Civil Procedure Code of Bulgaria 2026: structure and changes
A map of the Bulgarian Civil Procedure Code (ГПК) as at 16 June 2026: its eight parts, key chapters, the new representative actions and what comes next.
The Civil Procedure Code (ГПК) is the act that a practising lawyer opens most often and almost never reads as a whole. You work in cross-sections: the chapter on appeals, the chapter on order-for-payment proceedings, the section on non-attachable income. That is exactly why a structural orientation to the code turns out to be more useful than yet another reprint of the raw text.
The version in force as at 28 July 2026 is the one after the amendment in State Gazette (ДВ) No. 55 of 16 June 2026. The code now has eight parts and runs to Art. 640, and three amendments have been promulgated since the start of 2026 alone, one of which creates an entirely new chapter. This analysis is a systematic map: which part regulates what, where each institution lives and what is about to change.
❓What does the Civil Procedure Code regulate and how many parts does it have?
What the ГПК regulates and which version is in force
The subject of the code is stated with great economy, and it is this sentence that draws the boundary with administrative and criminal procedure.
Civil Procedure Code (ГПК)
Art. 1
The subject of the code. The wording is general and is supplemented by Art. 2, which obliges the courts to hear and resolve every application submitted to them for protection of and assistance with personal and property rights.
Official Bulgarian text
„Този кодекс урежда производството по граждански дела.“
The current ГПК was promulgated in ДВ No. 59 of 20 July 2007 and has been in force since 1 March 2008. The header of the consolidated version on lex.bg carries 58 amendment markers, the last of which at the time of publication is the amendment in ДВ No. 55 of 16 June 2026. A mirror of the official text is also kept by the Ministry of Justice, and the State Gazette issues themselves are available in the electronic edition of the gazette.
8
parts
719
article headings in the range Arts. 1–640, with no numerical gaps
68
chapters: 61 numbered and 7 with a letter designation
48
sections
3
amendments since the start of 2026 alone
1 March 2008
date the current code came into force
The three amendments of 2026 are not equal, and it is worth keeping that in mind before announcing yet another reform. ДВ No. 13 of 2026 (in force from 3 February 2026) is the substantial one: it creates the new chapter on representative actions and reworks the procedure for collective claims. ДВ No. 17 of 13 February 2026 touches a handful of provisions, among them the special representative, service of documents and costs. ДВ No. 55 of 16 June 2026 changes a single paragraph in the chapter on procedural acts and documents in electronic form. Three amendments in half a year is a true statement, but only one of them changes the legal landscape.
Beware of the repealed 1952 code
The structure of the code: the eight parts
The eight parts of the ГПК are not equal in size. Part Five (enforcement proceedings, Arts. 404–529) is the largest, and Part Eight (Arts. 634–640) is the shortest. The table below is a quick navigation aid: which part to open for what.
| Part | Title | Articles | When you open it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part One | General rules | Arts. 1–102з | Jurisdiction between courts and other bodies (подведомственост), notifications and summonses, time limits, fees and costs, electronic form |
| Part Two | General claim procedure | Arts. 103–309 | Court jurisdiction (подсъдност), main proceedings, evidence, deciding the case, appeal, cassation, setting aside |
| Part Three | Special claim proceedings | Arts. 310–388р | Fast-track proceedings, matrimonial cases, partition, commercial disputes, collective and representative actions |
| Part Four | Interim-security proceedings | Arts. 389–403 | Granting security and interim measures |
| Part Five | Enforcement proceedings | Arts. 404–529 | Writ of execution, order-for-payment proceedings (заповедно производство), defence against enforcement, enforcement methods |
| Part Six | Non-contentious proceedings (охранителни производства) | Arts. 530–607 | Notarial proceedings, registration of legal entities |
| Part Seven | Special rules when EU law applies | Arts. 608–633 | Cooperation within the EU, European order for payment, preliminary references |
| Part Eight | Special rules when international treaties apply | Arts. 634–640 | The 2007 Hague Convention and the 1996 Hague Convention |
Structural map of the ГПК as at the amendment in ДВ No. 55 of 16 June 2026.
