Obtain current cadastral extract from the Agency for Geodesy, Cartography and Cadastre
Agency: Agency for Geodesy, Cartography and Cadastre in Sofia
Based on the size of BuildCo’s warehouse (1,300 sq. m.) and on the number of workers (60), the building falls under construction category IV which encompasses medium-sized buildings between 1,000-5,000 sq. m. employing between 50-100 workers, according to Regulation № 1 of the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works, from 30 July 2003, for the requirements of the different types of construction.
Pursuant to the Regulation # RD-02-20-5 from 15 December 2016 for the content, creation and maintenance of the cadastral extract and the cadastral registers, BuildCo must obtain an extract from the Agency for Geodesy, Cartography and Cadastre in Sofia. The following documents must be submitted:
- Application form
- Proof of ownership
- Copy of original sketch issued with the original land title
- Proof of fee payment
Time and cost: 1 day, BGN 90
Apply for VISA from the Chief Architect of the Municipality
Agency: Municipality
To obtain the design permit, BuildCo must submit an application form, a title of property or proof of ownership, a sketch of the acting regulation plan, and a change proposal with tax receipts. The time limit for obtaining the design permit is 14 days, according to the Law of the Spatial Planning (Article 140). The design permit fees are set according to Decision No 894, Protocol No 93 (dated November 23, 2006) of the Sofia Municipal Council, Addendum 4, Article 2.
Time and cost: 3 days, BGN 80
Obtain decision from the Director of the Regional Inspectorate of Environment and Water
Agency: Regional Inspectorate of Environment and Water
The Law on Environment Protection (Appendix 1 and Appendix 2) defines the investment projects that are subject to an environmental impact assessment (EIA). The warehouse building for storing books and stationary does not fall among the investment projects listed in both appendices. Thus, the EIA is not obligatory. However, a decision issued by the Director of the Regional Inspectorate of Protection of Environment is required to confirm that EIA is not necessary. The decision is issued within 14 days of submitting the request. The decision is valid for 5 years.
Time and cost: 14 days, no charge
Sign preliminary contracts with the water authorities
Agency: Water Authorities
In principle, BuildCo must obtain approval from the water authorities. The approval is valid for a year. Several documents are necessary to obtain this approval, including proof of ownership, the plan, the application form, the design permit, and the investment design by the Municipality’s Chief Architect. The filing can be submitted at the same time with obtaining a decision from the Director of the Regional Inspectorate of Environment and Water. On these grounds, the water company undertakes a preliminary survey and subsequently issues a report that contains the necessary technical data and the specifications for the network connection.
The cost and time vary according to the service:
- Regular service: Free of charge, 26 days,
- Fast service: BGN 300, 14 days,
- Express service: BGN 600, 7 days
Request and obtain preliminary assessment of the building for its compliance with energy efficiency requirements from licensed company
Agency: Licensed Company
Every investment project for construction, reconstruction and modernization, on the basis of which permission for construction is granted, has to be assessed for its compliance with the energy efficiency requirements. There is no fixed price for the issuance of a certificate for energy effectiveness. The rates are subject to negotiation. The assessment is done by a privately licensed company.
Time and cost: 5 days, BGN 2,601
Hire a construction supervision company for evaluation of the project and supervision during construction
Agency: Construction Supervision Company
In order to be able to apply for a final construction permit, BuildCo must obtain an evaluation of the project plans to make sure that the building project design complies with essential construction requirements, according to Article 142 from the Law of Spatial Planning. This evaluation is prepared by an independent licensed construction supervision company. This part of the procedure costs BGN 2000 and takes 7 days.
In addition, BuildCo signs a contract with the same independent construction supervision company. The supervisor must be licensed by the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works. The supervisor will sign all acts and records during construction. This part of the procedure costs BGN 7150 and the time is included in the 7 days mentioned above.
The firm’s instructions and orders are binding for BuildCo and the technical manager. Within 3 days of being issued, objections against the supervisory firm’s instructions can be made before the Directorate for National Construction Control. Construction will be stopped until a decision is reached, and the decision is considered to be a new set of binding rules.
The supervisor must notify the Regional Directorate for National Construction control of any irregularities within 3 days of detection. The supervisor will be responsible for damages caused to the assignor and to the other participants in the construction, and jointly responsible with BuildCo for damages caused by not complying with the technical rules and the approved designs. The supervision contract must be valid for the entire construction process.
The rates for a contract are between BGN 6.00 and BGN 10.00 per sq. m. of built area. However, the cost for this procedure is subject to negotiation between the investor and the surveillance company. There is no legally regulated minimum cost, but the Bulgarian Association of Architects and Engineers has issued an act containing recommended fees. The fees depend on the value of the construction work but may not be less than BGN 800.00. After the end of the construction, the person exercising construction supervision will prepare a final report to the assignor.
In total, the the procedure costs BGN 9150 and takes 7 days.
Time and cost: 7 days, BGN 9,150
Obtain final construction approval from the Chief Architect of the Municipality
Agency: Municipality
The fees are BGN 8.00 per sq. m., according to Decision No. 894, Protocol No. 93 (dated November 23, 2006, and amended in February 5, 2008) of the Sofia Municipal Council, Addendum 4, Table 1, assuming suburban Zone V.
