Driving in Malta: what UK drivers need to know

12 minutes reading

Friday, 25 Sep 2026 15:19 0 5 autotech

Hiring a car in Malta? Here’s what UK motorists should check before getting behind the wheel.

Malta is unusual among European destinations for UK drivers because traffic drives on the left, just as it does at home. Hire cars are generally right-hand drive as well, so there’s one less adjustment to make when you arrive.

Documents you need to drive in Malta

You must have a full valid driving licence to drive in Malta. UK photocard licences are accepted without an International Driving Permit for visitors, although individual rental companies may have their own requirements.

Hiring a car in Malta

Hiring a car is the most practical option for most UK visitors who want their own transport in Malta.

As with any rental, check the insurance excess before booking. A cheap headline price can come with a large excess if the car is damaged or stolen, while tyres, wheels, windscreens, underbody damage and lost keys may be excluded from basic cover.

Before driving away, photograph or video the car carefully, including its wheels, tyres, bumpers, glass and interior. Make sure every existing mark is recorded on the rental paperwork or app.

Check the fuel policy, mileage allowance and emergency contact details as well. If you’re planning to take the car to Gozo, confirm that the rental agreement allows it and that the insurance remains valid on the ferry and while you’re there.

Malta’s roads can be tight, so there’s little benefit in hiring a bigger car than you need. A smaller vehicle will usually be easier to manoeuvre through villages, car parks and narrow streets.

Driving on the left

Malta drives on the left, which makes life considerably easier for UK motorists. You’ll overtake on the right and most hire cars will have the steering wheel on the right, just as they do in Britain.

Even so, don’t switch off mentally. Road layouts, junction priorities, markings and local driving habits can still be unfamiliar.

At unsigned junctions, traffic approaching from the right may have priority. Roundabouts can also require more attention than UK drivers might expect, so slow down, watch the road markings and don’t assume another driver will indicate clearly.

Scooters and motorcycles are common, and traffic can feel busy in built-up areas. Check mirrors and blind spots carefully before changing lanes or turning.

Speed limits in Malta

Malta uses kilometres per hour rather than miles per hour. There are no motorways.

Unless signs say otherwise, the usual limits for cars are:

Road type	Speed limit
Built-up areas	50km/h (31mph)
Roads outside built-up areas	Up to 80km/h (49mph)

Lower limits apply on many roads, so follow the signs rather than assuming that 50km/h or 80km/h will always apply.

Malta’s compact size also means that high speeds rarely save much time. Traffic, junctions, roundabouts and congestion are generally more important to journey times than outright road speed.

Speed cameras are used, and you shouldn’t rely on old advice about camera-warning or detection equipment. Check the current rules before using any detector or satnav feature designed specifically to identify enforcement locations.

Alcohol limits

The standard drink-drive limit in Malta is 0.5g/l, which is lower than the 0.8g/l limit in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and the same as Scotland.

The safest advice is simple: if you’re driving, don’t drink. Malta’s holiday atmosphere can make it easy to underestimate alcohol consumed over a long lunch or evening, particularly if you’re then getting back into an unfamiliar hire car.

Police can carry out alcohol testing, and Malta has strengthened its laws and penalties around driving under the influence.

Seatbelts and child seats

Seatbelts must be worn by everyone in the car where they’re fitted.

Children under three must use an appropriate child restraint. Older children also need a suitable child restraint according to their size, with additional rules governing when adult seatbelts can be used.

If you’re travelling with young children, arrange appropriate seats with the rental company before you arrive or bring your own. Don’t assume the correct type will be available if you simply ask at the rental desk.

If a rear-facing child seat is used in the front passenger seat, the passenger airbag must be switched off.

Roads, traffic and local driving

Malta has no motorways and distances are relatively short, but driving can still be tiring. Roads around Valletta and the main urban areas can become heavily congested, while rural and village roads may be narrow, uneven or lined with parked cars.

Allow more time than the distance suggests, particularly during busy periods. A journey of only a few miles can take considerably longer than you expect.

Road surfaces vary. Main roads have improved significantly over time, but you may still find potholes, raised surfaces, tight corners or abrupt changes in road width on smaller routes.

Do not assume local drivers will always signal before turning or changing lane. Leave space around you and concentrate on what vehicles are actually doing rather than what you expect them to do.

Mobile phone use while driving is restricted, so set up navigation and calls before moving off and use a proper hands-free system where permitted.

Use dipped headlights in tunnels and whenever visibility requires them.

Driving in Valletta

You generally don’t need a car to explore Valletta itself. The city is compact, parking is limited and much of the historic centre is better explored on foot.

Valletta also has a Controlled Vehicular Access system, or CVA. Cameras record vehicles entering and leaving the controlled area, and charges can apply according to how long the vehicle remains inside.

If you’re hiring a car, check with the rental company how CVA charges are handled before driving into the zone. The charge may be passed through later, potentially with an administration fee.

