"How much does the licence cost?" is the first question every owner asks — and it's the wrong first question. The MTA licence fee itself is rarely the number that hurts. The real cost of getting a Malta short-let licensed is a handful of line items, some one-off, some annual, and the fee set by the Authority is usually the smallest of them. Here's the honest, full breakdown — what you actually pay, when, and where the exact figure depends on your property.
The short version
- The annual MTA licence fee (S.L. 409.05) isn't one flat number — it varies by class (short-lets are "Comfort") and by how many licences you hold.
- A licence issued after 1 July pays half the annual fee and contribution for that first year.
- Renewals fall due each 1 January; contribution −20% if paid within 3 months.
- The costs that move the total are the professional ones — perit and insurance — not the MTA fee.
- The €1.50/night eco-contribution is a guest tax you collect, not your licence cost.
The MTA licence fee: what actually sets the number
There's no single price tag, and any guide that gives you one flat figure is guessing. The Authority's own position is that the fee varies by category and by the number of licences held by the same person — so two owners with identical apartments can pay differently depending on their existing portfolio. Short-lets are licensed as Holiday Furnished Premises in the Comfort class, and the fee is annual, invoiced by the MTA — the renewal invoices arrive by email and by post, so keep both channels watched around year-end.
One mechanic works in your favour right now: a licence issued after 1 July is charged at half the annual fee and contribution for that first year. Anyone licensed in this reopening wave is, by definition, issued after 1 July — so the half-year rule applies automatically. The exact amounts sit in S.L. 409.05, which is why we don't print a headline figure here: your number depends on your class and licence count, and the fee calculator gives it to you in seconds rather than us quoting an average that fits nobody. (As a rough anchor, the example we use elsewhere in the guide is roughly €93 instead of €186 for a typical single apartment in that first part-year — but treat it as an illustration, not your quote.)
The costs owners forget — and they're bigger than the fee
This is the part that surprises people. Add these up before you decide whether the numbers work:
- Perit (architect) certification. The single largest and slowest cost of most files. You're paying a professional to certify that the premises conform to the planning permission and are fit for habitation. Fees are set by the perit, not the MTA — get two or three quotes, and get them early, because perits book solid the moment a deadline like the 27 July reopening lands.
- Third-party liability insurance. Cover for the property and, where relevant, the common parts. Market practice reported for MTA files is a €250,000 minimum in third-party cover — the annual premium varies with the property, so confirm the figure with your own insurer rather than assuming.
- Waste collection management plan. Required with every application and renewal. In practice this is a single clear page describing storage, separation and collection — you can write it yourself, or pay a little to have it done. Not a big number, but a required one.
- The small admin fees. A recent police conduct certificate (orderable online), planning documents, and — for a pre-1968 property — a compliance certificate or an architect's declaration. Individually minor; worth having on the list so nothing stalls the file.
- Bringing the property up to standard. If your unit is missing anything on the Sixth Schedule — the safety kit, the bathroom fittings, the kitchen equipment — that's a real line item. The good news is most of it is a matter of days and a hardware run, not a renovation.
The number that decides your budget isn't the licence fee — it's the perit. Get quotes before anything else; it's the slowest and largest line, and everything downstream waits on it.
The ongoing costs, once you're licensed
The licence isn't a one-off. Budget for the annual rhythm:
- Renewal fee each 1 January, with the 20% discount on the contribution if you pay within three months.
- 7% VAT on the accommodation itself — the reduced rate that applies to letting that must be licensed under Malta's tourism legislation (some separate or ancillary services can fall under the standard rate; confirm your own setup with a tax adviser).
- The eco-contribution — €1.50 per guest per night from 1 July 2026, capped at €22.50 per person per visit. The guest pays it; your job is to collect it, show it as a separate line on the invoice, and file the quarterly return. It's admin, not cost — but it's admin with deadlines.
- Income tax on the rental income, which is separate again, with an optional final-withholding-tax route for eligible income. This one genuinely needs a Maltese tax adviser — it's not a place for a blog to give you a number.
So what's the all-in picture?
Here's the honest synthesis: the MTA licence fee is usually the smallest moving part. What actually determines whether your numbers work is the perit certification and the insurance — the professional costs — plus whatever it takes to bring the unit up to standard. The licence fee itself is modest, halved for this first year if you're licensed in the current wave, and entirely predictable once you know your class and licence count.
Which is the whole point of getting it in front of you clearly, before you commit: the deadline pressure is real, but the licence fee is not the thing to fear. The thing to plan for is the perit — book that first.
Want your exact licence fee, not an average?
Run your property — type, island, bedrooms — through our free fee calculator. It's built on the actual schedule and takes about thirty seconds.
Open the fee calculatorFrequently asked questions
How much is the MTA short-let licence fee?
It's set by S.L. 409.05 and isn't a single flat figure — it depends on your property's class (short-lets are licensed in the Comfort band of Holiday Furnished Premises) and on how many licences you hold. It's an annual fee, halved for a licence issued after 1 July. Use the fee calculator for your exact figure rather than an average.
Is the licence fee a one-off or annual?
Annual. It falls due each 1 January, and you get a 20% discount on the contribution if you pay within three months of it becoming due.
What costs more — the licence or everything else?
Usually everything else. The perit certification and the liability insurance typically dwarf the MTA fee itself, and bringing the property up to the Sixth Schedule standard can add to that. Budget for the professional costs first; the licence fee is the predictable part.
Do I have to pay the €1.50 eco-contribution myself?
No — the guest pays it. From 1 July 2026 it's €1.50 per person per night, capped at €22.50 per person per visit. Your role is to collect it, show it as a separate line on the invoice or receipt, and file the return. It's not part of your licence cost.
How is short-let income taxed in Malta?
Accommodation that must be licensed is charged at the reduced 7% VAT rate, and rental income is subject to income tax separately, with an optional final-withholding-tax route for eligible income. The details depend on your turnover and how you're structured — this is one to confirm with a qualified Maltese tax adviser.
This guide is provided for general information by Lisenza, an independent product not affiliated with or endorsed by the Malta Tourism Authority. It is not legal or financial advice. Based on S.L. 409.24, S.L. 409.05, Malta Tourism Authority guidance and operator-reported practice as at 25 July 2026 — fees and procedures may be updated; always refer to the official texts and MTA circulars, and consult a professional for your specific situation.