Destinations / Malta
Driving in Malta as a visitor
Not legally, but it is worth carrying. Malta accepts foreign licences, and a permit removes any argument at the rental counter or a roadside check.
Standard delivery included. Need it sooner? Express lands by for $25 more.
Reviewed July 2026 · A translation of your own licence, carried with it. Not a government permit.
What Malta expects
| Permit needed | Recommended |
|---|---|
| Convention format | 1949 Geneva & 1968 Vienna |
| Valid for | Up to 3 years |
| Drives on the | Left |
| Emergency number | 112 |
| Top speed limit | 80 km/h open roads (no motorways) |
What the rental desk will ask you for
| Your own licence | The original card. A photo of it, or a photocopy, gets turned away. |
|---|---|
| Licence translation | Not required by law. Worth having if your licence is not printed in Latin script. |
| Booklet format they know | 1949 Geneva & 1968 Vienna |
| Minimum age | 18. Under 25 usually pays a young-driver surcharge. |
| Deposit | A credit card in the driver's name. The hold is taken in EUR. |
Rules that catch visitors out
| Seatbelts | Seatbelts mandatory; phone use banned. |
|---|---|
| Alcohol | 0.05% alcohol limit. |
| Roads | Narrow roads and aggressive local driving. |
On the road in Malta
At the pump
Stations sell unleaded petrol (95/98) and diesel, mostly self-service and card-accepting, with some unattended pumps after hours. Prices are regulated, typically around EUR 1.40-1.70 per litre.
After a crash
Call 112 for police and ambulance. Do not move the vehicles until police arrive if there are injuries or a dispute; a police report is needed for any insurance claim, and rental firms require it.
Sources: autoeurope.co.uk · cva.gov.mt · tollguru.com · pulizija.gov.mt
Common questions
Do you need an International Driving Permit in Malta?
Not legally, but it is worth carrying. Malta accepts foreign licences, and a permit removes any argument at the rental counter or a roadside check.
Which IDP format does Malta accept?
Malta recognises the 1949 Geneva & 1968 Vienna format. Your permit is prepared in that format.
Will a rental desk in Malta ask for one?
An IDP helps non-EU and non-Latin-script drivers at Maltese desks.
How fast can you get one?
Express orders are emailed within 5 minutes. The exact delivery moment is quoted before you pay and the order is refundable for 30 days.