Operation Winter in Bulgaria from November 15: Tire change rules, vehicle equipment, and exact CAT fines in euros

Operation Winter in Bulgaria from November 15: Tire change rules, vehicle equipment, and exact CAT fines

The traditional police action "Winter" will start on the roads of Bulgaria from the beginning of November, and from November 15 to March 1 Mandatory seasonal requirements of the Road Traffic Law (RTL) come into effect. Even if it's still warm on the coast in Varna or Burgas, the law's requirements and traffic police fines are the same throughout the country.

We've compiled a comprehensive guide to all current fines in euros (at the exchange rate of 1 EUR = 1.95583 BGN), the relevant legal provisions, and the pitfalls that even careful drivers often encounter.

1. Winter tires and the 4mm rule (from November 15 to March 1)

By law, from November 15 to March 1, a car must be equipped with one of two types of tires:

• Winter tires with markings M+S, M&S, MS. or a mountain peak icon with a snowflake (3PMSF).
• Summer or all-season tires with tread depth not less than 4.0 mm.

Important nuances and penalties:

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• Studded tires are strictly prohibited in Bulgaria.
• Penalty for non-compliant tires: 25.56 euros (50 lv.). If the tires have breaks, bulges («hernias») or exposed cords, this is classified as a dangerous technical malfunction - the car is temporarily removed from traffic («spirane ot dvizhenie»), and the fine under Part 179, paragraph 6 of the ZDvP for a dangerous malfunction reaches 255.65 euros with the deprivation of 10 control points.
• Snow chains: are required in the trunk when traveling through mountain passes (Shipka, Khainboaz, Troyan Pass, etc.) in snowfall.

2. Trunk and interior: the main rule about reflective vests

During Operation Winter raids, KAT patrols check for the presence of the mandatory emergency kit:

• Reflective vests - according to the number of people in the car! A crucial detail that many drivers forget: when forced to stop outside the city, on the highway, or at night every person, Anyone exiting a vehicle onto the roadway or shoulder must wear a reflective vest. Therefore, the number of reflective vests in the vehicle must be no less than the number of passengers in your car (It is better to keep a set of 4-5 vests right in the cabin, and not under the suitcases in the trunk).
• Fire extinguisher (pozharogasitel) with a valid sticker: The cylinder itself, without a current sticker indicating that it has passed an annual inspection at a licensed service center, is considered invalid.
• First aid kit European standard (with unexpired contents) and warning triangle (triangle).
• Headlights, wipers and washers: Low beams or DRLs are mandatory all year round 24/7 (the fine for driving without lights or a burned-out headlight is from 25.56 euros). In rain or snow, operating a car with a non-working windshield wiper or an empty washer reservoir is prohibited.

3. Electronic vignette and bicycle rack trap: exact amounts

The fine for driving a passenger car (up to 3.5 tons) on a toll road network without a vignette (Part 179, Article 3 of the Law on Road Traffic Regulations) is 153.39 euros (formerly 300 leva). But the exact amount you'll have to pay depends directly on the situation:

• If the violation was recorded by a BG TOL camera: The owner receives an electronic phishing email 153.39 euros. However, if during 14 days pay compensatory fee, which from August 2026 amounts to 46.50 euros (with an annual vignette costing 64.50 euros), the full fine is cancelled.
• When stopped by a mobile patrol on the road: The compensatory fee can be paid on-site at the BG TOL inspectors exclusively by bank card through a POS terminal (MVD patrols do not accept this fee on-site). If the driver refuses to pay the compensatory fee during an inspection, a report (AUAN) is drawn up, followed by a decision for full 153.39 euros, and to continue driving, you will still have to pay the cost of the weekend vignette (5.11 euros).
• Fine of 255.65 euros for an illegible or covered number plate without a vignette: If, along with the absence of a vignette, the registration plate is illegible (covered with dirt, snow) or is covered by something, the fine increases to 255.65 euros (500 BGN). This is often the case with quite conscientious drivers who park behind bicycle rack, covering the license plate, so be sure to check the visibility of the plate before leaving.

4. Civil liability insurance policy and technical inspection (GTP): up to and including deprivation of rights and deregistration

The lack of compulsory motor third-party liability insurance (OSAGO) is one of the most severely punishable violations in Bulgaria (Article 638 of the Insurance Code), which is automatically recorded by cameras:

• Fine for an individual (car owner): 127.82 euros (250 levs), in case of repeated violation - 409.03 euros (800 BGN).
• Fine for a driver who is not the owner (for example, you are driving your spouse, relative, or friend's car without insurance): 204.52 euros (400 BGN).
• Fine for a legal entity (company): 1,022.58 euros (2,000 BGN).

Additional strict measures by the CAT in the absence of insurance:

1. Removing the vehicle from traffic (spirane from traffic): the vehicle is temporarily suspended from traffic until a valid policy is issued (Part 171, Vol. 2 of the Law on Road Traffic Regulations).
2. Temporary suspension of driving license: The driver may be left without a driver's license (driver's book) for a period of time up to 6 months (Article 171, Vol. 1 of the Law on the Protection of the Rights of the Child).
3. Automatic deregistration of a vehicle: The guarantee fund transfers the data to the CAT, and the vehicle's registration is cancelled officially (even if the car is simply parked in the yard and not driven, but has not been officially deregistered!).
4. Forgot to put on a sticker or take a ticket: If the policy is paid for, but there is no sticker on the windshield and you do not have the inspection ticket with you, you will be fined. 25.56 euros (Article 179, Article 5 of the Law on the Protection of the Population). If the sticker is affixed, but the coupon is not with you, 15.34 euros.
5. Expired technical inspection (TTI): fine 51.13 euros (100 levs) per member 181, t. 1 ZDvP.