First Day Abroad

Driving in Malta: licence, roads and tolls

Part of the Malta arrival guide.

This information may change. Always check the official source.Last verified: August 2026 by

Driving in Malta: the three basics

Drives on the
left

The driver sits on the right and overtakes on the right. Roundabouts turn clockwise.

Your licence
EU licence is enough

An EU, EEA or Swiss licence is valid as it stands. A licence from anywhere else works alongside an International Driving Permit, which hire desks and police expect to see.

Motorways
Free

There is no motorway charge for a car.

Malta drives on the left, the roads are free and narrow, and the buses reach almost everything.

Left-hand traffic, no tolls, and streets that were laid out for carts.

  • Traffic drives on the left, another British legacy, and the roads are the narrowest in the EU.
  • There are no tolls, and no motorways worth the name - the island is 27 km long.
  • Parking in Valletta and Sliema is genuinely difficult and the historic streets are one-way mazes. Many visitors use the bus network, which reaches nearly everywhere for very little.
  • The alcohol limit is 0.05 %.
  • Local driving is assertive and roundabout discipline is loose; a small car and patience are worth more than a powerful one.
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Sources (1)

What this guide was checked against. Rules and prices change — follow the official link before you rely on a detail.