Car hire in Malta doesn’t have to be expensive, with plenty of international and local rental agencies around that offer cheap car rental prices all year round for budget travellers.
It’s also fairly easy to rent a car with various car hire locations in Malta for wherever you decide to stay during your holiday.
In this article, I’ll help you with:
You should hire a car in Malta if:
Car rental in Malta island offers you the flexibility to plan your outings during your holiday the way you want, rather than according to the available bus routes. Public transport in Malta is relatively inexpensive but not always punctual and can increase travel time drastically.
Moreover, the bus routes offered around Malta and Gozo can make it difficult to plan to visit multiple places of interest within a short span of time.
Let’s start with the obvious: The earlier you book, the cheaper your car or van hire will end up costing. Having said that, premium rates for the high season (July – September) are often fixed well in advance.
To give you a rough idea, these are sample estimate prices for a small economy car at different times of the year:
As for fuel, at the time of writing (December 2023), this is what you can expect to pay at the pump if you decide to hire a car in Malta:
Even though you may have had good experiences with particular international agencies, that’s not always a guarantee that the local branch will provide the same level of service.
Additionally, the car rental offer can be limited in some car rental locations.
I always recommend using the Rentalcars.com comparison search engine that gives you:
Search for the best rates at the top of this page: (Take me there – click or tap here)!
No, you don’t need an international driver’s license. Any valid driver’s license (from any country) is accepted in Malta.
For regular passenger vehicles, the Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) limit is 0.8g/l. On average, that translates to a drink and a half, depending on gender, weight, height, etc.
21 is the minimum age. You must be at least 21 years old to be able to rent a car in Malta, and drivers under 25 years of age may incur a surcharge. The maximum age is 70 years old.
Yes, vehicles in Malta have a right-hand drive, with traffic operating on the left side of the road, as it is in the UK, for example.
On main roads, speed limits are set between 60 and 80 km/h, while in urban areas, speed limits are as low as 30-50 km/h. Speed cameras are in operation in various areas, though they do not measure average speeds. Spot controls are only occasionally done by local law enforcement.
Although there are a few other car hire locations in Malta, the most popular option is to hire a car from Malta International Airport. You can get your rental car sorted on arrival, but booking online in advance makes things easier and quicker, and you normally get the best rates through a price comparison search like that of Rentalcars.com (and at the top of this page).
You don’t need to worry too much about car hire locations in Malta if you don’t want to pick it up and drop it off at Malta International Airport. Hiring a car in Malta is an easy process: You can book your hire car online and have the choice to have it delivered to the address of your accommodation as well. Your car hire company agent will usually inspect the vehicle together with you to check for any pre-existing damage and will need to swipe your credit card and settle your bill (usually upon arrival).
Most Malta car hire agencies will require a deposit at the time of booking (usually an amount reserved on your credit card) in the case of damages or fines.
These are some of the more popular car rental agencies in Malta island.
Most international hire car companies like Avis, Hertz and Europcar operate in Malta but don’t discount the local agencies who generally do a good job of offering reliable service and quality rental cars.
Most of the car agencies can be found on arrival at the Malta Airport.
These are a few important things to keep in mind when you rent a car in Malta:
Carefully read the small print, and know what charges you can expect at what point. For example, the insurance excess (fee to pay should you need to make a claim after accidental damage) varies between rental agencies.
Unlike some other countries in Europe where the fuel policy is “Full to full”, i.e. return your rental car with a full tank), with car hire in Malta island, you usually encounter “Like for Like”. That basically means that you’re expected to return the car with the same fuel level as with which it was delivered to you. If the level is lower, you’ll end up getting charged much higher fuel rates than you’d get at the pump.
I always recommend taking a photo with your phone of the fuel indicator when you pick up your hire car.
Whenever you hire a car, make sure that your car rental agent checks the state of the car together with you when the vehicle is delivered to document any pre-existing damage. Take pictures yourself to have additional proof, and also if you need to return the car outside of office hours.
Malta is one of the few countries in the world where people drive on the left (which the Maltese inherited from the United Kingdom, having been part of the British Empire). Pretty important to take note of before you drive off!
There are almost as many cars on Malta Island as there are locals, so the roads tend to get busy. Avoid rush hour during the week, but also expect traffic congestion:
Although public car parks can be found on the island (often for free), parking spaces are already limited in popular destinations during the low season, and the problem is exacerbated in the busy high season with rental cars hitting the road as well.
Staying in Sliema, St. Julian’s, St. Paul’s Bay or the capital city Valletta (a UNESCO World Heritage Site)? Make sure parking arrangements are available and easily accessible in advance to avoid frustration.
Small cars are usually cheaper and easier to park.
Google Maps does a good job in terms of route mapping and navigation, and the traffic layer is also useful. Both to anticipate traffic bottlenecks and to warn you of roadworks in progress.
