🚭 Can I smoke in public places in Malta?

With conditions

Quick answer

No — not in enclosed public places. Under the Tobacco (Smoking Control) Act, Cap 315, smoking is banned in all enclosed public places and workplaces — bars, restaurants, shops, offices, hospitals and schools — as well as on all public transport (buses, taxis, ferries). It is also an offence to smoke in a car carrying a minor under 16, and in school yards, playgrounds and public gardens with children's play equipment. The myth: that Malta "banned smoking on all beaches" — it did not. From 1 January 2026, through Legal Notice 204 of 2025, smoking became an offence on just two beaches — Golden Bay (il-Bajja tal-Mixquqa) and Ramla l-Ħamra — with a €150 fine, outside the designated smoking areas. Otherwise you can still smoke in open areas and in designated hotel rooms. The age to buy tobacco is 18.

📋 The rules

Smoking is banned in all enclosed public places and workplaces under Cap 315.
It is also banned on public transport and in a car carrying a minor under 16.
It further applies in school yards, playgrounds and public gardens with play equipment.
From 1 January 2026 smoking is banned on Golden Bay and Ramla l-Ħamra with a €150 fine (LN 204 of 2025).
The minimum age to buy tobacco products is 18.

🔓 Exceptions

You may smoke in designated hotel rooms and in designated smoking rooms in casinos.
Open-air areas (except playgrounds, gardens with children's equipment and the two named beaches) are not covered by the general ban.
On the two restricted beaches, smoking is still allowed only in the physically designated smoking areas.

⚠️ Penalties & fines

Smoking where it is prohibited is not just a warning. The Tobacco Act sets a fine that — as the euro equivalent of the original lira penalties (Lm100–Lm500) — starts at about €232.94 and can reach €1,164.69 for a first conviction, with a daily addition if the breach continues; a second conviction can add up to 3 months in prison. Anyone smoking in a car with a minor under 16 faces a fine of not less than €50. On Golden Bay or Ramla l-Ħamra the fine is €150. The owner of a bar or establishment that lets customers smoke indoors carries a heavier responsibility and can see their licence put at risk. Beyond the fine, enforcement is carried out by environmental health inspectors, and repeated breaches leave a mark on the business permit and can raise insurance and compliance costs.

📎 Official sources

Last verified: 2026-07-12

❓ Frequently asked

Can I smoke on the beach in Malta?

On most beaches yes, but not on Golden Bay and Ramla l-Ħamra: from 1 January 2026 smoking is banned on these two beaches with a €150 fine. Outside these two spots, there is no general ban on smoking on Maltese beaches.

Can I smoke in a car with children?

No if there is a minor under 16 in the car — that is an offence carrying a fine of not less than €50. The rule applies whether or not the window is open, and its purpose is to protect children from passive smoke in an enclosed space.

Is smoking banned in bars and restaurants?

Yes, in every enclosed public place including bars, restaurants, clubs and offices. Some establishments may have an open-air smoking area or a designated room, but indoors in the enclosed space smoking is banned and the owner is responsible for enforcing the rule.

How much is the fine for smoking where you should not?

For a first conviction the fine starts at about €232.94 and can reach €1,164.69, which are the euro equivalents of the original lira penalties. Repeated breaches can even bring up to three months in prison, while on the two restricted beaches the fixed fine is €150.

Did Malta really ban smoking on all beaches?

No — that is a common exaggeration. The January 2026 ban applies only to two beaches, Golden Bay and Ramla l-Ħamra, and not to all the others. There is public support for a wider ban, but that is still opinion and not law.

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