Malta

Key points for young drivers:

• Left-hand traffic – a rental car has the steering wheel on the right.
• Maximum 80 km/h, even on the fastest road; 50 km/h in towns.
• Alcohol: 0.5 ‰ in general, 0.2 ‰ for drivers in their probation period.
• Phone only with a hands-free kit.
• No vignettes, but entering Valletta is charged (CVA).

Seat belts and child seats

Seat belts are compulsory for everyone. Children up to 12 must wear a seat belt or sit in a child seat; a child shorter than 135 cm travels in a child seat, booster seat or booster cushion suited to their weight.

Traffic lights

As in most EU countries: red and amber together mean green is coming (but you still wait), amber means red is coming and also means stop.

Helmet not compulsory

• bicycle – helmet recommended (compulsory only for children up to 10 in a bike child seat)

Helmet compulsory

• motorcycle (also with a sidecar) – rider and passenger
• moped
• three- and four-wheelers (L2e, L5e, L6e, L7e)
• children up to 10 carried in a bike child seat

Compulsory equipment in the car

A rental car must carry:

• fire extinguisher
• warning triangle
• first-aid kit

For your own car, the Highway Code recommends a warning triangle.

Compulsory equipment on a bike

• front and rear lights plus a red rear reflector
• high-visibility vest – in poor visibility
• helmet for children up to 10 in a child seat

Winter tyres and snow chains

You don’t need winter tyres or snow chains – Malta has no wintry road conditions.

Phone, drugs and other bans

• Phone only with a hands-free kit – you must not hold it in your hand.
• Drugs: all intoxicating substances other than alcohol are banned (including THC, methamphetamine, MDMA).
• Lanes for priority vehicles (buses, bicycles, motorcycles, emergency services) are marked with a sign – in a car you may only use them in an emergency.

Vignettes, tolls and low-emission zones

There are no vignettes or toll motorways. Entering the capital, Valletta, is charged (CVA system): cameras read number plates and record how long you stay, and you pay afterwards (online or by post). Details: cva.gov.mt.

Documents and insurance

• A driving licence from an EU/EEA country is enough for a holiday trip.
• According to the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs there are no special insurance requirements – the third-party motor insurance of your EU-registered car is valid, and you don’t need a Green Card.
• Most often you’ll rent a car on the spot – check its equipment and what the insurance covers.

What to watch out for

• Left-hand traffic – the steering wheel is on the right, and you go round roundabouts clockwise.
• Limits are low: 50 km/h in towns and only 80 km/h outside them – even on the fastest roads.
• Alcohol: as a driver in your probation period your limit is 0.2 ‰ – it’s safer not to drink at all.
• It’s better to get to Valletta by bus or ferry – driving in is charged.

Sources

• Your Europe – Road rules: Malta
• Transport Malta – Road Code (Highway Code, 2025)
• CVA – Controlled Vehicular Access (Valletta)
• Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Odyseusz: Malta (in Polish)
• Last updated: September 2026.