A VAT Refund Guide to 

Bulgaria

How to get VAT Refunds from Bulgaria for your business

Businesses registered in countries outside of Bulgaria can claim VAT refunds on any costs incurred in Bulgaria.
The below information details the requirements needed to be eligible for a VAT refund. This includes claimable expense types, Bulgaria VAT rates, deadlines and claiming periods.
bulgaria | Circular Flag visual device

Where is your company based?

EU

based businesses

VAT-registered businesses in an EU member state are eligible to recover VAT on business costs from Bulgaria under the EU VAT Refund Directive.

NON-EU

based businesses

VAT-registered businesses outside of the European Union are eligible to recover VAT on business costs from Bulgaria under the 13th Directive.

Which countries have reciprocity with Bulgaria?

All countries can claim.

For a more detailed explanation on what reciprocity means within the scope of VAT, click here:

What expenses are claimable in Bulgaria?

ENTERTAINMENT & HOSPITALITY

Entertainment

0%

Hotels & Accommodation

9%

Restaurants

20%

EVENTS

Conferences, Trade Shows & Exhibitions

20%

Training Courses & Seminars

20%

GENERAL EXPENSES

Goods

20%

Inter-company charges

20%

Office Expenses

20%

Marketing Costs

20%

Professional Fees & AP invoices

20%

TRAVEL RELATED

Car Rental

0%

Fuel

20%
For trucks only

Public Transport

20%

Taxis

0%

Additional Information

How far back can your business claim VAT from Bulgaria?
January to December of the previous year
What’s the foreign VAT deadline in Bulgaria?
30 June of each year (Within 6 months of the end of the calendar year in which the tax was incurred)
How long does it take to receive a VAT refund from Bulgaria?
Depending on the complexity of your application and the capacity at the VAT authority, it can take up to 5 months to receive a VAT refund from Bulgaria

Need help with your VAT refund from Bulgaria?

You don’t have to do this alone. We’ve been helping companies reclaim foreign VAT refunds for over 20 years. We have the knowledge and technology to process your refunds quicker as well as attend to any unforeseen VAT authority queries that may arise.

Download a full international VAT guide and never miss a deadline