Regulatory & compliance · International household goods

International — Bulgaria

A separate Community Licence category covers EU-wide transport — CMR excludes furniture removal, so Bulgarian domestic liability law continues to apply

Regulated byЛиценз за международен превоз на товари в Общността (Licence for International Community Cargo Transport) issued by the Minister of Transport via IAAA, distinct from the domestic-only cargo transport licence; the CMR Convention, which Bulgaria has ratified, explicitly excludes furniture removal from its scope, so Bulgarian domestic transport-contract liability continues to apply to genuine household-goods moves

At a glanceRequirements at a glance

A Separate Licence Category Is Required for EU-Wide Transport
Yes
Yes — Unlike Portugal, Serbia, or Belgium’s combined licence structures, Bulgaria’s domestic-only cargo transport licence does not itself cover international transport; a separate licence, the Licence for International Community Cargo Transport, is required for EU-wide road transport.
Domestic Liability Law Continues to Apply — CMR Does Not Cover Furniture Removal
Yes
Yes — Bulgaria has ratified the CMR Convention, which generally governs international road carriage — but Article 1(4)(c) of the Convention explicitly excludes furniture removal from its scope, confirmed directly in the Convention’s own text and by UNIDROIT (its custodian body). This means a genuine international household-goods move does not automatically fall under CMR’s liability limits or consignment-note requirement; Bulgarian domestic transport-contract liability continues to apply by default.

OverviewOverview & Scope

Unlike some other EU countries in this project where a single upgraded licence covers both domestic and international transport, Bulgaria requires a genuinely separate licence category — the Licence for International Community Cargo Transport — for EU-wide road transport, distinct from the domestic-only cargo transport licence covered on the Bulgaria page. On liability, Bulgaria’s ratification of CMR doesn’t change the outcome for a genuine household-goods move, since CMR explicitly excludes furniture removal from its scope; Bulgarian domestic transport-contract liability continues to apply by default.

RegistrationRegistration & Compliance Essentials

Movers must:

  1. Apply for the Licence for International Community Cargo Transport, separate from the domestic cargo transport licence, for EU-wide road transport.
  2. Apply Bulgarian domestic transport-contract liability terms to genuine international furniture-removal moves, given CMR’s furniture-removal exclusion — do not assume CMR governs simply because Bulgaria ratified the Convention.
  3. Retain international licence and liability-disclosure records as required for renewal and regulatory review.

ChecklistCompliance checklist

  • Licence for International Community Cargo Transport held, separate from domestic licenceRequiredwhere applicable
  • Domestic transport-contract liability terms applied and disclosed for international furniture-removal movesRequired
  • International licence and liability-disclosure records retainedRequired
Draft — this site is under review. Please do not use or circulate.