Do you need an EPC? Malta's energy certificate, checked
Malta requires an Energy Performance Certificate on every sale and every letting, with a €5,000 fine for skipping it. Answer two questions to see whether you need one now, what it will cost, and how long it stays valid.
- Required on
- Every sale and let
- Fine for skipping it
- €5,000
- Typical cost
- €150 to €250
- Valid for
- 10 years
Check your own case
Answer the questions above and the verdict appears here, with the deadline and the figures that apply to your case.
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We will email you the EPC checklist: when the certificate is due, what a fair quote looks like, and the questions to ask an assessor before booking one.
When Malta requires an EPC
An Energy Performance Certificate is compulsory whenever a building is constructed, sold or rented out. That makes it the one certificate every Maltese landlord and every vendor eventually needs: there is no sale and no letting, long or short, that lawfully happens without one, and marketing the property without it already puts you on the wrong side of the rule.
The exposure is a fine of €5,000. Against a certificate that costs a fraction of that and lasts a decade, it is the cheapest compliance risk in Maltese property to simply remove.
A small set of buildings is exempt, such as scheduled or protected buildings where compliance would unacceptably alter their character. If you think yours qualifies, confirm it with an assessor before relying on it; the safe default is that the duty applies.
What it costs and where the money goes
A certificate typically costs €150 to €250 all in. Of that, €75 is the Building Regulation Office registration fee, which is fixed; the rest is the assessor's fee for inspecting the property and producing the rating, which is not. That split is worth knowing when you compare quotes: the variable part of the price is the assessor's portion, so two quotes €80 apart differ on the work, not the paperwork.
There is no official tariff for the assessor's side, so quotes genuinely vary. Ask what the price includes: the inspection visit, the registration, and a copy of the certificate itself should all be in it.
Ten years, or until the building changes
A certificate is valid for 10 years from issue, and the same certificate serves successive sales and lettings within that window. A landlord re-letting every year does not need a new EPC each time; the certificate follows the building, not the tenancy.
The practical exception is significant renovation. If the works change the building's energy performance, the certificate no longer describes the building, and a new one is due when you next sell or let.
How to get one
EPCs are issued by registered EPC assessors. The assessor visits the property, surveys the fabric and systems, computes the rating and registers the certificate with the Building Regulation Office. Allow a few days from booking to certificate in hand, and have the property's plans available if you have them; it shortens the survey.
If you cannot find an old certificate, do not pay for a new one blind: an assessor can check whether a valid certificate is already registered for the property before quoting for a fresh survey.
Common questions
- Do I need an EPC to sell my house in Malta?
- Yes. Every sale requires a valid Energy Performance Certificate, and selling without one risks a €5,000 fine. If the property was certified in the last 10 years, that certificate still counts.
- Do I need an EPC to rent out my apartment in Malta?
- Yes. Every letting requires one, the same certificate a sale needs, and it covers successive lettings for its 10 year validity. Registering the lease with the Housing Authority also asks for the EPC, so the two obligations meet.
- How much does an EPC cost in Malta?
- Typically €150 to €250, of which €75 is the fixed Building Regulation Office registration fee. The assessor's portion varies, so it is worth two quotes.
- How long is an EPC valid in Malta?
- 10 years from issue, unless significant renovation changes the building's energy performance in the meantime.
- What is the fine for not having an EPC in Malta?
- Selling or letting without a valid certificate risks a fine of €5,000.
- Who can issue an EPC in Malta?
- A registered EPC assessor. The assessor inspects the property, produces the rating and registers the certificate with the Building Regulation Office.