Yes, from 15 November to 1 March: winter tyres, or any tyres with at least 4 mm of tread (Road Traffic Act art. 139). Studs are banned; the general fine is €25.56.
Bulgaria Fines Bad Tyres ~€25, 15 Nov–1 Mar, 2026-27
Data verified:
5 min readBulgaria drives on the right side of the road. The minimum driving age is 18. The motorway speed limit is 140 km/h. The general emergency number is 112. The legal blood alcohol limit is 0.05% BAC. An International Driving Permit (IDP) is recommended alongside a foreign licence.
Tyre details
- Speed ratings on winter tyres fitted for Bulgaria — H, V, W and Y decoded, plus the sticker rule for lower-rated winter sets.
- Reading the load index before you buy replacements — The two- or three-digit number that caps weight per tyre.
- How the EU tyre label grades wet braking and rolling resistance — What each letter and pictogram on the sticker actually measures.
- Tyre noise ratings in decibels — What the dB figure and the A, B or C class on the label mean inside the car.
- Calculate tyre pressure from your tyre size and load — A starting figure in bar and psi, then the door placard has the final word.
Personalise for Your Trip
See how Bulgaria differs from your home country
Bulgaria writes its winter tyre rule into the Road Traffic Act as a calendar period: from 15 November to 1 March a car must run on tyres designed for winter conditions, or on tyres with at least 4 mm of tread. Snow on the road is not the trigger; the date is. Studded tyres are banned, and a breach falls under the Act’s general fine of 50 leva, now about €25.56.
The 4 mm route is the one visitors miss. It means a summer or all-season tyre is legal in January if it is deep enough, and a worn one is not, whatever its sidewall says.
💡 Calculate yours: Tyre Pressure Calculator — instant correct PSI/bar for any car + load, free.
Tyre Law Summary for Bulgaria
| Regulation | Status |
|---|---|
| Winter rule | Mandatory, by date |
| Period | 15 Nov – 1 Mar |
| Accepted tyres | Winter tyres, or any tyre with at least 4 mm of tread |
| Required marking | None named in the law |
| Tread outside the period | 1.6 mm |
| Studded tyres | Prohibited |
| Fine | 50 leva (€25.56), general penalty, art. 185 |
2026–27 Winter Season: Key Dates for Bulgaria
For the 2026–27 season the rule applies from 15 November 2026 to 1 March 2027. Fitting slots fill up once the first frost arrives, so book in October if you want dedicated winter tyres.
- Studded tyres are prohibited.
- Renting a car for travel between November and March? Check the tread on every tyre before you leave the car park.
Winter Tyre Requirements in Bulgaria
Article 139(1)(4) of the Road Traffic Act requires motor vehicles on the road to have “tyres designed for winter conditions, or tyres with a tread depth of not less than 4 mm, during the period from 15 November to 1 March”. The provision has been in force since 21 January 2017.
Two things follow from the wording:
- No marking test. The law does not mention M+S or the 3PMSF snowflake. A winter tyre is enough, and so is any tyre with 4 mm of tread.
- No weather test. The rule applies on a dry, mild day in February exactly as it does in a blizzard on the Shipka pass.
Minimum Tread Depth in Bulgaria
Outside the period the general minimum is 1.6 mm. Inside it, a tyre that is not a winter tyre must have at least 4 mm. Measure in the main grooves and go by the shallowest reading.
Studded Tyres in Bulgaria
All-Season Tyres in Bulgaria
Penalties for Tyre Violations in Bulgaria
On-the-spot fines: Bulgaria issues fines at the roadside. Carry a card or cash to pay immediately.
A notice can still reach your home address, because authorities use commercial address-tracing services. What does not exist is automatic EU enforcement — Directive 2015/413 covers only eight road-safety offences and tyre offences are not among them.
Tyre Considerations for Bulgaria’s Conditions
- Mountain routes through the Balkan range and the Rila and Pirin massifs see snow long before Sofia does
- Wet autumn and winter roads demand good tread — do not run tyres down to 1.6 mm before replacing them
- Summer heat increases pressure; winter cold decreases it. Check monthly
Road Conditions and Tyre Wear in Bulgaria
Outside the main cities, road surfaces deteriorate quickly. Expect potholes, loose gravel and unpaved stretches on secondary routes.
Tyre survival tips for Bulgaria:
- A full-size spare is worth carrying outside urban areas
- Inspect sidewalls after rough sections
- Lower tyre pressure slightly (by 0.2-0.3 bar) on soft sand or deep gravel, then reinflate on tarmac
How Bulgaria’s Tyre Laws Compare to Neighbours
Bulgaria borders North Macedonia, Serbia, Romania, Greece and Turkey:
- North Macedonia: winter tyres mandatory 15 Nov – 15 Mar, 4 mm. Studded: prohibited.
