Car Shipping to Bulgaria
from the United Kingdom
Bulgaria offers one of the more affordable EU destinations for vehicle imports. The Ship Cars ships to Varna and Burgas on the Black Sea coast. View our shipping services or request a quote.
Quick answer: car shipping to Bulgaria from the UK
Shipping a car from the UK to Bulgaria is priced per vehicle and route — request a free quote for a fixed price. 12–18 days to Varna/Burgas from Southampton. Vehicles are shipped by container to Varna, Burgas. The Ship Cars, the vehicle shipping agent of Ascope Shipping Services LTD, handles UK collection, export paperwork and customs documentation end to end.
Shipping to Bulgaria: cars, trucks, machinery and import rules
Information reviewed September 2026. Always confirm final rules with the official authority before shipping.
Car shipping from the UK to Bulgaria
Quick answer: Cars ship from UK ports to Varna, Burgas in about 12–18 days to Varna/Burgas from Southampton. Prices depend on vehicle size and method — see our car shipping costs.
This route is served mainly by container shipping for extra protection and personal effects. Specialist options include classic car shipping and electric vehicle shipping.
Estimate your price with the cost calculator or check upcoming departures on the RORO sailing schedule.
Truck and commercial vehicle shipping to Bulgaria
Quick answer: Trucks usually ship on flat-rack or open-top containers to Varna, Burgas, priced by dimensions and weight. Transit is about 12–18 days to Varna/Burgas from Southampton.
- Exact length, width, height and gross weight required for a quote
- Running and non-running trucks accepted (towing / crane loading arranged)
- Tanks drained, loose items removed, V5C and export declaration needed
- Check Bulgaria age and emissions limits for commercial vehicles before buying
Read more: truck shipping service, commercial vehicle shipping and our guide to shipping a truck from the UK.
Machinery and plant shipping to Bulgaria
Quick answer: Excavators, tractors, forklifts and agricultural equipment ship on flat-rack containers or as break-bulk to Varna, Burgas. Machinery must be clean and free of soil — most countries, including Bulgaria, inspect for biosecurity.
- Tracked machines loaded on MAFI trailers or flat-racks
- Professional washing and fumigation certificates where required
- Dimensions and weight drive the price — oversize cargo quoted individually
- Commercial invoice and proof of ownership needed for customs
See our heavy machinery shipping service and customs clearance support.
Bulgaria vehicle import rules (September 2026)
- EU import regulations apply.
- Import duty 10% plus 20% DDS (Bulgarian VAT).
- GTP technical inspection required.
- Ecological tax based on vehicle age.
Documents required
- V5C registration
- Passport
- Commercial invoice
- Bill of Lading
- Certificate of Conformity
UK side: notify the DVLA with the V5C export notification, and see documents required and vehicle age restrictions by country.
Official Bulgaria & UK government resources
Always confirm current customs, duty and vehicle registration rules with the official authorities before you ship.
Shipping a vehicle to Bulgaria?
Tell us your vehicle and collection address and we'll send a fixed all-in price for Bulgaria, usually within one working day.
- No obligation
- UK-wide collection
- RORO & container options
Methods
Container
Transit Time
12–18 days to Varna/Burgas
Ports
Varna, Burgas
Starting From
£1,200
Overview
Bulgaria offers one of the more affordable EU destinations for vehicle imports. The Ship Cars ships to Varna and Burgas on the Black Sea coast.
Shipping Methods
Container shipping to Varna or Burgas. Overland via Western European ports also available.
Transit Time
12–18 days to Varna/Burgas from Southampton.
Import Regulations
EU import regulations apply. Import duty 10% plus 20% DDS (Bulgarian VAT). GTP technical inspection required. Ecological tax based on vehicle age.
Documents Required
- V5C registration
- Passport
- Commercial invoice
- Bill of Lading
- Certificate of Conformity
Costs & Fees
Container from £1,200–£1,900. Import duty 10%. DDS 20%.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bulgaria cheap for car imports?
How long does it take to ship a car from the UK to Bulgaria?
Which UK ports do you ship from to Bulgaria?
What documents do I need to ship a car to Bulgaria?
What shipping methods are available from the UK to Bulgaria?
How much does it cost to ship a car from the UK to Bulgaria?
Available Ports
Why ship a car to Bulgaria from the UK
The Ship Cars is a specialist UK vehicle export company moving cars, SUVs, classics, motorbikes and light commercials to Bulgaria every month. European trade lanes from the UK are dominated by short-sea RORO and weekly groupage container departures. Cross-Channel and North Sea sailings out of Immingham, Tilbury and Killingholme feed Iberian, Atlantic and Mediterranean discharge ports. Typical clients on this lane include EU-resident expats, alongside private owners relocating to Bulgaria and returning residents importing a personal vehicle. Our UK-to-Bulgaria corridor is engineered around predictable transit, transparent pricing and full compliance with Bulgaria customs.
