A lender with no registration: how to check in two minutes
Short answer
Non-bank financial institutions that grant credit as a business in Bulgaria must be entered in a public register kept by the Bulgarian National Bank — the check is free and takes minutes.
What you actually check
Search for the exact company name and its company number, not the brand from the advert. The same brand may be used by different legal entities, and the contract is concluded with a legal entity. The company number appears in the agreement and in the general terms.
What absence from the register means
It means the company is not under that supervisory regime. That alone does not automatically make the contract invalid, but it removes a layer of control and changes the risk picture — including who you can complain to.
Who supervises what
The central bank keeps the register of financial institutions. The Consumer Protection Commission handles signals about unfair commercial practices and unfair terms. A dispute over a specific contract is decided by the court — a supervisory body does not strike out a clause in the court’s place.
Frequently asked questions
- Is registration a guarantee that the terms are good?
- No. Registration is a requirement for operating, not an assessment of price. A registered lender can also offer expensive credit — price is judged by the APR.
- Does the same apply to a foreign lender?
- The regime depends on how the company operates on the Bulgarian market. Where the contract is directed at a consumer in Bulgaria, Bulgarian consumer protection remains applicable.
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