Can a foreigner buy property in Malta?

Foreigners may buy, but with permission, zones or type limits

Malta lets EU citizens buy property, while buyers from outside the EU need a permit for most purchases (the AIP) and may be limited to one residence.

Updated October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.

Rules change. This page describes the structure of the rule, not prices, taxes or quotas. Confirm the current position with the official source listed below, and with a lawyer in the country, before you pay anything. This is general information, not legal advice.

Land

A non-EU buyer needs an Acquisition of Immovable Property permit for most land.

Houses and flats

A non-EU buyer needs the permit to buy a house or flat, and the rules cover a second residence.

Buying through a company

A company with non-EU owners is treated as foreign.

Limits and closed zones

The permit is not needed for certain property in designated special areas, which the Maltese government defines.

What to watch for

Make the promise of sale conditional on obtaining the permit, and use a Maltese notary.

Understand the legal system first

Malta belongs to the Mixed: civil and common law family. Property is registered and transferred differently in different traditions, so it helps to know how the system works.

Read the Malta legal-system profile in the Legal Families Atlas →
Compare Malta with another country →

Official sources

Government of Malta: Ministry for Home Affairs

TheLawToKnow Tools’s guide to foreign property ownership is an educational overview of general rules. It is not legal advice, and it does not replace the official source or a lawyer in the country. Report a mistake.