Vehicles depart from Tilbury, Immingham, Liverpool and arrive at Varna, Burgas via short-sea Channel and North Sea routings. Typical door-to-port turnaround is 12–18 days to varna/burgas from southampton, supported by marine all-risks insurance, GPS-tracked UK collection and bonded warehousing where required. For an instant indication of cost, use our car shipping cost calculator or request a tailored quote on our quote page.
How UK to Bulgaria car shipping works
Every shipment to Bulgaria follows the same six-step pipeline: free quotation, UK collection or self-drop at Tilbury, bonded UK warehousing and pre-shipment photos, HMRC NOVA / C88 export clearance handled by our UK customs clearance team, ocean transit to Varna (and onward feeder to Burgas where required), and destination customs handover. You choose the shipping mode that best matches the vehicle profile and budget — see the full breakdown on our car shipping costs page or compare live RORO sailing dates to Bulgaria.
RORO to Bulgaria
Roll-on/Roll-off is the lowest-cost method for running, road-legal vehicles bound for Bulgaria. Drive-on at the UK port, drive-off at Varna. RORO shipping to Bulgaria — check the weekly RORO schedule.
Container to Bulgaria
20ft sole-use or 40ft dedicated containers give classic, high-value, modified or non-running vehicles fully enclosed protection on the route to Burgas. Dedicated container shipping to Bulgaria.
Bulgaria ports, routing and transit
Vehicles bound for Bulgaria are typically routed through Varna as the lead discharge port, with Burgas available as alternatives depending on sailing schedule and onward inland transport. We schedule loads to match weekly RORO sailing schedules to Bulgaria and book 20ft and 40ft container slots on the same rotation.
- Port of Varna
- Port of Burgas
- UK departure: Southampton
- UK departure: Tilbury
- UK departure: Bristol (Portbury)
Bulgaria import duty, VAT and customs in 2026
Importing a vehicle into Bulgaria is regulated and document-driven. The headline framework is summarised below; our team verifies every figure against the latest Bulgaria customs schedule before quoting.
- EU type approval and Certificate of Conformity (CoC)
- Post-Brexit 10% import duty and country-specific VAT (TVA, IVA, MwSt, BTW)
- National roadworthiness inspections (ITV, contrôle technique, TÜV, APK, IPO)
- Re-registration with local plates and CO2-based road tax
Document checklist for Bulgaria
- V5C registration
- Passport
- Commercial invoice
- Bill of Lading
- Certificate of Conformity
For full country-specific customs rules, see our Bulgaria import guides and articles, our UK and Bulgaria customs clearance service, or use the duty-inclusive cost calculator for a landed estimate to Varna.
Who ships to Bulgaria
- • Returning Bulgaria residents and dual nationals
- • UK expats relocating to Bulgaria
- • Europe car dealers and Bulgaria re-exporters
- • Private collectors and classic-car enthusiasts
- • Diplomatic missions and corporate fleets
- • Online auction buyers (Copart, BCA, Manheim)
Vehicles we ship to Bulgaria
- • Saloons, hatchbacks and family cars
- • SUVs, 4x4s and pickups (Land Rover, Range Rover, Toyota, Nissan)
- • Luxury and executive vehicles (Bentley, Rolls-Royce, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi)
- • Performance and supercars (McLaren, Aston Martin, Porsche, Ferrari)
- • Classic and historic vehicles (pre-1990 with HMRC NOVA exemption)
- • Motorbikes, scooters and quad bikes
- • Vans, light commercials and motorhomes
- • Electric and hybrid vehicles (EV battery documentation supported)
Why exporters choose The Ship Cars for Bulgaria
• Specialist UK-to-Bulgaria corridor with weekly capacity
• Marine all-risks insurance and bonded UK warehousing
• HMRC NOVA, C88, EORI and DVLA V5C export handled in-house
• Transparent UK to Bulgaria pricing with no hidden destination fees
• Direct relationships with Varna agents
• Dedicated account manager from booking to delivery
Related services and tools for shipping to Bulgaria
Shipping methods
Pricing & schedules
Guides & comparisons
Other Europe destinations from the UK
We ship to 8+ other Europe countries from the UK on the same trade lanes as Bulgaria. Many customers shipping to Bulgaria also enquire about Romania, Greece, Turkey because routing, customs documentation and transit windows overlap.
Get an instant quote for car shipping to Bulgaria
Use our online quote form for Bulgaria sailing dates, indicative landed cost and document checks. Quotes are typically answered the same working day.