In short
- EU/EEA citizens can generally own Bulgarian land directly, on the same terms as Bulgarian nationals.
- Non-EU/EEA citizens generally cannot own land directly — but can buy apartments and buildings in their own name without restriction.
- For land, the standard route for a non-EU buyer is to hold it through a Bulgarian-registered company (EOOD), which counts as a Bulgarian legal entity regardless of who owns its shares.
- Always confirm the rule for your specific nationality and the specific property type with a notary before signing anything — this is a real legal question, not a formality.
The legal starting point: land is not the same as buildings
Article 22 of the Bulgarian Constitution states that foreign individuals and foreign legal entities cannot acquire ownership of land, except by inheritance under the law or under an international treaty that has been ratified, promulgated, and entered into force in Bulgaria. The main treaty that matters in practice is Bulgaria's EU Accession Treaty, which substantially relaxed this restriction for citizens of EU and EEA member states.
Ownership of a building or an apartment is treated separately from ownership of the land underneath it. That's why, in practice, both EU and non-EU individuals can buy flats and standalone buildings directly, in their own name, without needing a company — the constitutional restriction is specifically about land.
EU/EEA citizens vs. everyone else
| Buyer | Apartment / building | Land (non-agricultural) | Agricultural / forest land |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU/EEA individual | Direct, no restriction | Direct, same as a Bulgarian citizen | Generally allowed since 2014, but has carried extra conditions at times — check current status |
| Non-EU individual | Direct, no restriction | Not directly — via a Bulgarian company, or a rare treaty exception | Not directly — same company route, subject to the same caveats |
Agricultural land, forest, and vineyards are the area with the most legal history and the most change over time — treat that column as a flag to verify current rules for your case, not a fixed answer.
When you actually need a company — and when you don't
If you're a non-EU buyer looking at a flat in an existing apartment building, you don't need a company — you can sign the notarial deed in your own name like any Bulgarian buyer. A company only becomes necessary once land is part of what you're acquiring: a standalone house with the plot it sits on, a development site, or raw land.
A Bulgarian EOOD is itself a Bulgarian legal entity under the Commerce Act, so it can own land even when 100% of its shares are held by a non-EU individual. The restriction attaches to the buyer's nationality, not the company's shareholders — which is exactly why this structure is the standard workaround, not a loophole.
Setting up an EOOD as a property-holding vehicle
The formation process is the same as for any EOOD: minimum share capital of €1, a registered address in Bulgaria, a founding act, and a manager (who can be the same non-resident individual buying the property). Filed correctly, registration with the Commercial Register typically takes 1–2 business days. Full procedure: registering an EOOD and company formation.
If you'd rather your name didn't appear as the registered shareholder in the public Commercial Register, that's a separate question with its own rules — see nominee director and shareholder services in Bulgaria, including what a nominee arrangement does and doesn't achieve.
The ongoing cost of keeping a company alive purely to hold property
A company set up only to hold a plot of land doesn't stop being a legal entity just because it isn't trading. It still owes annual accounting, must file annual financial statements every year — even with zero activity — and needs a registered address and, in practice, an accountant to keep it compliant. This is a genuine recurring cost that a straight personal purchase of an apartment simply doesn't carry, and it's worth weighing against the one-time cost of the company formation itself. Pricing for ongoing accounting: accounting services and pricing.
Confirm before you sign
Property law and land-ownership eligibility are handled by a notary at the point of the transaction, not by an accounting firm — the notary is who confirms your specific eligibility and registers title. Before paying a deposit on any land or a house-with-land, get written confirmation from a notary or real estate lawyer that covers your specific nationality and the specific property type, especially if agricultural or forest land is anywhere in the parcel. Bulsmetka can set up and run the company side — formation, the capital deposit, and the ongoing accounting — but the property-law confirmation itself sits with a notary.
Frequently asked questions
Can I buy an apartment in Bulgaria without a company, regardless of my nationality?
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Yes. Ownership of an apartment or a building is treated separately from ownership of the land it stands on, so both EU and non-EU individuals can buy flats and buildings directly in their own name. Land is where the restriction applies.
Can a non-EU citizen ever own Bulgarian land directly?
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Only through inheritance by operation of law, or under a ratified international treaty that grants that specific right — both narrow exceptions. In practice, the standard route for a non-EU buyer who wants land is to hold it through a Bulgarian-registered company, which is a Bulgarian legal entity regardless of who owns its shares.
Does a property-holding company need to actively trade?
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No — it can hold the property and do nothing else. But it still exists as a legal entity, so it must still file annual financial statements and keep its accounting current even with zero activity.
Can EU citizens buy agricultural land in Bulgaria freely?
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Generally yes since the 2014 end of Bulgaria's EU-accession transitional period, but agricultural, forest, and vineyard land has carried additional conditions at various points, including residency-linked requirements. Confirm the current rule for your specific case with a notary before relying on it.
Sources
Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria (Art. 22); Property Act (Law on Ownership); EU Accession Treaty, europa.eu; registryagency.bg. Verified 4 September 2026.
Important
Bulsmetka is an accounting firm, not a real estate lawyer or notary. This is general information, not a substitute for individual legal advice on a specific property and nationality.