Retirement age in Bulgaria 2026: conditions for pension
In 2026, entitlement to an old-age pension under the general rules for third-category labour in Bulgaria requires women to reach 62 years and 6 months of age with 36 years and 10 months of insurance record, and men to reach 64 years and 9 months of age with 39 years and 10 months of insurance record. Both conditions must be met together. The legal basis is Article 68 of the Social Insurance Code, and the figures change every calendar year. Retrieved from the National Social Security Institute and the responsible ministry on 23 August 2026.
Working life · Last reviewed: 2026-08-23
The conditions in force in 2026
| Age requirement | Insurance record requirement | |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 62 years 6 months | 36 years 10 months |
| Men | 64 years 9 months | 39 years 10 months |
Both conditions apply together
If the record falls short: the route at 67
People who do not qualify under the general rules acquire entitlement on reaching 67 years of age with at least 15 years of actual insurance record. The age is identical for men and women on this route. The requirement that the record be actual matters: periods credited by other mechanisms do not substitute for that 15-year minimum.
Early retirement: one year sooner, permanently less
Someone who has completed the required insurance record may choose to retire up to one year before the general pension age. Two consequences follow: the pension is granted from the date of the application, and it is paid at a reduced amount for life. This is a permanent reduction, not a temporary one, so calculate the size of the cut against your own record before deciding.
Early retirement requires a complete record
Why the figures move every year
The pension age is being raised on a legislated schedule. The target is 65 years for both sexes, and equalisation under the general rules is expected to complete in 2037. After that, the age will be tied to the increase in average life expectancy under Article 68(5) of the code, replacing a fixed age with an automatically updating measure.
The insurance record requirement rises on the same logic: from the first day of each calendar year it increases by two months, stopping when it reaches 37 years for women and 40 years for men in 2027. A retirement plan drawn up a year ago may therefore no longer be accurate.
Do not extrapolate next year's figure yourself
Who this page covers and who it does not
- First and second labour categories — heavy and hazardous work such as underground mining, with separate and earlier conditions under Article 69b.
- Military personnel and security and public order services — separate arrangements under Article 69.
- Teachers — separate conditions and supplements under Article 69c through the teachers' pension fund.
- Disability and survivors' pensions — governed by different conditions and outside the scope of this page.
Periods accumulated abroad
Two mechanisms cover records built outside Bulgaria. For work in the EU, the European Economic Area and Switzerland, social security coordination rules apply: each country pays a pension for its own period, but periods in other countries are taken into account when entitlement is assessed. Between Bulgaria and Turkey a bilateral social security agreement provides a separate framework. In both cases the application is normally lodged with the institution in your country of residence, and the institutions correspond with each other.
Aggregation is not automatic
Applying: the practical order
Pull your insurance record
Do this well before your intended date; filling gaps takes time.Verify both conditions separately
Age from your date of birth, record from your contribution history — they may not be satisfied on the same day.Collect missing documents
Closed employers, archived payrolls and periods abroad cause the longest delays.Lodge the application
At the regional office or through the institution's electronic services. The application date determines when the pension starts.Read the decision
It states which periods were counted and how the amount was calculated; refusals can be appealed.
Mandatory supplementary pension
Bulgaria's system is not single-layered. Alongside state social insurance, people born after certain years accumulate mandatory supplementary pension savings held in separate funds, with their own payout rules and timing. Ask both the social security institute and your fund what applies in your case; this page covers only the age and record conditions of the state pension.
What this page deliberately omits
- Ages for 2027 and later — the escalation rule is stated, the exact future value is not.
- Pension amounts — calculated from an individual contribution history.
- Minimum and maximum pension limits — set by the annual budget act and not verified here.
- The reduction percentage for early retirement — individual to your record.
- Exact tables for the special categories — consult the institute's dedicated pages.
This is not legal or financial advice
Frequently asked questions
What is the retirement age in Bulgaria in 2026?
Under the general rules for third-category labour: 62 years and 6 months for women and 64 years and 9 months for men, together with an insurance record of 36 years 10 months and 39 years 10 months respectively. Source: National Social Security Institute, retrieved 23 August 2026.
What if my insurance record is too short?
You can still qualify at 67 years of age with at least 15 years of actual insurance record. That age is the same for men and women.
Can I retire early?
If you have completed the required insurance record, you may retire up to one year before the general pension age. The pension is granted from the application date and paid at a reduced amount for life.
Why does the age rise every year?
The law sets a gradual escalation towards 65 for both sexes, with equalisation expected in 2037; after that the age will follow increases in average life expectancy.
Do years worked in Turkey count?
A bilateral social security agreement between Bulgaria and Turkey provides a framework under which such periods may be taken into account when entitlement is assessed. You must declare and document those periods yourself when applying.
Sources
The information on this page is based on the official sources listed below. Legislation changes — open the links and verify the current position.
- НОИ — Пенсии, свързани с трудовата дейност — https://www.noi.bg/fizicheski-lica/pensii-bg/trudova-deinost-pridobivane-pravo/ · 2026-08-23
- НОИ — Пенсии по чл. 68 и чл. 68а от КСО (indirimli emeklilik dahil) — https://www.noi.bg/fizicheski-lica/pensii-bg/trudova-deinost-pridobivane-pravo/pensii-za-osig-staj-v-namalen-razmer/ · 2026-08-23
- НОИ — Emeklilik başvurusu soru-cevap — https://www.noi.bg/publichnost/vyprosi-i-otgovori/vyprosi-i-otgovori-za-otpuskane-na-pensii/ · 2026-08-23
- НОИ — I. ve II. kategori işlerde emeklilik (чл. 69б КСО) — https://www.noi.bg/fizicheski-lica/pensii-bg/trudova-deinost-pridobivane-pravo/pyrva-vtora-kat-trud/ · 2026-08-23
- Министерство на труда и социалната политика — Пенсии за осигурителен стаж и възраст — https://www.mlsp.government.bg/pensii-za-osiguritelen-stazh-i-vzrast · 2026-08-23
- Avrupa Komisyonu — Bulgaristan sosyal güvenlik hakları — https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=1103&langId=en&intPageId=4437 · 2026-08-23
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