Malta Motorcycle Theory Test (Category A / AM): What You Need to Pass
There is no separate motorcycle theory test in Malta. You sit the same Transport Malta theory test as a car driver: 45 minutes, 35 multiple-choice questions, 30 correct to pass. What changes is that you apply for it under your motorcycle category and you revise the motorcycle question bank, not the car one. Which category you sit under depends on your age.
Your category is set by your age: AM, A1, A2 or A
Transport Malta's minimum-age table decides which licence you can apply for.
| Category | What it covers | Minimum age |
|---|---|---|
| AM (e-kick scooters) | e-kick scooters | 16 years |
| AM (mopeds and light quadricycles) | mopeds and light quadricycles | 18 years |
| A1 | light motorcycles | 18 years |
| A2 | medium motorcycles | 20 years |
| A | unrestricted motorcycles | 24 years, or 22 years with at least two years' experience on Category A2 |
Read the AM line twice, because it is split. An e-kick scooter is 16, but a moped or light quadricycle is 18. A learner who wants a moped at 16 is asking for the wrong test.
The full A licence also has two routes: sit it at 24, or take progressive access at 22 after at least two years on A2.
Transport Malta's procedure page names these categories but does not publish their engine-size or power limits, so no cc or kW figures are given here.
The exam is the same; the question bank is not
The test takes 45 minutes and is made up of 35 multiple-choice questions; you need 30 correct, about 86%, to pass. Those who pass are given a certificate indicating a pass. The subjects covered are defined in the Fourth Schedule of the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations (SL 65.18).
Transport Malta publishes a separate official question bank for motorcycles: "Motorcycles (Categories A etc.)" in English and "Muturi (Kategoriji A etc.)" in Maltese. If you revise the car bank because it is the one you found first, you are revising a different paper. The same page also links Transport Malta's "Guidelines for the Conducting of Practical Tests categories AM, A1, A2 and A".
Apply: learner's permit first, then the theory test
The route to the licence has five steps: identify an instructor; obtain a Learner's Permit; apply and sit for the Theory Test; submit your application for the Practical Test; sit for the driving ability test.
The learner's permit is applied for online at www.licenzji-xufiera.gov.mt and costs €23.25, paid online. It is issued for three years, and it lets you practise under instruction on all days except Sundays and public holidays.
To apply for the theory test you must be at least 18 years old, be in possession of a Learner's Permit, pay a fee of €30.25, and present your ID card before sitting for the test. One caution: that 18-year floor is stated for the theory test as a whole, while the AM e-kick-scooter entry is 16. If you are applying under AM and you are under 18, confirm your eligibility with the centre before you pay.
Transport Malta states plainly that cash payments are not accepted.
Booking, the centre, and the Gozo sittings
You book by calling the Theory Test Centre on 21 221520.
The centre is at Gwardamangia Hill, Pietà.
Gozo candidates do not have to travel to Pietà: sessions are held every fortnight on a Monday at the NGO Centre, Ministry for Gozo, Triq il-Madonna tar-Rummiena, Xewkija.
If you cannot read the questions yourself, Transport Malta offers reading assistance free of charge, on form DE 002 with a medical certificate, and the assistance is restricted to reading the questions and possible answers in Maltese or English. The final decision on the correct answer stays with you.
After the theory test: instructor, L plates, practical test and licence
You can train through a Licensed Motoring School or a non-licensed Driving Instructor. A non-licensed instructor must be at least 25 years old, must have held a licence covering the category being instructed for at least five years, and must hold insurance endorsement coverage. The vehicle used for instruction must be insured, meet all technical requirements, and carry the letter 'L' in red on a white background on the front and rear: a private instructor's vehicle shows a red L, a motoring school vehicle a green L. Motoring schools keep a Student Record Sheet for the particular category, and all lessons indicated on it must have been taught before you apply; you may change motoring school at any time by completing the Change of Motoring School form, and no fee applies.
The practical test fee is €23.25 on weekdays and €40.00 on a Saturday. For Categories A and B the road-driving part is a minimum of 25 minutes. Arrive more than 15 minutes late and you are marked absent, which costs you the slot and means a fresh application and fee. Passing the driving tests grants a probationary driving licence, valid for three years and subject to the penalty-point system. It is revoked if you accumulate 12 penalty points or more during those three years. A full driving licence for ten years is issued if no penalty points are recorded, or if the points imposed were fewer than 12.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a separate motorcycle theory test in Malta?
No. Transport Malta sets one theory-test format, 45 minutes and 35 multiple-choice questions with 30 correct to pass, and publishes a separate official question bank for motorcycles. You sit the same exam and revise the motorcycle bank.
How many questions are on the Malta motorcycle theory test?
35 multiple-choice questions in 45 minutes. You need 30 correct, about 86%.
What is the minimum age for each motorcycle category?
AM e-kick scooters 16; AM mopeds and light quadricycles 18; A1 18; A2 20; A 24, or 22 with at least two years on A2.
How much does it cost?
The theory-test fee is €30.25. The Learner's Permit you need first is €23.25, paid online. Cash payments are not accepted.
Can I sit the theory test in Maltese?
Yes. Transport Malta publishes the motorcycle question bank in Maltese as "Muturi (Kategoriji A etc.)", and reading assistance is offered in Maltese or English.
Where do I book, and where is the test held?
Call the Theory Test Centre on 21 221520. The centre is at Gwardamangia Hill, Pietà. Gozo sittings are every fortnight on a Monday in Xewkija.
Practise the motorcycle bank before you book
The licence, the fee and the booking are Transport Malta's. The revision is yours, and it starts now. TheoryBuddy runs the official exam format of 35 questions with 30 to pass, in English and Maltese, so you can switch the questions to the language you will sit in.
Sources
- Transport Malta, "Obtaining your driving licence". Every number on this page comes from this Transport Malta page. Archived copy.
- Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations, Subsidiary Legislation 65.18. Cited for the instrument's existence, title and bilingual publication only. The Fourth Schedule is named as the source of the subjects on Transport Malta's own page.