Bulgaristan.bg

Bulgaria's electronic vignette (e-vinetka)

To use Bulgaria's charged road network you need an electronic authorisation tied not to the vehicle but to its number plate, known as the e-vinetka. There is no windscreen sticker; enforcement works through cameras and plate recognition. This is the first obligation that concerns anyone entering the country by car.

Transport · Last reviewed: 2026-08-16

The vignette is not only for motorways

The most common assumption is that the charge applies only on motorways. In fact the obligation covers a wider network defined as the republican road network, which includes first- and second-class state roads alongside the motorways. Municipal streets inside towns fall outside it, but any vehicle moving between towns is in practice on the charged network. The scope is defined by the road administration and can be updated over time.

Vignette or distance-based toll

The system splits by vehicle weight. Light vehicles pay a time-based vignette: you buy unlimited use of the network for a chosen period. Heavy goods vehicles instead pay a distance-based toll, calculated from the distance travelled, the vehicle category and its emission class, which requires an on-board unit or a declared route. The boundary between the two regimes and the technical conditions are set by the national toll administration.

This page quotes no prices

Vignette prices, period categories and heavy-vehicle tariffs change by administrative decision. No amounts are stated here on purpose. Verify the current price only through the official channel, BGTOLL; intermediary sites with similar-looking domains may charge more.

How to buy it, step by step

  1. Choose a period

    Vignettes are sold for different durations — daily, weekly, monthly, annual and similar. Pick the one closest to your plan; an expired vignette does not renew itself.

  2. Enter the plate and country of registration exactly

    Because enforcement matches on the plate, a single wrong character leaves the vehicle recorded as unpaid even though money changed hands. The country of registration must be correct too.

  3. Buy through an official channel

    Sales run through the national toll administration's own website and mobile app, and through authorised points at border crossings and filling stations.

  4. Check the start moment

    The vignette is valid from the start date you select, not from the moment of purchase. If you buy before reaching the border, align the start with your day of entry.

  5. Keep the confirmation

    The electronic record is what counts, but keeping the purchase confirmation — an email or an app record — accessible during the trip makes any dispute easier.

The mistakes drivers make most

  • Assuming a rental car comes with a valid vignette — get written confirmation from the rental company.
  • Overlooking that towing a trailer or caravan may change the vehicle's category.
  • Believing no charge is due because you are not on a motorway; the scope includes state roads.
  • Buying through look-alike intermediary sites, which is both more expensive and riskier than the official channel.
  • Expecting an expiring vignette to renew automatically.

What happens if the charge is unpaid

Enforcement uses fixed and mobile cameras. An administrative penalty is provided for vehicles without a valid vignette, and the system also includes a compensatory payment mechanism that prevents the breach from turning into administrative penalty proceedings. Its conditions and amounts are set in legislation and can change — this page gives no figures, and the current position should be verified with the national toll administration. Foreign-registered vehicles can also be pursued; leaving the country does not by itself end the obligation.

This is not legal or financial advice

This page explains the process in general terms and points to the official sources of the competent authorities. For decisions specific to your own situation, consult a lawyer, an accountant or the relevant institution. Rules and amounts change over time.

Frequently asked questions

I am crossing the border for a single day — do I still need a vignette?

You need a valid vignette for every day you use the republican road network, and the short-duration categories exist exactly for that case. If you stay strictly on municipal streets after the border the position differs, but any intercity movement is in practice on the charged network.

Does my rental car have a vignette?

Most rental companies run annual vignettes, but that is not a guarantee. When you collect the car, get written confirmation that the vignette is valid and until when; at a roadside check responsibility lies with whoever is driving.

I typed the plate wrongly — what now?

Since the system matches on the plate, a vignette bought for the wrong plate does not cover your vehicle. As soon as you notice, follow the national toll administration's correction procedure without delay; the conditions and time limits are set by the institution.

Sources

The information on this page is based on the official sources listed below. Legislation changes — open the links and verify the current position.

  1. Национално ToЛ управление — BGTOLL (е-винетка ve тол такса) — https://www.bgtoll.bg/ · 2026-08-16
  2. Агенция „Пътна инфраструктура“ (АПИ) — https://www.api.bg/ · 2026-08-16
  3. European Commission — Mobility and Transport (yol ücretlendirme) — https://transport.ec.europa.eu/ · 2026-08-16

Related topics

Bulgaria's electronic vignette (e-vinetka) | Bulgaristan.bg