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Authorisation to Carry out the Activity of a Bulk LPG Distributor

Last updated Oct 8, 2025

Authorisation to Carry out the Activity of a Bulk LPG Distributor

1.1: Application for the Grant, Renewal or Transfer of an Authorisation to Carry out the Activity of a Bulk LPG Distributor

The Regulator for Energy and Water Services issues authorisations to persons to distribute bulk LPG in accordance with the Liquified Petroleum Gas Market Regulations – S.L. 545.20.

A “bulk LPG distributor” is defined as a person who in terms of an authorisation issued by the Regulator is authorised to transport and, or distribute LPG in bulk and, or retail LPG in bulk to authorised facilities and, or to wholesale, transport and, or distribute LPG in bulk to an Autogas retail station;

A “bulk LPG distributor vehicle” is defined as a vehicle (including its contents) as defined in the Motor Vehicles (Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road) Regulations, designated for the purpose of transporting and, or distributing LPG to authorised facilities, secondary storage facilities of LPG and Autogas retail stations.

Any person (including any legal person) that intends to:

  • Carry out the activity of a bulk LPG distributor;
  • Renew an existing authorisation to carry out the activity of a bulk LPG distributor;
  • Transfer an existing authorisation to carry out the activity of a bulk LPG distributor to a third party;

is required to apply in writing to the Regulator for Energy and Water Services and be in possession of an authorisation issued by the Regulator under these regulations prior to providing and offering such a service, and operating such a system, and carrying out the service activity and the exercise thereof.

Prospective applicants are invited to refer to the specimen authorisation to carry out the activity of a bulk LPG distributor and the general authorisation conditions to carry out the activity of a bulk LPG distributor to have a clear idea of the authorisations issued by the REWS.

Application for an Authorisation to Operate, Renew or Transfer of an authorisation to carry out the activity of a bulk LPG distributor

Application e-Form for a Bulk LPG Distributor.
Application Form for a Bulk LPG Distributor (English Version) REWS/051/v11-03-5/22

1.2: Application to Add/Remove a Bulk LPG Vehicle

Any authorised provider is also required to submit an application to the Regulator for Energy and Water Services in the event that he wishes to add/remove a vehicle to the fleet of the authorised bulk LPG vehicles.

Application Form

Application e-Form for a Bulk LPG Distributor.
Application Form for a Bulk LPG Distributor (English Version) REWS/051/v11-03-5/22

2: Legal References

Liquified Petroleum Gas Market Regulations – S.L. 545.20

Note: Applicants are advised to engage a competent person in LPG technology to assist them in submission of the application form.

3: Means of Authentication, Identification and Signature

  • Details / number of the Identity card or passport of the applicant;
  • In the case of a legal entity, details / number/s of the identity card/s or passport of the legal representative/s;
  • Handwritten signature of the applicant or in the case of legal entity, handwritten signature/s of the legal representative/s of such entity.

In addition, in the case of applications for the transfer of an Authorisation the abovementioned details have also to be submitted with respect to the current authorised provider.

4: Type of Evidence to be Submitted

  • Copy of Identity card or passport of the applicant;
  • In the case of a legal entity, copies of the identity card/s or passport of the legal representative/s;
  • A recent (< 3 months old) police conduct certificate of the applicant. In the case of a company/ Legal Organisation, the police conduct certificates of all the Directors and Legal Representative/s;
  • A copy of the Insurance Schedule and its respective Insurance Policy details indicating the liability coverage to third parties against bodily injury and property damage covering the entire vehicle parking sites indicated;
  • A copy of the Transport Malta logbook and the Insurance Schedule covering each vehicle listed above; A copy of the ADR Driver Training certificate;
  • A copy of the ADR certificate of approval for vehicles carrying dangerous goods. (For YOM > 2004);

5: Applicable Fees

  • The applicable fees are as follows:A non-refundable application fee of €500 (five hundred Euros);
  • An annual authorisation fee of €500 and €50 per bulk LPG distributor vehicle.

6: Penalties and Offences

Regulation 28 of the Liquified Petroleum Gas Market Regulations establishes that any person who carries out an offence against these regulations shall, on conviction, be liable to imprisonment for not more than eighteen months, or to a fine (multa) of not more than seventy thousand euro (€70,000) or to one thousand five hundred euro (€1,500) for each day during which the offence persists, or to both such fine and imprisonment.

In addition, the Regulator for Energy and Water Services Act provides that any:

  • any person who carries out any such activity without a licence or who acts in breach of any condition of such licence, shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine (multa) not exceeding one hundred and fifteen thousand euro (€115,000) or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or to both such fine and imprisonment;
  • the Regulator may impose an administrative penalty upon any person who infringes any provision of the Act, or  regulations prescribed thereunder or of any other law which the Regulator is entitled to enforce, or who fails to comply with any directive or decision given by the Regulator or who fails to comply with any condition  of any authorisation granted under the Act.  Such administrative penalty shall not exceed:
    • one hundred thousand euro (€100,000) for each contravention and, or six hundred euro (€600) for each day of non-compliance, from the date of the decision given by the Regulator; and, or
    • in the case of an undertaking (including a vertically integrated undertaking) or a body corporate, up to 10%   of the total turnover concerned in the preceding business year. Provided that in the case of an undertaking, including a  vertically  integrated  undertaking  or  a  body corporate, a fine of up to 10%  of the annual turnover  concerned  in  the  preceding  business  year, which  amount  exceeds  one  hundred  thousand  euro (€100,000) may, in any such case be imposed.

7: Deadlines or Indicative Time that the Regulator Requires to Complete the Procedure

Regulation 7 of the Liquified Petroleum Gas Market Regulations establishes that the Regulator shall communicate to the applicant in writing within a reasonable time, which shall not be of more than three months from the date of receipt of a valid application.
In the case of application of renewal, Regulation 7 establishes that an application for the renewal of an authorisation shall have to be submitted in writing to the Regulator in such form and manner as the Regulator may require, six months prior to the date on which the authorisation expires.

8: Rules on Lack of Reply from the Regulator and Legal Consequences

The Liquified Petroleum Gas Market Regulations further establish that in case of failure by the Regulator to inform the applicant regarding any decision taken concerning access to a service activity or the exercise thereof, including refusal or withdrawal of an authorisation, shall not mean in any manner whatsoever, that the Regulator has tacitly granted such authorisation and that the applicant has automatically been granted access to a service activity or the exercise thereof.

9: Means of Redress or Appeal

Any decision taken by the Regulator, including refusal of an application for or withdrawal of an authorisation or a licence, may be subject to appeal before the Administrative Review Tribunal established by Article 5 of the Administrative Justice Act and the provisions of Article 26 of the Liquified Petroleum Gas Market Regulations – S.L. 545.20.

10: Competent Authority

You may submit the application form together with all associated documentation and relevant payments referred to in the application form either by post or by hand to:  
Regulator for Energy and Water Services,
Zentrum Business Centre, Level 1,
Mdina Road,
Qormi  – QRM 9010,
Malta.