Spring and autumn are when house owners start the "small" projects: a carport, a barbecue, a greenhouse, a new fence, a pool. Often in the belief that something small in your own garden needs no permit at all. Bulgaria's Spatial Development Act (ZUT) does allow some of these without a permit — but within clear limits. Here is how to tell them apart.
Three regimes, not two
In practice there are three regimes for garden structures:
- No building permit — listed exhaustively in Art. 151(1) ZUT.
- A building permit without approval of an investment design (simplified procedure) — Art. 147(1) ZUT. The municipal chief architect issues it on application, usually on the basis of a sketch and a design solution from a structural engineer (Art. 147(2)).
- Full procedure — investment design, approval and building permit. For the main house, the process is set out in our guide to building your own house.
"No permit" does not mean "no rules": these structures must still comply with the detailed development plan, distances to neighbours and technical requirements. For listed cultural heritage sites and their protection zones, Art. 151 works must be cleared under the Cultural Heritage Act (Art. 151(2)).
No building permit (Art. 151(1) ZUT)
- Greenhouses up to 200 m², plus light structures for fuel and tools (a woodshed, a tool shed), wells and fountains (item 3).
- Polytunnels with a temporary, movable frame covered in polythene or similar, regardless of size (item 17).
- Garden and park features up to 2.5 m above ground (item 12) — a pergola, a gazebo, a garden barbecue, planters, decorative features.
- Retaining walls up to 1.2 m high (item 4).
- Excavations and embankments up to 1 m deep or high and up to 30 m² in area (item 5).
- Light see-through fences and solid fences with a solid part up to 0.6 m within the plot (item 11).
Light sheds for firewood and tools still have to respect the general limits for ancillary buildings: up to 2.5 m high and up to 3 m to the highest point of the roof (Art. 46(2)).
Simplified permit (Art. 147(1) ZUT)
- Ancillary buildings (item 1) — for example a summer kitchen, a garage, an enclosed canopy, a workshop. A roofed carport usually falls here rather than under garden features — check with the municipality.
- Pools up to 100 m³ on fenced plots (item 4). Pools must be at least 3 m from the plot boundaries (Art. 47(2)).
- Retaining walls from 1.2 to 2 m (item 5).
- Solid fences on regulated plots with a solid part from 0.6 to 2.2 m (item 7).
- Greenhouses from 200 to 1,000 m² (item 17).
Anything beyond these limits — a larger pool, a taller retaining wall, a habitable building — goes through the full procedure.
Fences: the most common dispute
A fence is a small structure with big potential for conflict. The key rules in Art. 48 ZUT:
- A fence may be up to 2.2 m above the adjoining ground (para. 5).
- A fence between two neighbouring plots is placed equally on both plots, or entirely on the plot of whoever builds it (para. 3).
- A solid fence above 0.6 m between neighbours is allowed with the neighbour's express written consent and if the distance to a ground-floor dwelling on the neighbouring plot is at least equal to the height of the solid part (para. 3). Without consent, only entirely on your own plot and with the same distance respected (para. 4).
- The municipal council may set its own requirements for the type, height and materials of fences (para. 2) — check your municipality's ordinance.
Practical tip: before you start, confirm the boundary on the cadastral map. A fence in the wrong place is a source of disputes for years.
What you risk if you get it wrong
A structure that needs a permit but was built without one is unlawful construction. For buildings of the fourth to sixth category — which covers most garden structures — the demolition order is issued by the mayor (Art. 225a ZUT). In addition:
- An unlawful structure cannot simply be legalised after the fact, and it often gets in the way of a sale.
- A bank may refuse a mortgage, or the valuer may disregard the structure.
- A neighbour can report it at any time.
When buying a house we always ask for the paperwork for every structure in the garden — see our guide to buying a village house or cottage near Sofia. And if you are selling, get the documents for the outbuildings ready in advance.
In short
| Structure | Regime |
|---|
| Pergola, gazebo, barbecue up to 2.5 m | No permit (Art. 151, item 12) |
| Greenhouse up to 200 m², polytunnel | No permit (items 3, 17) |
| Woodshed, tool shed | No permit (item 3), up to 2.5/3 m |
| See-through fence; solid up to 0.6 m | No permit (item 11) |
| Solid fence 0.6–2.2 m | Permit under Art. 147, item 7 |
| Pool up to 100 m³ | Permit under Art. 147, item 4 |
| Summer kitchen, garage, enclosed canopy | Permit under Art. 147, item 1 |
If you are planning a garden structure, or buying a house with "additions" you are unsure about, call us or visit our office — we will review the documents and tell you what you need.
This is general information, not legal advice on a specific property. Verified as of October 2026.