The titles of Parts Seven and Eight are shortened in the table. Officially they read Special rules on civil proceedings when European Union law applies (in force from 24 July 2007) and Special rules on civil proceedings when international treaties apply (new, ДВ No. 42 of 2018).
Basic provisions and basic principles: the distinction
One of the most common inaccurate citations in written submissions is referring to Arts. 1–4 as the basic principles of civil procedure. They are not. Chapter One, Basic Provisions, covers Arts. 1–4 and regulates the subject of the code, the duty to provide protection, good faith and the language of the court.
Civil Procedure Code (ГПК)
Art. 3
Good faith. The provision is in Chapter One, Basic Provisions, not among the basic principles.
Official Bulgarian text
„Участващите в съдебните производства лица и техните представители под страх от отговорност за вреди са длъжни да упражняват предоставените им процесуални права добросъвестно и съобразно добрите нрави. Те са длъжни да изнасят пред съда само истината.“
Civil Procedure Code (ГПК)
Art. 4(1)
The last provision of Chapter One. The basic principles begin with the next article.
Official Bulgarian text
„Съдебният език е българският.“
A common citation mistake: Arts. 1–4 are not the basic principles
The general claim procedure: from the statement of claim to setting aside
Part Two is the backbone of the code and arranges the path of a claim case in a logical sequence. Knowing the chapters is enough to reach the right provision without leafing through the code.
The path of a claim case under Part Two of the ГПК
Bringing the claim
Arts. 124–152Chapter Thirteen, Main Proceedings. The types of claim are regulated in Art. 124.
Proof
Arts. 153–209Chapter Fourteen, Evidence. The subject of proof is outlined in Art. 153.
Deciding the case
Arts. 235–254Chapter Eighteen. The issuing of the judgment is regulated in Art. 235.
Setting a time limit in case of delay
Arts. 255–257Chapter Nineteen. A self-contained procedure that runs in parallel with the main one.
Chapter Twenty. The subject of appeal is defined in Art. 258.
Cassation appeal
Arts. 280–295Chapter Twenty-two. The scope of cassation is in Art. 280.
Force of court judgments
Arts. 296–302Chapter Twenty-three. Entry into force is Art. 296, the limits of the judgment Art. 298, the bar on re-litigation (непререшаемост) Art. 299.
Setting aside judgments that have entered into force
Arts. 303–309Chapter Twenty-four. The grounds for setting aside are listed in Art. 303.
Do not tie the force of res judicata to Art. 296
For a detailed look at the second instance, including the time limit, the required content and the scope of the appeal review, see our separate analysis of the appeal under the ГПК. The parallel map for criminal procedure is in the structural analysis of the Criminal Procedure Code (НПК), and for the interpretative layer above this subject see the overview of the interpretative case law of the Supreme Court of Cassation (ВКС) in civil cases.
Ask Pravko and get an answer with citations from the law.
Legal information, not legal advice.
Special claim proceedings and the new chapter on representative actions
Part Three collects the proceedings that depart from the general claim procedure: fast-track proceedings (Chapter Twenty-five, Arts. 310–317), matrimonial cases (Chapter Twenty-six, Arts. 318–330), judicial partition (Chapter Twenty-nine, Arts. 341–355), commercial disputes (Chapter Thirty-two, Arts. 365–378) and proceedings on collective claims (Chapter Thirty-three, Arts. 379–388).
The freshest structural addition to the code is here. By ДВ No. 13 of 2026, in force from 3 February 2026, Chapter Thirty-three “а” is created in Part Three, with 16 articles and three sections.
Civil Procedure Code (ГПК)
Chapter Thirty-three "а", Arts. 388а–388р
The new chapter covers Arts. 388а–388р, divided into three sections. It stands immediately after the existing collective-claims procedure and does not replace it.
