Market Hawkers
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Market Hawkers


A licence is required for an individual to act as a Market Hawker in terms of Subsidiary Legislation 441.07 - Trading Licences Regulations.

A Market Hawker is an individual who is licensed to sell by retail from any allocated site within the precincts of an open-air market.

A Licence issued by the Trade Licensing Unit, within the Commerce Department, shall indicate the Market Hawker as a non-food licence Hawker or as a food-related items licence Hawker.  In the case that the activity concerns the selling of food items prior approval by the Health Authorities must be obtained. The Environmental Health Directorate can be contacted on 21337333 or by email mhi@gov.mt ​​

To obtain a Market Hawker Licence, an individual should make an application on the appropriate Form (B) to the Trade Licensing Unit.  The application form is available online.  

A Market Hawker using a motor vehicle to carry out his commercial activity shall have premises available where to garage the motor vehicle and store his goods.  The address of the premises used for this purpose must be clearly indicated on the application.  Any change in the vehicle or garage has to be notified to the Trade Licensing Unit within ten (10) working days after the change occurs.  An application cannot be accepted and processed by the Trade Licensing Unit if the address of the garage or any other address for the store where goods are to be stored are not given.  The Trade Licensing Unit has the right to inspect such premises and to demand any documentation that proves the ownership of the premises when the application indicates the use of such premises by more than one licensee.

The use and provision of public utilities is prohibited.

A licence issued for a Market Hawker is a personal licence which is not transferable and does not permit anybody else to act instead of the licensee.

However, a licence in relation to a Market Hawker operating at the open-air market in Merchants Street, Valletta; Marsaxlokk (daily open-air market except Sunday), it-Tokk Victoria, Gozo and in relation to a kiosk may be transferred subject:

(a)    to the payment of a fee of €1,000.00 to the relevant authority (provided that such fee shall not be due when the transfer is made in favour of a husband or wife, or any person in the direct descending line, including adopted children, through an inter vivos or causa mortis transmission, on proof of the family relationship to the existing licence holder);

(b)   that no change is made in the category and condition of licence issued to the previous licensee; and

(c)    that the transferee makes a declaration to the relevant authority that he is not in possession of another post or stall in the same market or in any other market.


Authorisation from the Local Councils:

 A market hawker shall not carry out such activity unless, in relation to a specific open-air market, he has been given the authorization by the Local Council of the locality where the market is situated and so allocated one post in the aforesaid market.  Furthermore, a market hawker shall not be in possession of more than one authorization for a post in a market that operates in the same day and time.

Cessation of commercial activity:

Where a market hawker decides to cease carrying out his commercial activity, he should immediately notify the Trade Licensing Unit on the appropriate form.

The licence issued to the Market Hawker shall, together with the last receipt of the paid licence, be displayed in a conspicuous place by the Licensee when conducting his or her commercial activity. 

Appeal:

Should an application be refused and the applicant feels aggrieved by the decision of the Trade Licensing Unit or the Local Council, he may file an appeal in writing to the Licensing Appeals Board within ten (10) working days from the date of notification, in accordance with the provisions of Part VI of the Trading Licences Regulations SL441.07​ The appeal can be sent to tradelicenceapplications@gov.mt or to Commerce Department, Trade services and Projects Directorate, Lascaris Bastions, Daħlet Ġnien is-Sultan, Valletta, VLT1933, Malta. Any person making an appeal to the Board shall, upon filing of such appeal, pay a fee of fifty-eight euro (€58)

Licence Fee:

€40 every three (3) years and to act as a market hawker from a fixed site in the open-air market in Valletta or Marsaxlokk (daily open-air market except Sunday) or Victoria, Gozo: €60 every three (3) years

Enquiries can be directed to tradelicenceapplications@gov.mt or by telephone on 25690100 or 21226688​during the normal working hours.

Date of last update: 27/05/2021