Resigning in Bulgaria: letter, notice periods and your rights
How to resign properly under the Bulgarian Labour Code: three ways to end a contract, the letter, notice periods and the payments you are entitled to.
Have you decided to leave your job, but are not sure how exactly to go about it? Not sure whether you need to submit a request (молба), an application (заявление) or a notice (предизвестие)? Here is everything you need to know: three lawful ways to resign, a ready-made template, deadlines and what you are entitled to.
❓How do I write a resignation letter in Bulgaria?
Source: КТ, Art. 325-327
Three ways to terminate an employment contract
The Labour Code (КТ) provides three main ways for an employee to terminate their employment contract. Which one to choose depends on your situation and your relationship with your employer.
| Method | Basis in the КТ | Period | When to choose it |
|---|---|---|---|
| By mutual agreement | Art. 325(1), item 1 | As agreed | You are on good terms and want a quick termination |
| With notice | Art. 326 | 30 days (up to 3 months) | The standard way, the employer cannot refuse |
| Without notice | Art. 327(1) | Immediate | The employer is breaching your rights (unpaid salary, etc.) |
By mutual agreement (Art. 325 КТ)
This is the fastest option when both sides agree. You submit a written proposal, and the employer must reply within 7 days. If they do not reply, they are deemed not to agree.
Labour Code (КТ)
Art. 325(1), item 1
Official Bulgarian text
„Трудовият договор се прекратява без която и да е от страните да дължи предизвестие: 1. по взаимно съгласие на страните, изразено писмено“
With notice (Art. 326 КТ)
The most commonly used way to leave. You submit written notice and the employer cannot refuse. The contract ends automatically when the notice period expires.
Labour Code (КТ)
Art. 326
Official Bulgarian text
„Срокът на предизвестието зависи от вида на трудовия договор - при безсрочен трудов договор той е 30 дни, доколкото страните не са уговорили помежду си по-дълъг срок, но не повече от 3 месеца.“
Without notice (Art. 327 КТ)
This option is for situations where the employer is breaching their obligations. The contract ends from the moment the written application is received, without waiting for any period to run.
Labour Code (КТ)
Art. 327(1)
Official Bulgarian text
„Работникът или служителят може да прекрати трудовия договор писмено, без предизвестие, когато работодателят забави изплащането на трудовото възнаграждение“
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How to write a resignation letter: step by step
Whichever option you choose, the process is similar. Here are the six steps from writing the letter to receiving the termination order.
How to submit a resignation letter
Write the letter
30 minInclude the date, the addressee (manager/HR), the legal basis under the КТ, your preferred last working day and your signature.
Sign it by hand
The letter must be signed by hand. An electronic signature is not accepted unless you have a QES (КЕП, qualified electronic signature).
Submit it to the employer
In person at the registry office (деловодство) or by post with a return receipt. Do not rely on email.
Get an incoming registration number
Be sure to ask for an incoming registration number (входящ номер) or a stamped copy. Without it there is no proof that you submitted the letter.
Wait out the notice period
30 days (standard)Under Art. 326: work as normal until the period expires. Under Art. 325: until the date in the agreement.
Receive the termination order
The employer issues an order (заповед) and records the termination in your employment record book (трудова книжка). Check the stated legal basis.
Required contents of the letter
The absence of any element can lead to a challenge
Date of submission
Addressee (name of the manager or HR department)
Your details (full name, job title, department)
Legal basis (Art. 325, 326 or 327 КТ)
Preferred last working day
Signature in your own hand
Notice periods
The notice period depends on the type of your employment contract. If the contract does not set a different period, the statutory minimum applies.
| Type of contract | Standard period | Maximum period |
|---|---|---|
| Open-ended employment contract | 30 days | 3 months |
| Fixed-term employment contract | 3 months | No more than the remainder of the term |
| Probation contract (Art. 70) | No notice | No notice |
30 days
standard notice period for an open-ended contract
If you do not observe the notice period, you owe the employer compensation under Art. 220 КТ, equal to your gross salary for the period not observed!
Caution
What you are entitled to when you leave
When your employment contract ends, you are entitled to several kinds of compensation. Most people do not know about them and lose money.
Payments when you leave (example gross salary 1,500 EUR)
Unused paid leave (Art. 224 КТ)
For each unused day of annual leave
proportional
On retirement (Art. 222(3) КТ)
6 salaries if you have 10+ years with the same employer in the last 20 years
2 or 6 salaries
Termination against compensation (Art. 331 КТ)(optional)
Only on the employer’s proposal, not at your initiative
min. 4 salaries
Compensation for unused leave is ALWAYS due, whatever the ground for termination.
Labour Code (КТ)
Art. 224
Official Bulgarian text
„При прекратяване на трудовото правоотношение работникът или служителят има право на парично обезщетение за неизползвания платен годишен отпуск, съразмерно на полагаемата, но неизползвана част от отпуска“
Labour Code (КТ)
Art. 222(3)
Official Bulgarian text
„При прекратяване на трудовото правоотношение, след като работникът или служителят е придобил право на пенсия за осигурителен стаж и възраст, работодателят му дължи обезщетение в размер на брутното му трудово възнаграждение за 2 месеца, а ако е работил при същия работодател през последните 10 от 20 години - за 6 месеца“
What to do if the employer refuses
The answer depends on how you submit the letter. In two of the three options, the employer has no right to hold you back.
| Basis | Can the employer refuse? | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Art. 325 (mutual agreement) | Yes, they may | Submit a new application under Art. 326 with notice |
| Art. 326 (with notice) | No, they may not | The contract ends automatically when the period expires |
| Art. 327 (without notice) | No, they may not | The contract ends from the moment the application is received |
Information
If the employer refuses to accept your letter in person, send it by post with a return receipt or through a notarial notice (нотариална покана). That gives you indisputable proof of the date it was received.
Common mistakes when submitting a resignation letter
Important
- Giving notice orally without a written letter: there is no proof and the employer can deny it
- No incoming registration number: without it you cannot prove when you submitted the letter
- Wrong legal basis: Art. 325 (mutual agreement) instead of Art. 326 (with notice) gives the employer the right to refuse
- Not observing the notice period: you owe the employer compensation under Art. 220 КТ
- Leaving before the notice period expires: the employer can hold you liable
Labour Code (КТ)
Art. 220
Official Bulgarian text
„Страната, която има право да прекрати трудовото правоотношение с предизвестие, може да го прекрати и преди да изтече срокът на предизвестието, като дължи на другата страна обезщетение в размер на брутното трудово възнаграждение за неспазения срок на предизвестието“
Frequently asked questions
Can I resign by email?
Formally, an email is not accepted as written form under the Labour Code, unless it is signed with a qualified electronic signature (КЕП). To be safe, submit the letter on paper with an incoming registration number, or send it by post with a return receipt.
Can I withdraw my resignation letter?
Under Art. 325 (mutual agreement): yes, as long as the employer has not accepted. Under Art. 326 (with notice): only with the employer’s consent. Once given, the notice is binding.
What happens to my sick leave during the notice period?
Sick leave does not stop the notice period running. Your contract will end on the date stated in the notice, even if you are on sick leave. You are entitled to sick pay from the National Social Security Institute (НОИ).
Am I entitled to unemployment benefit?
Yes, but the amount depends on the ground for termination. If you leave at your own initiative (Art. 326), you receive the minimum benefit for 4 months. If the contract ends by mutual agreement or at the employer’s initiative, the benefit can be higher and for a longer period (up to 12 months).
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⚠️ Important
Pravko provides legal information, but it does not replace advice from a lawyer. For important legal matters, consult a licensed lawyer.
