Traffic fines in Bulgaria 2026: amounts in euro, how to check and how to pay
No plate-only fine check exists in Bulgaria: check with EGN/LNCH or your ticket number on the MVR portal. Speeding in town over 50 km/h: €357.90.
There is no plate-only fine check in Bulgaria. As of 27 October 2026, residents with an EGN or LNCH can check KAT fines on the Ministry of Interior (MVR) portal, also with a foreign plate; visitors can check only with the ticket or decree number. Vignettes can be checked by plate for any country at BG TOLL. Our fines helper walks you through each case.
Where to check: the Varna Daily fines helper lists each official check (EGN/LNCH, ticket number, vignette, toll, parking) with what it asks for and a link. It does not check anything itself.
How do I check if I have a fine?
According to the MVR portal (read 27 October 2026), you choose one of two searches:
| What you have | Where | What you enter |
|---|---|---|
| EGN or LNCH | e-uslugi.mvr.bg (KAT obligations) | EGN/LNCH + Bulgarian licence no., or Bulgarian ID no., or foreign plate |
| A ticket or penal decree | e-uslugi.mvr.bg (KAT obligations) | Ticket series and number, or decree number |
| Vignette question | web.bgtoll.bg | Country + plate |
| Toll violation | tollpass.bg (private) | Country + plate |
The result shows the amount, the discounted amount, the IBAN and the payment reason. Karai.bg says the portal needs a login (e-signature, NOI PIK or eAuth); if it asks you, use that or the document search.
Can I check with a foreign plate?
Only together with an EGN or LNCH, so this works for residents driving a foreign-registered car. A visitor with no Bulgarian number cannot search by plate and needs the ticket or decree number.
How much are the fines?
Amounts as reported by Bulgarian legal and driving sites (Pravko.bg, 15 June 2026; Karai.bg, 25 October 2026); the official law text could not be checked. Euro = лв ÷ 1.95583.
| Over the limit | In town | Outside town |
|---|---|---|
| up to 10 km/h | €10.23 | €10.23 |
| 11–20 km/h | €25.56 | €25.56 |
| 21–30 km/h | €51.13 | €51.13 |
| 31–40 km/h | €204.52 | €153.39 |
| 41–50 km/h | €306.78 + 2 months | €204.52 |
| over 50 km/h | €357.90 + 3 months | €306.78 + 2 months |
According to Pravko.bg, above 50 km/h each further 5 km/h adds 50 лв (€25.56); a repeat offence doubles the fine and three or more in a year triple it, with 6 months’ suspension.
Karai.bg lists €51.13 for no seatbelt and for a phone without hands-free. Hambarliyski.com (13 April 2026) gives €76.69 and 10 points for a red light (repeat: €153.39 and 1 month) and these drink-driving penalties (limit 0.5 g/l, per Your Europe):
| Alcohol | First offence |
|---|---|
| 0.5–0.8‰ | €255.65, 6 months, 10 points |
| 0.8–1.2‰ | €511.29, 12 months, 12 points |
| over 1.2‰ | criminal offence |
| refusing the test | €1,022.58, 2 years, 15 points |
A repeat up to 1.2‰ costs €1,022.58 and 3 years. For the general road rules, see tips for first-time foreign visitors.
What about cameras?
Camera violations are recorded without a police stop, so a fine can surface weeks later; for how the cameras work, see driving in Bulgaria with a foreign car on Varna Guide.
How do I pay?
Pay from the MVR result (it shows the IBAN and payment reason) or by bank transfer. Drivers who are not Bulgarian citizens and do not live in Bulgaria are asked to pay on the spot by bank card, Logos Press reported in November 2025; refusing can lead to the registration certificate and plates being taken for up to 3 months. Keep the receipt.
Is there a discount for paying early?
Yes, for payment within 14 days, but Bulgarian sites disagree on the size, so we do not print a percentage. Pay the discounted amount the MVR portal shows. Pravko.bg says it is lost if you appeal.
What if I don’t pay?
Unpaid fines generally go to the National Revenue Agency (NRA) for collection, says a 2023 guide by Speedycars. EU countries also exchange data on road offences (Directive 2015/413), so a fine can arrive by post at home, Your Europe warns.
Vignette and toll fines
A car without a vignette pays a €46.50 compensatory charge since 1 August 2026, BNT reported. Check your vignette by country and plate at BG TOLL; tollpass.bg is a private company’s site. Renting? See renting a car in Varna.
Parked badly in Varna?
Unpaid street parking means a wheel clamp: €10.23 plus €0.51 per started hour; call 070 070 352 or unclamp in MPark. Towing and storage are capped at €153.39 (impound: 052 820 921). Details: Blue and Green Zone parking and car parks in Varna.
Sources
- Ministry of Interior (MVR) e-services – KAT obligations check
- Karai.bg – KAT fines table, as of 25 Oct 2026. Editor's note: all fine amounts on this page come from secondary Bulgarian legal/driving sites; the official law text could not be checked
- Pravko.bg – Speeding fines 2026, 15 Jun 2026 (secondary source)
- Hambarliyski.com – KAT fines: red light and drink-driving, 13 Apr 2026 (secondary source)
- Logos Press – Bulgaria introduces payment of fines at the place of violation (9 Nov 2025)
- Speedycars.eu – How to check traffic tickets in Bulgaria (2023, secondary source)
- Your Europe – Road rules and safety, fines from abroad (checked 23 Dec 2025)
- Your Europe – Bulgaria: 0.5 mg/ml alcohol limit
- BNT News – New vignette prices and €46.50 compensatory fee from 1 Aug 2026
- BG TOLL – Vignette check by country and plate
- TollPass (Intelligent Traffic Systems AD, private) – Toll violation check
- Varna Parking – clamps and towing
Frequently asked questions
Can I check Bulgarian traffic fines by number plate only?
No. As of October 2026 the Ministry of Interior portal needs an EGN or LNCH together with a Bulgarian licence, ID card or foreign plate, or the number of the ticket or penal decree. Vignettes, however, can be checked by country and plate at BG TOLL.
Can a tourist without an EGN check KAT fines?
Only with the document: enter the electronic ticket series and number or the penal decree number on e-uslugi.mvr.bg. Without an EGN or LNCH there is no search by person or plate.
How much is a speeding fine in Bulgaria in 2026?
According to Bulgarian driving sites, from €10.23 (up to 10 km/h over) to €357.90 plus 3 months without a licence (over 50 km/h too fast in town). Repeat offences cost more.
Is there a discount for paying a Bulgarian fine early?
Yes, for payment within 14 days, but sources disagree on the percentage, so we do not quote one. The MVR portal shows the discounted amount next to the full amount.
Do I have to pay a traffic fine on the spot as a foreigner?
Drivers who are not Bulgarian citizens and do not live in Bulgaria are asked to pay on the spot by bank card, according to the Moldovan embassy as reported by Logos Press (Nov 2025).
