Laws in Malta
How Malta is classified on 32 of the 48 laws this site maps, grouped by subject. Each links to the full answer and its source.
Body & Life
- Abortion
- Illegal (with exceptions) Abortion is prohibited except to save the pregnant person's life.
- Suicide Laws
- Not a crime
- FGM Laws
- Specifically banned FGM is banned by a dedicated law or an explicit criminal provision.
Money & Games
- Gambling Age
- 18 Minimum age to gamble: 18.
- Cryptocurrency
- Legal Cryptocurrency is legal to own and trade.
Daily Life
- Public Smoking Bans
- Partial ban Malta restricts smoking in enclosed public spaces but allows designated smoking areas.
- Driving Age
- 18+ Minimum age to drive a car: 18.
- Homeschooling
- Illegal Homeschooling is prohibited.
Animals & Environment
- Fur Farming
- Banned Fur farming is banned.
- Cosmetic Animal Testing
- Banned Malta bans cosmetic animal testing and imports of tested products under EU law.
- Plastic Bag Bans
- Banned Lightweight plastic bags are banned nationwide.
Civic & Family
- Voting Age
- 16–17 The voting age is 16.
- Compulsory Voting
- Voluntary Voting is voluntary.
- Minimum Working Age
- 16+ Minimum working age: 16.
Relationships & Sexuality
- Same-Sex Marriage
- Marriage legal Same-sex marriage is legally performed and recognized.
- Same-Sex Activity
- Legal Same-sex sexual activity is legal.
- Age of Consent
- 16–17 The age of consent is 16.
- Sex Work
- Decriminalized / unregulated Selling sex is legal, but running brothels and loitering are illegal.
- Divorce
- Heavily restricted Divorce is legal but requires a long period of separation.
- Non-Binary Recognition
- Recognized Malta offers a non-binary option on birth certificates, ID cards, and passports.
- Same-Sex Adoption
- Joint adoption legal Same-sex couples can jointly petition to adopt.
- Marriage Age
- 18+ Minimum marriage age: 18.
Speech & Belief
- Blasphemy Laws
- No blasphemy law Malta repealed its laws against vilification of religion in 2016, removing blasphemy offenses.
- Holocaust Denial
- No specific law No specific law against Holocaust denial.
- Conversion Therapy
- Banned Conversion therapy is banned nationwide following the 2016 Act.
Justice & Weapons
- Death Penalty
- Fully abolished Fully abolished for all crimes.
- Gun Laws
- Licensed / moderate Handguns can be licensed for sport, hunting or collecting, but personal protection alone is not a sufficient reason.
- Military Conscription
- No conscription
Substances
- Cannabis
- Legal Cannabis is legal for recreational use.
- Drinking Age
- 16–17 Minimum age to buy alcohol: 17.
- Smoking Age
- 18 Minimum age to buy tobacco: 18.
- E-Cigarettes
- Regulated E-cigarettes are legal but nicotine strength is capped by law.
Nearby countries
A visual reference compiled from Wikipedia’s law-by-country articles, not legal advice. Laws change and summaries simplify — check a primary source before relying on anything here.