If you want to get your driver’s license in Bulgaria you need the right information, and the right person to guide you throughout the process.
We've prepared all information you need to know to obtain or exchange your Driver’s License in Bulgaria in 2026.
In today's world of fast growing and progressive life the freedom of action is a need most strongly manifested in the big city. Here we are forced to be quick, communicative and useful to the society and in particular our friends, relatives and employers. This is my mission as a driving instructor - to help you and your loved ones feel the freedom which comes with your driving license.
The requirements
Let’s start with the requirements for obtaining a driving license in Bulgaria. They are mandatory if you want to get a license for the first time or if you want to replace your non-EU license with a Bulgarian one.
The first requirement is to have an ID card or residence permit - you must have at least 6 months of residence in Bulgaria, considered from the date of issue of the residence permit.
The second requirement is to prove that you are physically fit to drive a vehicle by obtaining the so-called Medical certificate for assesment of the physical condition for a driver of category B vehicle (issued by your general physician (GP) or any medical center offering the relevant service). If you don't know how to get the medical certificate we can help - please check the FAQ section at the bottom of the page.
In Bulgaria, there is also a requirement for a minimum education level of at least 10th grade of high school completed in order to be allowed to have a driving license. The document which certifies that you cover the minimal education level is called “proof of education”.
Have in mind that you DON’T need proof of education for starting your driving course (you can sign into a driving school without it), but you’d need it after the course when you go to the Traffic Police office to apply for your drivers license.
Our driving school can assist you with the process of applying for your proof of education.
We've created a detailed step by step guide covering the process of obtaining a proof of education required for your driver's license as a foreigner. Please read it carefully at the following link.
The driving course in Bulgaria
What documents do you need to sign for the course:
- ID card or residence permit (you must have at least 6 months of residence in Bulgaria, considered from the date of issue of the residence permit);
- Medical certificate for assessment of the physical condition for a driver of category B vehicle (issued by your general physician (GP) or any medical center offering the relevant service).
You don't know how to get the medical certificate?
No problem, our driving school can also assist you with that.
Important: Proof of education is no longer required upon signing for the driving course, but you'd need it when you go to the Traffic police office to apply for your drivers license.
The full driving course consists of the theoretical and practical parts, each ending with an exam. It takes between 1,5 to 2 months depending on your individual pace and availability.
Theoretical training:
The theoretical training consists of group face-to-face and/or online classes, as well as self-study, all of which usually takes around 2 weeks. The classes are interactive (lectures, discussions, videos) in English and cover all aspects of the road traffic rules and their application in Bulgaria. Each student receives access to an online textbook as well.
The theoretical classes are held in accordance with a schedule prepared by the driving school. Each student will receive information about the schedule up to 1 day before the start of the classes. Attendance at the face-to-face and online theoretical classes is mandatory.
Note that you’ll be provided with an online textbook in English which we’ve created specifically for the foreigners in Bulgaria and proves to be of great help during the learning process. The textbook covers the Bulgarian road traffic rules and includes lots of examples, pictures and videos. You’ll also receive the full database of exam questions and answers which will be discussed during our meetings.
The full database of exam questions and answers can also be accessed at the following link and you can check your knowledge by doing practice tests in English here.
Practical training:
The practical part consists of minimum 31 driving hours (45 mins each plus 5 mins for discussion and analysis) divided into 16 sessions/2 hours per session and delivered in English. It covers all aspects and principles of defensive driving including the practice of safe road habits, obeying the rules of the road, driving responsibly, and minimizing the risks.
We have full flexibility in scheduling the driving classes including before or after working hours and the weekends as well.
We will start in an area with low traffic intensity and gradually based on your progress we’ll switch to areas with more intense traffic (e.g., the city center). Each driving class will take you a little bit out of your comfort zone which guarantees the best learning results. The practical course also includes out of city driving covering motorways and mountain roads as well as driving during the night.
Our driving school also organizes mock exams to assess the current level of skills and knowledge of each student.
You will also have the ability to fully observe your learning progress as all our cars have dash cameras installed. Sometimes the stressful situations in the traffic prove to be quite a useful lesson. The dashcam captures not only the situations on the road but also your own reactions. The recordings are available as per your demand.
The exams:
After the theoretical part of the course, you have to take the theory exam which is a test of 45 questions with a time limit of 40 minutes. Depending on the difficulty each exam question gives you 1, 2 or 3 points. You need to have at least 87 out of maximum 97 points in order to successfully pass. The exam is being scheduled by your driving school (as per your workdays availability) and takes place at 1st Vitinya Str., Sofia (The Executive Agency Road Transport Administration) here.
