Business Registers in Bulgaria: Търговски Регистър (Commercial Register) & BULSTAT

Overview

Bulgaria's main business registry is the Commercial Register and Register of Non-Profit Legal Entities (Търговски регистър и регистър на юридическите лица с нестопанска цел, ТРРЮЛНЦ), administered by the Registry Agency (Агенция по вписванията) under the Ministry of Justice. Commercial companies, sole traders, cooperatives, non-profit legal entities, and branches of foreign companies all register here.

The register went fully electronic in 2008 and is free to consult. The Unified Identification Code (Единен идентификационен код, ЕИК / UIC) is the primary identifier used across government and commercial interactions. For KYB purposes, the portal brings together company profiles, officer and shareholder data, filed documents, and beneficial ownership declarations in one place.

One important context for KYB and AML professionals: Bulgaria was placed on the FATF list of jurisdictions under increased monitoring in 2023. Enhanced due diligence applies when dealing with Bulgarian entities, which makes accurate register data and UBO verification more consequential than in many other EU member states.

Official Registers

Търговски регистър: Commercial Register

The Registry Agency portal gives free public access to the Commercial Register, which moved to central electronic operation in 2008, replacing the network of district court registers that existed before. It holds legal name, UIC, legal form, status, registered seat, share capital, management bodies, representation rights, and founding documents.

For limited liability companies (ООД and ЕООД), shareholders appear in the register because shareholding is disclosed in the founding documents and any subsequent amendments filed there. For joint-stock companies (АД and ЕАД), shareholders sit in the company's own share ledger and are not visible in the public register unless the company is listed on the Bulgarian Stock Exchange.

The Registry Agency also publishes bulk open-data exports of Commercial Register data, giving access to structured records for every registered entity. For large-scale KYB and compliance work, this puts Bulgaria among the more open registers in the EU.

Регистър на юридическите лица с нестопанска цел: Register of Non-Profit Legal Entities

Since January 2018, associations (сдружения) and foundations (фондации) register in the Non-Profit Legal Entities section of the unified system. Before that, they registered through district courts spread across the country, and some were also recorded in BULSTAT. Legacy records from those earlier systems were migrated across. These entities get a UIC and appear in the same Registry Agency portal.

Регистър БУЛСТАТ: BULSTAT Register

The BULSTAT Register is a supplementary statistical register administered by the National Statistics Institute (Национален статистически институт, НСИ). It covers entities that fall outside the Commercial Register: foreign legal entities operating in Bulgaria, foreign natural persons doing independent economic activity, budget-funded organizations, and the like.

Entities in BULSTAT get a BULSTAT number (typically 9 digits). For counterparties registered in the Commercial Register, BULSTAT is not relevant; the UIC is the operative identifier.

Регистър на действителните собственици: Register of Beneficial Owners

The Register of Beneficial Owners (Регистър на действителните собственици) is maintained by the Registry Agency within the same portal. Bulgaria implemented the EU's 4th and 5th Anti-Money Laundering Directives, so UBO declarations are now mandatory for commercial entities and non-profit legal entities.

Anyone holding more than 25% of the shares or voting rights, or in a position to control the entity through other means, must be declared. If no individual clears that threshold, senior management is registered instead. Basic UBO records are accessible through the public portal at no charge. Detailed access, including documents attached to declarations, requires authentication via an EU-qualified electronic signature or Bulgarian resident credentials. A June 2025 government decree (Decree No. 92) introduced a legitimate interest access pathway for third parties, though the practical application of that framework is still taking shape. Companies must update their declarations whenever ownership changes.

Годишни финансови отчети: Annual Financial Statements

Annual financial statements (годишни финансови отчети) for Bulgarian commercial entities must be submitted to the National Revenue Agency (Национална агенция за приходите, НАП) for tax purposes and also published in the Commercial Register. Once submitted, they become publicly visible. Listed companies and other public-interest entities also file with the Financial Supervision Commission (Комисия за финансов надзор, КФН).

Registration and Publication Requirements

Companies (ООД, ЕООД, АД, ЕАД)

The limited liability company (Дружество с ограничена отговорност, ООД) and its single-member variant (ЕООД) are the most common forms for small and medium enterprises. The joint-stock company (Акционерно дружество, АД) and its single-member form (ЕАД) are used for larger or listed entities.

Registration in the Commercial Register is mandatory for all of these and gives them legal personality and a UIC. Annual financial statements must be filed and published. UBO declarations are submitted at registration and must be kept current. The founding document (учредителен акт for ЕООД, дружествен договор for ООД) is filed at registration and stays publicly accessible.

Sole Traders (ЕТ)

A sole trader (едноличен търговец, ЕТ) is an individual trading under their own name and must register in the Commercial Register. The form doesn't create a separate legal entity, so the person is personally liable for all obligations. Annual financial statements are required and must be published, though very small sole traders may qualify for simplified reporting. UBO registration doesn't apply here.

Partnerships (КД, СД)

Limited partnerships (командитно дружество, КД) and general partnerships (събирателно дружество, СД) register in the Commercial Register. Their founding documents and partner information are public, and annual financial statements must be filed and published.

Non-Profit Legal Entities (Сдружения и Фондации)

Associations (сдружения) and foundations (фондации) register in the Non-Profit Legal Entities section of the unified register and receive a UIC. For those carrying out public-benefit activities, annual financial statements must be published. UBO rules apply in the same way as for commercial entities.

Summary

With Topograph

Topograph queries the Bulgarian Commercial Register through the Registry Agency portal and its open-data extracts, returning company profiles, officers, shareholders, and beneficial ownership data.

Available Data

Company Profile

• Legal name and UIC (Unified Identification Code / ЕИК)
• Legal form (local label and standardized English category)
• Status and incorporation date
• Registered address and share capital
• Activity codes (KID-2025, effective January 2025, replacing the prior KID-2008 classification)

Legal Representatives

• Directors, managers, and representation details as filed

Shareholders

• Shareholders of record for ООД/ЕООД where disclosed in register filings

UBO (Ultimate Beneficial Ownership)

• Beneficial owners as declared in the Register of Beneficial Owners

Available Documents

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