How to Issue Invoices Correctly in Bulgaria?

Key Moments

• 00:00 – Introduction to invoicing in Bulgaria
• 00:42 – When an invoice must be issued
• 01:25 – Mandatory invoice details
• 02:12 – Bulgarian VAT and reverse charge rules
• 03:05 – Invoices for EU customers
• 04:10 – Common invoice mistakes and corrections

Short Summary

Issuing an invoice in Bulgaria involves more than entering the customer’s details and the amount payable. A compliant invoice must be issued within the applicable deadline and include the required supplier, customer, transaction and VAT information. The invoice date, date of supply and payment date may be different, so each transaction should be reviewed before the document is created.

The correct VAT treatment depends on the type of supply, the customer’s status and the country in which the customer is established. For certain services supplied to VAT-registered businesses in another EU member state, Bulgarian VAT may not be charged and the reverse charge mechanism may apply. The customer’s VAT number should be checked through VIES, while supplies of goods to another EU country also require reliable evidence of transport.

Common mistakes include missing mandatory details. Using an incorrect supply date, applying reverse charge without checking the customer. And manually changing an invoice after it has been issued. An incorrect invoice should normally be cancelled and replaced, while debit or credit notes are used when a correctly documented transaction changes at a later stage.