How To Start A Business In Malta In 10 Steps In 2023
threMany Malta is a tiny nation in the Mediterranean Sea, strategically positioned between Europe and Africa. It is home to around 500,000 inhabitants, including a certain Fun Entrepreneur, and has over 5,000 years of history and culture at its roots. Malta is also a good place for business, offering year-round great weather, short commutes, and a skilled and flexible workforce.
Whilst the local population does not offer huge market opportunities, it is a great testing ground. Existing logistical connections to mainland Europe and North Africa mean that companies wishing to expand beyond Malta can do so with ease. For those who wish to start a business in Malta, here are 10 simple steps to follow:
1. Limited liability or self-employed?
The main difference is that by having a limited liability company you give your business a more trustworthy face and you, as a shareholder, are better protected. There are, however, more bureaucratic steps and costs in creating a company, such as having an annual audit. You should, therefore, be pretty confident that your business is viable before registering it as LTD.
For a self-employed person to start a business in Malta, the steps are much simpler, but you will also bare the entirety of the risk if anything goes wrong, such as would be the case with defective products or lawsuits. If you decide to start as a self-employed, then you can go directly to Step 4.
2. Prepare registration documentation
If you are going to proceed with a limited liability company, then you need to draft the memorandum and articles of association. Whilst you could prepare these yourself if you have the experience, I would strongly recommend seeking the assistance of local accountants or lawyers, especially if you are starting a business in Malta for the first time. These documents are not only important for registration, but they also detail what the company, its shareholders and its directors can and can not do.
3. Deposit the minimum share capital
With the help of an account, you should determine the right amount and include it in your memorandum and articles of association. To start off, any company needs some capital, however small. The minimum amount allowed is €1,200 (value rounded up), but you only need to deposit 20% of this value at a bank. If your business is operating in a particular industry, such as a financial institution, then a higher minimum share capital will be required.
You should normally deposit the share capital in a business account. As you’re opening the account, you should inform the bank teller that you are depositing your share capital and they will guide you accordingly. The money will go into a holding account until the company is properly registered and you’ll get a receipt. It is very important that you do not lose this receipt as you will need it to start a business in Malta.
4. Start a business in Malta
Present the filled-in company registration form, the memorandum and articles of association, and the share capital deposit slip to the Malta Business Registry (MBR). This is the authority that oversees all locally registered companies. Registration is normally completed within a few days. You will need to pay a registration fee whose value varies based on the size and scope of the company. The MBR offers detailed information on fees and the registration procedure.
If you wish to register as a sole trader and are a Maltese resident, you can register your business and get most of the necessary submissions made through a single form. You will need either an E-ID or an ID card to access the online sole trader registration form.
If you’re an EU resident that has moved to Malta, you must first register for social security number online. Once registered, you’ll receive your tax number and be able to use the link above to register as a sole trader.
5. Obtain the necessary licenses
You’ll need to determine whether your business requires any operating licences or permits. The Malta Commerce department provides a list of online forms and instructions that can help you understand the relevant laws of your industry. You can also contact the team should you need any further clarifications.
6. Get a tax identification number
If you’re a sole trader, your tax identification number is simply your ID card number. However, a limited registered company or any other legal entity will need its own tax and VAT number. You may have already gotten these numbers when you registered your business. If you haven’t, you can get a Maltese VAT number using this helpful page.
As you’re filling in your VAT application, you will be asked to choose between three Articles. Most full-time businesses will likely register under Article 10 and be able to charge and claim VAT. You will need to register under Article 10 if you plan to sell over €35,000 worth of goods or over €30,000 from any other business activity. These thresholds apply to a calendar year. If you don’t think you’ll reach the threshold, you can instead register under Article 11.
7. Obtain a PE Number
This step only applies to businesses, including self-employed persons, that intend to employ other people. In this case, you will need to obtain a PE number. There are several online forms that can help you do this but we’ve found the Servizz.gov one to be the best.
8. Register with the JobsPlus
By now, your own employement should have already been registered with JobsPlus. Many of the forms we’ve linked to include this option. You can, and should, create a JobsPlus profile to be able to view your own employment history as well as that of your business. Moreover, you will need to update this authority every time an employee joins or leave your enterprise. You can do so conveniently by using the right employee registration forms.
9. Register with the Information and Data Protection Commissioner
This step only applies to businesses that will be collecting personal details of their prospective or existing customers. In recent years Malta has caught up with the rest of Europe in providing safety to people’s information. It is important that when you start a business you create a data safety process. This will help protect your customers’ details against cyberattacks. You can learn more about your legal requirements by visiting the IDPC website.
