Who owns what in a marriage in Bulgaria?

Property acquired during the marriage is joint by default

Bulgaria's default is a community of acquisitions: what spouses acquire during the marriage through joint effort is jointly owned, and what each brought or inherited stays their own.

Updated October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.

The default, not your case. This page describes what applies when a couple sign no contract. Family law changes, and a court can decide differently on the facts of a case. For a couple with a foreign spouse, take advice in each country involved. This is general information, not legal advice.

What applies by default

Property acquired during the marriage through the work of either spouse or both is jointly owned. Property owned before the marriage, and gifts and inheritances, stay personal.

When the marriage ends in divorce

The joint property is divided on divorce, usually in equal shares, and a spouse can ask the court to take account of unequal contributions or of the family home's use for the children.

A marriage contract

A marriage contract can be made before or during the marriage, in a notarised form, and can set a different regime, such as separation of property.

What stays your own, and gifts

Property from before the marriage, gifts and inheritances stay personal. A personal asset can become joint if the other spouse contributes substantially to it.

If one spouse is a foreigner

In member states that take part in the EU Matrimonial Property Regulation, the law that governs the spouses' property is set by common rules, and spouses may choose from a short list of laws in a written agreement. Check whether the country takes part.

What to watch for

A marriage contract in Bulgaria must be notarised and, for property that is registered, registered as well.

Understand the legal system first

Bulgaria belongs to the Civil law family. Family law grows out of the legal tradition, so it helps to know how the system works.

Read the Bulgaria legal-system profile in the Legal Families Atlas →
Can a foreigner buy property in Bulgaria? →

Official sources

European e-Justice Portal: matrimonial property regimes in the EU

TheLawToKnow Tools’s marital property guide is an educational overview of general rules. It is not legal advice, and it does not replace the official source or a lawyer in the country. Report a mistake.