Malta Learner Permit 2026: Age, Cost, Rules and How to Apply Online

Malta Learner Permit 2026: Age, Cost, Rules and How to Apply Online

A Malta learner permit is the Transport Malta authorisation you must hold before you start any driving training on the road, whether with a motoring school or a private instructor. It costs €23.25, is paid online, and is valid for three years, which gives you time to pass the theory test and then the practical test. You apply online at licenzji-xufiera.gov.mt, and since 1 October 2024 that portal has been the only routine way to apply.

Key takeaways

• The learner permit costs €23.25, is paid online and is valid for three years. Changing motoring school costs nothing.
• You apply on licenzji-xufiera.gov.mt with a valid eID. Paper applications are accepted only in limited and specific cases.
• You must have been resident in Malta for at least 185 days in the last calendar year, and you cannot hold more than one driving licence.
• Minimum age is 18 for cars (category B), mopeds and A1 motorcycles, 16 for AM e-kick scooters, 20 for A2 and 24 for category A.
• The order is fixed: learner permit first, then the theory test, then the practical test. No training on the road may start before the permit is issued.
• While learning you display L plates front and rear (red for a private instructor, green for a school car), you cannot practise on Sundays or public holidays, and your private supervisor must have held a licence for the category for at least five years, or you learn with a licensed motoring school.

Who can apply for a learner permit in Malta?

You can apply if you have been resident in Malta for at least 185 days in the last calendar year and you do not hold more than one driving licence (advanced categories require a category B licence held for at least one month). The portal is explicit: an applicant cannot hold more than one driving licence, and no person may start any training on the road before holding a learner permit.

The minimum age depends on the category you want to learn. Transport Malta's "Obtaining your driving licence" page, last updated 13 May 2026, sets the following ages.

Category	Minimum age for a learner permit
AM (e-kick scooters)	16
AM (mopeds and light quadricycles)	18
A1	18
A2	20
A	24, or 22 after two years on A2
B1	18
B (cars)	18
BE	18
C1 and C1E	18
C and CE	21, or 19 with the CPC initial qualification
D1 and D1E	21
D and DE	24, or 21 with CPC

Advanced categories also require a valid category B licence held for at least one month. AM at 16 is a special route for e-kick scooters only: you sit the theory test alone, and the resulting probationary AM licence is valid for three years and costs €31.

How much does a Malta learner permit cost and how long does it last?

The learner permit costs €23.25, paid online in the final phase of the application, and it is valid for three years. Transport Malta and the portal FAQ both publish the fee, and Transport Malta, servizz.gov.mt and the portal FAQ all give the three-year validity. If you later decide to move to a different motoring school, there is no fee for the change.

Processing is quick once the application is complete. servizz.gov.mt lists one day for vetting, one day for assessment, one day for approval and two days for delivery, so allow about a working week before you expect the permit. The permit expires after three years, so plan your theory and practical tests well inside that window.

How to apply for a Malta learner permit online

Applications go through the online portal at licenzji-xufiera.gov.mt, and you need a valid eID to log in. The portal FAQ describes the route and the three phases that follow.

1. Log in with your eID, open Learners, then choose Start Now and Apply.
2. Phase one: personal details. Complete your details. You also choose a motoring school from the dropdown list during the application.
3. Phase two: Transport Malta vetting and medical approval. Transport Malta checks the application and your doctor completes the medical fitness declaration online.
4. Phase three: payment. Pay the €23.25 fee online. The permit is then approved and delivered.

The medical declaration

The medical fitness declaration is completed online by a doctor rather than on paper. Arrange it early, because approval in phase two depends on it. Paper medical certificates are still accepted during a transitional period.

Choosing a motoring school

You pick a motoring school from a dropdown inside the application and can change your choice at any time until the school accepts you. Changing school later is free, so you are never locked in.

Paper applications

Physical applications have been accepted only in limited and specific cases since 1 October 2024. If you believe you qualify, contact Transport Malta first by email at [email protected] or by phone on 8007 2393. The two offices are the Land Transport Directorate, A3 Towers, Triq l-Arkata, Paola PLA 1212, and the Land Transport Office Gozo, Tigrija Palazz, Victoria VCT 1010.

