Europe & UK · Hague Convention Member
We coordinate service of process, court filings, and related legal document delivery in Malta through Malta's Hague Central Authority, as part of our Europe & UK coverage network.
Malta has been a party to the Hague Service Convention since 2011. It has objected to the alternative methods in Article 10 and to consular service except on the sending state's own nationals, so U.S. process is served through the Maltese Central Authority, which arranges service through the Maltese courts.
English and Maltese are both official languages, so U.S. documents in English are generally acceptable for formal service. Malta is an EU member, but the EU's internal service rules don't apply to U.S. process; the Hague Convention does.
We prepare and transmit the formal request to Malta's designated Central Authority, following the Convention's standardized forms and Malta's specific documentation requirements.
Discuss this approach →Before anything is sent, we check Malta's Central Authority requirements — forms, fees, and whether English-language documents are accepted — so the request isn't delayed or rejected on a technicality.
Discuss this approach →Malta and Gozo are served through the same Central Authority, but service on Gozo can take a little longer. Many international companies are registered in Malta; check the Malta Business Registry for the registered address.
Requirements and current conditions can change — always confirm Malta's declarations and Central Authority details on the HCCH status table and check current guidance from the U.S. Department of State's judicial assistance page before committing time and court fees to a particular route.
Some Hague countries object to alternative channels such as service by mail, and U.S. courts generally honor those objections. If you expect to enforce a judgment inside Malta, ask counsel familiar with local law whether the method of service you choose will be respected there — service that satisfies a U.S. court doesn't automatically satisfy a foreign one.
We'll tell you plainly which route looks realistic for your matter, rather than promising an outcome.
Hard-to-serve assignments
Malta is a Hague Service Convention country, and its declarations limit the alternatives to the Central Authority route. We tell you plainly which channels are actually open for Malta, and handle the formal request so it isn't delayed or rejected on a technicality.
Malta is a party to the Hague Service Convention. We prepare the request, the Convention's standard form with its summary of the document, and any translations Malta's Central Authority requires. The Central Authority arranges service under local procedure and returns a certificate confirming whether and how it was made. This usually takes a few months.
According to the HCCH's table of declarations, Malta has expressed opposition to postal channels (Article 10(a)), opposition to service through officials or competent persons (10(b)), and opposition to service by any interested person (10(c)). Because Malta opposes these channels, informal or direct service by a private agent isn't available under the Convention, and U.S. courts generally honor a country's objections. Service goes through the Central Authority. Declarations can change, so confirm them on the HCCH status table before relying on any direct channel.
Once service is completed, Malta's Central Authority returns an Article 6 certificate confirming that service was, or was not, made and why. That certificate is what you file with the court. Malta is a party to the Apostille Convention if you need other documents authenticated for use there.
Before you proceed: Confirm Malta's current declarations on the HCCH status table before you file, and if you expect to enforce a judgment in Malta, ask counsel whether the method of service you choose will be respected by courts there.
The process
We review your case, deadline, and defendant details, and check Malta's declarations, to confirm that the Central Authority route is the right fit.
The documents to be served and the Convention's standard request form with its summary of the document. English is an official language in Malta, so a translation is often unnecessary — we confirm that with the Central Authority.
The completed request goes to the Central Authority Malta has designated to receive Hague requests.
The Central Authority arranges service, or has it carried out through a local court or officer, following Malta's own rules.
The Central Authority completes a certificate confirming whether and how service was made, and returns it for you to file with the court.
Requirements can differ by court and by country, and can change over time — treat this as a general outline, not a checklist for your filing.
Planning your matter
Service through the Central Authority in Malta commonly takes several months.
English is an official language of Malta alongside Maltese, so English documents are generally acceptable; a Maltese translation is rarely needed.
For a defendant in Malta, the Hague request to the Central Authority is the dependable route and returns an official certificate. Mail and private delivery aren't valid there because of its Article 10 objections.
Process Server Global has handled international service of process since 1982, and Malta is one of the 195 nations we serve. We manage the paperwork, translations, routing, and proof of service, so your documents reach Malta through the right channel and come back court-ready.
Request service in MaltaGetting papers served in Malta usually depends on the right people in the right offices. We work with Malta's Central Authority and, where local law allows, coordinate in-country resources so your request doesn't stall on a technicality. If you're considering hiring a single process server directly in Malta, be careful — Malta's declarations and local law determine whether direct service is allowed, and agents may not be authorized under a foreign country's law to serve documents there. Talk to us first, and we'll confirm what's permitted and which route will hold up.
We serve summons, complaints, subpoenas, and other court documents in Malta in line with FRCP Rule 4(f), and return proof of service your court can rely on — typically the Central Authority's certificate under Article 6 of the Convention.
Malta is a contracting party to the Hague Service Convention, so requests can be sent through its designated Central Authority. Check Malta's declarations, including any objections to alternative channels, on the HCCH status table before you file.
Whatever the document, our team has the experience to execute your specific request and route it through the right channel the first time.
Decades of experience working through the correct government and judicial channels — Hague Central Authorities where they apply, diplomatic and court channels where they don't — mean your documents move through the right process, wherever they're headed.
Since 1982, we've built a track record litigators rely on — documented, court-ready service performed to FRCP 4(f) standards.
Need documents served in Malta?
Tell us about your case and deadline, and we'll confirm the right service pathway for Malta.
Request Service in MaltaYes, since October 1, 2011.
Usually not. English is an official language, so English documents are generally acceptable.
Commonly several months through the Central Authority.
No. Malta's Article 10 objections rule out mail and private agents, so service goes through the Central Authority.
No. U.S. process is served under the Hague Convention, not the EU's internal service rules.
Our fees for Malta are as follows. Formal service of process: $800 (estimated). Per defendant, per address. Estimated; Central Authority or government fees, where charged, are additional. International rush delivery: Call for pricing. Translation: $0.38 per word. Proper nouns aren't translated. Status update: $350 per update. For matters where an update needs an in-person status check. Tell us about your matter and we'll confirm the total before you commit.
Send us PDF copies of the documents to be served, the defendant's name, an up-to-date address for service (or ask about a skip trace if you don't have one), and your preferred speed and method of service.
Last updated: September 24, 2026
This page provides general information based on treaty membership status and is not legal advice. Requirements can vary by case and change over time — contact us to confirm current procedures for Malta.