10. Get help when you need it
As a business owner, you’re constantly looking to save costs and handle everything yourself. It probably won’t take you long to realise that you cannot do everything alone. Sometimes, getting professional assistance makes more financial sense than wasting time with trial and error. Find out if the team at Practical Business Solutions can help you with what you need to do.
You should also check out the Business First website for further information about laws and regulations. This office was set up to provide free guidance and advice to new and existing businesses in Malta, so you’ll certainly want to keep it on your contacts list.
Editors note: The information provided on this and all other pages of The Fun Entrepreneur is solely for information purposes and should not be considered to be legal or professional advice. Whilst we strive to update the content regularly, some or all of the information may become outdated and incorrect.
very interesting topic, outstanding post.
Thank you, Tom
Really Appreciate this update, can you make it so I receive an email sent to me when you publish a new update?
Sure thing, Lazaro. Just subscribe and you will be the first to receive notifications of new articles directly in your inbox.
Hello everybody,
I would like to say thank you so much for information about how to start a business in Malta, you are one of the few there geve us a quality information for free and safe our money, time eand nerve.
Thank you, Vladimir, for your kind comments. We aim to facilitate the process of getting set up, however sometimes certain businesses would still require a professional to handle their registration, especially if they operate in special sectors, such as iGaming, Blockchain or FI.
I like what you guys are up also. Such smart work and reporting! Keep up the superb works guys I have incorporated you guys to my blogroll. I think it’ll improve the value of my website ?
Glad to hear it, Rolland, thank you for your comment
I believe this web site contains very superb composed articles posts .
Thanks Lloyd
Lovely just what I was looking for.
Glad you found our guide helpful, Athena, be sure to share it with your friends to help them too!
Hello!
I cannot find your contact section, I would like to know who you would recommend to assist in registering a company in Malta.
Thanks!
Hi David, you can contact us on thefunentrepreneurblog@gmail.com and we can assist you to set up your company.
Great post!! Many thanks for sharing this information. I am sure a lot of people think the same although they do not write a comment. Nice stuff!!
Thank you, Sergio!
Admiring the dedication you put into your website and detailed information you present. It’s good to come across a blog every once in a while that isn’t the same out of date rehashed material. Great read! I’ve bookmarked your site and I’m adding your RSS feeds to my Google account.
You’re very kind, Carey. Be sure to subscribe to get instant notification of our new articles, directly in your inbox.
Thank you,
Michael
Welcome
The Fun Entrepreneur Editorial Team 🙂
Your page is a fantastic starting point for everyone seeking to start a business on Malta. Congratulation and thanks a lot for the valuable info!
However, I have some questions left, answers may be useful for the whole community:
1. I run a very small UK based company since 2012 and can do all the mandatory returns online myself, without expensive lawyers, tax consultants etc. Given a certain level of experience, can I do everything myself for a Maltese company too, or will I need consultants at a certain point, i.e. for the annual return or the corporation tax?
2. In the UK I use a web based software called FREE AGENT / MYBUSINESSWORKS, to do my bookkeeping etc. Is there similar software available for a Maltese Limited Company?
3. Can you provide an example (txt or doc) for a “memorandum and articles of association”, for a very simple Maltese Limited Company?
Hi Henning and thank you for your comment. With a little knowledge it is possible to make the VAT and Tax returns yourself if you do not have a high turnover and a complicated accounting process. Our recommendation would be to first use a qualified Accountant and let them guide you how to do things, even if you hire them as consultants, rather than Accountants. If your company is a Limited Liability (Ltd.) you will have to do at least 1 annual audit and this needs to be done by a qualified auditor. There are a number of open source software which allow you to amend the tax rate depending on the country and we are sure that there exist some created with Malta in mind, however we are not in a position to endorse one over another. There is not such thing as a template M&As as each other should be especially written for the business activities. We do offer the service of drafting M&As and Business Plans if you are interested contact us on thefunentrepreneurblog@gmail.com.
Hello! Very interesting article!
Do you know if personal blogs have to be registered in Malta? As I´m sure you know, blogs can generate income through ads and other things, so I´d like to know if this a commercial activity that has to be registered and if tax has to be payed.
I thought that self employment might apply to this situation, but if I´m already employed and I just want to have additional income from a blog then what should I do in order to comply with the law?
Thank you very much!
Hi Miguel, there is no need to register personal blogs in Malta, especially until they are generating a substantial amount of revenue. Although you are employed you can still be part time self employed. You should always declare your incoming, be it from employment or other sources (such as ad revenue) in your taxes and pay your fair share. Remember that you can claim costs spent to create your blog. It would be best to speak to a qualified accountant to assist you. However, until your blog starts generating a considerable revenue you needn’t worry to much about this and instead focus on growing your audience. Oh, and remember to share our page in your social circles too 🙂
Hi , i want to start a business in Malta and i got Italian residence permit and my nationality is Pakistani , can you tell me please how i can start and what is the process and which steps need to be follow .
