About five weeks remain until 15 November, and a new set of tyres is a big expense that is hard to make at the last minute. Drivers who may have to buy should prepare early and find out what the law actually requires, so they do not overpay.
First, check what you have. If the tread on your current tyres is deep enough, you may not need new ones at all. If it is not, there is still time to compare offers, decide what type of tyre you need and look over your insurance policy before the rush to change tyres begins.
No Bulgarian law requires drivers to swap summer tyres for winter ones. Article 139, paragraph 1, point 4 of the Road Traffic Act says that from 15 November to 1 March a car must have "tyres designed for winter conditions, or tyres with a tread depth of no less than or equal to 4 mm"[1].
The rule is an either-or: summer or all-season tyres are legal if the tread is at least 4 mm, though experts recommend winter tyres[2]. Snow is rare in Burgas, but tread below 4 mm is an offence.
The fine for unsuitable tyres and too little tread is 50 leva[2], or about €26. The checks are part of the traffic police's winter campaign. According to one report, it has three stages, and the third, which targets drivers and how they prepare their cars, starts on 20 November[3]. The law sets no separate penalty for "no winter tyres", so summer tyres with deep enough tread should not bring a fine[4].
Tread depth is easy to check. According to one report, if the outer edge of a 1 lev coin sinks into the tyre groove, the tread is above 4 mm[4]. If the edge stays visible, the tyre no longer meets the requirement.
A table from a tyre maker says snow chains must be in the car from 1 November to 31 March and put on at mountain passes when a sign requires it, and that studded tyres are banned[5]. These dates are not in Article 139[1], so under the Road Traffic Act chains are a precaution, not a proven obligation. Drivers must obey a sign at a pass that requires chains, and ignoring it is punishable.
Some reports claim that insurers refuse to pay out after a winter crash if the car had summer or all-season tyres, even though the law does not require otherwise[4]. The terms of a specific contract can only be seen in the policy.
Tyre makers recommend winter tyres when temperatures often fall below 7 degrees[6]. On Saturday, 22 to 25 degrees is expected along the Black Sea coast, with the sea at about 20[7]. On Sunday, eastern Bulgaria will see 28 to 30 degrees with a moderate south wind[8]. A cold front moves through overnight into Monday and on Monday, with short, heavy rain and thunderstorms. Daytime temperatures drop even in the east, and the week will be windy and relatively cold[8].
Average January temperatures in Burgas rarely fall below zero, there are on average two to three snowy days a year, and no major snowfall was recorded in the winter of 2022/2023[9]. In the city, the main problems are cold rain, damp and morning frost, when summer tyres lose grip.
Measure the tread now, and change tyres once nights stay below 7 degrees, by 15 November 2026 at the latest[1]. Anyone driving to mountain passes should also take chains.