Full driving licence
RequiredUK photocard or EU licence accepted for visits; no IDP required for tourists. Minimum age to drive a rental is usually 21.
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Country driving guide · 2026
Driving in Malta
Everything UK and EU drivers need before crossing the border into Malta: 6 legal requirements + 9 other things worth knowing.
6
Required
3
Recommended
6
Good to know
Tick before you go
Pre-departure checklist for Malta
6 legal must-haves. Print it, tick them off, throw it in the glovebox.
Full driving licence
UK photocard or EU licence accepted for visits; no IDP required for tourists. Minimum age to drive a rental is usually 21.
Passport and V5C if bringing own car
Carry passport, V5C logbook (or VE103 if hired/leased), and proof of motor insurance valid for Malta. Green Card no longer mandatory for UK vehicles but useful as proof.
Drive on the LEFT
Malta drives on the left-hand side like the UK and Ireland: one of only a handful of left-hand-drive countries in Europe.
Speed limits
Urban 50 km/h, rural 60-80 km/h, no motorways exist in Malta. Limits are strictly enforced by speed cameras.
Blood alcohol limit 0.5 g/L
BAC limit is 0.8 g/L for experienced drivers but 0.2 g/L for drivers with less than 2 years experience. Best to avoid alcohol entirely if driving.
Warning triangle and hi-vis vest
Must carry a red warning triangle and a reflective hi-vis vest in the vehicle. Required to be worn if exiting the car after a breakdown.
Documents
Passport and V5C if bringing own car
RequiredCarry passport, V5C logbook (or VE103 if hired/leased), and proof of motor insurance valid for Malta. Green Card no longer mandatory for UK vehicles but useful as proof.
Emergency number 112
Good to knowDial 112 for all emergencies (police, ambulance, fire). Operators speak English: Malta is officially bilingual Maltese/English.
Driving rules
Drive on the LEFT
RequiredMalta drives on the left-hand side like the UK and Ireland: one of only a handful of left-hand-drive countries in Europe.
Speed limits
RequiredUrban 50 km/h, rural 60-80 km/h, no motorways exist in Malta. Limits are strictly enforced by speed cameras.
Blood alcohol limit 0.5 g/L
RequiredBAC limit is 0.8 g/L for experienced drivers but 0.2 g/L for drivers with less than 2 years experience. Best to avoid alcohol entirely if driving.
Narrow roads and aggressive driving
Good to knowRoads are notoriously narrow, potholed, and poorly signposted; local driving style is assertive and lane discipline is loose. Drive defensively, especially in Valletta and Sliema.
Seatbelts and phones
RecommendedSeatbelts compulsory for all occupants; handheld phone use while driving is banned with on-the-spot fines of around EUR 100.
Consider not driving at all
RecommendedMalta is small (27 km long) with cheap buses, ferries, and taxis (Bolt/eCabs). Many visitors skip car rental entirely due to parking scarcity and stressful traffic.
Required equipment
Warning triangle and hi-vis vest
RequiredMust carry a red warning triangle and a reflective hi-vis vest in the vehicle. Required to be worn if exiting the car after a breakdown.
Spare bulbs and first aid kit
RecommendedA spare bulb kit and first aid kit are strongly recommended though not strictly mandatory for foreign-registered cars.
Tolls
No motorway tolls or vignette
Good to knowMalta has no motorways, no vignette system, and no road tolls. The only paid crossings are the Gozo-Malta ferry and the underground car parks in Valletta.
Environment
No winter tyre requirement
Good to knowMediterranean climate means no snow, no winter tyres, no chains. Heaviest rain falls October to February and can flood low-lying roads.
Money
Currency EUR and fuel prices
Good to knowCurrency is the Euro; petrol approximately EUR 1.43/L and diesel EUR 1.27/L (2026). Cards widely accepted at fuel stations though small village pumps may be cash-only.
Cash declaration EUR 10,000
Good to knowEU rule: declare cash of EUR 10,000 or equivalent when entering/leaving the EU. Tipping at fuel stations is not customary.
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Don't get caught out
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Drive on the LEFT
RequiredMalta drives on the left-hand side like the UK and Ireland: one of only a handful of left-hand-drive countries in Europe.
Speed limits
RequiredUrban 50 km/h, rural 60-80 km/h, no motorways exist in Malta. Limits are strictly enforced by speed cameras.
Blood alcohol limit 0.5 g/L
RequiredBAC limit is 0.8 g/L for experienced drivers but 0.2 g/L for drivers with less than 2 years experience. Best to avoid alcohol entirely if driving.