Bulgaria Overflight Rules | CAA & Sofia FIR LBSR Requirements

Do You Need a Bulgaria Overflight Permit?

The requirement depends on the flight category rather than a blanket rule for every foreign civil transit. Bulgaria's Civil Aviation Administration publishes national flight-permission rules in AIP GEN 1 and under Ordinance No. 22 of 22 November 2023. Specific categories require formal flight clearance, while routine civil operations must comply with the applicable AIP, flight-plan, Eurocontrol and ATC requirements.

State, military, troop/military-equipment and other specially regulated operations can require advance clearance from the competent Bulgarian authority. Commercial scheduled and non-scheduled operations to/from Bulgaria also have separate operating-permission procedures.

Bulgaria Overflight Permit Requirements

Send full flight details at the first request stage. This helps avoid delay and route issues.

• Aircraft registration, aircraft type, and MTOW
• Operator name and full contact details
• Complete flight schedule with UTC date and time
• Departure airport and destination airport
• ATC route with Sofia FIR entry and exit points
• Purpose of flight, flight category, and call sign or flight number
• Crew, passenger, consignee, or cargo details when required

Required Documents for Bulgaria Permit Processing

Documents may vary by flight type, operator type, and purpose of flight. Common documents include:

• Certificate of Registration (COR)
• Certificate of Airworthiness (COA)
• Valid aircraft insurance certificate
• Noise certificate, if applicable
• Air Operator Certificate (AOC) for commercial operators
• Dangerous goods declaration, if applicable
• Special approvals for diplomatic, military, ambulance, or humanitarian flights when required

Bulgaria Flight Clearance Lead Time

Do not use 24–48 working hours as a universal Bulgarian CAA rule. Notice periods depend on the category of flight and the authority issuing the clearance. Bulgaria's published rules include longer advance periods for specially regulated international flights; operators should verify the current AIP and Ordinance No. 22 requirements for the exact operation.

Bulgaria Clearance Validity and Flight Changes

For a specific flight clearance issued under Bulgaria's current Ordinance No. 22, the published rule states that the authorization is valid under its stated conditions for 72 hours after the specified time of entry or use of Bulgarian airspace. Operators should still verify whether that rule applies to their exact authorization and re-coordinate material changes to aircraft, schedule, route, destination, operator or purpose of flight.

Who Needs Bulgaria Flight Clearance Support?

Bulgaria flight clearance support helps operators crossing Sofia FIR. It also helps flights landing in Bulgaria or using Europe routing with Eurocontrol flight planning.

• Private jet and business aviation operators
• Non-scheduled charter operators
• Cargo and air freight operators
• Ambulance, medevac, and humanitarian flights
• Ferry, delivery, and aircraft positioning flights
• Flights needing landing, fuel, parking, or handling in Bulgaria

Sofia FIR LBSR Information

Bulgarian airspace is managed through Sofia FIR (LBSR). Operators must file flight plans with approved ATC routes and correct FIR boundary estimates.

Flight plans must also match route availability, NOTAMs, Eurocontrol IFPS validation, and local airspace rules.

Main airports include Sofia Airport (LBSF/SOF), Varna Airport (LBWN/VAR), Burgas Airport (LBBG/BOJ), and Plovdiv Airport (LBPD/PDV).

IFR flight plans are usually processed through Eurocontrol IFPS. Bulgaria AFTN planning references may include LBSFZGZX, based on flight type and filing method.

Bulgaria FIR Entry and Exit Points

The route points below are retained as planning reference only and must not be used as the sole source for flight planning. Final routing must be validated against the current AIP, NOTAMs, Eurocontrol IFPS, ATC instructions and approved operator flight-planning data.

Official Bulgaria CAA Flight Permission Rules

The Bulgarian Civil Aviation Administration directs operators to the national AIP GEN 1 for rules governing flights within Bulgarian airspace and to/from Bulgarian airports. Ordinance No. 22 of 22 November 2023, effective 3 January 2024, sets the national framework for issuing flight permissions and identifies the CAA Director General or Minister of Foreign Affairs as the competent authority depending on the operation.

• Bulgarian CAA – Flight Permissions
• Bulgarian CAA – Ordinance No. 22/2023

Overflight Charges and Navigation Fees

Bulgaria overflight charges and navigation fees may depend on flight type, aircraft weight, routing, and Eurocontrol charging rules.

Costs may also change if the aircraft only crosses Bulgaria airspace or lands in Bulgaria.

For landing flights, operators should also plan for landing fees, parking, ground handling, fuel uplift, supervision, passenger handling, cargo handling, and other airport charges.

Operational Restrictions and Special Approvals

Some flights need more review, extra documents, or longer processing time. Confirm the rules before departure.

• Military, diplomatic, or state flights
• Dangerous goods or special cargo operations
• Ambulance, medevac, and humanitarian missions
• Survey, inspection, or scientific flights
• Flights needing special Eurocontrol, ATC, or airport coordination

Bulgaria Landing Permit, Handling and Fuel Support

If your aircraft will land in Bulgaria, Permit2Fly can support the full stop. This includes passenger movement, technical stop, crew rest, cargo handling, fuel uplift, and supervision.

We can coordinate landing support, ground handling, parking, fuel, and local supplier follow-up through approved partners.

Our operations team also assists with airport coordination, service confirmation, schedule changes, and communication until the flight is complete.

Why Choose Permit2Fly for Bulgaria Overflight Permits?

Permit2Fly gives operators clear and fast permit coordination. Our team checks the route, aircraft details, documents, and schedule before processing.

This helps reduce avoidable delays and improves flight planning accuracy.

• 24/7 permit coordination and operational follow-up
• Support for route, schedule, and aircraft revisions
• Overflight, landing, fuel, and ground handling support
• Eurocontrol-aware route and flight planning support
• Europe permit support for multi-country routing

Frequently Asked Questions