Annual vehicle inspection validity in Bulgaria (ГТП) 2026
How long a ГТП is valid in Bulgaria by type of vehicle, how to check it online, and what changed in 2026 (electronic certificates instead of a sticker).
Contents8 sections
Until the end of 2025, you could tell whether a car’s annual technical inspection (годишен технически преглед, ГТП, Bulgaria’s equivalent of the MOT) was valid from the sticker on the windscreen. From 1 January 2026 there is no sticker any more: the check is done online. Here is everything you need to know about the deadlines for each type of vehicle, how to check validity and what changed in 2026.
❓How long is the annual technical inspection valid?
Source: Ordinance Н-32, Art. 29
Validity periods by type of vehicle
How often a vehicle needs a technical inspection differs for each category. Here is the full table under Ordinance Н-32:
| Vehicle category | First inspection | Following inspections |
|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars (M1) | In the 3rd year | In the 5th year, then every year |
| Motorcycles (L) | In the 4th year | Every 2 years |
| Goods vehicles up to 3.5 t (N1) | In the 3rd year | In the 5th year, then every year |
| Goods vehicles over 3.5 t (N2/N3) | Every year | Every year |
| Taxis, buses (M2/M3) | Every 6 months | Every 6 months |
| Trailers up to 3.5 t (O1/O2) | In the 3rd year | In the 5th year, then every year |
| Trailers over 3.5 t (O3/O4) | Every year | Every year |
When is your next inspection?
A quick self-check for the most common cases
New passenger car (M1): first inspection in the 3rd year from registration
Passenger car after the first 3 years: next one in the 5th year, then every year
Motorcycle: every 2 years
Taxi, bus or goods vehicle over 10 years old: every 6 months
Ordinance No. Н-32 on the periodic inspections of the technical roadworthiness of road vehicles
Art. 29
Official Bulgarian text
„Периодичните прегледи на ППС от категория M1 и N1, както и на ремаркета от категория O1 и O2, се извършват, както следва: първи периодичен преглед - не по-късно от 3 години след първоначалната регистрация, втори периодичен преглед - не по-късно от 2 години след първия, следващи периодични прегледи - всяка година.“
What changed in 2026
Two significant changes affect every driver in Bulgaria in 2026. The first is already in force, and the second was struck down before it could take effect.
Information
The second piece of news concerns Art. 147(9а) of the Road Traffic Act (ЗДвП), which would have blocked an annual technical inspection from being passed if you had unpaid fines and penalty notices from 7 May 2026. On 19 February 2026 the Constitutional Court unanimously (12:0) declared this provision unconstitutional, on a referral by the Ombudsman Velislava Delcheva. The provision does NOT enter into force: you can pass the ГТП even with unpaid penalty notices. It is still sensible to first check your obligations to the traffic police (КАТ), so that you know what you owe.
Road Traffic Act (ЗДвП)
Art. 147(9а) (struck down by the Constitutional Court)
Official Bulgarian text
„С Решение на Конституционния съд от 19 февруари 2026 г. разпоредбата на чл. 147, ал. 9а ЗДвП, предвиждаща блокиране на ГТП при неплатени глоби, е обявена за противоконституционна и не влиза в сила.“
How to check the validity of your ГТП online
Not sure whether your inspection is still valid? Now that the sticker is gone, the online lookup is the only quick way to check the status. The system of the Executive Agency "Automobile Administration" is the official and free source.
Checking your ГТП online
The official website of the Executive Agency "Automobile Administration", with a free lookup
Enter the registration number
Type the car’s number plate (e.g. СА1234ВХ) in the search field
See the expiry date
The system shows when your current ГТП expires and whether it is valid
If you do not remember your registration number exactly, you can find it on the registration certificate (малък талон, the small registration certificate). When the owner or the number plates change, the validity of the ГТП is kept: no new check is needed.
Ask Pravko and get an answer with citations from the law.
What happens if your ГТП has expired
Driving without a valid technical inspection is an offence under the Road Traffic Act (Закон за движението по пътищата, ЗДвП). The size of the fine depends on whether you are the owner of the car or only the driver.
50 BGN
Fine for an owner who does not present the vehicle for a periodic inspection on time
Source: ЗДвП, Art. 181, item 1
If you drive someone else’s car with an expired ГТП and you are not the owner, the residual penalty under Art. 185 ЗДвП applies: a fine of 20 BGN. The specific penalty of 50 BGN for not taking the car for the ГТП under Art. 181, item 1 ЗДвП falls on the owner, not on the driver.
Ask Pravko and get an answer with citations from the law.
Important
The police may stop your car from being driven and take away the number plates until it passes a new inspection. The real risk, however, is the insurance one: the 50 BGN fine is the small part of the damage in an accident.
Is there a grace period after the ГТП expires?
Caution
Practical tip: book your inspection at least two weeks before the expiry date. That way, even if the first attempt fails, you will have time for a repeat inspection. If your car does not pass the first time, the repeat inspection is usually within a few days.
What to do if your ГТП has expired
If you have missed the date, do not panic. The important thing is not to drive the car to the station if the inspection has already expired.
Steps if your ГТП has expired
Do not drive to the station
Use roadside assistance or ask someone with a valid ГТП to take the car there. If you drive it yourself, you risk a fine
Prepare the documents
Gather all the necessary documents before visiting the station
Book online or by phone. A list of stations is available at rta.government.bg
Documents needed for the ГТП
Registration certificate (малък талон, the small registration certificate)*
Owner’s ID card*
Vehicle tax (данък МПС) paid for the current year*
Work it out with our vehicle tax calculator
Valid third-party liability insurance (Гражданска отговорност)*
Certificate for the gas installation (if one is fitted)
Only for cars with gas equipment
* Mandatory documents
Not sure how much vehicle tax you owe? See our vehicle tax calculator: the tax must be paid before you go for the inspection.
How much the annual technical inspection costs
Indicative ГТП prices (2026)
Passenger car
80-120 BGN
Motorcycle
40-60 BGN
Goods vehicle / van
100-150 BGN
Repeat inspection (after a failure)(optional)
Depends on the station
~50% of the price
Total
220,00 лв
Prices are set by the market and vary by region. Valid for 2026.
For detailed information on prices by type of vehicle, see our complete guide to ГТП prices in 2026.
A lost ГТП certificate
From 2026 the certificate is electronic and is kept in the system of the Executive Agency "Automobile Administration". The paper inspection report is still issued as a record, however: if you lose it, you can ask for a duplicate from the station that carried out the inspection.
Ordinance No. Н-32 on the periodic inspections of the technical roadworthiness of road vehicles
Art. 47(5), (6) and (7)
Official Bulgarian text
„При загубване или унищожаване на знака за периодичен преглед, собственикът подава заявление за нов преглед. При загубване на протокола за преглед, се издава дубликат от пункта, извършил прегледа.“
Important: the validity of the ГТП is kept when the owner or the registration plates change. You do not need a new inspection when you buy a car with a valid ГТП.
Have a question about an expired or upcoming ГТП?
Ask Pravko and get an answer with citations from the law.
⚠️ Important
Pravko provides legal information, but it does not replace advice from a lawyer. For important legal matters, consult a licensed lawyer.
