Small business website in Malta
What a small business website in Malta should include, what it costs and how to get one live fast.
Websites · Domains
.mt, .com.mt or .com?
Registering a domain in Malta
Before a new website can go live, you need its address. For a business in Malta that usually means choosing between yourname.mt, yourname.com.mt and yourname.com, and then working out who registers it, what it costs and whose name goes on it. The choice is easy to get right and annoying to change later, because every business card, van, invoice and Google profile ends up printed with it. This guide explains the options, the rules and fees published by NIC(Malta), the registry for .mt, how Google treats each ending, and the steps to register a domain in your own business’s name. We checked every fee and rule on 31 October 2026.
Short answer
For a business whose customers are mainly in Malta, yourname.mt or yourname.com.mt both tell Google and customers the site is for Malta. A .mt is shorter; a .com.mt is the familiar older style; a .com suits export. Registering directly with NIC(Malta) costs €20 in the first year, then €10 a year. Malta Digital connects it to your website, registered in your business’s name.
Key takeaways
- Should a Malta business use .mt or .com.mt? Both target Malta. yourname.mt is shorter and easier to say and print, and yourname.com.mt is the older, familiar style. Many businesses register both and point one to the other.
- How much does a .mt domain cost? Registering directly with NIC(Malta), a .mt or .com.mt costs €20 in the first year, which is €10 set-up plus €10, then €10 a year or €18 for two years. Registrars set their own prices.
- Can a foreign company register a .mt domain? Yes. NIC(Malta)’s policy says there is no requirement for the holder to be established in Malta. A yourname.mt holder must be the entity that will use it.
The options
.mt, .com.mt, .com or .eu: what each one is.
Malta’s country code is .mt, and it is run by NIC(Malta). For years Maltese businesses could only register under a category, such as yourname.com.mt. Since 1 December 2017 you can also register directly under .mt, so yourname.mt is shorter. Both are “Malta” domains, and both are still available.
The NIC policy sets out the categories: com.mt is for those operating on a commercial basis, org.mt for non-profit organisations, net.mt for internet network service providers, edu.mt for education institutions recognised by the Ministry for Education, and gov.mt for the Government. Outside the .mt family, .com is the generic ending used worldwide, and .eu is the European Union’s ending, run by EURid.
| Feature | .mt | .com.mt | .com | .eu |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Who runs it | NIC(Malta) | NIC(Malta) | Verisign, sold by registrars | EURid, sold by registrars |
| Who can register | Any legal entity that will use it, no need to be in Malta | Commercial users; you declare the right to use the name | Anyone | EU/EEA citizens, residents and organisations |
| Signal to Google | Targets Malta | Targets Malta | Generic, no country | Treated as generic |
| Good for | Short brand, Malta customers | Firms already known by a .com.mt | Customers abroad, or Malta plus export | EU-wide audience |
| Price | €20 first year, then €10 (NIC direct) | €20 first year, then €10 (NIC direct) | Set by the registrar | Set by the registrar |
Which to choose
Which ending suits your business?
If almost all your customers are in Malta, a Malta domain is a natural fit. Google’s guidance on international sites says country-code domains are a strong signal to users and search engines that a site is meant for a particular country, and .mt is not on Google’s list of country codes it treats as generic, such as .io, .co and .me. That does not make a .mt rank higher by itself, but it tells Google and customers who the site is for.
Between the two Malta options, yourname.mt is shorter and easier to say on the phone and read off a van. yourname.com.mt is the older, familiar style, and many established Maltese firms use it. If you sell abroad, or plan to, a .com keeps you neutral, because Google treats generic endings as not tied to any country. Google treats .eu as generic too.
For many small businesses the best answer is not either-or. Register the version you will print, then also register the obvious alternatives, such as the .com.mt and .com of the same name, and point them to your main site. It costs little and stops someone else from taking them.
Who can register
Who can register a .mt domain?
The rules depend on the level. For a second-level name, such as yourname.mt, the NIC policy says the holder must be the legal entity that will use it. For a third-level name, such as yourname.com.mt, the holder declares that they have the right to use the label, for example as a trade mark or a trade or business name under Maltese law. Under both, the policy says there is no requirement for the holder to be established in Malta.
Some names are reserved and cannot be registered, including mt, malta, co, registry, dns, whois and domain. A sole trader can register in their own name, and a limited company should register in the company’s name. For a .eu, EURid’s rules limit registration to EU and EEA citizens, residents and organisations established there, and you register through an accredited registrar, not EURid directly.
Costs
What a .mt domain costs.
NIC(Malta) publishes fixed fees when you register with it directly. A new domain is registered for one year, and the first-year fee is a one-time set-up charge of €10 plus the annual fee. For .mt, .com.mt and .net.mt that is €20 in the first year, then €10 a year, or €18 for two years. For .org.mt and .edu.mt it is €15, then €5 a year or €9 for two years.
Three rules from the same page are worth knowing. Fees for a new domain should be paid within one month of registration, or the domain may be suspended or cancelled. Renewals become due two months before expiry and should be paid before it. And fees are not refundable, even if you stop using the domain early. You can also register a .mt through a registrar, who sets its own price and may bundle DNS and email. For a .com, prices are set by each registrar, so compare the renewal price, not just the first-year offer.
| Domain | First year (set-up + 1 year) | Renew 1 year | Renew 2 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| yourname.mt | €20 (€10 + €10) | €10 | €18 |
| yourname.com.mt | €20 (€10 + €10) | €10 | €18 |
| yourname.net.mt | €20 (€10 + €10) | €10 | €18 |
| yourname.org.mt | €15 (€10 + €5) | €5 | €9 |
| yourname.edu.mt | €15 (€10 + €5) | €5 | €9 |
Step by step
How to register a .mt domain in your name.
