If Malta becomes your normal residence, plan for local registration. A short-term driving permit may be available, but you must apply promptly and wait for approval before driving.
| Situation | What to know |
|---|---|
| You are moving your normal residence to Malta | Plan to register and license the car in Malta. The non-resident allowance is not a general grace period for new residents. A resident may apply for a temporary permit for up to 30 days, but must apply by one working day after the car arrives and must wait for approval before driving under that permit. |
| You are staying temporarily and keeping your normal residence in another EU country | EU guidance generally allows you to keep the car registered in your normal-residence country if you are temporarily in another EU country without changing your normal residence. Malta also has specific temporary-permit routes for qualifying non-resident workers and students. |
| You want Malta’s Transfer of Residence registration-tax exemption | The published tests include at least 24 continuous months living outside Malta and at least 24 continuous months with the vehicle registered in your name. The current January 2026 Transport Malta procedure says to submit the exemption application before or immediately upon the vehicle’s arrival. |
| The car is coming from outside the EU | Check Malta Customs’ transfer-of-residence relief separately from Malta’s vehicle registration-tax exemption. The customs tests and the registration-tax tests differ. |
| The car is coming from another EU country | Do not assume VAT is settled just because the car is used or already registered. For VAT, an EU car is treated as new if it has been in use for no more than six months or has travelled no more than 6,000 km. |
Moving residence is different from a temporary stay
If you are moving your normal residence to Malta, plan to register and license the car with Transport Malta. The authority says vehicles driven in Malta must be registered and licensed there. Its allowance for a foreign-registered vehicle kept by a non-resident—up to seven months in a 12-month period—is not a general grace period for someone who has moved.
If you are temporarily in Malta but keep your normal residence in another EU country, EU guidance generally says you do not have to register the car in the host country. It describes normal residence as generally where you live, work or have family for more than 185 days in a calendar year. Malta also has specific temporary-permit routes for qualifying non-resident workers and students; these are not the same as the resident permit described below. Check the route that fits your circumstances rather than relying on the general non-resident time allowance alone.
A temporary driving permit may bridge the move—but wait for approval
A person whose normal residence is in Malta may apply for a permit to use a foreign-registered vehicle on the road for up to 30 consecutive days from its first arrival. Transport Malta says the application is due no later than one working day after the vehicle arrives. If the application is accepted, the authority issues a temporary licence disc. Do not drive under this route on the basis of an application alone: wait until the permit is granted and follow its conditions.
This permit does not replace registration. Transport Malta says the vehicle must still be registered within 30 days of arrival; unjustified delay may attract an administrative fine of €30 for each day after that period. The temporary permit and the registration deadline therefore run from the vehicle’s arrival, not from when a permit application is decided.
Could you qualify for the Transfer of Residence tax exemption?
You may apply for an exemption from Malta’s vehicle registration tax on one qualifying M1 vehicle or motorcycle, motor tricycle or quadricycle. The published tests include living outside Malta continuously for at least 24 months immediately before transferring residence, and having the vehicle registered in your name for at least 24 continuous months immediately before the move and still in your name when it is brought to Malta. A vehicle brought by someone who lived abroad primarily to pursue a course of study lasting less than five years does not qualify under the form’s terms.
The VEH 007 form lists the vehicle registration certificate, proof of the vehicle’s arrival, evidence from a competent public authority of at least 24 months’ residence outside Malta, and a Maltese Residence Document or acknowledgement of application among the supporting documents. Maltese citizens may submit a valid Maltese identity card instead. The form says a €100 processing fee is due if the application is upheld; the Board may request additional documents or translations.
This is an exemption from Malta’s vehicle registration tax, not a general exemption from customs duty or import VAT. Treat the customs process for a non-EU import as a separate application and eligibility check.
Apply for the exemption early: official timing guidance differs
There is a timing discrepancy in Transport Malta’s published guidance. The January 2026 SOPV 02 procedure says to present the Transfer of Residence application with supporting evidence before or immediately upon the vehicle’s arrival. VEH 007 Version 7, dated September 2025, gives a declaration window—from no earlier than two months before becoming normally resident to no later than 12 months afterward—and states separate 30-day application deadlines depending on whether the car arrives before or after residence is taken up. Malta’s Ministry for Finance page also describes a 30-day submission period.
