MTA licence for short lets in Malta
Short-term holiday accommodation in Malta is regulated. Before your apartment can be advertised on Airbnb, Booking.com or anywhere else, the unit needs a Malta Tourism Authority licence and has to meet the standards set out in the tourism accommodation regulations. We check the property honestly, prepare the paperwork, deal with the authority and keep the obligations running once you are live.
- 15+ years managing short lets
- 4 years operating in Malta
- Airbnb Superhost
- Booking.com 9/10
- VRBO Premium Host
- Multilingual guest care
What the licence involves
The requirements below are the ones that decide whether an application goes through cleanly or comes back.
Eligibility of the unit
Occupancy is limited to two people per bedroom, basement bedrooms are not accepted, and the unit must meet minimum room sizes, ventilation, hot water, a fitted kitchen and safe electrics.
Documents
Proof of title or written authorisation from the owner, architect-signed floor plans, third-party liability insurance and a valid energy performance certificate.
Waste management plan
A written plan showing how guests separate waste and when it is collected, displayed inside the property along with the collection schedule.
Application to the MTA
The application is submitted online for the specific unit — not the owner and not the building — with the supporting file attached and fees paid.
Inspection
An inspector checks the unit against the declared plans and the safety basics: fire blanket or extinguisher, first-aid kit and emergency contact details displayed.
Displaying the licence
Once issued, the licence number must appear on every advertisement and listing, and the certificate must be visible inside the property.
Guest registration and eco-contribution
Every stay is registered and the environmental contribution per guest per night is collected and remitted.
Renewals and rule changes
Licences are tracked so renewals are never missed, and your setup is adjusted when the regulations change.
How we licence a property
- 1
Consultation
We walk the unit against the requirements and tell you plainly what passes, what needs a small fix and what would be expensive.
- 2
Documentation
We gather title, plans, insurance and certificates, liaise with your architect where drawings are needed, and prepare the waste management plan.
- 3
Submission
The application goes in and we follow it with the authority, so you are not left chasing an inbox.
- 4
Approval and ongoing compliance
After inspection and approval we put the licence number on every listing and keep registration, eco-contribution and records in order.
Where applications usually go wrong
- Advertising the property before the licence has been issued
- More beds than the two-per-bedroom limit allows
- A bedroom below ground level counted as sleeping space
- Floor plans that do not match what the inspector finds on site
- Missing third-party liability insurance or energy certificate
- No waste management plan displayed inside the unit
- Licence number left off one of the listings
This page is a practical summary based on Malta's tourism accommodation regulations, not legal advice — requirements are updated from time to time. Operating or advertising unlicensed accommodation exposes you to fines and enforcement action, including being barred from applying again for a period.
Frequently asked questions
Other services
Full short-let management in Malta
One team for distribution, pricing, guests, cleaning, maintenance, licensing and monthly reporting.
Airbnb management in Malta
Listing build, photography, dynamic pricing, review scores and Superhost standards — with the same calendar selling everywhere else too.
Short-let cleaning and linen
Changeover cleaning, hotel-grade linen, restocking, photo-verified quality checks and emergency cover.
Let's look at your property
Tell us where it is and what it looks like. Within 24 hours you get a realistic annual revenue range based on comparable units we manage nearby, plus what we would change to get there. No obligation.