Malta residents bringing in a car to register generally have 30 days from arrival to register it. Non-residents have different temporary-use rules, while vehicle origin and status determine documents, inspection and tax.
| Situation | What to know |
|---|---|
| You are a non-resident visiting Malta | Transport Malta says a non-resident may keep a foreign-registered vehicle in Malta for up to seven months in a 12-month period. Separate permit rules apply to some non-resident workers and students. |
| You are a Malta resident bringing in a car to register | Apply for a temporary permit no later than one working day after the car arrives, if you need one, and register the vehicle within 30 days of arrival. |
| You are moving your normal residence to Malta | You may qualify for a registration-tax exemption if you meet the separate residence and vehicle-ownership tests. A non-EU import may also have a separate Customs relief test. |
First decide whether this is temporary use or a permanent import
If you are a non-resident visiting Malta, Transport Malta says you may keep a foreign-registered vehicle here for up to seven months in a 12-month period. That general allowance is not the process for a Malta resident bringing in a car to register.
For a Malta resident importing a vehicle for registration, Transport Malta says a temporary permit application is due no later than one working day after arrival, and the vehicle must be registered within 30 days of arrival. Check the permit procedure with the authority promptly rather than assuming the visitor allowance applies.
Non-resident workers and students have a separate temporary-permit route. The published form describes an exemption for up to 12 months and asks workers for employment evidence and students for course details and confirmation. Conditions include not lending the vehicle to a Malta resident or selling, hiring out or otherwise disposing of it in Malta under the exemption. The form is dated 21 July 2022, so confirm current eligibility and steps with Transport Malta before relying on it.
Identify the car’s origin and whether it counts as new
Transport Malta defines a new vehicle as one that has never been registered in any country. Its new-vehicle document list includes insurance, forms VEH 001 and VEH 002, the original Certificate of Conformity, an invoice, notice of arrival and VAT documentation; customs-release documents may also be required depending on the import.
For a used vehicle, age and mileage still matter: Transport Malta says an invoice is needed if it has fewer than 6,000 km or is less than six months old, because VAT may be payable. Confirm VAT and any customs duty with the relevant authorities for your purchase and import circumstances; there is no single amount that applies to every car.
A used car from an EU Member State follows a different route from one imported from Great Britain or another non-EU country. Northern Ireland is not automatically treated as either: Transport Malta says it can be classified as an EU import only if it has a valid Northern Ireland registration certificate showing a Northern Ireland address and an identifiable Northern Ireland-format registration number. Otherwise, Customs may assess its status from the documents and circumstances.
Follow the route for your vehicle
For a used vehicle from an EU Member State, start with Transport Malta’s online registration-tax valuation and take the printed valuation and original foreign registration certificate to the inspection. The listed route then requires the documents and payment of the applicable registration tax, annual circulation fee and charges. Transport Malta lists a €55 inspection fee and a €15 registration fee for this route; check the current requirements before attending.
For a used car from Great Britain, Transport Malta’s document list includes insurance in your name, forms VEH 001 and VEH 002, a technical inspection and VEH 005, the original UK logbook, notice of arrival and customs-release documents showing the chassis number and duty or VAT paid. M1 and N1 vehicles also need mileage verification; vehicle category and registration date can bring additional VRT or SVA requirements. The list was last updated on 3 December 2025.
For a vehicle from outside the EU other than the UK, the listed documents include customs-release evidence, the original registration certificate, a technical inspection and an SVA certificate confirming EU registrability and CO2 emissions. An official translation is required if the logbook is not in English; M1 and N1 vehicles also need a Jevic mileage certificate. Transport Malta’s list includes a minimum-tax rule for certain older used imports, with exceptions for specified origins and vehicle types, so check the vehicle-specific treatment rather than estimating.
