Malta at a glance
Malta is one of the EU jurisdictions founders most often use today, especially while the EU-wide 28th Regime (EU Inc) is still a proposal. Below are the verified essentials: company types, tax, capital, timing and whether you can set up remotely.
Company types in Malta
- Ltd (private limited liability company) The standard Maltese company by shares: 1 to 50 shareholders, limited liability, with a company secretary and at least one director.
| Corporate tax | 35% headline rate, but Malta’s full imputation system gives shareholders a 6/7 refund on distributed trading profits, bringing the effective rate to roughly 5% for non-resident or foreign-owned trading companies (the refund is lower for passive or royalty income). |
|---|---|
| VAT rate | Standard VAT is 18%, with reduced rates of 12%, 7% and 5%. |
| Minimum share capital | EUR 1,164.69 (about EUR 1,165) for a private company, of which at least 20% (about EUR 233) must be paid up before registration. |
| Setup time | About 3 to 7 business days; registration with the Malta Business Registry alone can be done in 1 to 2 days, with banking and tax/VAT registration adding time. |
| Remote setup | Yes. Incorporation can be completed remotely, typically within a few working days for EU citizens. |
| Director / residency | No strict residency requirement, but a local director is recommended to keep management and control in Malta. A minimum of one director, one shareholder and a company secretary is required. |
| Banking options | Local bank account opening can be slow and is the main bottleneck; EMIs are commonly used alongside or instead of traditional Maltese banks. |
| Our formation service | from around €100 to €200 (estimated). You get a fixed quote in your free plan before you commit. |
The effective ~5% tax via the shareholder refund makes Malta a popular EU holding and trading base. English is an official language and company law is common-law influenced. Annual audited accounts are mandatory.
How to register a company in Malta
The process is straightforward and, in Malta, largely digital. In outline:
- Choose your company type and name. Most founders pick the Ltd (private limited); we confirm the name is available.
- Verify your identity. Yes. Incorporation can be completed remotely, typically within a few working days for EU citizens.
- File the incorporation. Once documents are signed, registration usually completes in around 3-7 days.
- Open a business account and register for tax/VAT. Local bank account opening can be slow and is the main bottleneck; EMIs are commonly used alongside or instead of traditional Maltese banks.
We handle each step with licensed local counsel, so the paperwork, registered address and filings are done correctly the first time.
Form your Maltese company in days
Tell us where you live and what you are building. Our formation service starts from around €100 to €200 (estimated); we confirm the right structure for Malta, give you a fixed quote, and form the company with licensed counsel.
Get your free planWho can form a company in Malta
Founders from outside the EU can own and run a Maltese company, with the cross-border requirements handled for you. We flag any residency or local-agent rule for Malta up front, so there are no surprises.
Malta and the 28th Regime (EU Inc)
EU Inc, the proposed 28th Regime, would let you register one company valid across all 27 EU member states. It is not law yet (expected around 2027-2028), so a Maltese company is one of the ready options you can use today. Forming an EU company now also positions you to adopt EU Inc later, as we cover in how to prepare an EU Inc company. To weigh Malta against other countries, see company formation in Europe.