Moving Companies

Moving your life to Malta requires significantly more planning than a land-based relocation across Europe. Because Malta is an archipelago, everything you own must arrive via sea or air freight.

How goods arrive from Europe:

• Trailer/Road Freight (Ro-Ro): This is the most common method for European moves. Moving companies load your items into a large trailer, drive down through mainland Europe to Southern Italy or Sicily (Pozzallo/Augusta), and put the trailer on a Roll-on/Roll-off ferry straight into Malta's Grand Harbour.
• Sea Freight (Deep Sea): For moves originating outside of Europe (e.g., USA, Australia), belongings are packed into 20ft or 40ft shipping containers.

Groupage vs. Dedicated Loads:

Unless you are moving a massive 4-bedroom house, you will likely use Groupage (Less than Container Load - LCL). This means your boxes are packed onto a trailer alongside the belongings of several other people moving to Malta. It is much cheaper but takes slightly longer, as the truck waits to be filled before departing.

While global giants like Santa Fe Relocation and Crown Relocations handle moves to Malta, they almost exclusively sub-contract the final "on-island" delivery to local Maltese logistics companies. You can often save money by dealing directly with these Maltese firms, as they run weekly groupage trailers to and from the UK, Germany, Italy, and the Benelux region.

The customs clearance process for your belongings depends entirely on where you are moving from.

• Moving from within the EU: Freedom of movement applies to goods. Your personal belongings are not subject to any import duties, VAT, or extensive customs inspections when crossing into Malta.
• Moving from outside the EU (including the UK): Your belongings are legally considered imports. However, to avoid paying heavy duties on your own used furniture and clothes, you must apply for Transfer of Residence (TOR) Relief.
  
  To qualify for TOR relief, you must prove:
  • You have lived outside the EU for at least 12 consecutive months.
  • You have owned and used the items for at least 6 months prior to the move.
  • You are importing them within 12 months of becoming a resident in Malta.

Note: Importing a car from outside the EU (especially the UK) is subject to very strict emissions and registration taxes, even with TOR relief. Many expats find it cheaper to sell their car and buy locally.

When you arrive in Malta and move into your apartment, or if you move between towns locally, you will quickly discover a unique quirk of Maltese real estate: The Furniture Lifter.

To solve this, local moving companies operate specialized truck-mounted cranes known as "lifters." They park on the street beneath your balcony and hoist your furniture externally, bringing it straight in through the balcony doors.

• Permits Required: You cannot just block a street with a lifter. Your moving company must apply for a Local Council permit (usually 48 hours in advance) to reserve the parking spaces beneath your balcony.
• Local Services: For simple moves across the island, search local Facebook groups or directories for "Man with a Van Malta" or "Furniture Lifters Malta." They charge by the hour (usually around €35 - €50/hour for a van, two men, and a lifter).

Many expats consider their pets as part of the family possessions. Moving a pet to Malta requires strict veterinary coordination to prevent the introduction of diseases.

If coming from the EU, your pet needs an EU Pet Passport, a microchip, and a valid rabies vaccination. If coming from outside the EU, the rules are much stricter, often requiring rabies titer blood tests months in advance.

Airlines flying into Malta have strict quotas on pets in the cabin. Many expats use specialized pet relocation agencies (like Animal Welfare or dedicated global pet shippers) who handle the airline cargo booking, veterinary paperwork, and customs clearance at Malta International Airport.