The rules while you learn

A learner permit lets you train on the road, but only under conditions set by Transport Malta and the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations, S.L. 65.18.

L plates: red or green

You must display L plates front and rear at all times while training. The colour tells other road users who is teaching you: a red L on a white background means a private, non-registered instructor, and a green L on a white background means a motoring school vehicle. Under regulation 56(2), school plates also carry the school's authorisation number.

Who can supervise you

You can learn either through a licensed motoring school or with a non-licensed instructor who has held a valid licence for the category for at least five years, the condition Transport Malta publishes. Regulation 56(4) of S.L. 65.18 adds that a non-registered instructor must also be at least 25 years old. Under regulation 56(1), a motoring school vehicle used for categories B and BE must be fitted with dual controls.

When you can practise

Training is allowed on all days excluding Sundays and public holidays. Regulation 23 lets learners in advanced categories request Sunday or public holiday authorisation in writing, but for cars and motorcycles the rule is simple: no practice on those days.

What a court can do

No official figure for learner-specific fines appears in the Transport Malta material we reviewed, so treat any euro amount quoted elsewhere with caution. What regulation 79 does say is that a court may suspend a licence for up to one month or bar a person who does not yet hold a licence from obtaining one for up to three months.

What comes next: the theory test, then the practical

With a learner permit in hand and once you are at least 18 (16 for AM), you can sit the theory test. Transport Malta sets it, and you take it at the Theory Test Centre, Gwardamangia Hill, Pieta. The fee is €30.25, paid at the centre on the day. The test has 35 multiple choice questions, lasts 45 minutes, and you need 30 correct answers to pass. It is not booked through licenzji-xufiera.gov.mt, so read how to book the Malta theory test for the booking route.

Use the waiting time well. Our free Malta driving theory test practice covers the same topics as the official question banks, and the Malta road signs gallery lets you check every sign before test day. ExamReady is an independent study aid and is not affiliated with Transport Malta. A theory pass is required before the practical test, and the full route from practical test to probationary licence is set out in our Malta driving licence guide.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Starting road training before the permit is issued. The portal states that no person may start any training on the road without a learner permit.
• Trying to book the theory test on the learner portal. The theory test is booked with the Theory Test Centre, not through licenzji-xufiera.gov.mt.
• Applying before the 185 days. Recent arrivals must meet the residence rule first.
• Using the wrong L plate colour. Red is for a private instructor, green is for a motoring school vehicle.
• Practising on a Sunday or public holiday. Ordinary learners are not covered on those days.
• Letting a friend supervise who has held the licence for less than five years or is under 25.

Official sources

• Transport Malta: Obtaining your driving licence (ages, fee, validity, training and L plate rules; last updated 13 May 2026)
• licenzji-xufiera.gov.mt online portal (online learner permit application)
• Transport Malta portal FAQ (PDF) (application phases, eligibility, fee and validity)
• servizz.gov.mt, service WEB756 (learner permit processing times and validity)
• S.L. 65.18, Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations, regulations 23, 56 and 79 (supervisor age, dual controls, plate markings and court sanctions)

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is a learner permit in Malta?

A Malta learner permit costs €23.25, paid online during the final phase of the application on licenzji-xufiera.gov.mt. Changing your motoring school afterwards is free.

How long is a Malta learner permit valid?

The learner permit is valid for three years. Plan to pass both the theory test and the practical test within that period.

Can I drive on Sundays with a learner permit?

No. Transport Malta allows training on all days excluding Sundays and public holidays. Only learners in advanced categories can request Sunday or public holiday authorisation in writing under regulation 23 of S.L. 65.18.

Who can sit with me while I learn?

Either a licensed motoring school instructor or a non-licensed instructor who has held a valid licence for your category for at least five years. Regulation 56(4) of S.L. 65.18 also requires the non-registered instructor to be at least 25 years old.

Do I need to pass the theory test before getting a learner permit?

No, the order is the other way round. You get the learner permit first; holding one is a condition for sitting the theory test, along with being at least 18 (16 for AM). You must then pass the theory test before the practical test.