Thanks.
Kindly contact our support team on thefunentrepreneurblog@gmail.com and they will assist you. Be sure to provide more detailed information on the business you have in mind.
This article really brings to light the answers to the issues that many people face on a day to day basis
Thanks for your comment, Jack.
Is a resident director required, or can all the owners be overseas, and be paid exclusively with Dividends?
A limited liability company can be set up in Malta and have only foreign owners. Shareholders are normally paid in dividends whereas Directors are either paid a salary or given Director Fees.
Hi – thank you for a really useful article! I just wanted to check this point. It was my understanding that owners/shareholders can be foreign but the Company Director and Company Secretary must be a resident of Malta. (They don’t have to be a Maltese national, but must be a resident of Malta). Can you confirm or clarify this? Many thanks!
It it preferable that at least 1 Director is a Maltese resident but it does not seem compulsory. In any case it would be best to check directly with the MFSA to put your mind at rest.
Great article! Wanted to ask how to treat the startup phase of the business where you are still testing the waters. Are you legally bound to set up a company immediately and incur all the setup costs before you know the business will catch on? For example – setting up a .com.mt domain requires providing a VAT number. Should one have everything in place even before setting up a domain and simple landing page to gauge interest?
As you rightly point out setting up a business without knowing if it will be a success does not make sense. Fortunately there are some things you can do to check if your business will be a success without breaking the bank. We discuss these in more detail here – https://thefunentrepreneur.com/2016/08/26/is-my-business-idea-going-to-be-a-success/
I strongly recommend you start with doing Market Research to prove that your idea has potential. You probably already believe this, but you are biased. Market research helps reduce the assumptions and show if there is a need or not for your solution.
The next step is carrying out proof of concept. In simple terms, get the core product/service and offer it. To do this you will need to register with ETC and other departments depending on the business idea. However, entities such as the VAT department allow you to test the waters without needing a VAT number. There are several thresholds depending on the type of business. Proof of concept may cost you some money, but it can help you shape the product or service in a way that once you launch you know that the market wants your product/service.
Excellent post! We will be linking to this great article on our website.
Keep up the great writing.
Thank you for doing that Ellen!
Pretty! This was an extremely wonderful article. Thank you for providing this information.
You’re most welcome, Winnie. Thanks for your comment.
I cannot thank you enough for the article. Great.
The best way to thank us (other than commenting) is to share our posts on social media! 🙂
…Shared to Facebook
Thank you, Sharita. We take this opportunity to thank all our readers who share our articles on social media. Keep doing it – it really makes a difference 🙂
Great post. I’m setting up a business in Malta at the moment so found great information.
You’re welcome, Trevor. Be sure to subscribe to The Fun Entrepreneur as you will receive great grants and other support measures which are available to you when you set up a business in Malta.
bookmarked!!, I love your web site!
Thank you Cyrus!
Thanks for this really useful guide and the link for Business First. I am setting up a business here after having moved from Australia. Looking forward to more articles on business in Malta.
You’re most welcome, Jean. Be sure to subscribe for more articles directly to your inbox. Malta Enterprise’s assistance department, Business First, is very helpful and can help you get started with comfort. Good Luck.
Wow, this post is good, my sister is thinking of starting a business here so I am going to share it with her. Thanks!
I wish your sister luck Mark, let her know she can subscribe to our site to get new articles straight in her inbox. Thanks.
I’m getting many ideas after reading your post, thank you.
With the new incentives for businesses in Malta now really is a great time to start a business on the Island.
You’re so cool! I have been looking for advice on setting up a business in Malta for ages. It feels so good to locate somebody with helpful ideas on this topic, and not trying to sell you services! Seriously.. many thanks for starting this up. This site is one thing that’s needed online, someone with a certain amount of originality with a local perspective!
Thanks Simon for your comment. Indeed there is a lot of advice on opening a business abroad, but not much easily accessible advice for setting up in Malta. The Fun Entrepreneur will help change this. Be sure to subscribe to receive immediate updates on new articles which will be of interest to you. Have a great day! 🙂
Please let me know if you’re looking for a article writer for your blog. You have some really good posts and I think I would be a good asset. If you ever want to take some of the load off, I’d absolutely love to write some material for your blog in exchange for a link back to mine. Please send me an e-mail if interested. Kudos!
Hi Jason, feel free to send us a pitch on thefunentrepreneurblog@gmail.com and we will be in touch.