Most people are probably aware of the laws in Malta and know all the procedures with regards to vehicle testing, however, there a lot of new vehicles owners on the island and many of them would need guidance. If you are one of those people, well... it's your lucky day! We are putting down some Q&As below to make your life a little easier.

How often is VRT in Malta?

By law, private cars are subject to this test four years after the date of first registration and biennially thereafter. However, once the vehicle's mileage exceeds 160,000kms the VRT must be carried every year.

What do you need for a VRT?

You will need to take the vehicle, the logbook of the vehicle and that's about it. There is no need to mention your ID and driving licence, as you probably carry those with you every day anyway.

How long is VRT inspection?

Most VRT stations will tell you that you don't need to make an appointment, but some of them do require it. Go through the list below and give them a quick call to be sure you're not going to drive all the way there just so you can go again on the next day. Once it's your turn, if everything goes well, it shouldn't take longer than 10-15 minutes until the test is over.

What do they test on the vehicle?

The short answer is "everything". The long answer is, that depending on the overall state of the vehicle, a tester might decide to check some things that they don't necessarily check on other vehicles. The most common things are the breaks, the lights (head, tails lights and indicators), the wipers, the tyres, the CO2 emissions, the engine noise level. They would also check for rust or parts that are not being held properly on the vehicle (eg. mudguard or bumper held with tie wires). A lot of people complain that they are being pulled off about the windows tint as well. If we missed something important, please feel free to add it to the comments below.

How much do the VRT costs in Malta?

Last time I went for a VRT test (in January 2020) it cost me €25.27. I know if you fail to pass the 1st time, the second test would be less. I haven't failed in the past 10 years, so I cannot confirm for sure, but if anyone has that information, please share it in the comments below.

Is there a difference if I test a car, van or a truck?

Yes, there is. There are only a few VRT stations that can test heavy vehicles (those with a gross weight above 3500kg).

And here is a list of the VRT station in Malta and Gozo sorted alphabetically by locality.