Refuelling your rental car can be done 24/7 at most petrol stations in Malta. The biggest petrol stations can be found near Malta International Airport, Valletta, St. Julian’s, in Gżira, Birkirkara, on the road named “Triq Buqana” between Mosta and Rabat, Żurrieq, and in Mellieħa on the mainland Malta, plus Mġarr Harbour and Victoria in Gozo. There are also many other smaller and/or older petrol stations throughout the country to refuel your hired car.
Whereas during the day (normally 7 am – 6 pm), you’ll find fuel pump attendants who can help you refuel, outside of those hours, automated pay machines are easy to use. Beware though: Older fuel stations may require you to pay in cash still (although most popular debit and credit cards are accepted by most nowadays).
Yes, you can take your hire car up to Gozo on the ferry service that runs from Ċirkewwa (at the northernmost tip of Malta island). It’s a 20-minute ride with beautiful views over the Mediterranean Sea, and Comino costs €15.70 for a car + driver (return fee) and gives you a great opportunity to take a little DIY tour around the island. Driving there tends to be calmer and easier.
Search for the best Malta car rental rates at the top of this page: Take me there (click or tap here)!
Edward is the Founder and Editor of Malta Uncovered and author of two guidebooks on Malta and Valletta.
As a tourist-turned-expat with Maltese roots, he knows the islands inside out and helps thousands of visitors enjoy a memorable trip every year.
Get the best travel tips from Malta Uncovered delivered to you in bite-sized chunks by email. (Unsubscribe at any time!)
Was this article helpful? Share it with your friends!
Hi,
Looking to hire a car for 7 days with pick and return to malta aiport. Currently Hertz is cheapest at £106.00. Please could you confirm how the car insurance works? Is it included most times or its a must extra which is hidden?
Many thanks
H
Hi Harish, normally insurance is included but in case of accident or damage you end up paying what’s called an excess fee. It’s basically an admin fee that the owner needs to be to be able to open an insurance claim. Normally it’s a modest fee but car rental agents charge exorbitant excess fees (which you’ll find in the small print). As weird as it sounds, for a small fee with a 3rd party company like Rentalcover.com you can get cover in case that happens. In other words, you can get insurance cover (at a low cost) for the insurance excess fee.
I will be landing at the airport at midnight I plan to pre book using Check 24 to book. Im trying to find out if the car rentals will be open when i get there?or Will they charged me extral for a late pick up? are there any companies that wont.
Hi Kalinga, in most cases you’ll be charged significantly more for a late pick up I’m afraid. What you could consider doing is getting a transfer to your place of stay and having the rental car dropped off there in the morning instead. That might work out a fair bit cheaper.
I am from Wyoming in the USA, I took my son and sisters to Malta in 2019. We rented from the airport and had only one issue which was finding the gas tank release. I had driven in Malta back in the 70’s so getting around was no issue. I would recommend going with a automatic and not a manual. you have very good advise.
Happy to hear that, thank you David!
Hey
Thanks so much for the information. Gonna stay in Malta for a week in the beginning on June, probably stay somewhere i Gżira.
Would it make sense to rent a car only for a couple of days, to see Gozo and the beaches on the southern coast? Or since the rent is usually very cheap, it would be more reasonable to rent the car from the airport and give it back there (and avoid the taxi costs)?
Also, many accomodations is Gżira state that free parking is available (but on public parking spots). Does that mean that i’ll have do find the spot on the street?
Cheers
Hi Mattis, Gżira is a busy part of the island with very limited public parking, so unless you’re a confident driver and your accommodation offers private parking it might be easier to walk to Sliema Ferries (15 mins away) and hop on one of the boat tours for a day trip to Gozo, for example. Public transport isn’t super efficient, so to get to the beaches (btw – you’ll want to head up North/West, not South – more info here: Best beaches in Malta) it may not be super easy.
When apartment owners talk of free parking – Yes, that means you’ll have to drive around to luck into a parking space (which will be especially difficult in the evenings and on weekends).
Hi Edward!
Regarding non-EU driving license,
I am from Malaysia and am planning to visit Malta for a week. I am also planning to rent a car to drive around, however I am unsure whether my driving license would be valid or is there any other additional documents required in order to do so. If so, what are the documents required and how can I obtain them?
Hi there Isaac! As I understand it, no, you don’t need additional documentation. More info here: General Info on Driving in Malta – Transport Malta.
Hi
Thanks so much for your thorough write up.
We are heading to Malta just for 2 days and staying in St Julian’s. It is not peak season so I’m wondering if the roads and parking will still be very busy? Also, is it worth it to get a car at all? Maybe just to and from the airport, could it be worth while. In terms of touring, we’re interested to visit and relaxing, pretty, interesting spots. So all in all, do you recommend that we hire a car?
Thank you!
Hi Rachel, St. Julian’s is busy pretty much all year round so I don’t usually recommend renting a car when staying there. Bus connections are good, however and with a 10-minute ride you can get to Sliema Ferries as well where you can catch a quick ferry to Valletta or take a boat trip to different destinations around the Maltese islands.
