In
Bulgaria
Bulgaria, officially the Republic of Bulgaria, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern portion of the Balkans directly south of the Danube river and west of the Black Sea. Bulgaria is bordered by Greece and Turkey t ...
, the driving licence ( ''(Certificate for driving a motorized vehicle)'', abbreviated ''СУМПС'') is a governmental right given to those who request a licence for any of the categories they desire. It is required for every type of
motorized vehicle
A motor vehicle, also known as a motorized vehicle, automotive vehicle, automobile, or road vehicle, is a self-propelled land vehicle, commonly wheeled, that does not operate on railway track, rails (such as trains or trams), does not fly (such ...
. The minimum age to obtain a driving licence is: 16 years for a motorcycle, 18 years for a car, and 21 years for buses and cargo vehicles.
In addition to the
plastic card
Plastic cards usually serve as identity documents, thus providing authentication. In combination with other assets that complement the data stored on the card, like Personal identification number, PIN numbers, they also serve authorization purpose ...
, each holder of a Bulgarian driving licence is in possession of a second document, named control card (''контролен талон''). It is made of blue paper, is filled in by hand and is stamped. When a driver is fined for road violation, the counterfoil is taken by the authorities and is replaced by а breach act (''акт за нарушение''). The driver may continue driving for a limited period of time, stated in the document. The check counterfoil is returned only after the fine is paid.
Since 1999, the Bulgarian driving licence format was changed from that of a pink booklet to a credit-card sized card. The pink booklet had been used for several decades and thus the driving licence was and still is informally called in ''(driver's booklet)''.
Obtaining a driver's licence
The Bulgarian driving licence can be obtained after finishing a
driving school and passing a two-stage test, the theory test and road test. A first aid course for drivers and a primary school diploma is also required to obtain valid driver's licence. A medical certificate by a GP is also necessary.
Gallery of historic images
Image:Driver`s licence -Bulgaria, 1938.jpg,
See also
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European driving licence
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Vehicle registration plates of Bulgaria
Standard Bulgarian vehicle registration plates display black glyphs (alphanumeric characters) on a white background, together with – on the left-hand side of the plate – a blue vertical "EU strip" showing the flag of Europe (or, for older-re ...
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Vehicle registration plates of the European Union
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Bulgarian identity card
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Bulgarian passport
External links
Bulgarian road legislation
{{Europe topic, Driving licence in
Bulgaria
Bulgaria, officially the Republic of Bulgaria, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern portion of the Balkans directly south of the Danube river and west of the Black Sea. Bulgaria is bordered by Greece and Turkey t ...
Road transport in Bulgaria