Car hire in Malta - Jewel of the Mediterranean

You must be at least 21 years old to hire a car in Malta, although you might find that the minimum age varies according to your chosen car hire supplier and category. Some vehicle providers are prepared to rent a car to younger drivers if they have held their licence for at least a year. Another important thing to note is that drivers under the age of 26 may incur what is known as a Young Driver Surcharge, which is on top of the rate and paid locally to the supplier. Please take a look at our Car Hire Age Requirements page for more of this type of age-related information.

You can find all the relevant info relating to age restrictions etc. simply by making a quick search in the Auto Europe booking engine. Just click on the blue and white info icon (i) for the specific destination/car category/supplier you have selected during the booking process to access all the data, which you will also find in the Terms and Conditions on the voucher once your reservation has been confirmed. Please make sure that the correct age of the main driver is clearly stated when booking your car hire in Malta with Auto Europe, which in turn will enable us to inform you of any restrictions that might apply to your car rental. If you're new to renting vehicles abroad, please consult our special blog post for all those looking to book their first-ever car hire.

Yes, but it depends on which supplier you choose for your car hire in Malta. For instance, neither domestic nor international one-way rentals are permitted with Budget, but if you book your vehicle with Europcar you can enjoy a domestic one-way car hire subject to a minimum duration of three days at selected locations. You can find all this info and more by making a quick search in the Auto Europe booking engine, where the one-way fee (without VAT) is clearly indicated below the rate in the results. The same information is also sent by e-mail with the booking voucher once the reservation has been confirmed.

It's important to bear in mind that any one-way fees added to your car hire booking will be collected by whichever of our trusted rental companies you choose to travel with. This means that Auto Europe will not collect or profit from the aforementioned one-way fee in any way whatsoever, but our policy is always to inform our clients of all such fees in order to help them make the best choice for their trip. Each supplier determines its own fees independently, so for the same given pick-up and drop-off location it might be that one rental company may charge far less than another while some may not permit one-way travel at all. Each supplier operates with its own offices and rental locations, which enables them to offer different options and rental conditions. Be advised that travel outside of Malta is not permitted by any of the suppliers. Please consult our special one-way car hire guide to find out how it works.

To find out about any travel restrictions that might apply to your reservation, all you need to do is make a quick search in our booking engine by choosing your preferred supplier and vehicle category. After that, you just need to click on the blue and white info icon (i) where all the one-way car rental info can be found. This info will also be written on the voucher they receive after the booking.

Yes. Whichever supplier you choose for your car hire in Malta will ask you to present a valid credit card in the name of the main driver when you arrive at the pick-up point to collect your vehicle. This is because the rental car companies will need to place a hold on the value of the deductible for the vehicle they rent you during yur visit to the island. This amount will be promptly refunded once the car has been returned undamaged. When booking the car hire online, Auto Europe accepts credit cards only as payment methods for the prepaid reservation rate. Please consult our special blog post on credit cards to find out all about their importance when hiring a car in Malta.

Some drivers are somewhat surprised when they arrive at their destination to pick up their vehicle and their debit or pre-paid card isn't accepted. For that reason, please makes rue that you possess a credit card with enough funds to cover the deposit prior to your departure. Furthermore, it's worth knowing that the supplier might request a second credit card (also in the name of the main driver) when booking a premium- or luxury-category car due to the very high value of such vehicles. Please note that the credit cards generally accepted in Malta are Visa and Mastercard and Budget also accepts Diners Club while Europcar does not.

All the information you need to relating to credit cards is clearly stated on the Auto Europe website. To find out which card (and type of card) will be accepted for your trip Malta, just make a quick search in our booking engine selecting your preferred car hire category and supplier before clicking on the blue and white info icon (i) where all the necessary credit card details can be found. Take a look at our related blog post to learn about the six most important things to know about credit cards and deposits before booking your next low-cost car rental in Malta.

There are a few things to remember when driving your car hire in Malta, many of which are explained in our dedicated Malta Driving Guide. Just like in the United Kingdom, driving is done on the left-hand side of the road. The speed limit in built-up areas is 50kph and 80kph on the open road (please note that there are no motorways on the island). In certain areas, such as around schools and hospitals, the local speed limit might be lower and indicated by road signs. Drivers are expected to give priority to any type of public transport including school buses which includes stopping whilst they let passengers or schoolchildren on and off the vehicle. The right of way on roundabouts is given to whoever is approaching from the right.

