Applying for an SOV Operator Licence

An SOV Operator Licence – Special Occasion Vehicles is for operators providing eligible pre-booked passenger transport services using vehicles authorised as Special Occasion Vehicles.

SOV services must be pre-booked, and vehicles authorised under an SOV Operator Licence cannot operate through intermediary booking platforms.

An SOV Operator Licence may have one (1) or more authorised vehicles.

Additional requirements apply where five (5) or more vehicles are authorised under the SOV Operator Licence.

An SOV Operator Licence is valid for one (1) year and must be renewed annually.

The process is carried out in two stages:

Stage 1 – Obtain the SOV Operator Licence
The applicant must first apply for and obtain approval for the Operator Licence.

The requirements applicable at this stage depend on the number of vehicles the applicant intends to authorise under the SOV Operator Licence.

Where the applicant intends to authorise five (5) or more vehicles, additional requirements relating to garaging facilities, tax compliance and financial standing apply.

Stage 2 – Add and Authorise the Vehicle(s)
Once the Operator Licence has been approved, the operator may apply to add and authorise the vehicle(s) that will operate under that licence.

An SOV Operator Licence may have one (1) or more authorised vehicles.

A vehicle may not be used to provide light passenger transport services until it has been duly authorised under the Operator Licence and all applicable vehicle and driver requirements have been satisfied.

Stage 1 – Apply for the SOV Operator Licence

Step 1 – Complete Form LPTS001

Complete Form LPTS001 and select SOV Operator Licence as the licence category.

The application may be submitted by an sole-trader or an undertaking/company.

Where the application is being made on behalf of a company, the applicable company details and the details of the managing partner or authorised representative must also be provided.

Step 2 – Provide the Operating Centre

The applicant must provide details of the Operating Centre from which the passenger transport operation will be managed.

The Operating Centre is the administrative office from which the operator coordinates and controls the passenger transport services and where the relevant records relating to the operation are kept.

The address of the Operating Centre will also be used as the correspondence address for the Operator Licence.

Operating Centre vs Garaging Facility

The Operating Centre and Garaging Facility serve different purposes.

The Operating Centre is where the business and its passenger transport operations are administered.

The Garaging Facility is the approved off-street location where the vehicles authorised under the Operator Licence are to be garaged when they are not in use.

Step 3 – Provide the Garaging Facility/Facilities

The applicant must have sufficient garaging capacity for the number of vehicles they intend to authorise under the Operator Licence.

All garaging facilities that will be used under the Operator Licence must be declared on Form LPTS001 and must be available for the exclusive use of the operator.

For each garaging facility, the applicant must provide the applicable supporting documentation.

If the Garaging Facility is Leased

The applicant shall provide:

a copy of the lease agreement; and
a copy of the Identity Card of the property owner.

For an SOV Operator Licence, the lease agreement must cover the full one-year validity period of the Operator Licence.

If the Garaging Facility is Owned

The applicant shall provide documentary proof of ownership (contract of purchase).

The applicable site plan and other documentation required by Form LPTS001 must also be submitted for each garaging facility.

Step 4 – Additional Requirements Where Five or More Vehicles Will be Authorised

Where the applicant intends to authorise five (5) or more vehicles under the SOV Operator Licence, additional requirements apply.

The applicant must provide:

Form LPTS011 – Declaration by a Warranted Architect for each garaging facility, confirming its vehicle capacity;
a valid Planning Authority Development Permit for each garaging facility, confirming that the premises are authorised for use as a public service garage;
a valid Tax Compliance Certificate; and
an Auditor’s Declaration confirming Financial Good Standing.

The combined approved capacity of all garaging facilities declared under the Operator Licence must be sufficient for the number of vehicles the operator intends to authorise.

These additional requirements do not apply where fewer than five (5) vehicles will be authorised under the SOV Operator Licence.

Step 5 – Driver Registration

A completed Form LPTS010 must be submitted as applicable.

Where the operator will personally drive an authorised vehicle, the operator must also be included as a driver.

All drivers who will operate vehicles under the Operator Licence must satisfy the applicable legal requirements and must hold a valid Transport Malta Driver Permit/Tag before driving an authorised vehicle.

Where there are no drivers registered at the application stage, this must be declared on Form LPTS010. Drivers must subsequently be registered with Transport Malta before operations commence.

Follow this link for information on Driver Permit/Tag Requirements.

Step 6 – Prepare the Required Supporting Documentation

The completed LPTS001 must be accompanied by all applicable supporting documentation.

Depending on whether the application is being made by an individual or a company, the documents required may include:

copy of the applicant’s Identity Card or Residence Permit;
VAT documentation;
Form LPTS010;
documentation relating to the Operating Centre;
the required site plan for each garaging facility;
lease agreement and property owner’s Identity Card where a garaging facility is leased;
documentary proof of ownership where a garaging facility is owned;
Jobsplus documentation, as applicable;
foreign criminal record documentation, where applicable; and
company documentation and authorisations, where the application is being submitted on behalf of a company.

