The borders and designated use of agricultural land within the boundaries of a settlement are defined with an overall or Detailed Town and Country Plan (DTCP). The inclusion of agricultural land into such plans is subject to starting a procedure for change of plan. The contemplated change of purpose of use of a piece of agricultural land falls within the powers of the corresponding commission at the Regional Directorate of Land and Forests when the area of this land is up to 50decares (=5hectares=12.5acres). When the land lot is bigger than 50decares, then the application must be filed with the Agricultural Land Commission at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.
1.The procedure is started with an Application to the Mayor of the municipality where the property belongs, with attached  title deeds or created real right for building in favour of the investor.
When the deed is in the name of a deceased owner, their inheritors have to submit a Certificate of inheritors issued during the last 6 months. In the case of joint ownership the application form must be signed by all owners of right.
The application must declare that the applicant(s) require the making of a DTCP in compliance with their intent for construction on the land and its contemplated purpose.
2.Another document to be enclosed is the Explanatory Note including:
- name of the property,
- details about contemplated activities,
- property location (locality, territory and functional type of the settlement, municipality, and region),
- distance from roads and other existing sites in the immediate vicinity,
- size and borders of buildings to be constructed.
The plan has to be approved by the Power Supply Company and the Water Supply and Sewerage Company. If the intent is to build roadside premises, then the transport connections must be agreed too.
3.Other documentation includes:
- a sketch (plat) and a situational plan to reflect the location of the property on the Map of reinstituted properties,
- review from the Regional Environment and Water Inspectorate (REWI). In certain cases it is necessary to have a report made by REWI on the possible impact of the contemplated changes on the environment.
- a land category certificate issued by the Regional Agriculture and Forestry Directorate. Agricultural land in Bulgaria falls into 10 categories depending on the soil productive potential, climatic conditions, topographical and technological properties of the land, land suitability for growing various plants, and the enforceable restrictions on land use, envisaged in the Regulation approved by the Council of Ministers,
- an irrigation certificate issued by the Irrigation Systems Office.
4.The municipality Mayor then issues a written order for the experts’ council to review the application and if the documents meet the requirements of the council, then it will make a decision to approve the building site. Then the Mayor will issue another order written order for the papers to be sent to the Regional Agriculture and Forestry Directorate and they will have to make a decision whether the purpose of use of the land may or may not be changed within a period of 2 months. This decision is then entered into the register of Agriculture and Forestry municipal office.
Another important issue to take into consideration refers to the duties levied upon changing of the purpose of use of land. Such duties are payable only for this part of the land which has been approved to be built up. So, apart from the cost of the DTCP to be drawn up and approved, you will have to pay corresponding taxes according to rate calculated on the:
- land category as per Certificate for land category,
- size of land to be occupied by the designated building site’
- location of the land as per functional type of the settlement defined by the Uniform classification of administrative-territorial and territorial units in The Republic of Bulgaria,
- type of intended premises,
- land irrigation opportunities.
Tax rates are also affected by the intended purpose of the buildings to be used as shops, factories, warehouses, offices, resort premises, tourist and sports facilities, and residential areas. The government tax to change the purpose of use of land of category IV approximates to 2,500-3,000 BGN (Bulgarian Leva) per one decare of land. The specialist consulting firms will charge a fee of 1.5 to 3.00 Euros per square metre for rendering their services to effect the completion and movement of the documentation.
The overall procedure involves a great many individual and collective administrative acts, and the consent of the neighbours. It’s worth noting that the inclusion of a piece of land in a regulation should not be taken for granted, and in case of a refusal or appeal lodged at court, the process might take more than a year.
Beware of the relatively low price of agricultural land offered for sale, for it has at least three risky aspects:
1.There is no guarantee that you will be able to change its purpose of use.
2.Legally there is no  fixed term of time for the procedure to be completed.
3.The actual costs incurring from the procedure cannot be always estimated beforehand.
Nevertheless, with well-calculated risks, acquiring agricultural land has a great potential for a highly profitable investment because, after it has been approved for building purposes, the difference in value before and after change of status can be from 2 to 15 times bigger.
Geodetic surveying is another essential part of the procedures before the actual building works can start. Surveying is done by specialist firms operating usually on the territory where the land is located. They can make all kinds of plans and maps of lots, plots, parcels, buildings and other immovable property, as well as topographic, cadastre, regulation, subdivision plans, maps, and registers.
They can also establish or mark positions on existing and newly designed building sites, determine borders of various structures such as roads or buildings, parcels, they can effect deformation surveys.
These specialized services are of great help in the work of construction companies and developers, as well as of those property agents who take care of the change of status for land parcels they have brokered.