There are some other important aspects to consider when touring this beautiful Mediterranean island. For instance, many of Malta's roads are in a poor state of disrepair so drivers need to be very careful when travelling on country roads, especially in the interior. The local drivers are known for driving fast and ignoring certain rules of the road, particularly when they are overtaking. The use of mobile phones without a hands-free kit is forbidden by law in Malta and kids are not allowed to travel in the front of a car without an appropriate seat or system of restraint. This means that a seat for children under three must be rear-facing. Of equal importance is the drink-driving limit which in Malta is just 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood (the same as in the UK). If caught over the limit, drivers face a court appearance, hefty fine at court, confiscation of their driving licence or even imprisonment. Please consult our blog post about the steps to take if you have an accident or breakdown when visiting the island.

Although there are no motorways or toll roads in Malta, please be aware that you will have to pay a congestion charge when entering the island's ancient capital, Valletta.

All the car rental rates offered on the Auto Europe comprise the minimum legally-required coverage, including Theft Protection (with or without excess depending on the supplier) and Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) also with or without excess depending on the local car hire company. It's important to remember that CDW never covers damage to tyres, glass and some other parts of the vehicle, therefore it is highly recommended that drivers purchase a good-value policy such as our Full Damage & Theft Protection product for an additional fee which provides comprehensive cover on Malta and other parts of the world. Please note that the price of this excellent coverage may vary depending on the location, rental duration, car category and supplier.

All the info you need regarding coverage, prices, etc. can be accessed with a couple of clicks of the mouse. After making a quick search for your car hire in Malta through the Auto Europe booking engine, just click on the blue and white info icon (i) where you'll find full coverage details, including the amount of CDW Deductible, Theft Insurance Deductible and Liability Insurance. The same information are accessible in the Terms and Conditions when you make an enquiry or confirmation your reservation. At the time of pick-up, Please be aware of the fact that sometimes the local car rental company might offer you additional coverage, including (but not restricted to) PAI (Personal Accident Insurance), PEC (Personal Effects Coverage), Super CDW, Seguro Relax Insurance, Road Assistance, etc. Auto Europe does not refund any locally-purchased insurance charges/fees, even if the coverage is deemed to be unnecessary once the vehicle has been returned. Please consult our blog post for tips and suggestions regarding car hire coverage.

Yes, you can legally drive a car rental in Malta if you possess a full and valid UK driving licence. International Driving Permit (IDP)International Driving Permits (IDPs) are also recognised but not required. Malta and the United Kingdom have very close ties and many British citizens own property and/or have retired on the island. Please consult the respective page in the DVLA site to keep up with all the latest DVLA updates.

Yes. You can easily add more drivers to your booking whenever you rent a car in Malta. Please be aware that some car hire companies charge a daily fee for additional drivers (established by the supplier) while others included it in the price. Auto Europe's popular Free Additional Driver offers mean that you can add an extra driver completely free of charge in dozens of destinations around the world. In any case, all additional drivers must be included on the rental agreement and will need to present the same documents as the primary renter at time of pick-up (ie driving licence, International Driving Permit where required, passport/personal ID, etc.). It's also possible to add and name an additional driver on your reservation when making a reservation through the Auto Europe booking engine.

Any fees relating to additional drivers are clearly stated on the Auto Europe website. To find the information, just click on the blue and white info icon (i) after making a quick search and all the necessary details are clearly stated. The same info is included in the car rental voucher sent to you by e-mail once the booking has been confirmed. Please note that if someone drives the vehicle during the rental period who is not included in the rental contract, it will immediately void them from all the insurance coverage and thus make them liable for the total amount of any damages caused in the event of a collision or theft. Therefore it is very important that all drivers are properly authorised before departing from the pick-up point.

Yes, but only with certain suppliers. For instance, if you wish to travel from Malta to the neighbouring island of Gozo and back, you may do so with Budget and Europcar. Generally speaking, if you wish to take your car hire on a ferry, you will need full authorisation from both Auto Europe and the local supplier in advance of your journey, which might incur additional fees. If the driver fails to get prior permission to travel, rental coverage will be made null and void and the client will be personally responsible for any damages caused to the vehicle.