As the conservative course, prepare and submit the exemption application before or immediately upon arrival, and contact Transport Malta promptly to confirm the dates and submission method for your case. Do not assume the later deadline printed on VEH 007 will preserve eligibility if you wait.
EU and non-EU cars have different tax checks
For a car brought from another EU country, EU guidance says a car is new for VAT purposes if it has been in use for no more than six months or has travelled no more than 6,000 km. Malta’s registration information also calls for an invoice and says VAT may be due in relevant low-age or low-mileage cases. Check the vehicle’s VAT history and status with the appropriate Maltese authority; registration tax and VAT are separate questions.
For a car imported from outside the EU as part of a move, Malta Customs describes a separate transfer-of-residence relief route. Its published conditions include at least 12 continuous months’ residence outside the EU and at least six months’ ownership and use of the vehicle before moving. Customs says a vehicle admitted with relief may not be sold or transferred until it has been owned in Malta for one year. These customs conditions are different from the 24-month tests for Malta’s vehicle registration-tax exemption.
Documents, inspection and likely costs
The document checklist depends on the vehicle and where it comes from. Transport Malta’s requirements for imported vehicles include original registration or export documents, insurance, forms, arrival evidence and a technical inspection; non-EU imports also require customs documentation. Used imported vehicles must complete the inspection and registration process within 30 days of arrival. Check the current list for your vehicle category and import route before shipping.
There is no single reliable registration-tax estimate without the car’s details. Transport Malta’s January 2026 procedure says private M1 vehicle registration tax depends on factors including CO₂ emissions and vehicle length, with the Certificate of Conformity used for official emissions values. Its current EU-import procedure lists a €55 inspection fee and a €15 registration fee, plus applicable registration tax and annual circulation fee. Confirm the amounts and requirements for your route before budgeting.
Questions people ask
Can I drive my foreign-registered car in Malta after I move there?
Plan to register and license it in Malta. A person whose normal residence is in Malta may apply for a temporary permit for up to 30 days, but the application is due no later than one working day after the car arrives. Wait for the permit to be granted before driving under it.
Does the Transfer of Residence exemption cover customs duty and VAT too?
No. It concerns Malta’s vehicle registration tax. Customs relief for a vehicle from outside the EU is a separate process, and VAT status should be checked separately.
When should I apply for the Transfer of Residence exemption?
Transport Malta’s January 2026 procedure says to apply before or immediately upon the vehicle’s arrival, while VEH 007 and the Ministry for Finance page give later 30-day timing guidance. Use the conservative course: submit before or immediately upon arrival and contact Transport Malta promptly rather than relying on a later deadline.
Can VAT be due on a car I bring from another EU country?
It may be. For VAT purposes, the EU treats a car as new if it has been in use for no more than six months or has travelled no more than 6,000 km. Check the particular vehicle’s VAT history and status.
Does a student’s temporary stay have different rules?
It may. EU guidance generally allows a temporary visitor who keeps normal residence in another EU country to keep the car registered there. Malta also lists a separate permit route for qualifying non-resident students; check its requirements rather than assuming the resident 30-day permit applies.
Sources
- Transport Malta — Driving Licence and foreign-registered vehicle allowance
- Your Europe — Car registration in another EU country
- Transport Malta — Temporary Permits for non-resident workers and students
- Transport Malta — Temporary 30-day permit for Malta residents
- Transport Malta — VEH 64 application for a 30-day permit
- Transport Malta — Transfer of Residence Form VEH 007
- Ministry for Finance — Transfer of Residence Exemption
- Malta Customs — Transfer of Residence
- European Commission — Buying and selling cars
- Transport Malta — Registering a Vehicle: Documents Required
- Transport Malta — SOPV 02: Registering and Licensing New and Used Motor Vehicles, Version 38, January 2026
General information, not individual immigration or legal advice. Confirm your own status and current requirements with the relevant authority.