Vignette for driving in Bulgaria

Vignette for driving in Bulgaria

A vignette is required driving on Bulgarian state roads. These are practically all main roads in Bulgaria and there is no option to avoid buying a vignette for driving in Bulgaria. Unlike other countries that have the vignette system like Austria and Switzerland the vignette cannot be obtained outside Bulgaria. If you are arriving in Bulgaria with car you should buy a vignette for your cat at (after) the border checkpoint. If you drive in Bulgaria without a vignette you risk a fine (about (EUR 60)

Following types of vignettes are available in Bulgaria

Types and prices

Prices of road tax vignettes for cars with non-bulgarian plates:

1 Week	1 Month	Annual
EUR 5,00	EUR 13,00	EUR 34,00

Where to buy

Vignettes are are sold at the border checkpoints and in most of the (chain-) petrol stations.
Look out for the follwing petrol stations:

Lukoil
OMV
Shell
Petrol

How to buy

When you buy a vignette it should be activated for the days you will need it. A vignette is being activated by a” punch system” and when you buy one you will be asked about the day it should be valid from. A vignette for seven days is valid for seven calendar days from the day it has been activated from. A monthly vignette is valid for 31 calender days - for example if you buy a montly vignette on 15 of July it will be valid till 15th of August. Things are different with the annual vignette. It is valid for the calender year only - this means that if you buy one annual vignette in October it will be valid untill end of December only (annual vignettes for 2010 are valid until 31. January 2011, but this might change for 2011/2012).

The day on which the vignette sticker is purchased must not always be the day of its departure. The vignette can be purchased in advance of the desire of the customer. The important thing is that the actual date of departure will be punched.

Affixig the vignette sticker

A vignette sticker is only valid once it has been properly affixed to the vehicle. The mere purchase or possession of a toll sticker does NOT satisfy the requirements for proper payment of the toll. After removing the foil backing, the vignette sticker must be placed without damage directly onto the inside of the windscreen in a location (down right when facing the screen) which is clearly visible from outside the vehicle, where it can be inspected. Short-term toll stickers (1-week and 7-day stickers) must be punched prior to being affixed. Vignette stickers which are not punched or which are not affixed to the vehicle are invalid and one must expect penalties in the event of an inspection. The lower part of the vignette sticker (counterfoil with the serial number) must be retained as a proof of purchase.

Roads where a vignette is needed:

Official site of Bulgarian vignette stickers:
- www.rvs.bg
- Bulgarian road agency