Glossary
Plain definitions of the terms you'll meet during your Bulgarian driving theory prep.
This glossary is a draft compiled from public sources (the Bulgarian Road Traffic Act / ЗДвП, sign regulation appendices, and KAT publications). Verify against the official text before relying on it for legal decisions.
Last reviewed May 2026
BAC (blood alcohol concentration)
Bulgaria's legal limit is 0.5 g/l for general drivers and 0.0 g/l for novice drivers (within their first two years) and professional drivers. Penalties scale with concentration.
Category A
Motorcycles. Subcategories include AM (mopeds up to 45 km/h), A1 (≤125 cc / ≤11 kW), and A2 (≤35 kW).
See road signs →Category B
Cars up to 3,500 kg total mass with up to 8 passenger seats. The most common licence in Bulgaria. Allows towing a trailer up to 750 kg.
Category C
Trucks above 3,500 kg total mass. C1 covers 3.5–7.5 t. Requires a Category B licence first.
Category D
Buses (more than 8 passenger seats). D1 covers smaller buses (≤16 passengers + ≤8 m). Requires a Category B licence first.
Category E
Trailer endorsement attached to another category, BE, CE, C1E, DE, D1E. Required when the trailer exceeds 750 kg or when the combination exceeds the base category's limits.
Category T
Tractors and self-propelled agricultural machines.
Convoy / column
Two or more vehicles travelling in coordinated sequence. Drivers in a convoy must keep enough distance for non-convoy vehicles to overtake when needed.
Custom right-of-way
When traffic signs or signals override the default right-of-way rules (e.g. a yield sign at an intersection that would otherwise be a "right hand priority" crossing).
Emergency stop equipment
Mandatory items every car must carry: warning triangle, high-visibility vest, first-aid kit, fire extinguisher. The vest must be worn before stepping outside the vehicle on the road.
High beam (long beam)
Headlights set for maximum illumination. Must be switched to low beam when oncoming traffic is within ~150 m, when following another vehicle, and inside well-lit urban areas.
Information signs (Group Д)
Square or rectangular blue/white signs that convey practical information, direction, services, parking, etc.
See all groups →Lane markings
Solid white = no crossing; dashed = may cross when safe; double solid = strictly no crossing. Yellow markings indicate temporary changes (works zones).
Low beam (short beam)
Headlights aimed downward, the default night-driving setting. Required from dusk to dawn and in poor visibility.
Mock exam
A practice run that mirrors the real KAT exam format: 45 questions, 40 minutes, all-or-nothing scoring on multi-correct items. Used to gauge readiness.
Multi-select question
A question with two or more correct options. The Bulgarian exam scores these all-or-nothing, picking some but not all of the correct options counts as wrong.
Novice driver (новак)
A driver in the first two years after first passing the test. Subject to a 0.0 BAC limit and lower point thresholds before licence suspension.
Pedestrian crossing
A marked area (zebra) where pedestrians have the right of way. Drivers must stop in time to allow pedestrians who have already stepped onto the crossing, or are clearly about to, to cross safely.
Probation period
The two-year window after first licensing during which a driver is "novak". Stricter limits apply.
Right hand priority
Default rule at an unmarked intersection: vehicles approaching from the right have priority. Overridden by signs, signals, or main-road markings.
Roundabout
A circular intersection. Bulgarian default: vehicles already on the roundabout have priority over those entering, unless signs say otherwise.
Spaced repetition
Learning method where questions you struggle with come back at the right time to be reviewed. DrivXP uses an SM-2-style algorithm tied to your confidence on each answer.
Speed limit (rural)
Default 90 km/h on regular roads, 120 km/h on expressways, 140 km/h on highways. Lowered by signs for specific stretches.
Speed limit (urban)
Default 50 km/h within populated areas (settlement signs A1/A2 mark the boundary), unless posted otherwise.
Stop line
A continuous transverse white line indicating where the vehicle must stop when required by a stop sign or red signal.
Stop sign (Б2)
Octagonal red sign requiring a full stop before continuing, even if the way is clear. Drivers yield to all crossing traffic.
View sign →Theoretical exam
The classroom-format computer test. 45 questions in 40 minutes; passing score is 87% (39 of 45). Drawn from the official KAT question pool.
Trailer (small / large)
A trailer up to 750 kg can be towed on the base category licence; above 750 kg requires the corresponding E endorsement.
Warning signs (Group А)
Triangular red-bordered signs that warn of hazards ahead. Placed in advance of the hazard at a distance that allows reaction time.
See all groups →Yield sign (Б1)
Inverted-triangle sign requiring drivers to give way to traffic on the crossing road, but does not always require a full stop.
View sign →ИАА (IAA)
Изпълнителна агенция "Автомобилна администрация", the executive agency that licences drivers, schools, and examiners. Issues driving licences once exams are passed.
КАТ (KAT)
"Контрол на автомобилния транспорт", the traffic police directorate. Enforces traffic rules and conducts the practical part of the licensing process at testing centres.
Sources
- · Закон за движението по пътищата (LDP), Bulgarian Road Traffic Act
- · Наредба за сигнализация на пътищата с пътни знаци (sign regulation, Държавен вестник бр. 101)
- · Наредба № 37, driver training & examination
- · Изпълнителна агенция "Автомобилна администрация" (ИАА), driving licence authority publications