Road Transport

1. Any vehicle-related and driving licences data are based on data provided by Transport Malta.

2. This data may be subject to revision.

3. Definitions of road vehicles:

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

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

     a. Motor vehicle categories and classifications

● Agricultural: motor vehicle, normally a tractor, designed exclusively or primarily for agricultural purposes; licensed to use roads open to public traffic.

● Coach and private bus: passenger road motor vehicle designed to carry more than 24 persons (including driver), and with a provision to carry seated and standing passengers.

● Minibus/mini-coach: passenger road motor vehicle designed to carry 10-23 seated or standing persons (including the driver).

● Route bus: bus licensed to operate on established bus routes.

● 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. 

● E-Bicycle/PA-Bicycle: cycle 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.

● 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 authorised design speed in accordance with national regulations. In this chapter, mopeds are included together with motorcycles.

● Quad (Quadricycle)/ATV (All-Terrain Vehicle): four-wheeled road motor vehicle not exceeding 400 kg of unladen weight. All such vehicles with a cylinder capacity of 50cc or over are included, as are those under 50 cc which do not meet the definition of moped.  

● 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). This category includes passenger cars, vans designed and used primarily for transport of passengers, taxis, hire cars, ambulances, motor homes (not caravans), hearses and microcars.

● Goods-carrying vehicle: road motor vehicle designed, exclusively or primarily, to carry goods. This category includes: (i) light goods road motor vehicles with a gross vehicle weight of not more than 3,500 kg designed exclusively or primarily to carry goods, such as vans and pick-ups; (ii) heavy goods road motor vehicles with a gross vehicle weight above 3,500 kg designed to carry goods.

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

● Special purpose vehicle: road motor vehicle for purposes other than the carriage of passengers or goods. 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 and other special purpose road motor vehicles.

4. Definition of Driving Licences categories:

● A: Motorcycles and motor tricycles with a power exceeding 15 kW.

● A1: (a) Motorcycles with a cylinder capacity not exceeding 125 cubic centimetres, of a power not exceeding 11 kW and with a power/weight ratio not exceeding 0.1 kW/kg.

(b) Motor tricycles with a power not exceeding 15 kW.

● A2: Motorcycles of a power not exceeding 35 kW and with a power/weight ratio not exceeding 0.2 kW/kg and not derived from a vehicle of more than double its power.

● AM: Two-wheel vehicles (mopeds) or three-wheel vehicles with a maximum design speed of not more than 45 km/h.

Light quadricycles with a maximum design speed of not more than 45 km/h, and a power output not exceeding 4 kW in the case of other internal combustion engines, or whose maximum continuous rated power does not exceed 4 kW in the case of an electric motor.

● B: (a) Motor vehicles with a maximum authorised mass not exceeding 3,500 kg and designed and constructed for the carriage of no more than eight passengers in addition to the driver, motor vehicles in this category may be combined with a trailer having a maximum authorised mass which does not exceed 750 kg.

(b) Without prejudice to the provisions of type-approval rules for the vehicles concerned, motor vehicles in this category may be combined with a trailer with a maximum authorised mass exceeding 750 kg, provided that the maximum authorised mass of this combination does not exceed 4,250 kg. Where such a combination exceeds 3,500 kg it shall be driven only after a test of skills and behaviour in accordance with Annex V of the Directive.

(c) Motor tricycles with a power exceeding 15 kW (provided that the holder of the licence is at least 21 years of age).

● B1: Quadricycles

● BE: Without prejudice to the provisions of type-approval rules for the vehicles concerned, combination of vehicles consisting of a tractor vehicle in category B and a trailer or semi-trailer where the maximum authorised mass of the trailer or semi-trailer does not exceed 3,500 kg.

● C: Motor vehicles other than those in categories D1 or D, whose maximum authorised mass is over 3,500 kg and which are designed and constructed for the carriage of no more than eight passengers in addition to the driver. Motor vehicles in this category may be combined with a trailer having a maximum authorised mass which does not exceed 750 kg.

● C1: Motor vehicles other than those in categories D1 or D, the maximum authorised mass of which exceeds 3,500 kg, but does not exceed 7,500 kg, and which are designed and constructed for the carriage of no more than eight passengers in addition to the driver; motor vehicles in this category may be combined with a trailer having a maximum authorised mass not exceeding 750 kg.

● C1E: (a) Without prejudice to the provisions of type-approval rules for the vehicles concerned, combinations of vehicles where the tractor vehicle is in category C1 and its trailer or semi-trailer has a maximum authorised mass of over 750 kg provided that the authorised mass of the combination does not exceed 12,000 kg.

(b) Without prejudice to the provisions of type-approval rules for the vehicles concerned, combinations of vehicles where the tractor vehicle is in category B and its trailer or semi-trailer has an authorised mass of over 3,500 kg, provided that the authorised mass of the combination does not exceed 12,000 kg.

● CE: Without prejudice to the provisions of type-approval rules for the vehicles concerned, combinations of vehicles where the tractor vehicle is in category C and its trailer or semi-trailer has a maximum authorised mass of over 750 kg.

● D: Motor vehicles designed and constructed for the carriage of more than eight passengers in addition to the driver; motor vehicles which may be driven with a category D licence may be combined with a trailer having a maximum authorized mass which does not exceed 750 kg.

● D1: Motor vehicles designed and constructed for the carriage of no more than 16 passengers in addition to the driver and with a maximum length not exceeding 8 metres. Motor vehicles in this category may be combined with a trailer having a maximum authorised mass not exceeding 750 kg.

● D1E: Without prejudice to the provisions of type-approval rules for the vehicles concerned, combinations of vehicles where the tractor vehicle is in category D1 and its trailer has a maximum authorised mass of over 750 kg.

● DE: Without prejudice to the provisions of type-approval rules for the vehicles concerned, combinations of vehicles where the tractor vehicle is in category D and its trailer has a maximum authorised mass of over 750 kgs.

● F: Driving licences which before the 19th January 2013, were in category F were changed to category D1.

As from the 19th January 2013: Provided that persons who before the 19th January 2013, held a category F, driving licence may continue to drive motor vehicles which can carry up to 18 passengers until their category F licence expires.

● G: Agricultural tractors on roads in Malta only. 

5. 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.

6. Contraventions data is supplied by Loqus.

7. Theft of vehicles data is compiled and provided by the Police Department.

Traffic accidents and injuries

8. Traffic accidents data is compiled from administrative information provided by the Police Department and the Malta Insurance Assocation (Guard and Warden Service House Limited).

9. The type of casualty (slight or grievous) is determined by the Health Department. The definitions of deaths caused by road accidents refer to the European Conference for Ministers of Transport (ECMT) and United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE).

10. Minor traffic accidents which are either not reported or directly reported to Insurance Agencies by means of the Traffic Accident Form (i.e. no Police or Wardens are called on the accident scene and are settled by the completion of the relevant form) are not accounted for.

11. A fatal injury is defined by UNECE as “Any person who was killed outright or who died within 30 days as a result of the accident”.