Malta’s traveller guidance applies to people entering and leaving the country. Controlled medicines, cannabis products, cold-chain medicines and medicines on connecting routes may need separate checks.
| Situation | What the sources say |
|---|---|
| Bringing your usual prescription or over-the-counter medicine for personal use | Malta advises carrying a prescription or medical certificate from a registered practitioner that covers your stay, keeping the medicine in its original packaging if possible, and bringing an amount equivalent to your stay. |
| Carrying an opioid, ADHD medicine, sleeping tablet or another potentially controlled medicine | Check the medicine’s active substance and your route with Malta’s Pharmaceutical Unit before travelling. Malta describes a Schengen medical certificate as appropriate for a traveller carrying a narcotic or psychotropic medicine when Malta is the destination, but its guidance does not clearly say whether one is mandatory for every inbound visitor. |
| Taking liquid medicine in hand luggage on a flight leaving Malta | Malta Aviation Security says liquid medicines needed for the trip can pass through security, will be screened, and should be accompanied by a prescription or doctor’s letter where possible. Check the rules for other airports on your route. |
| Carrying refrigerated or other cold-chain medicine | Malta has a separate personal-use import route that excludes cold-chain products, but that route is not necessarily the same as carrying your own medicine in visitor baggage. Confirm which process applies before travelling. |
| Getting a replacement supply from a Maltese pharmacy | A Maltese pharmacist may dispense a prescription from another EU member state if they can verify that the prescriber is licensed there. Do not assume this rule covers prescriptions from outside the EU; ask a pharmacy about your specific prescription. |
What to carry for ordinary medication
For medicines carried for your personal use, Malta advises bringing a prescription or medical certificate from a registered medical practitioner that covers your stay. Keep the medicine in its original packaging if possible, and carry an amount equivalent to the duration of your stay. The traveller guidance does not give a general numerical maximum for ordinary visitor baggage.
This is general traveller advice, not a product-by-product list confirming that every medicine is permitted. If you are unsure about a medicine, check its active ingredient and contact Malta’s Pharmaceutical Unit before travelling.
Controlled medicines: check the active substance and route
Some medicines used for pain, ADHD or sleep may contain narcotic or psychotropic substances, but a medicine’s classification depends on its active substance—not just its purpose or brand name. Treat these medicine types as examples to check, not as blanket classifications. Malta’s Pharmaceutical Unit handles regulatory issues involving narcotic and psychotropic drugs.
Malta says a Schengen medical certificate would be appropriate for someone carrying a narcotic or psychotropic medicine if the country of departure or destination is in the Schengen area. Since Malta is the destination for inbound visitors, this describes the certificate as appropriate for a Malta-bound traveller even if they are arriving from outside Schengen. The same guidance clearly requires the certificate for Malta residents travelling to another Schengen state, but it does not clearly say that every inbound visitor must obtain one. Contact the Pharmaceutical Unit with the active ingredient, amount, trip dates and route to confirm what applies to you.
Medical cannabis and CBD: do not rely on a routine prescription
A U.S. Embassy travel advisory says it is illegal to bring marijuana, cannabis or CBD products or derivatives into Malta. Malta’s traveller guidance does not explain a visitor-specific process for bringing prescribed cannabinoid products. Do not assume that a prescription or Schengen medical certificate is enough; seek direct confirmation from Malta’s Pharmaceutical Unit before travelling with these products.
Your departure country and transit route matter too
Malta’s general traveller advice addresses people entering or leaving Malta and does not set separate ordinary-medicine rules based solely on whether you arrive from the UK, the U.S. or a Schengen country. Other countries on your route may have their own restrictions, especially for controlled medicines, so check the rules for your departure and transit countries as well.
Liquid and refrigerated medicines
For passengers leaving Malta by air, Malta Aviation Security says liquid medicines needed for the trip can be carried through security, even when they exceed the ordinary 100 ml limit. They will be screened; where possible, carry documentary proof such as a prescription or doctor’s letter. This guidance concerns security at Malta’s airport, not the rules at your origin airport or on every airline.