Once the Chief of Architect of the Municipality has issued the permission (or VISA) BuildCo must submit a folder with 12-13 files, including all the approvals from different departments (water, electricity, environment, etc.). A “project number” or tracking number is issued to BuildCo by the Municipality confirming that the complete file has been received. It takes about one month (sometimes more depending on the Municipality) to receive the final construction approval. However, even though the construction approval has been issued, construction is not allowed to commence yet, as there is a 14-day period which allows for an appeal on behalf of the residents in the area where the construction will take place (Article 149 (4) of Bulgarian Law of Spatial Planning from 2003). Construction work can only start on the 15th day.
Time and cost: 35 days, BGN 10,405
Obtain approval for opening a construction site and determining construction line and construction level
Agency: Municipality
In order for BuildCo to be able to start the construction process, it needs to obtain approval to open a construction site (Law of Spatial Planning). A special document is prepared by the construction supervision company and submitted to the Municipality. The document stipulates the security and health precautions for labor, the safeguarding of any adjacent buildings, safety of movement, protective fences, large plants that will not be removed.
To apply for the approval, BuildCo must submit:
- Application form
- Construction permit
- Permission to dispose of land masses
- Receipt for paid fees
Time and cost vary:
- Regular service: BGN 10, 7 days
- Fast service: BGN 15, 4 days
- Express service: BGN 20, 2 days
Obtain approval from Municipality once the superstructure is complete
Agency: Municipality
This is the first step of the construction control process after construction of the carcass of the building is complete. When the the foundation, walls and roofing have been completed, a document called Act 14 must be prepared by the investor (BuildCo), the construction supervision company and the architect. This document is then submitted for approval to the Sofia Municipality, as per Article 181 of the Law of Spatial Planning.
The cost and time vary according to the service:
- Regular service: BGN 750, 14 days
- Fast service: BGN 1,125, 7 days,
- Express service: BGN 1,500, 4 days
Sign contract with water provider and receive connection
Agency: Water Authorities
The decision is valid for 3 years, according to the Order of the Environmental Protection Law.
Time and cost: 7 days, BGN 600
Obtain geodetic measurement from a licensed company
Agency: Licensed company
A licensed geodetic company must outline the measurements of the completed warehouse and prepare a sketch for amending the cadastral map. The price is agreed upon with the licensed company, but no official fee schedule exists.
Time and cost: 7 days, BGN 350
Map the building in the cadastral map and receive registration certificate
Agency: Agency for Geodesy, Cartography and Cadastre
Once BuildCo completes the construction of the warehouse, it must have the building mapped in the Agency for Geodesy, Cartography and Cadastre in Sofia. There are a number of documents that BuildCo needs to present:
- Application form
- Sketch for amending the cadastral map
- Materials and data from geodetic measurements
- Proof of ownership
- Documents for check with a control computer program
- Copy of proof of payment
- Copy of the licensed of the expert who conducted the geodetic measurements
- Copy of the insurance documents of the geodetic expert
- Other documents indicating grounds for amendments
Time and cost: 3 days, BGN 124
Request and obtain certificate for energy efficiency
Agency: Licensed Company
After completing a new construction, a certificate for energy efficiency (energy passport) must be issued as part of the technical passport of the construction. The issuance of the certificate is performed under a contract signed by the assignor and natural person/entity and is entered in the register for the persons authorized to perform certification for energy efficiency.
Time and cost: 7 days, BGN 500
Have the Construction Surveillance file a report on the completed construction
Agency: Construction Supervision Company
After the construction is finished, the assignor, the designer, the constructor, and the supervisor must issue a document confirming that the construction has been carried out in accordance with the approved designs, the certified executive documentation, the requirements of the construction and the conditions of the contract. The records for conducted trials on the machines and on the facilities should also be attached. The transfer of the construction by the constructor to the assignor is also implemented.
Time and cost: 1 day, no charge
A technical passport is registered with the Chief Architect of the Municipality
Agency: Municipality
The Law on Spatial Development was supplemented on September 15, 2006, State Gazette, Issue No. 76. The law contains a new requirement for licensed experts performing surveillance control. A technical passport for the construction should be prepared after the completion of construction. This document defines all terms for the performance of any major or current repairs and contains data on all certificates issued (those required by the construction legislation).
Inspections should also be recorded in the passport. The technical passport must be prepared by the surveillance company. Either the surveillance company or the investor files two copies of the technical passport (one for the investor and one for the Chief Architect of the Municipality) and an electronic copy with the Chief Architect of the Municipality — Office for Registration. The registration of the technical passport may take 2 or 3 days (no charge) after which the investor or the surveillance company may take back their original (it should bear a stamp with the date and the registration number).
Time and cost: 3 days, no charge
File a copy of the registered technical passport with the Cadastre
Agency: Agency for Geodesy, Cartography and Cadastre
A copy of the registered original technical passport (notarization not required), along with the original technical passport, should be filed with the Cadastre Agency (this second procedure costs BGN 2.00 and is completed in one day). The copy is to be kept by the Cadastre Agency, while the original (with a stamped registration number) is returned to the investor.
Time and cost: 1 day, no charge
Receive final inspection by the Municipality
Agency: Municipality – National Construction Control Department
A State Commission coordinated by National Construction Control Department grants final approval of the building construction. The commission is comprised of members from different authorities, including the Hygienic Epidemiological Institute and the Fire Alarm Security Service.
Time and cost: 1 day, no charge
Obtain approval of the building and occupancy permit from the Municipality
Agency: Municipality
After completing the construction and tests of facilities, the assignor must register before the Chief Architect of the Municipality, present the ultimate report, the utility provider contracts, and document from the cadastral agency that its requirements have been fulfilled in order to obtain an occupancy permit. The Municipality issues the occupancy permit within 7 days.
Time and cost: 7 days, BGN 750