Example theoretical test question
After the driving classes you have to take the practical exam which consists of 25 to 30 minutes driving with a state examiner (inspector). He sits on the passenger seat and tells you the directions for movement. The examiner evaluates your driving technique and knowledge of the traffic rules. Each mistake gives you different penalty points depending on the severity. You are allowed to have no more than 9 penalty points. Small mistakes (for example if you forget to switch on the blinker) are 1 point. Bigger mistakes could give you 3 points (e.g. crossing a solid line without a valid reason). There are specific mistakes which give you 10 points immediately (for example if you don’t stop at a STOP sign or pass on a red light). At the end, the examiner analyses your mistakes and provides an explanation. Note that the exam is being video recorded.
As per the Bulgarian legal regulations the practical exam is being conducted in Bulgarian language, but during your driving course you’ll be provided with a special workbook covering the Bulgarian pronunciation (including audio recordings) and transcription of the most commonly used directions during your exam (e.g., turn left, turn right, U-turn, etc.) which will also be practiced during the driving classes.
Important:
Each student has the right to take the theoretical and practical exams no more than 4 times within six months. For the theoretical exam the six months time period starts from the date of completion of the theoretical training. For the practical exam it starts from the successful passing of the theoretical exam or from the completion of the practical training.
In case of failure to take or failure to pass the exam within 4 attempts within the specified period, the student may take a new exam only after completing a new theoretical or practical training (depending on which exam needs to be taken again).
Replacing a non-EU drivers license
All foreigners are allowed to drive in Bulgaria with a non-EU driving license (provided that it has a legalized/notarized translation) for up to 1 year since the date of issuing of their residence permit. Then the non-EU license needs to be replaced by a Bulgarian driving license. This is also valid for international driving permits as well.
You are allowed to replace your non-EU license with Bulgarian license without the obligation to take the full driving course, but you have to take the exams (theoretical and practical).
Note:
Some countries have bilateral agreement with Bulgaria for direct transfer of the driver’s license. In this case, there is no need to be registered in a driving school or to pass any exams. You just have to apply for direct transfer at the Traffic Police office. Some of the countries that have agreements with Bulgaria are Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, China, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, France, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mongolia, Montenegro, North Korea, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Syria, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, and Yemen. You have to check for your specific country and if there’s an agreement.
Important:
Have in mind that if you do a direct transfer you will receive a Bulgarian drivers license but it will only be valid for the territory of Bulgaria and it will not be valid for all countries of Europe and the EU.
For the foreigners who want to replace a non-EU license with a Bulgarian one, we’re providing a smart, quick, and easy solution.
Our exam preparation bundle includes:
- Preparation for the theoretical exam including a textbook in English, the full database of exam questions and answers, theory classes at our training center and online scheduled discussions where we cover and discuss the problematic topics and questions.
- Preparation for the practical exam including minimum 4 driving hours in the exam area to get yourself familiar with the car and the tricky parts of the area itself. This takes into consideration that you can actually drive, but if you prefer you can always take additional driving hours as well.
- Theoretical and practical exams.
The price
We offer several plans which include different amount of driving hours (details here)
The price of the driving course depends on the plan you choose. (disclaimer note: prices could be subject to a change, depending on the inflation rates, prices of the fuel and insurances).
The price of the exam preparation course also depends on the plan you choose (details here)
Applying for the drivers license at the traffic police office (KAT)
3 working days after you take your exams you can apply for your driving license at the traffic police office (KAT) located at 4th Lachezar Stanchev Street, Sofia (location) working from 7:30 to 17:00.
Our driving school can assist you for applying for your drivers license.
Upon applying for your drivers license you need to present the following documents:
- Your ID card;
- Your proof of education;
- Medical certificate for vehicle of category B (it can be obtained by almost any medical center). The tax is between 30 and 40 BGN (depending on the medical center). Our driving school can also assist you with that.
- Certificate of completion of a First aid course (more details below).
Note that you need to have at least 1 copy of each document listed above.
The tax for issuing a driving license is 12.5 EUR for normal service (30 days) and 25 EUR for fast service (10 days).
How to get a certificate of completion of a First aid course?
The certificate for completion of the First Aid Course is required when submitting the documents for the driver's license at the Traffic Police office (KAT). You can schedule your First Aid course at the Red Cross website.
We've created a detailed step by step guide covering the process your first aid training required for your driver's license as a foreigner. Please read it carefully at the following link.
Of course, our driving school can personally assist you with every aspect of the process for obtaining your driving license. This includes visiting the different institutions, help and advise with the paperwork, and interactions with the local state representatives.
The right to be a driver also carries its responsibilities, which you will safely build up after each driving class. So don’t hesitate and don’t allow unnecessary dilemmas to disturb your wonderful world – contact us and let’s make it even more magnificent and free.
Feel free to contact me
Andrey Popov
SIGMA Driving Academy
Mobile/Viber/WhatsApp: +359 879 348 177
e-mail: sigmadrivingacademy@gmail.com
Our Facebook is here.
Our Instagram is here.
Our TikTok is here.
Our YouTube is here.
Address: entr. 1, bl. 11, zhk. Mladost 1., Sofia. (click on the map below)
SIGMA Driving Academy