1. Any vehicle-related and driving licences data is based on data provided by Transport Malta. In Table 3.2.26, population data is based on Demographic Statistics at NSO.

2. Data may be subject to revision.

3. Data is being presented in consistency with international counterparts (Eurostat/ITF/UNECE) according to the 5th edition of the Illustrated Glossary for Transport Statistics.

4. Definitions on road vehicles:

Stock of road vehicles
Number of road vehicles registered at a given date in a country and licensed to be used on roads open to public traffic.

Road vehicle
A vehicle running on wheels and intended for use on roads.

Agricultural
Motor vehicle, normally a tractor, designed exclusively or primarily for agricultural purposes; licensed to be used on roads open to public traffic.

Commercial vehicle
Road vehicle designed, exclusively or primarily, to carry goods. This category also includes special purpose vehicles and road tractors.

Garage Hire
Chauffeur-driven car for hire (taxi) with driver without pre-determined routes. The method of hire is normally: (i) Flagging down the street; (ii) Picking up at a designated taxi rank; (iii) Telephoning for collection; (iv) Booking through mobile apps or internet.

Minibus/mini-coach
Passenger road motor vehicle designed to carry 10-23 seated or standing persons (including the driver). Refers to class A and class B of categories M2 and M3 of the UN Consolidated Resolution on the Construction of Vehicles (R.E.3).

Electric car
Electrically operated car, totally independent of fuel-driven engine.

Electric motorcycle
Electrically operated motorcycle, totally independent of fuel-driven engine.

Route bus
Bus licensed to operate on established bus routes.

Self-drive car/motorcycle
Passenger road motor vehicle available for hire (without chauffeur). A ‘K’ plate is assigned to all vehicles falling in this category.

Taxi
Licensed passenger car for hire with driver without pre-determined routes. The method of hire is normally: (i) Flagging down the street; (ii) Picking up at a designated taxi rank; (iii) Telephoning for collection. In Malta this category refers only to a specific taxi licence and commonly recognised as white taxis.

Trailer
Goods road vehicle designed to be hauled by a road motor vehicle. With semi-trailers (see B.II-30), refers to category O of the UN Consolidated Resolution on the Construction of Vehicles (R.E.3).

Trolleybus
Passenger road vehicle designed to seat more than 9 persons (including the driver), which is connected to electric conductors and which is not rail-borne.  This term covers vehicles which are sometimes used as trolleybuses and sometimes as buses (since they have an independent motor).

Passenger road vehicle
A road vehicle designed, exclusively or primarily, to carry one or more persons. Included are: motorcycles, mopeds, passenger cars, vans designed and used primarily for transport of passengers, taxis, hire cars, ambulances, buses, coaches and minibuses, motor homes.

Moped
Two, three or four-wheeled road motor vehicle which is fitted with an engine having a cylinder capacity of less than 50cc and a maximum authorized design speed in accordance with national regulations. Where limitations concerning the engine displacement are not applicable a restriction in terms of motor power may be in force. Refers to categories L1 and L2 of the UN Consolidated Resolution on the Construction of Vehicles (R.E.3).

Motorcycle
Two-, three- or four-wheeled road motor vehicle not exceeding 400 kg of unladen weight. All such vehicles with a cylinder capacity of 50 cc or over are included, as are those under 50 cc which do not meet the definition of moped. Refers to categories L3, L4, L5, L6 and L7 of the UN Consolidated Resolution on the Construction of Vehicles (R.E.3).

E-Bicycle/PA-Bicycle
Bicycle with supportive electrical power unit. Due to the negligible number of powered bicycles, such data is included with motorcycles.

E-Kick Scooter
A stand-up device that has a handlebar, a deck and small hard wheels powered by an electric motor and which also allows for human propulsion.

Passenger car
Road motor vehicle, other than a moped, motorcycle or Quad/ATV, intended for the carriage of passengers and designed to seat no more than nine persons (including the driver). Refers to category M1 of the UN Consolidated Resolution on the Construction of Vehicles (R.E.3).

Class 1: < 1,300 cc
Class 2: 1,301-1,449 cc
Class 3: 1,450-1,500 cc
Class 4: 1,501-1,800 cc
Class 5: 1,801-2,000 cc
Class 6: > 2000 cc

Coach and private bus
Passenger road motor vehicle designed to seat 24 or more persons (including the driver) and constructed exclusively for the carriage of seated passengers. Refers to class III of categories M2 and M3 of the UN Consolidated Resolution on the Construction of Vehicles (R.E.3).

Goods-carrying vehicle
Road vehicle designed, exclusively or primarily, to carry goods. Included are: (a) light goods vehicles with a gross vehicle weight of not more than 3,500kg, designed exclusively or primarily to carry goods, e.g. vans and pick-ups; (b) heavy goods road vehicles with a gross vehicle weight above 3,500kg, designed exclusively and primarily, to carry goods.