Official Bulgarian text
„Глава тридесет и трета "а". ПРОИЗВОДСТВО ПО ПРЕДСТАВИТЕЛНИ ИСКОВЕ ЗА ЗАЩИТА НА КОЛЕКТИВНИТЕ ИНТЕРЕСИ НА ПОТРЕБИТЕЛИТЕ (НОВА - ДВ, БР. 13 ОТ 2026 Г., В СИЛА ОТ 03.02.2026 Г.)“
Civil Procedure Code (ГПК)
§ 1а of the Additional Provisions
The European basis of the new chapter. The reference in the Additional Provisions (ДР) is the place that most quickly shows the origin of the regime.
Official Bulgarian text
„§ 1а. (Нов - ДВ, бр. 13 от 2026 г., в сила от 03.02.2026 г.) Този кодекс въвежда изискванията на Директива (ЕС) 2020/1828 на Европейския парламент и на Съвета от 25 ноември 2020 г. относно представителните искове за защита на колективните интереси на потребителите“
| Criterion | Collective claims | Representative actions to protect the collective interests of consumers |
|---|---|---|
| Place in the code | Chapter Thirty-three, Part Three | Chapter Thirty-three “а”, Part Three |
| Articles | Arts. 379–388 | Arts. 388а–388р |
| Age of the regime | Part of the code since its adoption | New by ДВ No. 13 of 2026, in force from 3 February 2026 |
| Internal structure | No sections | Three sections, 16 articles |
| European basis | No express reference in § 1а of the Additional Provisions (ДР) | Directive (EU) 2020/1828, cited in § 1а of the ДР |
The practical consequence is that the two procedures exist in parallel and the choice between them is not a matter of style. The code has set them apart in separate chapters with different scope, and the reference to Directive (EU) 2020/1828 is attached only to the new chapter.
Interim-security and enforcement proceedings
Part Four (Arts. 389–403) is short and divides into two: granting security (Chapter Thirty-four, Arts. 389–396) and interim measures (Chapter Thirty-five, Arts. 397–403). Part Five is the other extreme. With its 126 articles (Arts. 404–529) it is the largest part of the code.
| Chapter | Subject | Articles |
|---|---|---|
| Chapter Thirty-six | Issuing a writ of execution | Arts. 404–409 |
| Chapter Thirty-seven | Order-for-payment proceedings (заповедно производство) | Arts. 409а–425 |
| Chapter Thirty-nine | Defence against enforcement | Arts. 435–441 |
| Chapter Forty | General rules of the enforcement process | Arts. 442–455 |
| Chapter Forty-three | Enforcement against immovable property, including Section II, Electronic Public Auctions (Arts. 501а–501ж, new by ДВ No. 86 of 2017) | Arts. 483–501ж |
The key chapters of Part Five, Enforcement Proceedings
This part also contains the provisions around which much of the everyday work on claims revolves: the application for an order for payment (Art. 410), the order for payment on the basis of a document (Art. 417) and non-attachable income (Art. 446). The section on electronic public auctions covers seven articles and was added by ДВ No. 86 of 2017.
The European and international rules: Parts Seven and Eight
The last two parts are the ones most often skipped, and that is exactly why they are worth knowing by heart. Part Seven has been in force since 24 July 2007, that is, since the date of accession, and regulates how Bulgarian civil procedure interacts with EU law.
What Part Seven regulates (Arts. 608–633)
Chapter Fifty-six: cooperation within the European Union (Arts. 608–618)
Chapter Fifty-six "а": the European account preservation order under Regulation (EU) No. 655/2014 (Arts. 618а–618д)
Chapter Fifty-seven: recognition and declaration of enforceability (Arts. 619–623)
Chapter Fifty-eight: the European order for payment under Regulation (EC) No. 1896/2006 (Arts. 625–627)
Chapter Fifty-nine: preliminary references (Arts. 628–633)
Part Eight is the newest part of the code and was created by ДВ No. 42 of 2018. It covers only seven articles and regulates the recognition and enforcement of court judgments under the two Hague Conventions.
