Bringing vehicles to Åland
Are you visiting Åland with a vehicle on a holiday trip or for a temporary stay, or do you intend to settle permanently in the country? The answers to these questions will influence whether your vehicle should be subject to inspection and registration in Åland, and whether you will have to pay tax on the vehicle in Åland.
Vehicle registration is not necessary in connection with holiday trips or other situations where the vehicle is used temporarily in Åland, and provided certain conditions are met, no taxes are required to be paid. If you move permanently to Finland/Åland and bring a vehicle with you, it must be subject to inspection and registration, and taxes must be paid on the vehicle. If the vehicle is imported from a Nordic country outside the EU, i.e. Iceland or Norway, you must also complete a customs declaration.
Re-registration of your vehicle when moving to Åland
If you are moving to Åland from Sweden, you must re-register the vehicle as soon as possible if you wish to use the vehicle without interruption from the day of the move. You must also submit a declaration of vehicle use to the Finnish Tax Administration when you arrive in the country. It is possible to submit an online declaration of vehicle use, which must be registered in Finland/Åland.
In the case of permanent relocation from Finland to Åland, the vehicle must be re-registered within 30 days after the relocation. In the case of temporary relocation, you should contact Mariehamn Customs no later than 6 months after the relocation to extend the permission to use the vehicle.
Administration of vehicle and excise taxes has been transferred from customs to the Finnish Tax Administration. However, the import of a vehicle which requires registration must always be reported to the Mariehamn Customs Office upon arrival in Åland.
You can read more about using vehicles on holiday trips, the temporary use of vehicles in Åland, and vehicles as removal goods on the page ‘Vehicles in Finland’.
Customs clearance of vehicles
Inspection and registration
The vehicle may be subject to inspection and registration once it has been imported to Åland, and when a declaration of use and a notification of taxes payable have been submitted, and the vehicle has received registration permission. In connection with registration, you will need the following documents:
- Valid car insurance
- Certificate of registration inspection
- Registration certificate from the time of the last foreign owner
- Sale certificate
Vehicles imported into the country must be registered or approved separately, at an inspection station. A check is also made to ensure the vehicle meets all the requirements on the basis of the documents presented about the vehicle. You can obtain information about which documents you will need for the registration inspection from the Vehicle Authority, Fordonsmyndigheten.
Following an approved registration inspection, or a separate approval, the vehicle may then be registered. After registration, you will receive a registration certificate and Ålandic number plates. Please note that you must present proof of your identity when registering the vehicle.
You can obtain more information about car registration in Åland from the Vehicle Authority, Fordonsmyndigheten.
NB! Contact your insurance company. The vehicle must have valid motor insurance in the country of registration, and most insurance companies will probably not insure a vehicle whose owner is not permanently resident in the country.
When you bring a used vehicle to Åland as removal goods, the vehicle must be customs cleared regardless of which country or area you are bringing the vehicle from. The vehicle must be cleared immediately when you first bring it to Åland in connection with the move.
If you bring the vehicle as removal goods from Finland or from the EU, you can clear customs at Mariehamn Customs or via the Customs e-service. If you import a vehicle as removal goods from a country outside the EU, for example Norway or Iceland, you can clear customs for the vehicle using the form ‘Private person's declaration of removed goods imported from outside the customs and/or territory of the EU (1161)’ which is available at the website of the customs service.
If you buy a used vehicle elsewhere in Finland or in another EU country, such as Sweden, the vehicle must be cleared through customs for Åland, but no customs fee is required to be paid for the vehicle. Finnish import VAT is however usually payable for the vehicle.
If you bring a used vehicle to Åland that was purchased in a country outside the EU, such as Norway, the vehicle must be cleared through customs and a Finnish import VAT is paid for the vehicle, as well as any customs duty.
You can read more about customs clearance of used vehicles on the Customs web page about vehicles on the Åland Islands.
If you bring a new vehicle to Åland that was purchased elsewhere in Finland, the vehicle must be cleared through customs, but no customs fee is required to be paid. Finnish import VAT must however be paid on the vehicle. Even though the Finnish car dealer charges VAT on the sale, you will still have to pay import VAT in connection with customs clearance. The Finnish car dealer can refund the VAT on the sale after the customs clearance decision.
If you bring a new vehicle to Åland that was purchased in another EU country, such as Sweden, the vehicle must be cleared through customs, but no customs fee is required to be paid. Finnish import VAT must however be paid on the vehicle. Even though the car dealer charges VAT at the time of sale, import VAT must still be paid in connection with customs clearance.
If you bring a new vehicle to Åland that was purchased in a country outside the EU, such as Norway, the vehicle must be cleared through customs. Finnish import VAT on the vehicle must also be paid, as well as a possible customs fee.
You can read more about customs clearance of new vehicles brought to Åland on the Customs web page about Vehicles on the Åland Islands.
Vehicle registration
If you are moving to Åland with a vehicle, different registration processes apply depending on whether you are coming from mainland Finland or abroad, including the other Nordic countries. It is important to know that Åland does not belong to the EU tax territory, for which reason all vehicles to be registered in Åland must be customs cleared, regardless of their value.
Vehicles must be re-registered with the the Vehicle Authority, Fordonsmyndigheten, as soon as possible after a permanent move to Åland has been completed and the vehicle has been cleared through customs. Notification of first registration or re-registration, deregistration, change of ownership and deletion or addition of the registration holder must be made by the owner of the vehicle.
You can read more about vehicle registration on the website of Fordonsmyndigheten (Vehicle Authority) and in the menu points below.
When registering a Finnish vehicle in Åland, you will need to bring the following documents with you to the Vehicle Authority:
- The original registration certificate, both the technical part (part 1) and the notification part (part 2).
