Malta limits who can buy property here, and the limit is real rather than a formality.
Whether you need a permit depends on your nationality, how long you have lived here and where the property is.
Get that answered before you start viewing.
The AIP permit
It comes from the Immovable Property (Acquisition by Non-Residents) Act, which is why everyone calls it the AIP.
Some buyers need one and some do not. The answer turns on those three things and nothing else.
EU nationals who have been resident in Malta for five continuous years do not need one at all.
Where a permit is needed, it normally covers one property for your own use, and letting it out is not allowed.
This is not a box to tick at the end. It decides which properties are open to you at all, so it shapes the entire search.
Special Designated Areas are the exception
Special Designated Areas are open to anyone without a permit, whatever their nationality.
They are mostly newer developments and marina complexes, and there is no cap on how many you buy.
If you want to skip the permit question entirely, that is where people look. You pay a premium per square metre for it.
Buying happens in two stages
There is a promise of sale first, with a deposit, and the final deed later.
The searches and any permit happen in between. The gap is normally a few months and it is written into the promise of sale.
The deposit is usually 10% and it is held by the notary, not by the seller.
It is not a casual holding fee. Read what happens to it if either side pulls out before you hand it over.
What it costs on top
Stamp duty is the big one, normally 5% of the price, with part of it paid at the promise of sale stage.
Notary fees, searches and registration add roughly another 1–3% between them.
First-time and second-time buyer schemes reduce the duty in some cases, and they change with each budget.
Get the question answered first
A notary handles the searches and the deed here, and they are the person to ask about the permit.
Ask before you fall for something. A viewing costs an afternoon and a wrong assumption costs a deposit.
The notary also checks the title, which matters more here than most places because of the way old properties were split between heirs.
The full process, including the costs that come with it, is on the buying property page. This is general information, not legal advice.
