Local taxes and business permits in Bansko

In this part we will examine in detail the topic of local taxes and permits in Bansko, to save you time, possible fines, and unnecessary wandering around institutions in 2026. Opening a business in a tourist city has its own specifics, which it is good to foresee in your business plan.

1. Local taxes and fees: What do businesses pay in Bansko?

Bansko Municipality has its own specific tax policy, which is strongly tied to the tourist profile of the town and seasonality. The town is divided into zones (Zone One usually covers the top center and the ski area around Naiden Gerov Street), which directly affects the amount of taxes you will owe.

Patent tax

If your business falls into the list of patent activities according to the Local Taxes and Fees Act (for example, small catering establishments, hair salons, specialized craft services, fitness centers) and your expected annual turnover is below BGN 100,000, you do not pay standard corporate profit tax, but patent tax. Its exact amount is determined by the Bansko Municipal Council and depends entirely on the location of the property (which zone it falls into) and its usable area. The tax is paid in four equal installments during the year or with a discount if paid in full at the beginning of the year.

Household waste fee (Garbage fee)

This is one of the most serious and often underestimated costs for physical objects. For non-residential properties used for business activities in Bansko, the fee is calculated in two ways: either based on the reported value of the property (in per mille), or according to the number and capacity of the requested garbage containers. It is highly recommended to submit a declaration for direct garbage collection (according to the number of containers) by the end of the previous year (December 31) in order to drastically optimize this expense.

Tourist tax

If you open an accommodation facility – whether it’s a boutique hotel, a guesthouse or simply renting out your own apartment through platforms like Airbnb or Booking, you are legally required to collect and remit a tourist tax. In the municipality of Bansko, it varies between 0.80 BGN and 1.50 BGN for each overnight stay, depending on the category of the facility (number of stars awarded) and the location (Bansko, Dobrinishte or the villages).

2. Key permissions for launching a physical site

The physical opening procedure requires strict coordination with several different state and municipal structures. Here is the mandatory administrative checklist you must cover:

Categorization of a tourist site

According to the Bulgarian Tourism Law, all accommodation (including private guest rooms and apartments) and food and entertainment establishments (restaurants, bars, taverns) in Bansko are subject to mandatory categorization. The application with the attached sketches and documents is submitted to the Municipality of Bansko (Tourism Department). The procedure takes time, but the good news is that upon submitting the documents you receive a temporary certificate. With it, you have the full right to start working and welcome clients until the expert committee visits your site to award it the official “stars”.

Working hours registration

Every commercial establishment – from the smallest souvenir shop to the largest nightclub – must have officially certified working hours by the mayor of the municipality. If you plan to operate your establishment after 10:00 PM in the winter (or 11:00 PM in the summer season), you need a special permit for extended working hours. This extension often requires a positive opinion from the Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Interior – Bansko, as well as a noise measurement protocol from a licensed laboratory (RL) to ensure the peace of mind of residents.

Billboard permit

Many new entrepreneurs miss the fact that they can't just hang a sign on the facade. Placing advertising and information elements requires an architectural project and approval from the Chief Architect of the Bansko Municipality, especially if your site is located within the architectural boundaries of the Old Town, where the rules for visual appearance are stricter.

Permit from the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (BFSA)

If your facility will be offering any food or beverages (even if it’s just packaged protein bars and coffee from a machine in your coworking space), registration with the Regional Directorate for Food Safety (RDFS – Blagoevgrad) is absolutely mandatory. You will need a professionally developed self-control system (HACCP), contracts for the removal of biological waste, and valid personal health cards for all employees who have contact with food.

3. The institutions in the region you will work with

To plan the weather To be efficient and avoid unnecessary walking, it is good to know which institution is responsible for what and where it is located in the region:

• Bansko Municipality (Central Administration): It is located at the central square "Nikola Vaptsarov" No. 1. Here you submit all documents for categorization, working hours, permit for signs, sidewalk rights and local tax declarations.
• NRA (National Revenue Agency): It is important to know that the NRA office serving the town of Bansko is located in the neighboring town of Razlog. There, specific registrations of fiscal devices (cash registers) are carried out and data on the employment contracts of the hired staff is submitted.
• Occupational Health Service: A contract with such a service is mandatory for every employer in Bulgaria, even if you have only one employee. There are several licensed companies operating in the region that will come to your location to prepare the mandatory risk assessment for your premises.

Opening a physical business in an established tourist town like Bansko requires patience, investment, and meticulous preparation of documentation. The good news is that the local administration is used to working with investors and digital nomads from all over the world, and procedures are becoming increasingly transparent, with a large part of services already digitalized.