Bulgaria BG
EASA rules apply with free registration and the standard online exam, but after drone incursions at Sofia Airport (Feb 2025, Mar 2026) Bulgaria passed sweeping anti-drone amendments allowing forced landings, physical seizure and criminal liability for breaching restricted airspace.
Your plan
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1 thing to sort out before you fly
- Register your drone in Bulgaria
Free registration via the DG CAA drones platform, typically approved within 1 working day. Free. Allow about 1 day before your trip.
Open official page - Remote ID may apply
Direct Remote ID is required for C1, C2 and C3 class drones and in some geographical zones.
- Bringing your drone in
EU traveller allowance: goods up to €430 (air/sea) or €300 (land) from outside the EU are duty- and VAT-free; above that, import VAT (20%) and possibly duty apply. Batteries: Carry-on only. Up to 100 Wh freely; 100-160 Wh with airline approval (max 2 spares).
- Before each flight
Max 120 m above ground, always in visual line of sight · Never fly over crowds or assemblies of people · Since October 2025 Civil Aviation Act amendments, breaching restricted airspace with a drone can bring criminal liability (not just administrative fines), and authorities can force a drone to land or physically remove it
Flying
- Max 120 m above ground, always in visual line of sight
- Never fly over crowds or assemblies of people
- Since October 2025 Civil Aviation Act amendments, breaching restricted airspace with a drone can bring criminal liability (not just administrative fines), and authorities can force a drone to land or physically remove it
- Sofia Airport and its surrounding complex, plus Varna and Burgas airport zones on the Black Sea coast, are heavily restricted - expect no-fly buffers around all major airports
- Bulgaria has invested heavily (reported EUR 70 million) in anti-drone/counter-UAS technology along the Turkish border area, so unauthorised flights near that border are especially likely to be detected and intercepted
- Check geographical zones before flying, particularly around Sofia, the Black Sea coast and the Turkish border region
Commercial use: The Open category covers most low-risk commercial work as elsewhere in EASA; flights near Sofia, Varna/Burgas airports or the Turkish border need extra caution given the 2025-2026 anti-drone security clampdown.
Registration & classes
| Registration | Yes (from 250 g or camera) Free registration via the DG CAA drones platform, typically approved within 1 working day. |
|---|---|
| Pilot test | Yes (online, from 250 g) EU A1/A3 online certificate. Free online training and exam, roughly 4 hours end to end; certificate valid across the EASA area for 5 years. |
| Remote ID | Some classes Direct Remote ID is required for C1, C2 and C3 class drones and in some geographical zones. |
| Insurance | Depends Not mandatory for hobbyist/recreational drone operators, though recommended. Mandatory for commercial drone operators. |
| Foreign registration accepted | Depends EASA operator registration and A1/A3 certificates from other EASA states are valid in Bulgaria; non-EASA residents register locally if Bulgaria is their first EASA state of operation. Given the 2025-2026 criminal-liability amendments, visitors should be extra careful to check geographical zones before flying near airports or the Turkish border - enforcement has visibly tightened. |
Import & export
- EU traveller allowance: goods up to €430 (air/sea) or €300 (land) from outside the EU are duty- and VAT-free; above that, import VAT (20%) and possibly duty apply.
- CE marking required for sale in the EU/Bulgaria.
- Batteries: Carry-on only. Up to 100 Wh freely; 100-160 Wh with airline approval (max 2 spares).
- No customs within the EU single market.
- Duty rate on drones imported from outside the EU depends on the TARIC tariff code; not separately confirmed for Bulgaria.
- Bulgaria still uses the Bulgarian lev (BGN), not the euro, as of this writing; it is pegged to the euro at a fixed rate.
Export
- EU dual-use export controls apply to professional drones with long range, autonomy or heavy payload capacity.
Costs
| Operator registration | Free Validity: Set nationally |
|---|---|
| EU A1/A3 online certificate | Free |
| Import taxes | ? % duty + 20 % VAT Usually only for drones you buy abroad and bring in to keep. |
Guides
Start flying in Bulgaria Residents
- Register as an operator
Free registration on the DG CAA drones platform, usually approved within a working day. Open
- Pass the A1/A3 test
Free online training and exam, valid across the EASA area for 5 years. Open
- Get insurance if flying commercially
Not required for hobby flying but mandatory for commercial operations - recommended for everyone.
- Check restricted zones before flying
Avoid Sofia, Varna and Burgas airport complexes and be cautious near the Turkish border, where counter-drone enforcement has increased since 2025.
Sources
- EASA – Civil drones (Open category) · accessed 23 Sept 2026
- DG Civil Aviation Administration (Bulgaria) - Unmanned Aircraft Systems · accessed 24 Sept 2026
How the score is built
- Operator registration−10
- Pilot test (online)−10
- Remote ID−4
- Mandatory insurance−3
- Visitors must register locally−5
- Duty + VAT ≈ 25 %−15
Every score starts at 100 and loses points for each requirement. How scoring works