Replacing a foreign driving license with a Bulgarian one

2682 Replacing a foreign driving license with a Bulgarian one

The service is provided to persons whose place of residence is in the Republic of Bulgaria and who hold a driving license issued in another country
Based on: the Road Traffic Act – Art. 162, Para 4; Art. 162, Para 6
Authority providing the administrative service:
Traffic Police Units with Sofia Metropolitan Directorate of Interior and the Regional Directorates of the Ministry of Interior
Deadline for providing the service:
Standard service – up to 30 days, express service – up to 10 days
Validity of the document / individual administrative act:
10 years; 5 years (for categories C, D, E, T); up to 5 years – for medical reasons
Control authority for the activity of the authority providing the service:
Director of the Regional Directorate of MoI in which the respective Traffic Police unit is situated
Authority of appeal of an individual administrative act:
Director of Regional Directorate of MoI in which the respective Traffic Police unit is situated
Terms and conditions:
The foreign driving license presented for replacement must be issued by:
a EU Member State Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, or the Swiss Confederation
a state - contracting party to the Convention on Road Traffic, and the driving license should meet the requirements of Appendix 6 to the Convention
a state – contracting party to the Convention on Road Traffic that has signed an agreement with the Republic of Bulgaria on mutual recognition and re-issuance of driving licenses
The foreign driving license presented for replacement must be valid. Not recognized as valid: a restricted driving license, suspended or withdrawn on the territory of another EU Member State or a license that is canceled in another EU Member State.
The applicant:
- should comply with the driving license requirements laid down in the legislation

- should hold a Bulgarian identity document

- should reside in Bulgaria

- should not hold another valid driving license issued by an EU Member State

- should not be restricted or temporarily disqualified from driving on the territory of a Member state

- should not have initialed procedures for replacement of his driving license in another Member
State

Requirements, procedures, instructions
I. Submitting an application
The application is generated by an information system of the Ministry of Interior. Data is automatically-filled in. The applicant only checks the data and verifies it by signature. The applicant does not have to fill in an application in advance.
The application shall be accompanied by:
- a Bulgarian identity document
- a copy of the foreign driving license subject to replacement (for verification check in the European system for driving licenses information exchange)
- a driver’s/ candidate driver’s physical fitness assessment card, issued by the general practitioner, the Transport District Expert Committee (TOLEC), or the Transport Central Medical Expert Committee
- a declaration that his residence is not in another ЕU Member State, and that he does not hold a valid driving license issued by an EU Member State. The declaration may be filled in beforehand, but it must be signed in front of a Traffic Police officer upon submitting the application. In case the application is filed by a proxy, the signature at the end of the declaration must be of the person to whom a driving license will be issued, and must be certified by a notary.
- a copy of document for completed minimum first level of secondary education. In case the education is completed in a foreign country - a certificate under Art. 110, Para 2 of Ordinance No. 11 of 1 September 2016, on assessing students’ academic results. Persons who have completed primary education, or 10th grade, before 26 September 2017 under the repealed National Education Act, shall present a copy of a document certifying completion of minimum primary education instead of a copy of a document for completed minimum first level of secondary education. Not required from applicants presenting a driving license issued by an EU Member State, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and the Swiss Confederation.
- copy of a certificate for psychological fitness - for the issuance of driving licenses of categories C1, C, D1, D and T. Not required from applicants presenting a driving license issued by an EU Member State, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and the Swiss Confederation.
- physical fitness assessment card of a driver/ diving license candidate for categories C1, C, D1, D and Ttm, with compulsory examinations by doctors with the corresponding medical specialty to establish the state of the visual system, hearing system, nervous system, internal organs, surgical and orthopedic-traumatic status
- document for paid state fee
- notarized power of attorney - when the application is filed through an authorized representative
The applicant must present the original documents for verification of the copies attached to the application.
II. Verification of the submitted documents
Upon submission, a Traffic Police officer verifies the documents and instructs the applicant in case of missing or incorrect documents.
III. Verification of the substance of documents
Within the period for providing the service, a Traffic Police official carries out an in-depth examination of the submitted documents, including a verification in the European driving licenses information system (EUCARIS).
IV. Receiving the driving license
The applicant receives his driving license from the respective Traffic Police unit where he has filed the application, and within the timeframe for which he has paid the relevant state fee.
Upon receiving the new driving license and control coupon the applicant must return the old driving license.
The receipt of the new driving license and control coupon must be done in person, even if the application was submitted by an authorized representative!

Templates
Declaration of residence in the Republic of Bulgaria (for driving license issuance)

Application for issuance of an identity document (sample is only for information! The application is filled in and printed at the desk)

Regulatory framework

Statutes for issuance of Bulgarian personal documents
Ordinance I-157/01.10.2002 on the Conditions and Procedures for Issuance of a Driving License, Report of Drivers and their Discipline
Payment
Fees are charged for the service
For replacement of a foreign driving license, the following fees are collected:
1. for a driving license of a person up to the age of 58 - BGN 25;
2. for a driving license of a person from 58 to 70 years of age - BGN 11;
3. for a driving license of a person with permanently reduced working capacity or type and degree of disability 50 % and above - BGN 3.
Persons over 70 years of age are exempt from payment for issuance of a driving license.
Double fee for express services is charged.
Upon replacement of a foreign driving license, a fee of BGN 2 is collected for the control coupon, which is part of the driving license.

The service can be paid in one of the following ways:
At a desk in the administrative service unit by a bank card;
By a bank transfer