A Bulgarian mortgage older than ten years: expired registration or unpaid debt?

Ten years since mortgage registration does not prove that the loan has been repaid. Bulgarian law limits the effect of the registration; the debt and its limitation period are separate issues. Before selling, trace renewals rather than relying on the original deed date.

Follow the complete registration history

Registration operates for ten years and can be renewed before expiry. After expiry, the law allows a new registration taking priority from its new date, but its effect where third-party rights have arisen requires individual assessment. The original creditor does not invariably retain its original priority.

An expired entry still needs attention

The Registration Rules provide a deletion procedure at an interested person's request where ten years have elapsed without renewal, without the usual evidence that payment discharged the mortgage. The relevant entries must establish those conditions. A timely renewal means this route is not available merely because the original deed is old.

Do not declare the debt paid when the only fact you know is the mortgage's age. For a buyer, the practical objective is a verified position on encumbrances at completion.