How to Get a Category D Driving Licence in Malta?

Malta sets Category D’s minimum age at 24, dropping to 21 for holders of a Certificate of Professional Competence. At the same time, the practical driving test itself runs for a substantial 60 minutes for heavier categories, compared with just 25 minutes for cars. This piece covers what Category D authorizes, the exact requirements, and Transport Malta’s current rules.

What Category D covers

Category D authorizes buses, coaches and minibusses, a Passenger Carrying Vehicle license that covers everything from taxis and minibusses to full-size coaches.

Minimum age

The standard minimum age is 24. If you hold a Certificate of Professional Competence, this drops to 21.

You need to hold Category B for at least a year.

Categories including Category D require you to have held a car (Category B) license for at least one year, in addition to meeting the age criteria.

The Learner’s Permit process

You’ll need a Learner’s Permit before starting any training, which you can apply for online at licenzji-xufiera.gov.mt, including a medical fitness assessment processed by your doctor and a €23.25 payment.

The 60-minute practical test

This is genuinely worth knowing when planning your test day. The practical test for Category D and other heavier categories runs a full 60 minutes, excluding pre-brief, technical checks, special maneuvers and debrief, compared to just 25 minutes for Category A and B.

The theory exam

Transport Malta’s theory test has 35 questions and covers rules and knowledge relevant to the category you’re applying for.

Instructor experience requirement

Your driving instructor or trainer must have at least 5 years of experience in the relevant vehicle category and hold insurance covering both the trainer and the trainee.

Driver CPC for professional passenger transport

Holding Category D alone doesn’t authorize professional passenger transport. To work for hire or reward, you’ll need to submit Form DPA 12, then present yourself in person at the Driver and Passenger Operator Licensing Unit or Transport Malta’s headquarters with your CPC initial or periodic qualification certificate. Once processed, you’ll receive a Driver’s Permit and Tag valid for 5 years.

What Category D is genuinely used for

Most Category D holders go on to drive route buses, tourist coaches, open-top buses, and minivans across Malta and Gozo, which are central to the islands’ public transport network.

Automatic transmission

Testing on an automatic-transmission vehicle genuinely restricts your eventual license to automatic machines as we advance.

D+E: adding a heavier trailer

D+E authorizes Category D buses combined with a trailer and requires you to hold Category D already.

D1, for comparison

D1 authorizes smaller minibusses, with the same CPC-linked age-reduction structure applying to them.

Validity

Driving licenses in Malta, including Category D, are renewable every 10 years for those under 70 and every 5 years for those 70 and older.

Exchanging a foreign license

EU license holders can drive in Malta without an additional permit and can exchange their license for a Maltese one once they’ve been resident for at least 185 days. Non-EU license holders from certain countries, including Australia, Switzerland and the UAE, also qualify for exchange under specific conditions.

Tips that actually help

• Check whether your CPC qualification could bring your Category D age down to 21.
• Confirm you’ve held Category B for at least a year before applying.
• Prepare for the full 60-minute practical test, genuinely longer than car category tests.
• Factor in Driver CPC and Form DPA 12 separately if you’re planning commercial passenger transport work.

Just €10 to add Category D if you already hold another license

This is genuinely worth knowing before you assume the full application cost applies to you. If you already hold a driving licence and are simply adding Category D as a new category, Transport Malta charges just €10 to include the new category, which is genuinely lower than the full application process a first-time licence holder would go through.

The exact official fee structure

Transport Malta’s standard fees break down as follows: the Learner’s Permit costs €23.25 and remains valid for three years; the Theory Test costs €30.25 (dropping to €22.50 for re-sits); and the Practical Driving Test costs €23.25. Once you’ve passed both, you’ll receive a Probationary Driving License valid for three years for a further €31.00 fee. These government fees are separate from, and don’t include, whatever commercial fee your chosen motoring school charges for actual driving instruction.

