This article will outline all the procedures, required documentation and useful tips to help you import a car to Malta. This guide assumes you have purchased a non-commercial vehicle within the EU (e.g. United Kingdom) and that it has been shipped or driven to Malta.
The Malta Transport Authority requires you to register your vehicle within 20 days of its arrival on Maltese shores. However if you don’t intend to register the car in Malta and drive it back out of the country, you can drive the car with foreign plates for a six-month period with a temporary permit.
Main topics covered:
- Is it worth the hassle to import?
- The Search
- Correspondence with Seller
- Costs
- Method of Transportation
- How to register the car and get the Maltese plates
1. Is it worth the hassle to import?
Yes and no.
They both have their advantages and disadvantages. Buying from abroad gives you a wider choice to find that specific car you are looking for, but there is always that long distance problem. However with competition being very strong on car imports in Malta, sometimes it will be wiser to buy a car locally. Benefits of buying a car locally:
- Inspect the car in person, together with a trusted professional / friend
- Negotiate price in person
- Instant delivery of car
- Avoid exchange and money transfer rates
- Benefit from local dealer warranty
- Possibility of part exchange with your old car.
Maltese source of classifieds:
- maltapark.com
- facebook.com marketplace
- Sunday Times newspaper classifieds
- Dealers, you can start with the group of dealers in Birkirkara Valley Road, Zebbug main road and Qormi.
- Word of mouth – mention to friends you are looking for a car, someone always knows someone else looking to sell.
Criteria to consider:
- Location
Ideally it is best is to find a car near an airport. Too far away from the airport, and you will have to spend more time travelling by public transport. It is also preferably to locate a car south of London, since they have less harsh winters, hence it is likely that the use of salt on their roads are limited. Cars that are driven on salt roads and that are not treated every winter tend to rust badly from underneath.Useful Postcodes:
Gatewick Airport – RH6 0NP
Luton Airport – LU2 9QT
Bristol Airport – BS48 3DY
Search within 30miles of the selected postcode.
- Seller
Buying from a dealer is safer then dealing with a private seller. Dealers give a more professional buying experience with different methods of payments, the ability to service and prepare your car.
- Mileage
The importance of a vehicle’s mileage indicates how much it has been used. Generally anything less than 60000 miles would be in great condition. If budget is restrictive, expand your search for anything under 80000 miles. Note, that roads abroad have less potholes, and are less winding … meaning the suspension and gearbox of the car have less wear and tear on them compared to a similar car in Malta.
(Note: 1 mile = 1.61 kilometers)
- Age
Preferably anything that is 7 years or newer. However give more importance to mileage. The majority of car manufactures offer a facelift version of their models, so it is always smarter to go for the later version of the model you are looking at.
- Extras
Sometimes spending a little bit more will get you a car packed with extras that are worth the extra price. Look into extras such as alloy wheels, power folding mirrors, sunroof, exterior/interior trims, xenon lights, parking sensors, leather seats, navigation systems.
- Emissions
Consider anything below 181g/km, if you’re not looking to get a performance car or a big SUV. The lower the emissions, the less you pay to register the car and yearly licence.
- HPI check
HPI is a british company that provides private car buyers with access to information on all UK registered vehicles. Using HPI ensures that vehicles are legal and will really belong to the people who buy them. They can confirm if a vehicle has outstanding car finance, is recorded as stolen, clocked or has previously been written-off, potential mileage discrepancies, besides many other details such as the make, model, colour and engine size.
Websites to search
- www.autotrader.co.uk
- www.fish4cars.co.uk
- www.visitcars.co.uk
- www.autoweb.co.uk
- www.teletextcars.co.uk
- www.pistonheads.com
- motors.ebay.co.uk
3. Correspondence with Seller
With long distance transaction you would need to feel confident with the seller so that you will feel safe to send your hard earned money for a car that you have not seen in person. Phoning the seller is a must, however always follow the phone call with an email to get a hard copy of what has been said.
Questions you should ask the seller:
- Are there any mechanical/electrical faults?
- Are there any dents/scratches on bodywork?
- Rips/Burns in interior
- Has the car been used on salted roads?
- Has any of the owners smoked in the car?
- Has it ever been involved in an accident?
- Is there any outstanding finance on it?
- Could you send detailed photographs of the engine bay, underneath, interior, exterior and boot?
A physical inspection should always be carried out before paying out the complete sum of the car payment. If you find out something that differs from what the seller told you by phone/email you could always negotiate a lower price or retrieve the deposit and walk away.
Note: Unlike the Maltese, the British rarely haggle on the prices, even if you are willing to pay cash. So usually what you see on the advert is the bottom price.
4. Costs
Its important that before you actually confirm to purchase the car, that you check the other costs involved. Its normal that after you realize the exact hidden cost you would lower your budget on the car.
Transport Costs:
- Option A - Get a professional
€2100 – professional personal inspection, shipping to Malta with insurance.
- or -
- Option B - Use a shipping service
€1200 - shipping & transport insurance
€300 – flight, accommodation and other transport cost to fly to the UK for two days and inspect the car personally.
- or -
- Option C - Drive overland
€1500 – drive the car overland to Malta.
Note: If you’re near the east coast of UK the best will be to catch a ferry from Dover, UK to Calais, France, through France, enter Italy, drive to Villa San Giovanni, Reggio Calabria and catch a ferry to Messina and drive to Catania, then finally catch the ferry to Malta.
Government Charges:
5. Method of Transportation
There are three options in which one can ship a car to Malta.
- Cheapest – you fly to see the car, drive it to the shippers, and fly back to Malta.
- Overland – drive the car yourself to Malta.
- Get a professional to do all the work for you.
Options 1 and 2 roughly come out to be the same price, however with option 2 there is always the risk of a breakdown or an accident which could then be costly. If you are adventurous and want to combine a holiday with the purchase of your car, option 2 is what you should go for. If you are not car technical, and busy with work and other appointments the best option for you is option 3, which is the most expensive of the three, but it will leave your mind at ease that the car you purchased is genuine.
6. How to Register the Car and get the Maltese Plates
Its always best practice to inform the authorities of your intentions within a week of arrival of your imported car. Note, if the vehicle is not registered within 20 days an administration fee of €30 per day including weekends will apply.
To register the car in Malta you need to make sure all the necessary documentation required by the authority is in hand. When you are sure you have all the documents yopu can then book an appointment with the Transport Malta by calling on 2123 3029 between 7.30am and 1pm Monday to Friday.
Documents required:
- Valuation document endorsed by the Technical Unit
(basically this is a screenshot taken from their website http://www.valuation.vehicleregistration.gov.mt/Car.aspx)
- Application Form VEH 01 (downloadable from www.transport.gov.mt)
- Application Form VEH 02 (downloadable from www.transport.gov.mt)
- Original Notice of Arrival (ferry ticket or freight invoice) with the vehicle number clearly indicated
- Original Foreign Registration Certificate (log book) signed by the foreign owner and by the buyer. For UK cars this is the V5.
- Valid VRT Passed Test Certificate (issued by a local VRT Station) which is valid for 90 days from date of issue
- Valid local Insurance Policy in whose name the vehicle will be registered
- Both foreign plates
- Jevic Odometer Certificate of Authenticity – can be obtained instantly from jevic.co.uk via credit card or paypal account.
Remember that you will be getting none of the documents so it’s best to copy everything you pass to the ADT.
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