Parcels and couriers in Bulgaria: customs, complaints

Everyday life · Last reviewed: 2026-10-07

Parcels from outside the EU: customs clearance

According to the Customs Agency's page for recipients, all goods arriving from third countries by post or courier go through customs clearance, and parcels can be selected for inspection after a risk analysis. A declaration is mandatory and must be submitted electronically with a qualified electronic signature. Turkey is not an EU member, so parcels from Turkey are treated within this framework; how Turkey–EU customs arrangements affect the amounts due is not explained in the source, so check the agency's site before sending anything of high value.

The page also lists who may file the declaration: the online platform or seller (many pre-calculate the charges), the postal or courier operator, a customs representative you choose, or you as the recipient. In practice most people leave the declaration to the post office or the courier.

What the postal operator does for you

The agency's page on dealing with providers states that Bulgarian Posts (Български пощи ЕАД) acts as the recipient's indirect representative before customs. The recipient has two options: let the post office represent them, or represent themselves, in which case they must submit the customs declaration electronically. Private couriers work to their own contract terms, so read what documents the tracking page asks for.

1. 1

   Ask the sender for the declaration details

   The type of goods, their value and the purchase document must be complete; a vague description is a common cause of delay.
2. 2

   Follow the tracking number

   If the parcel is waiting at customs, requests for more information usually come from the post office or courier, so use their channel.
3. 3

   Check the charges notice

   Before paying, ask what the amount consists of (duty, VAT) and ask for a receipt.

The change on 1 July 2026

According to the Customs Agency, from 1 July 2026 a flat duty of 3 euro per item line in the declaration applies to distance-sale consignments worth up to 150 euro; the earlier 150 euro threshold below which no duty was due has been removed, so duty applies regardless of total value. VAT applies regardless of value. Who collects it depends on the VAT scheme: the IOSS-registered person, the person under the special regime, or the consumer's indirect representative, meaning the post office or courier. The rules are new, so check the current page before paying.

A delivery problem: where to complain

The regulator for postal services is the Communications Regulation Commission (Комисия за регулиране на съобщенията, CRC): its site has a postal section and a page for complaints under the Postal Services Act. First lodge a written complaint with the operator itself, and go to the regulator if you get no answer or an inadequate one. Disputes with the seller about the goods are a separate matter handled under consumer protection rules.

Frequently asked questions

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