For registration tax, use the official valuation process rather than a flat estimate. Transport Malta’s January 2026 procedure says tax factors for private M1 vehicles include CO2 emissions and vehicle length, with the method depending on the emissions measurement and supporting Certificate of Conformity. Other vehicle categories may use different factors, and the annual circulation fee is separate.
Check whether a transfer-of-residence exemption applies
If you are moving your normal residence to Malta, Transport Malta’s VEH 007 form allows an application for exemption from Maltese vehicle registration tax for one qualifying M1 vehicle or cycle. The published conditions include living outside Malta continuously for at least 24 months and having the vehicle registered in your name for at least 24 continuous months immediately before the move; it must remain in your name when brought to Malta.
The form sets application timing: generally, apply no earlier than two months before becoming normally resident and within 12 months after that date. It also sets additional 30-day deadlines where the vehicle has already arrived or arrives later. The form excludes some people whose time abroad was primarily to pursue a course of study lasting less than five years, so read the full conditions before applying.
That Maltese registration-tax exemption is separate from Malta Customs relief on a private vehicle imported from a non-EU country. Customs says duty-free entry may be available where you lived abroad for at least one year and owned and used the vehicle for at least six months before moving. Under that relief, the vehicle may not be sold or transferred until it has been owned in Malta for at least one year. Check both sets of rules if relevant; qualifying for one does not establish that you qualify for the other.
Check legacy vehicles and where to apply
If the vehicle is a used passenger car or motorcycle registered abroad before 2009, ask Transport Malta whether a legacy tax and annual-licence option applies. Its January 2026 procedure says certain vehicles from another EU country, including qualifying Northern Ireland vehicles, brought to Malta after 1 January 2024 may choose between the old and post-2009 regimes. The option is limited by vehicle type, registration history and origin.
Servizz.gov lists the Land Transport Directorate in Paola and a Land Transport Office in Gozo at Tiġrija Palazz, Triq Taħt Putirjal, Ir-Rabat Għawdex. That listing does not establish that every import inspection can be done in Gozo; confirm with Transport Malta where your particular inspection and application should be handled.
Questions people ask
Can I keep driving my foreign-plated car in Malta?
Transport Malta says a non-resident may keep a foreign-registered vehicle in Malta for up to seven months in a 12-month period. Malta residents bringing a vehicle in for registration have a separate process and deadline. Qualifying non-resident workers and students may have a separate temporary-permit route.
How much does it cost to register a foreign car?
There is no universal total. Registration tax, annual circulation fee, VAT and any customs duty depend on factors including origin, vehicle category, value, age, mileage and emissions documents. Transport Malta lists €55 for inspection and €15 for registration on its used-EU-vehicle route; check the current vehicle-specific assessment.
Does a car from Northern Ireland count as an EU import?
Not automatically. Transport Malta’s published test requires a valid Northern Ireland registration certificate showing a Northern Ireland address and a recognisable Northern Ireland-format registration number. If those conditions are not met, Customs may assess the vehicle’s status.
Can I avoid registration tax when moving to Malta?
Possibly. Transport Malta’s published exemption conditions include living outside Malta for at least 24 continuous months and owning the vehicle in your name for at least 24 continuous months before the move. Customs relief on a non-EU import is a separate scheme with separate conditions.
Can I register the car in Gozo?
Servizz.gov lists a Land Transport Office in Gozo, but this does not confirm that every inspection or import-registration step is carried out there. Ask Transport Malta where your specific step must be completed.
Sources
- Transport Malta — Driving and foreign-registered vehicles
- Transport Malta — Temporary Permits
- Transport Malta — Registering and licensing a vehicle imported from an EU State
- Transport Malta — Documents required to register a vehicle
- Transport Malta — SOPV 02, Registering and Licensing of New and Used Motor Vehicles
- Transport Malta — VEH 007, Application for exemption from motor vehicle registration tax
- Malta Customs — Transfer of Residence
- Servizz.gov — Registering a New or Used Vehicle
General information, not individual legal advice. Check your contract and current official rules before acting.