For many visitors, parking outside the centre and walking or using public transport will be simpler than driving into Valletta.

Driving on Gozo

Gozo is smaller and generally quieter than Malta, and having a car can be particularly useful for visiting beaches, villages and rural attractions.

You can take vehicles between Malta and Gozo by ferry, but if you’re in a hire car, check the rental agreement first. Make sure ferry travel is allowed and that your insurance remains valid.

Roads on Gozo can be narrow, steep or rural, so don’t assume that every route suggested by a navigation app will be a wide, easy road. A compact hire car can be an advantage here as well.

Fuel is available on Gozo, but it’s still sensible not to run the tank very low if you’re exploring away from the main towns.

Parking in Malta

Parking can be one of the more frustrating parts of driving in Malta, particularly around Valletta, Sliema, St Julian’s and other busy areas.

Road markings are important. White bays are generally available for normal parking, while yellow markings indicate restrictions. Other coloured bays may be reserved for residents, time-limited parking or particular users, so check nearby signs before leaving the car.

Don’t park across entrances, bus stops, pedestrian crossings or anywhere that blocks traffic. Narrow streets leave little margin for badly parked cars.

If you’re staying in a busy area, accommodation with dedicated parking can be worth paying extra for. Otherwise, use proper public car parks or park-and-ride facilities rather than spending large amounts of time circling narrow streets looking for a free space.

What you should carry in the car

Your hire car should contain the safety equipment required under Maltese rules, but it’s worth checking before you leave the rental site.

A warning triangle is important if the car breaks down or causes an obstruction. Malta’s road code says that if your vehicle breaks down, you should place the triangle at least 50 metres behind the vehicle when it’s safe to do so.

A high-visibility jacket is also sensible, along with a first-aid kit and basic emergency supplies. If anything that should be supplied with your rental car is missing, ask the company to replace it before you drive away.

Because UK and Maltese traffic both drive on the left, a UK visitor hiring a Maltese car doesn’t need to worry about headlamp beam deflectors.

Fuel, charging and route planning

Petrol and diesel are readily available across Malta, and distances are short enough that fuel planning is rarely difficult.

Some filling stations are attended during the day and operate as self-service outside staffed hours. Carrying more than one payment option is sensible.

If you’re hiring an electric car, check where you’ll be staying and where you expect to charge before choosing it. Malta’s compact size suits electric driving well, but convenient overnight charging may be more useful than simply having public chargers somewhere nearby.

In summer, keep water in the car and bear in mind that air-conditioning can be essential rather than optional. Check that it works properly before leaving the rental site.

Accidents and breakdowns

If you’re involved in a minor bumper-to-bumper collision and nobody is injured, Malta has a specific accident-reporting procedure rather than automatically requiring the police to attend.

For more serious incidents, or if anyone is injured, contact the appropriate authorities. If you’re driving a hire car, contact the rental company as well and follow its instructions before arranging repairs or recovery yourself.

Make sure you understand this procedure when collecting the car. Keep the rental company’s emergency number somewhere accessible rather than relying on finding it after an accident.

If you break down, get the car out of the traffic flow if you can, switch on the hazard lights and warn other road users. Don’t stand in a dangerous position beside the car.

Emergency numbers in Malta

If you need emergency help in Malta, dial 112. This is the European emergency number and can be used for police, ambulance or fire services.

The number can be called free of charge. English is an official language in Malta, so communicating with emergency services should generally be straightforward.

If you’re in a hire car, contact the rental company once everyone is safe. Don’t arrange repairs or recovery yourself unless the company tells you to do so.

Common mistakes by UK drivers in Malta

The first mistake is assuming that driving will be almost identical to the UK simply because Malta also drives on the left. It won’t. Road layouts, local habits, parking and traffic can all feel very different.

The second is hiring too much car. Malta’s distances are short and many roads and parking spaces are tight, so a smaller car will often make your holiday easier.

The third is trying to drive everywhere. Valletta in particular is often easier without a car, and the CVA system adds another reason to park outside the centre.

Rental insurance is another easy trap. Check the excess and exclusions, photograph the car thoroughly and understand what happens if it’s damaged.

Finally, don’t underestimate congestion. Malta may be tiny, but that doesn’t mean every journey is quick. Give yourself plenty of time, particularly if you’re driving to the airport or catching a ferry.

Checklist for driving in Malta

Before you drive away in a hire car, check that you have:

Driving licence
Passport or other accepted ID
Rental agreement
Insurance and excess details
Rental company emergency number
Fuel or charging policy
Permission for Gozo ferry travel, if required
Warning triangle and other required safety equipment
Suitable child seats, if needed
Photos or video of any existing damage
Phone charging cable
Offline maps or navigation backup
Water

Malta can be easy for UK motorists to adapt to because you’re already familiar with driving on the left. The bigger challenges are traffic, tight roads and parking, so hire a sensible-sized car, leave plenty of time and don’t assume you need to drive everywhere.

This article was originally published in August 2024. Last updated September 2026.