Where the applicant intends to authorise five (5) or more vehicles, the additional documentation specified in Step 4 must also be submitted.

Applicants should refer to the document checklist contained in the latest version of Form LPTS001 to ensure that all documentation applicable to their application is submitted.

Incomplete applications will not be processed until all applicable requirements have been satisfied.

Step 7 – Pay the Application Fee

The application fee for an Operator Licence is: €200

This fee relates to the application for the Operator Licence.

Separate fees apply when vehicles are subsequently added and authorised under the Operator Licence.

Step 8 – Submit the Application

Submit the completed and signed Form LPTS001, together with all applicable supporting documentation and the required application fee, to Transport Malta.

Transport Malta will assess the application and may request further information or documentation where required.

Applications are to be submitted at the Operations & Projects Unit, Transport Malta, A3 Towers, Triq l-Arkata, Paola. For address and opening times check here.

Step 9 – Approval and Issue of the Operator Licence

Once Transport Malta is satisfied that the applicable requirements have been met, the application may be approved and the SOV Operator Licence issued.

Important

The issue of an Operator Licence does not, on its own, authorise a vehicle to provide light passenger transport services.

Once the Operator Licence has been approved, the operator must proceed to Stage 2 and apply to add and authorise the vehicle or vehicles that will operate under the licence.

Stage 2 – Add and Authorise Your Vehicle(s)

Step 10 – Apply to Add the Vehicle(s)

Once the SOV Operator Licence has been approved, the operator may apply to add and authorise the vehicle or vehicles that will operate under the licence.

This is done through Form LPTS005.

An SOV Operator Licence may have one (1) or more authorised vehicles.

The applicable documentation must be submitted with Form LPTS005.

The following fees apply when adding vehicle(s):

€50 for each vehicle added under the Operator Licence; and
€25 for the reissue of the Operator Licence certificate.

The Operator Licence certificate lists the registration numbers of the vehicles authorised under the licence. Therefore, whenever a vehicle is added or removed, the Operator Licence certificate must be reissued to reflect the updated list of authorised vehicles.

Example: Where five (5) vehicles are being added following approval of a new SOV Operator Licence, the applicable fees are €250 for the addition of the five vehicles (€50 per vehicle), plus €25 for the reissue of the Operator Licence certificate.

Where the addition of a vehicle brings the total number of authorised vehicles under the SOV Operator Licence to five (5) or more, the additional requirements applicable at the five-vehicle threshold must be satisfied.

For guidance on how to add a vehicle to an Operator Licence, follow this link.

Step 11 – Before Starting Operations

Before any vehicle is used to provide light passenger transport services, the operator must ensure that all applicable requirements have been satisfied.

In particular:

the Operator Licence must be valid;
the vehicle must have been added and authorised under the Operator Licence;
the applicable vehicle registration and licensing requirements must have been completed;
the driver must be registered with Transport Malta under the Operator Licence;
the driver must hold a valid Transport Malta Driver Permit/Tag;
the applicable vehicle-to-driver requirements must be satisfied;
the approved garaging facilities must remain available to the operator and provide sufficient capacity for the authorised vehicles; and
where applicable, the additional requirements for SOV Operator Licences with five (5) or more authorised vehicles must continue to be satisfied;
the vehicle must only be used for eligible pre-booked SOV services;
the vehicle must not operate through an intermediary booking platform; and
the operator, vehicle and driver must comply with all applicable operating requirements.

Do not commence operations with a vehicle until the vehicle has been duly authorised under the Operator Licence.

After Your SOV Operator Licence is Issued

Transport Malta must be informed of applicable changes affecting the Operator Licence, including adding or removing authorised vehicles, adding or removing garaging facilities, changing the Operating Centre, changing Operator Licence details, changing the Operator Licence category, and registering or updating drivers.

Form LPTS005 is used for applicable changes to the Operator Licence, authorised vehicles and garaging facilities.

Form LPTS010 is used to register or update drivers employed or commissioned by the operator.

For guidance on how to make changes to an Existing Operator Licence, follow this link.

Renewal of an SOV Operator Licence

An SOV Operator Licence is valid for one (1) years.

The licence must be renewed before it expires. Operators must ensure that the applicable requirements continue to be satisfied at renewal stage.

For guidance on how to Renew an Operator Licence, follow this link.

Relevant Forms

LPTS001 – Application for the Issue or Renewal of a Light Passenger Transport Services Operator Licence
LPTS005 – Application for Changes to an Operator Licence for Light Passenger Transport Services
LPTS010 – Registration of Drivers Employed or Commissioned by the Operator for the Carriage of Passengers
LPTS011 - Declaration by a Warranted Architect

Always use the latest version of the applicable forms by downloading them from Transport NMalwebsite.

Need More Information?

For further information on SOV Operator Licences, vehicles, drivers, garaging facilities, parking requirements, booking platforms and other operating requirements, consult the Frequently Asked Questions.

Page last updated: 24/07/2026