Heavy goods-carrying vehicle
Goods road vehicle with a gross vehicle weight above 3,500kg designed, exclusively or primarily, to carry goods.

Road tractor
Road motor vehicle designed, exclusively or primarily, to haul other road vehicles which are not power driven (mainly semi-trailers).

Articulated vehicle
Road tractor coupled to a semi-trailer.

Special purpose vehicle
Road motor vehicle designed for purposes other than the carriage of passengers or goods. Can be a vehicle of categories M, N or O of the UN Consolidated Resolution on the Construction of Vehicles (R.E.3). This category includes: fire brigade vehicles; mobile cranes; self-propelled rollers; bulldozers with metallic wheels or track; vehicles for recording film, radio and TV broadcasting; mobile library vehicles; mobile kiosks; towing vehicles for vehicles in need of repair; other special purpose road motor vehicles.

Alternative vehicle motorisation types

●  Electric/battery-operated: electrically operated motor vehicle, totally independent of a fuel-driven engine.

● Mild hybrid petrol-electric vehicle (not plug-in): road motor vehicle using petrol for propulsion, with an additional one or more electric motors for propulsion, where the electric motor(s) are powered from a traction battery which is charged by a generator driven by the petrol engine. Plug-in hybrid petrol-electric vehicles are not included.

● Mild hybrid diesel-electric vehicle (not plug-in): road motor vehicle using diesel for propulsion, with an additional one or more electric motors for propulsion, where the electric motor(s) are powered from a traction battery which is charged by a generator driven by the diesel engine. Plug-in hybrid diesel-electric vehicles are not included.

● Plug-in hybrid petrol-electric vehicle: hybrid petrol-electric vehicle where the traction battery can also be charged from an external electricity source (such as an electric socket). Hybrid petrol-electric vehicles are not included.

● Plug-in hybrid diesel-electric vehicle: hybrid diesel-electric vehicle where the traction battery can also be charged from an external electricity source (such as an electric socket). Hybrid diesel-electric vehicles are not included.

● Combined: a combined engine motor vehicle is one that uses two or more distinct non-electric power sources. Combination types include: Petrol/LPG, Diesel/LPG.

Vehicle restrictions

● Restriction: is a condition imposed on a vehicle’s licence. Restrictions can be either temporary such as garaged, seized, resale, etc., or permanent (i.e. vehicle is indefinitely removed from circulation on national territory), such as exported, scrapped or destroyed. In this publication only data of the main four restrictions (resale, exported, scrapped, garaged) are reported.

● Garaged: vehicle no longer licensed for use on the road. This category excludes vehicles which have been scrapped or exported. A vehicle may be garaged for a particular period, then re-licensed after this period.

● Exported: vehicle licensed in Malta which has been exported.

● Scrapped: vehicle which has been scrapped and therefore, indefinitely removed from circulation. There are instances where a vehicle is unscrapped and restored such as in the cases of vintage cars.

● Re-sale: vehicle which has been de-licensed and put up for re-sale.

● Other: other minor restrictions such as seized by police, no engine, etc.

VERA  
Vehicle Registration and Administrative System database. It is the only register that contains the complete details of all vehicles registered and licensed in Malta.

5.  VRT (Vehicle Road-Worthiness Test)

Malta is implementing the below changes to the VRT test in accordance with the Directive 2014/45/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council, which aims to ensure a harmonised, high quality VRT test across EU member states. The cost of the VRT test will not be increased due to these changes.

(i) Pass – The vehicle has passed the test and meets the minimum required standard

●  Pass with Minor Defects – The vehicle has passed the test because the defects found have no significant effect on the safety of the vehicle or impact on the environment.  Defects found need to be repaired as soon as possible.

● Fail with Major Defects – The vehicle has not passed the VRT test since the defects found may affect the vehicle’s safety, put other road users at risk or have an impact on the environment. The vehicle needs to be repaired within 16 days and re-tested.

● Fail with Dangerous Defects – The vehicle has not passed the VRT test since it constitutes a direct and immediate risk to road safety or has a serious impact on the environment.  The vehicle cannot be driven on the road until it is repaired and re-tested. 

(ii)  Diesel emissions

● There will be stricter enforcement on those vehicles which were originally manufactured with a Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) and which are found to be tampered with.  This will also apply to Heavy Goods Vehicles using Adblue, specifically in cases where the DPF is found to have been bypassed or eliminated. Vehicles will fail the test if it they emit smoke of any colour from the exhaust.  Diesel fuel has a greater negative impact on the environment and health risk factors than other fuels.  The revised VRT test will make sure the Emission Control Devices are not tampered with.