- Serbia: winter equipment required in winter conditions between 1 Nov and 1 Apr, 4 mm. Studded: prohibited.
- Romania: no fixed dates; winter tyres are required whenever the road is covered in snow, ice or black ice.
- Greece: no national winter tyre mandate.
For speed limits, traffic rules, and licence requirements in Bulgaria, see our Driving in Bulgaria guide.
Sources
- Закон за движението по пътищата (Road Traffic Act), art. 139(1)(4) and art. 185: https://lex.bg/laws/ldoc/2134649345
Related tools
Bulgaria adopted the euro on 1 January 2026. Figures previously published in leva were converted at the fixed statutory rate of 1.95583 leva to the euro.
Tyre Regulations Summary
| Winter Tyres | Required |
| Period | 15 Nov - 1 Mar (winter tyres, or any tyres with at least 4 mm tread) |
| Fine (no winter tyres) | ~€25.56 (EUR 25.56 at the fixed conversion rate; Bulgaria adopted the euro on 1 Jan 2026) |
| Min. Tread Depth (summer) | 1.6 mm |
| Min. Tread Depth (winter tyres, legal) | 4 mm |
| Studded Tyres | Prohibited |
| All-Season | Accepted |
| Marking | None named: tyres designed for winter conditions, or any tyre with at least 4 mm tread, 15 Nov - 1 Mar |
Driving through more than one country this winter? Compare winter tyre rules, dates and legal tread depths for every country →
Driving in Bulgaria — Key Facts
Speed Limits
- Urban: 50 km/h
- Rural: 90 km/h
- Motorway: 140 km/h
Emergency Numbers
- Police: 112
- Ambulance: 112
- Fire: 112
- General: 112
Required Equipment
- Warning Triangle: Required
- Reflective Vest: Required
- First Aid Kit: Required
- Fire Extinguisher: Required
- Spare Bulbs: Recommended
Country Info
- Capital: Sofia
- Driving Side: Right
- Languages: Bulgarian
- Currency: Bulgarian lev (лв)
- Population: 6,437,360
Traffic Penalties in Bulgaria
| Speeding (10+ km/h over) | EUR 25.56 |
| Speeding (20+ km/h over) | EUR 51.13-102.26 + 3 penalty points |
| Speeding (30+ km/h over) | EUR 102.26-204.52 + 6 penalty points + licence suspension |
| Phone Use While Driving | EUR 25.56-102.26 |
| Red Light Violation | EUR 51.13-153.39 + 8 penalty points |
Complete Driving Guide for Bulgaria
Speed limits, traffic rules, mandatory equipment, license requirements and more.
View driving guideRenting a Car in Bulgaria?
Compare prices from all major rental companies. Free cancellation on most bookings.
Compare Car Rental PricesSome links on this page are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. How our affiliate links work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, by date. Article 139 of the Road Traffic Act requires tyres designed for winter conditions, or tyres with at least 4 mm of tread, from 15 November to 1 March, whatever the weather on the day.
No marking is named in the law. A tyre built for winter use satisfies it, and so does any other tyre that still has 4 mm of tread or more during the period.
1.6 mm outside the winter period. From 15 November to 1 March a tyre that is not a winter tyre needs at least 4 mm to be legal.
No, studded tyres are prohibited in Bulgaria. A friction winter tyre is the alternative.
The law has no dedicated tyre fine, so the general penalty in Article 185 applies: 50 leva, about €25.56 at the fixed euro conversion rate.
A car hired in Bulgaria during the period should be compliant, but check at the desk: winter tyres, or 4 mm of tread on every tyre, is the test a roadside check will apply.
Related Articles
Maximum Motorway Speed by Country 2026: 140 Down to 100
Germany posts no general limit, Poland and Bulgaria 140 km/h, the Netherlands 100 by day - pick any country in the checker for its own 2026 figure.
Driving LawsAre Dashcams Legal in Austria? No — EUR 10,000 Fine in 2026
Country-by-country status for 2026, which courts accept the footage, the confiscation risk at an Austrian stop, and the rule that catches hire cars.
Driving LawsEurope Speeding Fines 2026: EUR 15 to an Uncapped Day-Fine
The same 20 km/h over the limit costs EUR 15 at the cheap end and EUR 70 on a German Autobahn, and in Switzerland a share of income with no ceiling.
Driving in Bulgaria
Speed limits, driving rules & travel tips
Albania
Andorra
Austria
Belarus
Belgium
Bosnia and Herzegovina