Importation of Personal Effects

EU citizens originating from EU member states may freely bring in their household effects without any restrictions except for firearms, weapons of any kind.

Vehicles are not to be considered as household effects and registration taxes are still imposed when one transfers his residence to Malta.

Citizens of other States must prove that there is a transfer of residence to Malta in order to freely bring in their effects without the payment of any dues.

IMPORTATION OF CARS

On transfer of residence to Malta, used cars (ie. more than 6 months old or have more than 6000 kilometres), originating from EU member states, are not subject to VAT on cost (CIF). However, they are subject to the full registration tax.

In the case of new cars originating from EU countries, these are subject to VAT on CIF value, registration tax. Cars originating from non-EU countries are also subject to customs duty.

Owners of used cars are to notify the Land Transport Directorate (LTD) of the vehicle’s arrival in Malta, and register within fifteen days.

Minimum values of registration tax apply for non-EU vehicles having more than four years, depending on the CO2 of the vehicle. On registration of used cars, owners need to produce local VRT Certificates, local insurance policy and original Registration Certificate (logbook). In the case of new cars, a copy of the invoice and certificate of conformity will be required.

Foreign nationals taking up residency in malta and who opt to bring their own car, do not need to pay import duty on the vehicle, given that they satisfy certain conditions. To qualify for relief the applicant must:

have had his/her residence outside Malta for a continuous period of at least 24 months;
have transferred his/her residence permanently to Malta;
be the registered owner of the vehicle at the time of transfer;
have had possession of and actually used the vehicle abroad for at least 24 months before the date on which he ceased to have his residence outside Malta;
not be a student returning to Malta having attended a school, university or other educational or vocational establishment abroad for a period of less than five years or a person who had been serving in Malta’s diplomatic corps outside Malta;
holds a valid driving licence.

To qualify for relief the vehicle must :

have been in the possession of the applicant and used by him for a continuous period of least 24 months prior to the vehicle’s arrival in Malta;
be registered in applicant’s name.

For more information one may contact Transport Malta, the local authority governing matters related to transport across the Maltese Islands, including aviation, maritime and land transport.

IMPORTATION OF PETS

The Pet Travel Scheme allows pet carnivores (dogs, cats, ferrets), originating from qualifying countries, to enter Malta without quarantine as long as the requisites specified in the Legal Notice 169/2001 have been satisfied. The Pet Travel Scheme does not apply to other pet animals.

The following are required for the pet’s entry in Malta:

An Official Pet Travel Scheme Certificate showing that the pet animal has been micro chipped, vaccinated and blood tested.
An Official Certificate signed and stamped by a Veterinarian, showing that the pet animal has been treated against tapeworms and ticks, indicating the date and time of the treatment.
An Official Declaration that the pet animal has not been outside the qualifying countries.

Owners are strongly recommended to obtain all the necessary certification before travelling, including any certificates required for entry into other countries.

Pet animals cannot enter Malta until at least six calendar months after the date that the Veterinarian took a blood sample that give a successful sieroneutralization titre test result.

Any pet carnivores entering Malta from any country that does not qualify for the Pet Travel Scheme, including the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia will be automatically kept in quarantine for six-calendar months.

Pet animals entering Malta from qualifying countries without geographical boundaries (e.g. the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, Australia, New Zealand), which have been vaccinated against Rabies but not blood tested, or else have not yet satisfied the six-month requisite following the blood test, will be kept quarantined for 21 days. These pet animals may be brought into Malta at least 21 days after the Rabies vaccination.

Pet animals entering Malta require an Import Licence issued by the Food and Veterinary Regulation Division in Albertown, Marsa.

Read more on pets travelling in and out of Malta