I don’t have a credit card, only a debit card. Can I still hire a car in Malta?
Hi Rob, as far as I know all agencies require a credit card and won’t accept a debit card I’m afraid…
Hi Edward,
I’m looking to hire a car but all companies I can find have dreadful reviews. Are there any that you can recommend?
Looking to pick up and drop off at the airport in October.
Thank you
Hi Andrew, sadly it’s mostly the budget companies that tend to get the worst reviews and it’s a case of “you get what you pay for”. I’ve had the most positive feedback from people turning to international brands (who tend to be a little more expensive but have a global brand reputation to safeguard).
I was wondering if you know of any car company in malta that will cover driving across Europe to the U.K. and back again? I’ll be needing to hire the car for at least 28 days but cannot find a company online which suggests they will allow this. Any information would be greatly appreciated! 🙂
Hi Nicole, I haven’t heard of any such company in Malta I’m afraid, sorry! 🙁
I am looking to rent a car during my holiday being a driver of many years I am finding it difficult to find a company that will hire to me. Is it because of my age (79)?
That could well be Meurig. Insurance rates tend to be a lot higher for drivers over the age of 70 in Malta.
Is it possible to take a hire car from Malta to Gozo island or are you restricted to the island where you originally hired the car from?
Usually when you hire a car in either Malta or Gozo you can cross over with it on the ferry without restriction.
Hello Edward,
I’ve read that if you rent cars in Malta and you want to cross by ferry to Gozo insurance policies are cancelled by the rental company if you take the car aboard. Is this true? In some countries exclude travelling abroad, but both islands are the same country, that makes no sense. Can you tell us companies which do not include this limitation? If you read the webs really is not fully explained.
Hi Rosa, where did you read that? I’m not aware of that being applicable and indeed that wouldn’t make sense.
Hi can you recommend a car hire company that will deliver and collect a car from a hotel in Valletta
Most local agencies will be able to do so Claire, though best confirm with the agency of your choice.
Hey Ed
This site and your emails are so good. It’s going to be very helpful. We are thinking of staying in a lesser busy area so a car will be useful. Are there regular buses throughout the island when we want to visit Valletta?
Cheers
Vicky
Hi Vicky, the main terminal for all bus routes is located in Valletta so you’ll have no trouble catching a bus with that destination from wherever you’ve chosen to stay. Happy to hear the site’s proving to be useful to you! 🙂
Hi Ed,
I and my wife will visit Greece and Malta in October. After reading your advice, it seems car rental is strongly recommended while parking spaces are scarce in busy cities such as Valetta and Sliema. Does this imply that car rental is useful for traveling between cities only? Is the car useful for traveling inside Valetta as parking would be troublesome? We will have only 6 days/5 nights in Malta and wonder if we should rent one.
Best Regards,
Pairoj
Hi Pairoj, if your goal is to really explore Malta and go into some of the smaller villages and less touristy places, then yes, I do think a car is the most efficient way to get around between places. Mostly because public transport (buses) and tour buses are pretty inefficient as a mode of transport between different places of interest.
For reaching anything within the locality you’re staying, you can almost always go on foot – Villages in Malta are small and even Valletta only covers less than 1 km2 to give you an idea. In fact, most of the capital city is pedestrianised.
Very informative thank you – we are going to Malta in September and are hiring a car. We hope there will be parking available!
We’ll be in Malta last week of May and we were thinking of getting a scooter to get around. Any suggestions? We typically hire a car, but given great weather and short distances, scooter sounds like a great idea. How’s scooter driving there?
We are also from the States, so driving on the left will be something we have to get used to.
Hi Natalia, unless you’re planning to stay in Gozo (where the roads are a lot quieter) I wouldn’t advise renting a scooter. Although locals do ride bikes, scooters and bicycles the roads can be pretty chaotic and local drivers don’t have a reputation for being courteous. Rather, they try to shave off a few minutes from their commute by taking unnecessary risks and on a scooter you’re not going to be very well protected obviously. I’ve got more info on the topic here: Driving in Malta.
I am looking into car hire in Malta for the week 12 – 16th December. Is this the best way for 2 people to travel around? We want to visit as many sites as possible (churches, craft village, Bethlehem event,beaches etc) and of course. getting to and from the airport. We are English so no problems with driving on the left. But are there any other things that we should be aware of (car rental, parking …..)
I am also looking for some small specific craft fairs with items produced by local people – good quality items , handmade but not by professional crafters, but by people who just love crafts and have another day job!
Hi Ainslie,
I’d say hiring a car is the most efficient way to get around and explore different places, however: 1) Only if you consider yourself to be a confident and experienced driver and 2) Avoid the central part of Malta during rush hour – Traffic congestion is a major issue. I’ve got an article on driving in Malta here: Driving in Malta.
I’m afraid I can’t help you with craft fairs happening around that period – I don’t know of any myself!