Malta’s car code is M. Every vehicle in this island country uses this designation, which might seem unusual at first—since Malta is far from the rest of Europe, it’s relatively rare (or even unheard of) to see a car with this code unless you actually visit the island.
Maltese license plates follow a 3-letter, 3-number format. Malta has left-hand traffic, so cars drive on the left side of the road, and the steering wheel is on the right—just like in the UK or Ireland.
Where Can You See Malta’s “M” Car Code?
As in other EU countries, Malta’s license plates feature the national car code, “M”, on the blue band at the left, under the EU stars. Because of this, when driving in EU or EEA countries, you don’t need a separate oval M sticker. However, if you’re driving outside of Europe, a distinguishing country code is often still required or requested.
Malta’s License Plate Format
Since 1995, Malta has used the ABC 123 license plate format, with black characters on a white background—both front and back. On the left, you’ll see the blue EU band with the M code. The font used is FE-Schrift.
Special Series
- Trailers: Plates start with “TR”
- Rental cars: Plates end in K or QZ
- Taxis: “TAXI 001M” (for Malta island) or “TAXI 001G” (for Gozo)
- Buses: Start with “BUS” followed by a number
