In the second quarter of 2026, local authorities issued building permits for 2,216 residential buildings containing 11,499 dwellings with a total gross floor area (GFA) of 1,351,492 sq. m, 15 administrative buildings/offices with a GFA of 10,451 sq. m, and 1,367 other buildings with a GFA of 820,066 sq. m, according to the National Statistical Institute (NSI) data published on August 3.
Compared with the second quarter of 2025, the number of building permits issued for new residential buildings increased by 8.2%, the number of dwellings by 14%, and their total gross floor area by 3.6%. The number of permits issued for administrative buildings remained unchanged, but their GFA declined by 56%. Permits issued for other types of buildings rose by 13.1%, while their gross floor area increased by 42.2%.
The largest number of permits for new residential buildings was issued in the regions of Plovdiv (374), Sofia (capital) (268), Sofia Region (243), Varna (202), and Burgas (161). The highest number of new dwellings is expected to be built in Sofia (capital) (2,878), followed by Plovdiv (1,941), Burgas (1,660), Varna (1,316), and Pernik (489).
Compared with the previous quarter, the number of permits issued for residential buildings decreased by 3.7%, while the number of dwellings declined by 15.2% and their total gross floor area fell by 22.1%. In contrast, the number of permits issued for administrative buildings increased by 15.4%, while their GFA rose by 54.6%. Permits for other types of buildings increased by 12.2%, and their gross floor area expanded by 28.1%.
During the second quarter of 2026, construction began on 1,774 residential buildings containing 8,913 dwellings with a total gross floor area of 1,047,174 sq. m, as well as 16 administrative buildings/offices with a gross floor area of 9,258 sq. m and 585 other buildings with a gross floor area of 412,147 sq. m.
Compared with the previous quarter, the number of newly started residential buildings increased by 7.6%, while the number of dwellings fell by 12.6% and their gross floor area declined by 10.3%. The number of administrative buildings under construction rose by 45.5%, while their gross floor area increased by 4.2%. The construction of 1.5% fewer other buildings was started, although their gross floor area was 15.9% larger.
Compared with the second quarter of 2025, the number of newly started residential buildings increased by 8.2%, the number of dwellings by 10.5%, and their gross floor area by 8.7%. The number of administrative buildings whose construction began declined by 30.4%, while their gross floor area fell by 53.2%. The construction of 9.2% fewer other buildings was started, although their total GFA increased by 12.5%.
The largest number of new buildings whose construction began was recorded in the following regions: Plovdiv, with 333 residential buildings, four administrative buildings, and 95 other buildings; Sofia Region, with 222 residential buildings and 46 other buildings; and Sofia (capital), with 202 residential buildings and eight other buildings.