(iii) Vehicle lights

● The revised VRT test will ascertain that all vehicles manufactured since September 2009 have working reverse lights and for vehicles which were manufactured with headlight washers, the latter must be working. The test will check that vehicles manufactured since March 2018 have working Daytime running lights.  Any Malfunction Indicator Lamps showing a fault in any of the vehicle systems is considered as a failing item.

(iv) VRT test following a serious accident

● A vehicle involved in a serious accident must undertake an ad hoc VRT test, following repairs, to confirm the safety of the vehicle and whether it has an impact on the environment.

(v) Penalties

● Vehicle owners who fail to co-operate and abide with the VRT Tester’s instructions can be fined up to a maximum of €500 if found guilty.  Individuals who are suspected of tampering with an odometer can be fined up to a maximum of €200, if found guilty.

(vi) VRT test for tractors

● Road tractors having a maximum speed exceeding 40km/h are now subject to a VRT test.

(vii) Type 1

Represents manual and online tests carried out on vehicles.

(viii) Type 2

Represents tests carried out manually and later inputted online (showing passed only for both initial and retest). These include the VRT tests done on imported vehicles before they are registered on VERA. The test results are inputted in the VERA manually after the registration of the vehicles. They are all PASSED.

(ix) Class 2

Motor Vehicles with gross vehicle weight less than 3,500 kg.

Class 2A
Midi buses, mini buses and vans (gross vehicle weight (GVW) under 3,500 kg);
Midi buses, mini buses and vans with a seating capacity more than 8 seats excluding driver;
Motor vehicles used for the road carriage of goods (commercial vehicles – gross vehicle weight (GVW) under 3,500 kg);
Trailers, semi-trailers and other towed vehicles (gross vehicle weight (GVW) under 3,500 kg).

Class 2B
Taxis (gross vehicle weight (GVW) under 3,500 kg);
Ambulances (gross vehicle weight (GVW) under 3,500 kg);
Chauffeur driven vehicles (gross vehicle weight (GVW) under 3,500 kg);
Self-drive vehicles (gross vehicle weight (GVW) under 3,500 kg);
Other light passenger vehicles (gross vehicle weight (GVW) under 3,500 kg);
Midi buses, mini buses and vans with a seating capacity not more than 8 seats excluding driver.

Class 3
Motor Vehicles with gross vehicle weight (GVW) greater than or equal to 3,500 kgn;
Route buses, coaches, private buses, midi buses, minibuses and vans;
Motor vehicles used for the road carriage of goods;
Trailers, semi-trailers and other towed vehicles.

6.  Transport-related government schemes

Transport Malta, on behalf of the Ministry for Transport, Infrastructure and Public Works, administers a number of financial incentives aimed at improving the sustainability and accessibility of road transport.

(i) Scrappage Scheme 
This scheme incentives the purchase of new M1 petrol and mild-hybrid motor vehicles whilst reducing the number of old motor vehicles from the road. The grant includes a scrappage scheme intended to provide further financial support to applicants who, while purchasing and registering a new M1 petrol or mild-hybrid vehicle, deregister a vehicle of category M1 or N1 which is older than 10 years from its year of manufacture.

(ii) Electric Scheme
This scheme aims at reducing the number of older conventional motor vehicles from the road. The grant supports the purchase of new passenger cars, goods carrying vehicles, minibuses, coaches, quadricycles, motorcycles, and pedelecs. The grant includes a scrappage scheme intended to provide further financial support to applicants who, while purchasing and registering a new electric vehicle or pedelec, deregister a vehicle of any category which is older than 10 years from its year of manufacture.

(iii)  Plug-In Hybrid and Used Electric Scheme 
The scheme incentives the purchase of new and used plug-in hybrid and used electric vehicles in category M1 and N1. The grant includes a scrappage scheme intended to provide further financial support to applicants who, while purchasing and registering a new or used plug-in hybrid or a used electric vehicle, deregister a vehicle of category M1 or N1 which is older than 10 years from its year of manufacture.

(iv) Petrol Motorcycle Scheme
This scheme aims at reducing the number of older conventional motor vehicles from the road. The grant supports the purchase of new mopeds, motorcycles, tricycles and quadricycles powered by petrol. The grant includes a scrappage scheme intended to provide further financial support to applicants who, while purchasing and registering a new category L petrol motorcycle, deregister a vehicle of category L, M1 or N1 which is older than 10 years from its year of manufacture.

(v) LPG Scheme
This scheme promotes the use of LPG as fuel for vehicles.

(vi) Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles Scheme
This scheme aims to license new wheelchair–accessible vehicles to facilitate unaided wheelchair access to transport services. The grant includes a scrappage scheme that while registering a new wheelchair-accessible vehicle, deregisters a vehicle of category M1 or N1 which is older than 10 years from its year of manufacture.

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