In the title hydrated salt, C5H6ClN2
+·C4H3O4
−·0.25H2O, the water O atom lies on a twofold axis with 0.25 occupancy. The 2-amino-5-chloropyridinium cation is almost planar, with a maximum deviation of 0.015 (3) Å. In the hydrogen malate anion, an intramolecular O—H⋯O hydrogen bond generates an S(7) ring and results in a folded conformation. In the crystal, the protonated N atom and the 2-amino group of the cation are hydrogen bonded to the carboxylate O atoms of the anion via a pair of N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming an R
2
2(8) ring motif. The ion pairs are further connected via O—H⋯O, N—H⋯O and C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming layers parallel to the ab plane which stack down the c axis