How to Start as a Freelance Bookkeeper or Accountant in Malta
Plenty of small businesses in Malta would rather pay a freelancer to keep their books than hire someone full-time. Here is what you can offer before you qualify, what the law keeps for warrant holders, and how to land your first clients.
Updated 2 November 2026 · 5 min read
Bookkeeper, accountant or CPA
Bookkeeping is the day-to-day record: sales, purchases, bank reconciliations and the inputs for payroll. Accounts work turns those records into financial statements and returns. Auditing checks someone else's statements independently. In Malta, the higher rungs of that ladder are regulated, so be clear about which one you stand on before you advertise.
Under the Accountancy Profession Act (Cap. 281), no person may practise the profession of accountant unless they hold a warrant, except where regulations made under the Act say otherwise. The Accountancy Board issues the warrant.
SourceA warrant holder may use the designation Certified Public Accountant and the abbreviation CPA. Anyone else who uses those titles, or suggests in any other way that they may practise as an accountant or act as an auditor in Malta, commits an offence.
Source"Bookkeeping services" or "bookkeeper" describes what you do without suggesting a warrant you do not hold. Avoid "CPA", "certified" or "auditor" until they are true.
Which work the law keeps for warrant holders
The Accountancy Profession Regulations (S.L. 281.01) list specific services that only a warrant holder may provide. Use the table to see where common freelance tasks sit, then check anything unclear with the Accountancy Board.
| Task | On the reserved list? | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Recording sales, purchases and bank transactions | No | Core bookkeeping. Accuracy and confidentiality are what clients judge you on. |
| Management accounts for the owner's own use | No | Reports on statements prepared for internal purposes are excluded from the list. |
| Reports on interim or annual financial statements, including compilation reports | Yes | Only a warrant holder may issue them. |
| Independent valuations of shares or businesses | Yes | Only a warrant holder may report on them. |
| Reports on forecasts used to raise finance or attract investment | Yes | Only a warrant holder may issue them. |
| Audits and review engagements | Yes | These also need a practising certificate in auditing. |
S.L. 281.01 reserves these services for warrant holders: reports on prospective financial information used to promote investment or raise finance, independent reports on share or business valuations, acting as reporting accountant in prospectuses, and reports (including compilation reports) on interim or annual financial statements, other than ones prepared for internal purposes.
SourceAudits and review engagements may only be carried out by an individual holding a practising certificate in the field of auditing, issued under the Act.
SourceThe reserved list is not the whole picture, because the Act's general rule still applies. If you plan to offer anything beyond bookkeeping and payroll, ask the Accountancy Board how the rules apply before you take the job.
What the warrant asks for
Many freelance bookkeepers keep studying while they work, with the warrant as a longer-term goal. These are the requirements set out in the Act.
To qualify for a warrant you must be of good conduct and repute and of full legal capacity. You need either the University of Malta professional accountancy degree, or university entrance level followed by a course of theoretical instruction recognised by the Board. Unless the course covered it, you also pass a recognised exam of professional competence. Finally, you need three years of experience in accountancy, at least one of them after the academic qualification.
SourceThe Accountancy Board keeps an updated register of warrant holders, practising certificate holders and accountancy and audit firms, including suspended, revoked and withdrawn warrants. The Act requires the register to be available on the Board's website.
SourceAsk the Board how it counts experience gained as a freelancer before you rely on it toward the three years. Working part of the week alongside a warranted accountant can make that experience easier to show.
Skills small businesses pay for
- Confident use of at least one cloud accounting package, plus spreadsheets.
- Bank reconciliations done monthly, not once a year.
- Knowing how VAT works for each type of registration your clients hold.
- Payroll: gross to net, the monthly submissions and the year-end forms.
- Clear explanations. Many owners hire you because the numbers confuse them.
Employers who deduct tax from wages fall under the Final Settlement System (FSS) Rules (S.L. 372.14). They send the tax authorities a monthly payment advice, give each employee a statement of earnings (the FS3), and file an annual reconciliation statement. Late or missing returns carry fixed penalties.
SourceList what you will do, what the client sends you and by when, who files which return, how you charge, and what counts as extra. It protects you both when a deadline slips.
Finding your first clients
Sole traders and new freelancers are natural first clients: their books are small and they want someone to explain the rules. Point them to our freelancer's tax guide as a starting point, then offer to do the monthly work. Warranted accountants are another source of work, since some pass routine bookkeeping to freelancers they trust.
Keep each client's data secure, use separate folders and passwords, and never mix their money with yours.
Get found
Business owners often search for help with a phrase like "accountant near me". A clear profile that says exactly which services you offer, and which you do not, earns more trust than a vague one. You can list your business on Tminta for free.
Questions people ask
Do I need a warrant to be a bookkeeper in Malta?
Bookkeeping tasks such as recording transactions and preparing accounts for internal use are not on the reserved list in S.L. 281.01. The Act still says only a warrant holder may practise the profession of accountant, and only a warrant holder may use the title CPA. Describe your work accurately and ask the Accountancy Board if you are unsure.
How long does it take to become a CPA in Malta?
It depends on your route. The Act requires the professional accountancy degree or a recognised course after university entrance level, a recognised competence exam unless the course covered it, and three years of accountancy experience, at least one after qualifying. Studying part-time while you work stretches the timeline, but lets you earn as you go.
How much does an accountant earn in Malta?
Pay depends on whether you are employed or freelance, whether you hold a warrant or practising certificate, the type of work (bookkeeping, tax, audit), and the size of your clients. Freelancers also carry their own costs, such as software, insurance and VAT. Compare current job adverts and talk to people already working in the field.
How can I check if an accountant is warranted in Malta?
The Accountancy Board keeps a register of warrant holders, practising certificate holders and firms, and the law requires it to be published on the Board's website. The register also records suspended and revoked warrants, so look up the name before you rely on someone's title.