Malta’s traveller guidance does not give specific instructions for transporting refrigerated or other temperature-sensitive medicines. A separate official route for obtaining medicines from abroad for personal use excludes cold-chain products and requires a prescription from a registered Maltese doctor or dentist to be presented at customs. That route is not necessarily the same as a visitor carrying their own medication in baggage; confirm with the relevant Maltese authority which rules apply to your situation. Ask your airline how to transport and keep the medicine at the required temperature, and check security rules at each airport.
If you need more medicine while in Malta
Do not assume a Maltese pharmacy can use any foreign prescription. Malta’s Medicines Authority says a pharmacist may dispense a prescription from another EU member state if the pharmacist can verify that the prescriber is licensed in that member state. This is about obtaining a supply locally, not bringing your own medicine across the border. The published rule does not establish that prescriptions from outside the EU can be dispensed; ask a Maltese pharmacy about your particular prescription before relying on a refill.
Questions people ask
Should I keep my medicine in its original packaging?
Yes, if possible. Malta says original packaging is advisable to help identify the medicine. Its traveller guidance also advises carrying a prescription or medical certificate from a registered practitioner that covers your stay.
How much medication can I bring?
Malta advises carrying an amount equivalent to the duration of your stay. Its traveller guidance does not state a general numerical maximum for ordinary visitor baggage.
Do I need a Schengen certificate to bring a controlled medicine into Malta?
Malta describes a Schengen medical certificate as appropriate when a traveller carrying a narcotic or psychotropic medicine has a Schengen country as their departure or destination country. That includes travel to Malta, whether you arrive from within or outside Schengen. The guidance clearly requires a certificate for Malta residents travelling to another Schengen state, but does not clearly establish that it is mandatory for every inbound visitor. Confirm the requirement for your medicine and route with Malta’s Pharmaceutical Unit.
Can I bring medical cannabis or CBD if it is prescribed?
Do not assume a prescription or Schengen certificate is enough. A U.S. Embassy travel advisory says it is illegal to bring cannabis or CBD products or derivatives into Malta, while Malta’s traveller guidance does not explain a visitor-specific process for prescribed products. Seek direct confirmation from Malta’s Pharmaceutical Unit before travelling with them.
Can I carry liquid medicine in my hand luggage?
For flights leaving Malta, Malta Aviation Security says liquid medicines needed for the trip can pass through security and will be screened. Carry a prescription or doctor’s letter where possible. Check security rules for other airports on your journey.
Can I bring refrigerated medicine?
Malta’s traveller guidance does not explain how cold-chain medicines in visitor baggage are treated. A separate personal-use import route excludes cold-chain products, but it may not be the same process as carrying your own medicine. Confirm which rules apply before travelling and ask your airline about temperature-controlled transport.
Can a Maltese pharmacy use my foreign prescription?
Malta’s Medicines Authority says a pharmacist may dispense a prescription from another EU member state if they can verify that the prescriber is licensed there. The published rule does not establish that prescriptions from outside the EU can be dispensed, so ask a Maltese pharmacy about your specific prescription.
Need a pharmacy today? Find one in Malta or Gozo. Confirm opening hours and product availability before travelling.
Sources
- Superintendence of Public Health, Government of Malta — Guidelines for Travellers
- Superintendence of Public Health, Government of Malta — Introduction to the Pharmaceutical Unit
- Superintendence of Public Health, Government of Malta — Controlled Substances
- U.S. Department of State — Malta Travel Advisory
- Aviation Security, Government of Malta — Security Screening
- Department of Health, Government of Malta — Circular 270/06, including personal-use imports
- Malta Medicines Authority — Non-prescription and prescription-only medicines
General information, not individual medical advice. Confirm medicine classification and suitability with a pharmacist or healthcare professional.