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How to get a driving licence in Bulgaria

Getting a car licence from scratch, country by country.

Car licence, category B

Getting your licence in Bulgaria

Theory questions, worth 97 points45
Penalty points in the driving test (major faults count 3)≤9
Licence card (under 58)€12.78
Standard processing time30 days

The driving school tells you the current exam fees.

Before you start driving

2
Learner permitYou learn with a driving school instructor.
Medical checkYes. A certificate from your GP.

Required lessons

1
Driving school (compulsory)Theory and driving lessons at a licensed driving school.

Good to know

8
Minimum age18 for category B.
Licence validity10 years.
Exam languagesBulgarian. Ask the driving school about other languages.
If you failBook a new exam through your driving school.
Automatic or manualPassing in an automatic limits your licence to automatic cars.
New driversCheck the rules for new drivers with your driving school.
Already have a licence from abroad?EU and EEA licences stay valid. Swiss licences, and licences from 1968 Vienna Convention countries that follow its format, are exchanged without tests. See the Abroad tab.
Also worth knowing
  • Express licence processing takes up to 10 days, for double the fee.
  • Bring your education certificate: you need proof of at least basic education.

Step by step

  1. Driving schoolEnrol with the medical certificate and proof of education.
  2. Theory examAt the Executive Agency Automobile Administration.
  3. Practical examIn traffic, with an examiner.
  4. LicenceIssued by the Traffic Police.

Tips From driving schools and examiners

  • Some errors end the test at once: driving through a red light or against a traffic officer's signal, entering a one-way street the wrong way, not stopping at a STOP sign, the examiners having to step in, or causing an accident.
  • Before you drive, you're asked to check random items on the car: tyres, fluid levels, lights, horn, steering and brake play, seat and mirrors. Learn where everything is.
  • Expect at least 2 manoeuvres, one of them in reverse: reversing straight or around a bend, turning in the road, parking, or a precise stop.
  • The examiner tells you about turns in advance, through a headset your driving school provides, and can remind you of the route if you're unsure.

Based on: Automobile Administration Agency: Exam methodology, category B (2013–2014, Bulgarian, PDF) ↗

Official links

Ministry of Interior: Replacing a driving licence ↗Last checked 20 Oct 2026
Wrong information? Help us fix itTell us what's incorrect and we'll check it against the official sources.

About: This page

Frequently asked questionsCoverage, sources and how RoadVisa works.

Why isn't my country listed?

RoadVisa is still growing. It covers 42 countries and all 50 US states plus Washington, D.C. so far, and more are added step by step. Each country is checked against its own official sources, in its own language, before it goes live.

Why isn't Africa covered?

Many African licensing authorities publish little detail about their driving rules online, so we can't yet check the answers against official sources. We'll add African countries as official information becomes available.

Where does the information come from?

From official sources only: licensing authorities, ministries, police and government websites, read in each country's own language. Every answer links to its sources and shows when it was last checked.

What's the difference between Visiting and Moving?

Visiting covers short stays such as holidays and business trips, when you keep your home licence. Moving covers becoming a resident, when most countries want you to exchange your licence or take tests by a deadline.

What is an International Driving Permit?

A translation of your licence in a standard format. It's only valid together with your own licence, and you get it in the country that issued your licence, usually from a motoring club or the licensing authority. RoadVisa tells you when a country expects one.

Does RoadVisa cover motorcycles or trucks?

Not yet. The answers are about car licences: category B in Europe, and the local equivalent elsewhere, such as Class C or D in most US states. Other licences may follow later.

Is RoadVisa official?

No. RoadVisa is an independent guide and isn't linked to any government or licensing authority. The authority that handles your application always has the final word.

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An independent guide. RoadVisa is a private project. It is not run by, linked to or approved by any government, licensing authority (such as a national road traffic agency or a US DMV), embassy or driving school.

Information only, not legal advice. RoadVisa sums up official rules in plain English. It does not replace the official rules, and it is not a decision about your case. Only the authority that handles your application can decide that.

Rules change. Every answer shows when it was last checked and links to the official source. Check that source before you drive, book a test, move or apply. If RoadVisa and the official source differ, follow the official source.

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