Removals to Malta from the UK
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Removals to Malta are a long road run with a short sea crossing at the end. Used household goods still go in duty-free after Brexit if you meet two rules. Here's how the relief works, how your things travel, and what to sort before the van comes.
Last updated: October 2026 · 4 min read
Written and fact-checked by the Removly editorial team · How we research prices
Do you pay customs on removals to Malta after Brexit?
Not on used household goods, if you qualify. Malta applies the EU's transfer-of-residence relief: you need to have lived outside the EU for a continuous 12 months, and to have used each item for at least six months before it leaves.
Timing matters too. Goods can arrive from six months before you settle until a year after, in one load or several. For the first 12 months they can't be sold, lent, hired out or used as security. Food, alcohol and tobacco never qualify, so run the cupboards down.
Source: Malta Customs — transfer of residence from a non-EU country
How do removals to Malta get there?
Mostly by road, the length of Europe. The lorry crosses the Channel, drives down through France and Italy, and boards the Pozzallo–Valletta ferry on Sicily's south coast. That last leg is the short one — about 90 minutes, on a fast ferry that carries trucks.
Few single households fill a lorry for a run that long, so part loads are common: you share the vehicle and the cost, and take a delivery window rather than a fixed day. The alternative is shipping furniture to Malta by sea container, landing at the Grand Harbour or the Freeport at Marsaxlokk. It's slower, but it suits a full house with no fixed date.
We don't publish a price for Malta. No source we trust gives one, and volume, access and the route chosen swing it widely. A survey gets you a fixed figure; our European removals guide shows how the wider continent compares.
Source: Virtu Ferries' Pozzallo–Valletta service
Moving to Malta from the UK: what's easier than you'd think
Your appliances come with you. Malta uses the same three-pin Type G plug and 230-volt supply as the UK — a leftover of British rule — so the kettle, lamps and TV work straight away. Cars drive on the left too.
Space is the harder part. Malta is small and densely built, and plenty of homes are flats. Measure the stairwell and the lift before packing the big wardrobe, and tell the removal firm about access at the Malta end. A good survey asks.
Residence is a separate question from the removal. UK nationals who weren't living in Malta before the end of 2020 now apply as non-EU nationals, through Identità. Check its current rules before you book. If the new place isn't ready, storage in the UK can hold everything until it is.
Can you take your dog or cat to Malta?
Yes. Cats and dogs need a microchip, a rabies vaccination and an animal health certificate. The vaccination must be at least 21 days old, and the certificate is valid for 10 days to enter the EU.
Dogs have one extra rule. Malta is one of the few places that requires tapeworm treatment: a vet must give it no less than 24 hours and no more than five days before you arrive. Book that appointment around the ferry, not the other way round.
Source: GOV.UK — taking your pet abroad
Moving back: removals from Malta to the UK
Coming home works the same way in reverse, with HMRC's transfer-of-residence relief. You need 12 months living outside the UK and goods you've owned for at least six. Apply on form ToR1 and get approval before the goods ship.
The goods must come in within 12 months of your return. As in Malta, you can't sell, lend or hire them out for a year. A smaller return move can travel as a part load, sharing the lorry with other households.
Removals to Malta: FAQs
Do I pay customs duty moving household goods to Malta after Brexit?
Not on used belongings, if you qualify for transfer-of-residence relief. You need to have lived outside the EU for at least 12 months, and to have used the goods for at least six. Food, alcohol and tobacco never qualify.
How do removals get from the UK to Malta?
Most go by road through France and Italy, then cross on the Pozzallo–Valletta ferry from Sicily, which carries trucks and takes about 90 minutes. Larger or less urgent moves can travel in a sea container instead.
Will my UK appliances work in Malta?
Yes. Malta uses the same three-pin Type G plug and 230-volt, 50 Hz supply as the UK, so kettles, lamps and TVs need no adapter. It's one of the few EU countries where that's true.
Can I take my dog to Malta?
Yes, with a microchip, a rabies vaccination at least 21 days old and an animal health certificate. Malta also requires a vet to treat dogs for tapeworm between 24 hours and five days before you arrive.
Can I sell furniture I brought into Malta under customs relief?
Not for the first 12 months. Goods brought in duty-free can't be sold, lent, hired out or used as security for a year after they're released, or the duty becomes payable.
Do I need a visa to live in Malta?
UK nationals who weren't living in Malta before the end of 2020 apply for residence as non-EU nationals. Identità, the Maltese government agency, handles residence permits — check its current guidance before you book the move.