You find the flat, the owner shakes your hand, and then the agent says a word you have never heard: konvenju. Buying property in Malta works differently from most countries, because the promise of sale is the step that locks the deal, and a permit may be needed before you can sign. Here is the order of events, with the figures from the tax authority.
Can you buy property in Malta as a foreigner?
Yes, but the rules depend on your nationality and on what you buy. The Immovable Property (Acquisition by Non-Residents) Act sets the framework.
- EU citizen with at least five years of continuous residence in Malta: no permit, whatever the property.
- EU citizen with less than five years: no permit for your main residence or a property needed for your business; an AIP permit (Acquisition of Immovable Property) for a second home such as a holiday flat.
- Non-EU national: a permit is required, with exceptions such as inheritance or a special zone.
- Special Designated Areas (SDAs): no restriction for anyone. The law lists 27, including Portomaso, Tigné Point, SmartCity and Cottonera in Malta, and Fort Chambray, Kempinski Residences and Vista Point in Gozo.
The EEA and Switzerland are not treated like the EU. Under the Act, a Norwegian, Icelander, Liechtensteiner or Swiss citizen counts as a non-resident unless they hold long-term resident status, and the MTCA confirms that anyone who is not an EU citizen needs a permit. After Brexit, British buyers are in the same position. If you are in that group, read moving to Malta from the UK too.
What are the steps for buying property in Malta?
- Choose a notary. The buyer usually does. The notary searches the public registry, declares the promise of sale, collects the duty deposit and publishes the deed.
- Sign the konvenju. You pay a deposit to the seller to reserve the property; the amount is negotiable. The promise often carries conditions: registry searches, mortgage approval, the AIP permit. It lasts for the agreed period or, failing that, three months from the day the sale can be completed.
- Have the promise declared to the tax authority within 21 days. Without that declaration, the promise is not valid. You pay a 1% deposit of the price or the market value, whichever is higher.
- Apply for the AIP permit if you need one, with a copy of the promise. After the permit is issued, the purchase must be completed within six months.
- Arrange your mortgage if you borrow. See opening a bank account in Malta for the Central Bank's loan limits.
- Sign the final deed. In the deed you declare your status (resident, main residence, first purchase). The notary sends the transfer declaration and pays the balance of the duty within 15 working days. The seller pays tax on the gain.
How much does buying property in Malta cost in taxes?
The buyer pays duty on documents, the Maltese stamp duty.
| Case | Rate |
|---|---|
| Standard | 5% of the price or market value, whichever is higher |
| Single main residence (no AIP permit needed) | 3.5% on the first €200,000, then 5% |
| First-ever purchase of a home, deeds signed from 28 October 2025 | 0% on the first €200,000, then 5% |
For the first-time buyer rate you must never have bought a home or building plot (a share below 25% is not counted), and the relief is proportional to the share you buy. The reduced rates are excluded if you need an AIP permit, or would have needed one outside a special zone.
Other costs: the AIP permit is €233, with 35 days for a complete file. Minimum values for AIP purchases are €174,274 for an apartment or maisonette and €300,619 for anything else, based on the 2024 index. The property price index rose by 6.7% on 1 April 2026, but the MTCA FAQ still shows the 2024 values, so confirm the current thresholds with the AIP section. Notary and search fees are not published by an official source we checked; ask your notary.
The tax authority can have an architect value the property. If the value exceeds your declared price by more than 15%, you receive a duty reminder plus a 20% surcharge, then interest of 0.75% per 30 days. You have 30 days to appeal.
What are the most common mistakes?
- Missing the 21 days. The promise is invalid until declared. Ask for the receipt.
- Signing with no conditions. If your mortgage or permit is refused, an unconditional promise can cost you your deposit.
- Buying a second home as a main residence. The declaration in the deed binds you. A false declaration voids the deed and can bring fines of up to €23,000 or twice the value of the property for breaches of the permit.
- Renting out an AIP property. Forbidden: it must be the home of you and your family. One AIP property only, outside special zones, and it cannot be split into several dwellings.
- Expecting Gozo's old rate. See living in Gozo: the 2% rate ended for deeds after 31 January 2024.
- Understating the price. A gap above 15% from the valuation costs a surcharge.
What does the konvenju actually protect, and where can it go wrong?
The promise of sale is a binding contract, not a reservation form. Both sides are bound for the agreed term, and the seller cannot sell to someone else in the meantime. If either side backs out, the other can go to court, but to force the sale you must serve a judicial notice before the promise expires and then start an action within 30 days. That is why the conditions matter: a promise that depends on your mortgage and on the AIP permit lets you walk away if the bank or the MTCA says no. A promise with no conditions leaves you exposed.
When you want to buy a house in Malta, ask your notary three questions before you hand over the deposit. Who owns the property and can the seller sell it? Are there charges, ground rent or neighbouring rights recorded in the registry? Does the permit history match what you see: has anything been built without a permit? The notary searches the public registry, but the building permit position is something you should ask the seller and your architect about as well.
How long does the whole purchase take?
The official sources give you fixed points rather than a total: 21 days to declare the promise, 35 days for an AIP permit file, six months to complete once a permit is issued, 15 working days after the deed for the notary to file and pay the balance of the duty, and three months to send the authority a certified copy of the deed if you needed a permit. Add the time to find a property and to get your mortgage approved, and you can see why the whole purchase has no single fixed length: it depends on your conditions, your bank and your notary.
How does the purchase fit into your tax situation?
The duty is only the first bill. Once you own a home, you may rent it out, declare the income, or sell it later and face tax on the gain. We do not state a recurring property tax because none of the tax authority pages we read mentions one, so confirm with your notary. For your income tax position as a new resident, the tax administration (MTCA) is the place to start. If you are considering a residence tax scheme, which requires a property of a minimum value, ask the MTCA before you sign the promise of sale.
If you are the spouse of an EU citizen, you are treated as a resident when you buy with them in the same deed, whatever your nationality.