Use of Animals and Animal-drawn Vehicles on the Road

The use on public roads of animals or of animal-drawn vehicles may only be done if covered by a licence issued by Transport Malta for this purpose, as stipulated in the Regulations for the Use on the Road of Animals and Animal-drawn Vehicles (S.L.499.66)

Licences for the Use on the Road of Animals and Animal-drawn Vehicles

Licence A - Karrozzini

Applies to Karrozzini used to carry passengers for hire or reward;
Closed market limited to 111 licences;
Renewed yearly every January for a fee of €20
Licensed Karrozzini carry a special number plate, issued for a one-time fee of €75;
Licences shall be covered by an insurance policy with a minimum liability of €250,000 renewable yearly before licence renewal;
A Karrozzini Operator Licence (KOL) is needed to operate one or more karrozzini;
KOLs are issued and renewed every 5 years against a fee of €30 and an administrative fee of €8;
Form ADV-A1 is needed to apply for a new KOL.

Licence B - Animal-drawn Vehicles carrying passengers for hire or reward and Animal-drawn Hearses

Applies to animal-drawn vehicles used for the carriage of passengers for hire or reward which are not karrozzini (e.g. karrozzelli, etc...);
Applies also to Animal-drawn hearses;
Issued for a fee of €5 and an administrative fee of €8;
Renewed yearly for a fee of €4.
Licensed animal-drawn vehicles carry a special number plate, issuedClick for a one-time fee of €75;
Licences shall be covered by an insurance policy with a minimum liability of €250,000 renewable yearly before Licence renewal;
Form ADV-A2 is needed to apply for a Licence B.

Licence C - Animal-drawn Vehicles carrying goods for hire or reward or used by Street Hawkers

Applies to animal-drawn vehicles used for the carriage of goods for hire or reward;
Applies also to Animal-drawn vehicles used by street hawkers;
Issued for a fee of €5;
Renewable yearly for a fee of €4;
Licensed animal-drawn vehicles carry a number plate, issued for a one-time fee of €20
Licences shall be covered by an insurance policy with a minimum liability of €250,000 renewable yearly before Licence renewal;
Form ADV-A2 is needed to apply for a Licence C.

Licence D - Animal-drawn Vehicles used for private, sport or traditional purposes

Applies to animal-drawn vehicles not used for hire or reward;
One licence D may be used to cover one of more such animal-drawn vehicles;
Such animal-drawn vehicles include the serkin , xarretta, and vintage or traditional animal-drawn vehicles;
Licences covering 1 animal-drawn vehicles are issued for a fee of €5 and renewed yearly for a fee of €4;
Licences covering multiple animal-drawn vehicles are issued for a fee of €10 and renewed yearly for a fee of €6;
Licensed animal-drawn vehicle carry a number plate, issued for a one-time fee of €20;
Licences shall be covered by an insurance policy with a minimum liability of €125,000 renewable yearly before Licence renewal;
Form ADV-A3 is needed to apply for a Licence D.

Licence E - Animals used under saddle (Horse-riding)

Applies to animals used on the road under saddle (e.g. for horse riding);
Issued for fee of €2;
Renewable yearly for a fee of €2;
Riders of licensed horses shall wear a high-visibility tabard showing licence number, issued for a one-time fee of €12;
Licences used on own-account shall be covered by an insurance policy with a minimum liability of €125,000 renewable yearly before Licence renewal;
Licence held by horse-riding schools shall be covered by an insurance policy with a minimum liability of €500,000 renewable yearly before Licence renewal.
Form ADV-A4 is needed to apply for a Licence E.

Vehicle Inspections

Animal-drawn vehicles used on the road need to be safe and road-worthy. This is established through an inspection carried out by Transport Malta personnel before the addition of any such vehicle under these licences. Inspected vehicles are assigned an identification number which shall remain with the vehicle even if this is transferred between licences (equivalent to the chassis number of motor vehicles). An inspection fee of €10 applies.

Supporting Documents and other information

Applications for any of these licences shall be accompanied by the following documents:

An insurance certificate, issued on the name of the applicant, and clearly indicating the licence number or the microchip number of the animal being covered , and the liability limit;
A health certificate for each animal to be licensed, issued by a waranted veterinarian using Transport Malta’s standard animal-health certificate (ADV-Z2 - The attached is a specimen. Formal certificate may only be issued by warranted veterinary surgeon);
An identification document (commonly referred to as Passport) for each animal to be licensed.

Moreover:

If the applicant is a company, partnership, cooperative or any other legal entity, form ADV-Z1 shall be submitted along with the application for a new licence;
If an applicant for a licence needs to add under this licence an animal or an animal-drawn vehicle which is owned by someone else, a written authorisation from the owner of the said animal or animal-drawn vehicle is needed. This may be submitted using form ADV-Z6 in the case of a Licence B, C, D or E, or form ADV-Z10 in the case of a Karrozzin Operator Licence

Maintaining Licences for the Use on the Road of Animals and Animal-drawn Vehicles

The forms listed below shall be used when holders of a licence for the use on the road of Animals and Animal-drawn vehicle need to make any change to their licence.

ADV-Z3 - Form to Modify a Licence

ADV-Z7 - Transfer a Karrozzin Operator Licence.

ADV-Z11 - Transfer a Licence by Inheritance

Veterinary Services related to the Licensing of Animals for use on the Road

It is important that animals used on the road are healthy and capable for such use.

Therefore, before an animal can be added under any of these licences, the applicant shall present a Veterinary General Health Certificate ADV-Z2 confirming that the animal is suitable for the use on the road. Such certificate may be issued by any Veterinary Surgeon in this list.

Any warranted Veterinary Surgeon who would like to be added to this list shall request this by submitting form ADV-Z9.

Submission of Applications

Application forms, or any related communication, may be submitted with Transport Malta using any of the following methods.

For information about payment methods accepted by Transport Malta refer here.

By hand at Transport Malta’s offices, from Monday to Friday between 07:30 and 14:00, at:

Level 0, A3 Towers, Triq l-Arkata, Paola; or
Tigrija Palazz, Main Gate Street, Victoria, Gozo;

By phone on:

Freephone 80072393 (from landline only);
2555 4652 (for Gozo only);
2555 5121 - Karrozzin Operator Licence, Licence A, Licence B and Licence C;
2555 5157 - Licence D and Licence E.

By email via:

rtlu.tm@transport.gov.mt;
mario.grixti@transport.gov.mt - Karrozzin Operator Licence, Licence A, Licence B and Licence C;
georgette.grixti@transport.gov.mt - Licence D and Licence E.

Processing of Personal Data

This Data Protection Privacy Notice shall apply to all personal data related to these licences.

Page last updated: 05/01/2022