Corporate Law · 26 June 2026 · 7 min read
Annual Compliance Obligations for Bulgarian Companies: A Practical Checklist
Every Bulgarian commercial company — whether actively trading or dormant — is subject to a set of annual compliance obligations that must be met to avoid administrative penalties, registry sanctions, and reputational risk. For foreign-owned companies whose day-to-day management is handled by a local accountant or manager, these obligations are often invisible until a deadline is missed. This article provides a concise, practical overview of the principal annual compliance requirements for Bulgarian OOD (Ltd.) and EOOD (Sole Ltd.) companies, together with the key deadlines.
I. Annual Financial Statements
The company’s annual accounts must be prepared under the Accountancy Act and applicable accounting standards and approved by the competent company body. Public filing of the accounts and annual statistical reporting are distinct obligations. Inactivity and other statutory exceptions must be assessed separately. The principal reporting destinations are:
- National Statistical Institute (NSI): The annual activity report for an ordinary company subject to corporate income tax is generally due by 30 June of the following year, using the forms and procedure applicable to that reporting year.
- Registry Agency (Commercial Register): Where publication is required, approved annual financial statements are submitted for publication by 30 September of the following year. Micro-enterprise status alone does not exempt an OOD or EOOD from publication; permitted simplifications and the inactivity exemption are separate matters.
For an OOD or EOOD with no activity within the statutory definition, the Accountancy Act provides an inactivity declaration (декларация за липса на дейност), filed once for the first inactive reporting period by 30 June of the following year, rather than repeated automatically every inactive year. For the 2025 reporting year, NSI states that no inactivity declaration is submitted to NSI. Check tax and VAT obligations separately. Missing filings may lead to sanctions; two missed years do not automatically erase a company.
II. Corporate Income Tax Return
The annual corporate income tax return is filed electronically with the NRA from 1 March to 30 June of the following year, and the annual corporate tax is payable by 30 June. The general rate is 10% of taxable profit. Advance-payment obligations and exemptions are governed by the Corporate Income Tax Act, including the relevant net-sales revenue test and rules for newly incorporated entities; they are not based on a €1,534 taxable-profit threshold.
III. Beneficial Ownership Declarations
Maintain accurate, current beneficial-ownership information and file registrable changes within the applicable registry deadline, generally seven days for a Commercial Register change. Article 63 of the anti-money-laundering legislation includes cases where separate beneficial-owner registration is not required because the natural persons are already identifiable from the relevant entries. There is no general annual beneficial-ownership confirmation due on 31 May.
IV. VAT Returns
VAT-registered companies generally file monthly VAT returns and pay VAT due by the 14th day of the following month. A return is normally required even without transactions. A VIES declaration is a separate obligation triggered by the relevant reportable transactions; it is not automatically due for every inactive month. Late filing or payment can result in penalties and interest.
V. Statistical Reporting
In addition to financial statements, the National Statistical Institute requires certain categories of company to submit statistical surveys on a periodic basis — including surveys on employment, wages, investment, and production activity. The obligation to respond to NSI surveys is statutory; failure to respond is subject to administrative penalties. The applicable surveys depend on the company's activity, size, and sector.
VI. Key Annual Deadlines Summary
| Deadline | Obligation |
|---|
| 1 March–30 June | Annual corporate income tax return; annual tax payable by 30 June |
| 30 September | Annual accounts published in the Commercial Register, where required |
| 30 June | Annual activity report; first inactivity declaration where applicable (different recipients and conditions) |
| 14th of each month | Monthly VAT return and payment (if VAT-registered) |
| 25th of each month | Monthly payroll declarations and social security payments (if employer) |
| Within 7 days | Registration of any changes to registered particulars in the Commercial Register |
Disclaimer: This article is intended as general legal information only and does not constitute legal advice. Readers are encouraged to seek independent legal counsel tailored to their specific circumstances.
Frequently asked
My Bulgarian EOOD is very small. Do I still have to file accounts with the Commercial Register?
Yes, micro-enterprise status alone does not remove the publication duty for an OOD or EOOD. Where publication is required, the deadline is 30 September of the following year. Simplified accounts and the exemption for a company with no activity under the statutory definition must be distinguished from a blanket exemption for small companies.
How is the corporate tax return submitted, and when is it due?
The annual corporate income tax return is filed electronically with the NRA from 1 March to 30 June of the following year, and the annual corporate tax is payable by 30 June. The general rate is 10% of taxable profit. Advance-payment obligations and exemptions are governed by the Corporate Income Tax Act, including the relevant net-sales revenue test and rules for newly incorporated entities; they are not based on a €1,534 taxable-profit threshold.
We are changing shareholders — how quickly do we have to update the beneficial ownership entry?
Maintain accurate, current beneficial-ownership information and file registrable changes within the applicable registry deadline, generally seven days for a Commercial Register change. Article 63 of the anti-money-laundering legislation includes cases where separate beneficial-owner registration is not required because the natural persons are already identifiable from the relevant entries. There is no general annual beneficial-ownership confirmation due on 31 May.
Do we pay corporation tax once a year or in instalments during the year?
The annual corporate income tax return is filed electronically with the NRA from 1 March to 30 June of the following year, and the annual corporate tax is payable by 30 June. The general rate is 10% of taxable profit. Advance-payment obligations and exemptions are governed by the Corporate Income Tax Act, including the relevant net-sales revenue test and rules for newly incorporated entities; they are not based on a €1,534 taxable-profit threshold.
What is the worst that can happen if we simply stop filing?
Missed filings can lead to administrative penalties and require corrective filings. They do not provide a shortcut to closing a company, and two missed reporting years do not automatically trigger deletion. A company remains subject to applicable obligations until it is properly dissolved, liquidated and deleted, or another lawful termination procedure is completed.
The company has not traded at all this year, so there is nothing to file, correct?
Not necessarily. First determine whether the company had no activity within the Accountancy Act definition. Its first inactivity declaration is generally published in the Commercial Register by 30 June of the following year and is not automatically repeated for every inactive year. For reporting year 2025, NSI requires no inactivity declaration. Check corporate-tax exceptions separately. A VAT-registered company still normally files monthly VAT returns; VIES declarations are required only when the relevant conditions are met.
About the author
Lachezar Vesov — Attorney at Law, Sofia
Admitted to the Sofia Bar Association in 2016 (reg. no. 1400697210). Practises in civil, corporate, administrative, banking and criminal matters, advising Bulgarian companies and municipal enterprises alongside foreign founders, investors and property buyers. Member of the Board of Directors of the National Palace of Culture, Sofia, and Chairman of the Appellate Commission of the Bulgarian Football Union’s Sofia Zonal Council.
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