Country guide · 9 min read
Jakub Wujec
How to verify a Bulgarian carrier before assigning a load
To verify a Bulgarian carrier, check TheCompanyBook for company status and VAT flag, RTA for road transport licence data, and the Guarantee Fund when you have plates for MTPL insurance. Match VIES on the UIC and compare email to register address on booking day. Company existence in the commercial register is not the same as a valid RTA licence.
Key checks before you assign the load
- TheCompanyBook: company found, status, VAT registration flag.
- RTA: road transport operator licence by EIK.
- Guarantee Fund MTPL check with plates.
- VIES on Bulgarian VAT number.
- Email and domain fit register address.
Verify a Bulgaria carrier in Certica
Run register, licence, and VAT checks before you assign the load.
What to check on a Bulgarian transport company
Bulgarian carriers use UIC (EIK) in the commercial register and RTA for road transport operator licences. TheCompanyBook aggregates register data; RTA is the haulage-rights answer UIC alone cannot replace.
Company register checks
- TheCompanyBook by UIC: legal name, registry status, VAT registered flag.
Transport licence checks
- RTA: operator licence status for the EIK you contract with.
VAT checks
- VIES active status and name match to TheCompanyBook and invoice.
Insurance and plate checks
- Guarantee Fund (plate): MTPL validity on provided plates.
Bulgarian UIC and VAT formats
- UIC/EIK: 9 digits for companies; 13 digits for branches in some paperwork.
- BG VAT ID: BG prefix plus 9 or 10 digits; VIES name match to register.
- TheCompanyBook status codes distinguish active, struck off, and in liquidation.
- Guarantee Fund MTPL lookup needs Bulgarian plate when provided.
What TheCompanyBook alone does not prove
- RTA operator licence validity for goods transport.
- Guarantee Fund MTPL without plates.
- Real-time status when the register portal is temporarily unavailable and the team retries later.
- Cargo insurance or CMR cover; only MTPL bureau when plates supplied.
Example mismatch on Bulgarian lanes
TheCompanyBook shows active UIC with VAT flag. RTA pull returns no operator licence. Carrier explains delay with “licence renewal in progress” email only. VIES active. Without RTA line, renewal story is uncorroborated register data.
Official sources Certica uses for Bulgaria
Certica queries TheCompanyBook by UIC, RTA operator register, and Guarantee Fund with plates. VIES and Domain always run.
- TheCompanyBook
- RTA
- Guarantee Fund (plate)
- VIES
- Domain
Documents to request from the carrier
Bulgarian carriers often send commercial register certificates in Cyrillic without status code legend. Ask for UIC, status, and RTA licence row on booking day.
- Commercial register confirmation dated to booking day.
- RTA licence proof for the operator EIK.
- VIES printout for the invoice VAT number.
- MTPL policy when plates are not yet available.
- Contract on the register legal name.
Email and domain checks
BG impersonation sometimes uses .com domain while register address is Sofia and RTA shows different operator contact. Match all three, not only UIC in signature.
- Domain age versus company status in TheCompanyBook.
- Email domain matches .bg site or register address.
- Freemail on an operator claiming EU fleet needs review.
- Phone contact consistent with register location.
Limits of a Bulgarian carrier check
TheCompanyBook may be temporarily unavailable. A failed fetch is a retry signal, not approval on email rate alone.
- TheCompanyBook may be temporarily unavailable: retry on booking day if a fetch fails.
- Guarantee Fund needs plates in Certica.
- RTA data is a large registry pull: read licence lines for your lane type.
- Register status codes need careful reading: active versus struck off.
Red flags and common mistakes
TheCompanyBook active but RTA shows no licence
May indicate a non-hauler or expired operator. Clear before cargo details.
Registry status suggests inactive company
Final or closed status in TheCompanyBook is a hard stop until explained.
Guarantee Fund shows no MTPL on plates
Vehicle may not be insured. Confirm before loading.
VIES inactive on invoice VAT line
Tax ID mismatch needs review before payment and pickup.
How Certica supports Bulgarian carrier verification
Certica automatically collects and analyses carrier verification data, detects risk signals, and supports your decision before a load is assigned.
Send UIC, country BG, email, and plates. Certica fetches TheCompanyBook, RTA, and Guarantee Fund when plates unlock insurance bureau.
- Register status codes interpreted against RTA licence presence.
- Failed register queries surfaced instead of silent pass on stale PDFs.
- Guarantee Fund MTPL on BG plates in same run as RTA.
Official sources
FAQ
How do I check a Bulgarian transport company?
Search by UIC in TheCompanyBook for legal name, status, and VAT flag. Cross-check VIES and your contract name on booking day.
Where do I verify a Bulgarian carrier licence?
Road transport licences are in the RTA register (rta.government.bg). Certica fetches RTA data by EIK for supported checks.
What is on a Bulgarian carrier verification checklist?
TheCompanyBook register, RTA licence, VIES, Guarantee Fund with plates, plus email and domain checks.
How do I verify a Bulgarian carrier before assigning the load?
Run register, RTA, VIES, and contact checks together. Treat one mismatch as a risk signal requiring human review.
Related pages
Certica
Verify a Bulgaria carrier in Certica
Run register, licence, and VAT checks before you assign the load.
No card required. Results usually return in seconds to a few minutes, depending on registry availability.