👶 Up to what height does my child need a car seat in Malta?

With conditions

Quick answer

Yes — as long as the child is under 150 cm or has not turned 12, a suitable child restraint is required. The most common myth in Malta is that "after 135 cm the ordinary belt is enough". Many European countries use 135 cm, but Malta uses 150 cm: a child between 135 and 150 cm needs a restraint if in the front, and if none is available may sit in the back on the adult belt. A child under 3 years may never travel on the adult belt, and a car without a safety system cannot carry one. The restraint must match the child's weight (Groups 0 to III), and babies stay rear-facing until at least 15 months; if placed in the front facing rearward, the airbag must be switched off.

📋 The rules

A child under 150 cm or under 12 years needs a child restraint suited to their weight and height.
A baby under 3 years cannot travel in a car without a safety system, and no adult belt counts for them.
Babies are kept rear-facing until at least 15 months; on a front seat facing rearward, the airbag must be off.
A child between 135 and 150 cm needs a restraint as a front passenger; if none is available, they may sit in the back on the adult belt.
Restraints are split by weight into Groups 0 to III (Group III is 22–36 kg) and must be approved for use in the EU.

🔓 Exceptions

On minivans and coaches children must always use an available safety system.
Once the child passes 150 cm or turns 12, they may use the adult belt alone.
A child between 135 and 150 cm left without an available restraint may sit in the back and use the adult belt.

⚠️ Penalties & fines

Responsibility rests with the driver, not the child or a parent who is not in the car: whoever is driving answers for every small passenger who is not properly restrained. Failing to restrain a child is a contravention under the Motor Vehicles (Wearing of Seat Belts) Regulations (S.L. 65.12), and not wearing a belt adds 2 penalty points; the exact fine is set in those regulations and is not a single headline figure on a website. The worst consequence is not the fine but the injury: in a crash an unrestrained child can be struck by the airbag or thrown from the seat, and the insurer can cut the payout if the restraint was not up to the law. A second-hand or wrong-size seat leaves the child unprotected even when you technically "have a seat", and that does not count as compliance.

📎 Official sources

Last verified: 2026-07-12

❓ Frequently asked

Up to what height does a child need a car seat?

In Malta a child needs a restraint until they reach 150 cm or turn 12, whichever comes first. That is higher than the 135 cm many European countries use, so a 140 cm child in Malta still needs the seat or booster.

Can the child sit in the front?

They can, but a child between 135 and 150 cm must use a restraint when in the front, and a baby facing rearward needs the airbag switched off. The back seat on the passenger side stays the safest place for a rear-facing seat.

What is the fine if the child is not restrained?

Failing to restrain a child is a contravention under the seat-belt regulations (S.L. 65.12), and not wearing a belt adds 2 penalty points. The fine itself is set in those regulations, and responsibility rests on the driver, not the child.

Can I use a second-hand or "all ages" seat?

Better not. A second-hand seat may have been damaged in a crash or have missing parts you cannot see, and a seat that claims to fit all ages rarely holds well at the extremes. Buy a seat for the child's current weight and height, then move up a size.

Does the restraint need special approval?

Yes, the seat should be approved for use in the EU and match the child's weight group, from Group 0 for babies to Group III (22–36 kg). The European approval marks (R44/04 or R129 i-Size) show that the seat meets the standards in force.

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