The precise age structure with a Certificate of Professional Competence

Worth clarifying precisely: without a Certificate of Professional Competence, Category D1 and D1E require you to be over 21, while Category D and DE require you to be over 24. With a Certificate of Professional Competence already held, these thresholds drop to 20 for D1 and D1E, and to 21 for D and DE specifically.

Driver CPC: three tests, five-year validity

Anyone issued a Category D licence after the Driver CPC requirement came into force must complete the Driver CPC Initial Qualification, which consists of three separate tests. Once completed, Transport Malta issues your CPC, certifying your Initial Qualification and valid for 5 years from the issue date.

Periodic training keeps your CPC current.

To retain your Driver CPC beyond its initial five years, professional bus and truck drivers must complete 35 hours of periodic training through an approved training provider, delivered in blocks of at least seven hours each, covering topics set out in the relevant regulatory schedule. Useful to know: no test follows this periodic training; you must keep your training records to submit when renewing your Driver CPC. Once you’ve completed the full 35 hours, your licence is updated with code 95, which you must carry with you at all times while driving professionally.

Theory test translators in a wide range of languages

If English or Maltese isn’t your strongest language, Transport Malta’s theory test can be taken with a translator present, available in a genuinely broad range of languages including Arabic, Bosnian, Chinese, Croatian, Hindi, Italian, Macedonian, Montenegrin, Punjabi, Russian, Serbian, Spanish, Turkish and Urdu, reflecting Malta’s genuinely diverse resident population and workforce.

L-plates and who’s allowed to teach you

While training, your vehicle must display L-plates at both the front and rear: red plates if you’re training with a private instructor, or green plates if you’re training through a motoring school. You can change instructor or school at any point during your training if you’re not satisfied, simply by completing the relevant change-of-instructor form with Transport Malta.

Foreign residents: what proof of residence looks like

If you’re a foreign resident applying for a Maltese licence, acceptable proof of residence includes a notarised lease agreement for accommodation in Malta or Gozo, a private rental agreement countersigned by a notary or lawyer, or a letter from an educational institution confirming your enrolment dates if you’re an international student. Specific documentation requirements worth preparing in advance of your application.

How your training vehicle instructor gets qualified

Genuinely interesting context: driving instructors must pass an instructional ability test, assessed by an experienced examiner (some with decades of sector experience), before they’re authorized to teach students. Some motoring schools offer this instructor qualification training as a comprehensive, all-inclusive package, occasionally free of charge if the trainee instructor commits to a contract and job with that school afterward, a real parallel to the employer-sponsored routes seen for actual drivers in other countries.

Cancellation policies genuinely matter.

Most Maltese motoring schools require lesson cancellations at least 24 hours in advance; missing this window typically means you still pay the full lesson fee. If you make a mistake applying for your permit online, or change category after fewer than 10 lessons, some schools charge a separate change-of-category fee, commonly around €20, so confirm with your specific school before you commit to a category, since correcting course partway through training carries a real cost.

Where this fits going forward

Category D in Malta offers an accessible route into professional bus driving, with clear costs and a useful CPC-linked age reduction. If you plan to move into professional driving later, check the driver section, browse current vacancies, or see who’s hiring on FastDriver.eu, along with our broader jobs guides. Our Malta driving license and eligibility pages provide the broader picture.

Payment methods accepted by Transport Malta

Worth knowing before your appointment: Transport Malta doesn’t accept cash for driving licence and category-related fees, so check their accepted payment methods in advance to avoid surprises when submitting your application or attending your exam.

Weekend testing costs more.

If you’d rather sit your practical driving test on a Saturday rather than during standard weekday hours, expect to pay meaningfully more; some schools note weekend test fees rising to around €150, including the Transport Malta portion, compared to roughly €95 for a standard weekday slot. If your schedule allows flexibility, testing on a weekday is genuinely more economical.

Declaration

This article is provided for general information only and does not constitute legal or professional advice. Fees, training requirements, and administrative rules can change. Always confirm current requirements with the official Maltese source, Transport Malta, before making decisions. FastDriver.eu accepts no liability for decisions made based on this information.