How do you convert a driving licence in Malta in 2026?

Transport Malta publishes exchange routes for EU and EEA licences, plus named partner arrangements that commonly include the UK, Switzerland, Australia, and limited UAE cases. Eligible holders submit the exchange paperwork, prove residence, and surrender the original where the route requires it. No theory or practical retest is needed when validation succeeds.

EU and EEA licence holders can usually keep driving on the home card while resident, and only exchange if they want a Maltese document. Third-country rules are stricter. Many non-EU residents may use the foreign licence for up to about twelve months from residence start, then need a Maltese licence. Confirm your nationality on the live Transport Malta pages before you plan Gozo weekend drives past that window.

Exchange applications expect at least 185 days of residence in Malta during the previous twelve months. The issue date on your identity or residence card often proves the clock. If the card is newer than that window, Transport Malta accepts supporting evidence such as FS3 tax forms, notarised leases, utility letters, Jobsplus engagement history, or education attendance letters.

File DRV029 and the exchange forms listed for your nationality. Bring a passport photo, the original foreign licence, and your Identità card. Offices commonly used for land transport counter work include sites in Paola, Ħal Lija, and Gozo. Cash is not accepted; pay by card or bank transfer at the rates posted for remaining validity. Validation with a foreign authority can add days or weeks even when the published internal checklist looks short.

You follow the standard Maltese licensing path: learner permit, theory test, and practical test, with medical fitness processed online where required. Fees for each stage sit on Transport Malta’s site and change over time, so check before you book. An International Driving Permit from home can help short visits, but it does not replace a Maltese licence after residence rules cut in.

If you live in walkable Sliema or St Julian’s, you may delay exchange and rely on buses, the Valletta ferry, and Bolt: Utilities, internet, and transport and Work-life balance. Finish Apply for a residence permit first so the residence evidence Transport Malta wants actually exists.