property

so let me try and get my head around this!! A Vignette is a sticky which is a permit to drive on the road type of thing?? GTP is the same as our MOT?? You also need to pay locally another type of road tax?? And does your insurance cover the car itself so anyone can drive???
Please anyone can we get the whole story of what we need to drive a car over there Apart from the car that is!! Do you also need another permit to drive in the city as previously said vignette is for outer urban areas??

[balkankiwi]

Sell Overseas Property

:? so let me try and get my head around this!! A Vignette is a sticky which is a permit to drive on the road type of thing?? GTP is the same as our MOT?? You also need to pay locally another type of road tax?? And does your insurance cover the car itself so anyone can drive???
Please anyone can we get the whole story of what we need to drive a car over there :smt017 Apart from the car that is!! Do you also need another permit to drive in the city as previously said vignette is for outer urban areas?? :smt100

Yes, the vinetka is a highway tax, payable by everyone. Yes, GTP is the same as MOT?? Yes, if u have a Bulgarian rego vehicle you have to pay a municipal road tax. Yes, in Bulgaria the insurance companies don't care who's driving your car - tho the cops might. No, there's no separate tax for driving in the towns - that's the road tax. As already itemised.
And if you want "the whole story ... over there", why don't you come over here, research the topic and write it yourself?

[Mat]

Sell Overseas Property

Just to add to the mix - I've never paid the municipal tax nor has my 10 year old car gone through the annual road inspection in the 4 years I have owned it. No-one has ever checked or cared. I did try and pay my back taxes in a moment of contrition but the municipality couldn't work it out so suggested I bribe them instead.

One of the things about this country is that in order to be entirely in line with the law you have to spend a huge amount of effort and at the same time the control systems are not in place to check you. So don't get excited, take an a la carte approach to compliance with the law and in the extremely unlikely event that you get caught, claim ignorance, me so stupid foreigner and offer 10 leva and a smile.

[tandt]

Sell Overseas Property

Bammy,
it's not as difficult as it sounds. The municipal car tax is paid at the same office as your yearly property tax. The GTP / MOT costs around 30 leva and takes about 30 mins. I didn't book mine in advance, I just took it to a local garage and they fit me in. Ask a Bulgarian friend to help you, or pay a translator.
Trev.