Civil Procedure Code (ГПК)
Chapter Sixty-one, Art. 640
Recognition and enforcement of court judgments under the 1996 Hague Convention in connection with parental responsibility and measures for the protection of children. The chapter is new by ДВ No. 39 of 2024 and consists of one article. The chapter before it, Chapter Sixty (Arts. 634–639), regulates the 2007 Hague Convention and is new by ДВ No. 42 of 2018.
What is coming: the draft against gagging lawsuits (SLAPPs)
The only significant forthcoming amendment to the ГПК at the time of publication is a draft amending and supplementing act, prepared by the Ministry of Justice and published for public consultation on the public consultation portal on 16 April 2026, closing on 18 May 2026. The draft transposes Directive (EU) 2024/1069 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 April 2024 on protecting persons who engage in public participation from manifestly unfounded claims or abusive court proceedings (strategic lawsuits against public participation), published in the Official Journal of the EU (ОВ), L 2024/1069 of 16 April 2024. It provides for the creation of a new chapter in Part Three, titled Proceedings due to the public participation of the defendant.
The draft has not been adopted and has not been submitted to the National Assembly
Note: there is another bill to amend the ГПК in the National Assembly
Stage 1 of 3
The European Commission's infringement procedure against Bulgaria for failing to notify full transposition of Directive (EU) 2024/1069. On 15 July 2026 the Commission sent a letter of formal notice to Bulgaria and 13 other member states, with a deadline to reply of about 15 September 2026.
Source: The deadline for transposing the directive was 7 May 2026.
The wording here needs precision. The letter of formal notice is the first of the three steps of the infringement procedure (letter of formal notice, reasoned opinion, referral to the Court of Justice of the EU). Bulgaria has not been convicted, has not been sanctioned and has not been brought before the Court of Justice of the European Union. At the same time, the opposite claim, that the ГПК has not been amended in 2026, is also inaccurate: it has been amended three times. What has not been adopted is the specific chapter against gagging lawsuits.
How to check the version of the ГПК in practice
With a code that has 58 amendment markers in its header, the risk is not that you will not find the text, but that you will find an outdated text that looks current. Some of the free online repositories serve versions from years ago without any visible indication of the date.
Two ten-second tests of whether a source is out of date
Checklist before a procedural step under the ГПК
The working minimum before you rely on a specific provision in a written document.
Compare the last-amendment marker in the header of the consolidated version with the date of the procedural step*
As at the date of this analysis, the version in force is the one after the amendment in ДВ No. 55 of 16 June 2026.
Make sure you are reading the 2007 code and not the repealed 1952 ГПК*
Check whether the text contains Chapter Thirty-three "а" (Arts. 388а–388р) and Part Eight (Arts. 634–640)*
The absence of either one is a sign of an outdated source.
Apply the two quick tests on Art. 430 and Art. 280(1)
Where there is a cross-border element, check whether the applicable regime is in Part Seven (EU law) or Part Eight (international treaties)
For a provision amended in 2026, also check the date of entry into force, which does not always coincide with the date of promulgation*
Chapter Thirty-three "а" was promulgated by ДВ No. 13 of 2026 but has been in force since 3 February 2026.
* Mandatory documents
If you want quick orientation on a particular procedure, instead of leafing through 640 articles, you can describe your case to Pravko. Pravko is an AI assistant over current Bulgarian legislation and returns answers with citations to the specific provisions. It is useful for initial orientation and narrowing down the set of applicable rules, but it does not replace independent checking in the consolidated version, nor consultation with a colleague on the specific case.
Pravko provides legal information but does not replace consulting a lawyer. For important legal questions, consult a licensed lawyer.
⚠️ Important
Pravko provides legal information, but it does not replace advice from a lawyer. For important legal matters, consult a licensed lawyer.