You can register directly with NIC(Malta) or through a registrar. Going direct, the process is online. In August 2026 NIC announced that applications are now handled fully online, with checks on applications and verification of the contact number, linked to the EU’s NIS2 cybersecurity rules.
NIC does not sell hosting, DNS or email, so the domain alone does not give you a website or an inbox. That part comes from your web designer, hosting company or email provider.
| Step | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1. Check the name | Use the whois search on nic.org.mt to see whether yourname.mt and yourname.com.mt are free. |
| 2. Create your Handle | A Handle is your contact record at NIC. Fill in the online form; NIC vets it, then you set a password and verify your phone number by call or SMS. |
| 3. Apply for the domain | Submit the domain application with your Handle as the holder and choose who acts as each agent. |
| 4. Pay the first fee | Pay within one month, by Visa or Mastercard, so the domain is not suspended. |
| 5. Point it to your website | NIC’s portal only sets nameservers. DNS records, the website and email are hosted elsewhere, by your hosting or email provider. |
Choosing a domain for a new website?
Apply now and tell us your business name and who your customers are. We’ll suggest the domain and set-up we’d use, registered in your name, or message us on WhatsApp.
Ownership
Keep the domain in your business’s name.
Each .mt domain has a holder, which owns it, and three agent roles: an administrative agent, a billing agent who receives the payment reminders, and a technical agent who handles the technical side. The holder should always be your business, never your web designer. If a designer registers the domain in their own name and later disappears, you may lose your address and every link to it.
NIC’s Handles page also says the administrative agent’s details are always shown publicly in the whois, so use a role email such as admin@yourname.mt rather than a personal one. Keep the billing agent’s email one that someone reads, because a missed renewal reminder is the most common way small businesses lose a domain. If you want someone else to manage the technical side, make them the technical agent, not the holder.
Changing domain
Already have a website on another domain?
Switching from, say, an old .com to a new .mt is possible without losing your Google traffic, if it is done properly. Google’s advice for a site move is to redirect every old address to its new equivalent with permanent 301 redirects, keep the old domain renewed, and use the Change of Address tool in Search Console. Expect rankings to wobble for a while as Google processes the move.
If you only want the new ending for printing on a van, you do not need to move at all: register it and redirect it to your existing site. Moving domains is a common part of a website redesign, and our redesign guide covers the rest of that checklist.
Proof
From no website to 395 WhatsApp taps.
A furniture assembly and installation business came to us with no website, a Facebook page with an empty intro and 858 views in the previous 28 days. We built a mobile website made for quotes on WhatsApp, rebuilt their Facebook and Instagram, and ran Meta ads that open a WhatsApp chat or a phone call.
In the first 28 days, Facebook views went to 154.1K, and €346.75 of ad spend brought 395 WhatsApp taps, 10 phone calls and 1,158 page visits. The website was the place every one of those people landed, so it had to load fast on a phone and make the next step obvious.
Got the domain, now need the website? Message us on WhatsApp
How we do it
How we handle domains on a new website.
We help you choose the ending, check the name, and make sure the domain is registered in your business’s name with you as the holder. We then connect it to the new website and set up the redirects from the alternative endings and any old domain. Domains, hosting and email are quoted separately unless your written scope says they are included.
Our websites start from €990 excluding VAT for the Professional Website, with the Business Website from €2,490 and the Growth Website from €4,900. Each one is built fast and mobile-first, with your Google profile, WhatsApp and call buttons connected from day one.
A few straight answers
What you might be wondering.
Should a Malta business use .mt or .com.mt?
Both target Malta. yourname.mt is shorter and easier to say and print, and yourname.com.mt is the older, familiar style. Many businesses register both and point one to the other.
How much does a .mt domain cost?
Registering directly with NIC(Malta), a .mt or .com.mt costs €20 in the first year, which is €10 set-up plus €10, then €10 a year or €18 for two years. Registrars set their own prices.
Can a foreign company register a .mt domain?
Yes. NIC(Malta)’s policy says there is no requirement for the holder to be established in Malta. A yourname.mt holder must be the entity that will use it.
Is a .mt domain better than .com for Google?
A country-code domain such as .mt tells Google the site is meant for Malta, which helps if your customers are here. It does not guarantee higher rankings. If you sell abroad, a .com is neutral.
Who should own my domain?
Your business, as the holder. Your web designer can be the technical agent, but the domain should be registered in your business’s name so you never lose it.
Does NIC(Malta) provide hosting or email?
No. NIC only registers the domain and lets you set nameservers. The website, DNS records and email are hosted by other providers.
Can Malta Digital register my domain?
We help you register it in your business’s name and connect it to your new website. Domains are quoted separately from websites, which start from €990 excluding VAT.
Keep reading
Related guides.
Website cost calculator
Answer five questions to see your starting price from €990, with VAT, your running costs and what pushes the price up.
Website redesign in Malta
When your site needs a redesign, what to keep, how redirects protect your Google rankings, and what it costs.
A useful first step
Ready to put your new domain to work?
We make sure the domain is in your business’s name, connect it to a fast new website and redirect the other endings. Websites from €990, excluding VAT; domains quoted separately.