- Insurance application in paper format to an insurance company operating in Åland.
- Other documents, such as a release decision from Customs.
You can read more about how to re-register a Finnish vehicle in Åland on the website of the Vehicle Authority, Fordonsmyndigheten.
When registering a foreign vehicle in Åland, including vehicles from the Nordic countries, you will need to do the following:
- If you intend to use the vehicle before registration, you must submit a declaration of use to the Tax Administration and take out motor insurance.
- You will need to clear customs for your vehicle at Customs and submit your car tax declaration to the Tax Administration. Once the car tax has been paid, you will receive a notification of the registration permit.
- After the registration permit has been issued, the vehicle must undergo a registration inspection. The foreign number plates must be submitted to the Vehicle Authority and replaced with Åland plates.
You can find comprehensive information about registering vehicles from abroad on the website of the Vehicle Authority, Fordonsmyndigheten.
If you are staying temporarily in Åland, such as for a holiday, you do not need to register or clear your vehicle through customs in Åland. Neither do vehicles registered in Åland need to be registered in another Nordic country in the case of a short stay. The length of time you are allowed to drive a vehicle registered in another country varies.
In the Nordic countries, vehicles must always have valid motor insurance. If you are relocating, it may be a good idea to check your motor insurance. Some insurance companies will not insure a vehicle if the owner is not a permanent resident of the country.
You can read more about what is involved in bringing a car to Finland and Åland as a tourist on the Customs website.
Taxation and vehicles
In Åland, there are two authorities dealing with vehicle taxation. Vehicle tax is often confused with car tax, but they are two different taxes. Car tax is in general paid only once, when a vehicle is first taken into use or registered in Finland and Åland, while vehicle tax is paid per day for the entire period the person owns the vehicle.
In Finland and Åland, car tax is levied on all vehicles the first time they are registered or taken into use. If, for example, you have purchased a vehicle in another country for use in Åland, you will need to pay the car tax within 5 days of confirmation of the declaration of use. The car tax must be declared and paid to the Finnish Tax Administration. You can read more about car tax on the website of the Tax Administration.
Vehicle tax is paid per day for the period that a person possesses or owns a vehicle. The person who is registered as the owner of the vehicle is always liable for the tax, and the vehicle may not be used if the tax is unpaid.
The State Department of Åland handles the vehicle tax in Åland, and on their website, under ‘Vehicle tax’, you can read more about tax payments, tax periods, etc.
Vehicle inspection
The Vehicle Authority, Fordonsmyndigheten, is responsible for carrying out inspections of vehicles and trailers in Åland. Vehicle inspections are carried out to check that the vehicle is in a roadworthy condition.
If you move to Åland and bring your vehicle with you, or if you purchase a vehicle from another country, the vehicle must undergo a registration inspection. This is carried out after you have been issued with a registration permit. Registration inspection is not required if the vehicle comes from mainland Finland. Prior to the registration inspection, you will also need to check whether the vehicle also requires a control inspection. This is done by checking when the last control inspection has been carried out, and adapting this to the Åland inspection intervals. The registration inspection and the control inspection may be booked and carried out at the same time.
You can read more about inspection intervals, how to book an inspection and what is checked during the inspection at the website of the Vehicle Authority.
Motor insurance
Motor insurance is compulsory in Åland, and anyone who is injured in a traffic accident is entitled to compensation under the Motor Liability Insurance Act. According to the law, the insurance obligation of the vehicle applies as soon as it is purchased or used in Åland. If the previous owner of the vehicle had motor insurance, the insurance company's liability continues to apply in favour of the new owner for 7 days after the transfer of ownership. The change of ownership must be notified to the Vehicle Authority within these 7 days. More information is available on the website of the Vehicle Authority.
You can read more about which insurance companies offer both compulsory and voluntary car and motor insurance on the page ‘Insurance in Åland’.
Traffic rules in Åland
Åland has its own Road Traffic Act. Below are listed some of the most common and important traffic rules that apply in Åland. The complete Road Traffic Act may be read on the website of the Government of Åland.
- General speed limits: In Åland there are various road signs indicating the speed limits. In urban areas, a vehicle must not exceed a speed of 50 km/h. Outside urban areas, vehicles may not exceed a speed of 70 km/h unless a different speed limit is indicated by road signs.
- Use of seat belts: The use of seat belts is compulsory, including in buses and taxis. When transporting children of a height less than 135 centimetres, a child car seat, booster cushion or other child restraint system must be used. Children up to the age of four should travel in a rear-facing car seat.
- Use of winter tyres: Winter tyres must be used during winter road conditions. Winter tyres may be studded or non-studded. Studded tyres, snow chains or similar equipment that does not damage the road surface may be used on all types of vehicles from 15 October to 15 April inclusive. Studded tyres may also be used at other times if winter road conditions prevail.
- Parking: Parking is always on the right-hand side in the direction of travel. On a one-way street, you may also park on the left-hand side unless road signs indicate otherwise. If parking time is limited, a parking disc or the equivalent must be used. The time on the parking disc must be set to the next full or half hour, counted from the start of the parking time.
- Blood alcohol limit: In Åland, it is illegal to drive a vehicle while intoxicated. The blood alcohol limit for driving is 0.05% and 0.08% for aggravated drink-driving.
- Headlights: Headlights or warning lights on the vehicle should be left on, including during the daytime. Headlights and tail lights should also be on when driving at night or dusk, or when visibility is impaired due to weather conditions or for any other reason.
Traffic offences
If you violate any road traffic laws, you may receive a warning or be obliged to pay a fine. Fines for traffic offences are imposed by the Åland Police Authority, for example during traffic monitoring, and are paid to the Province of Åland. Fines for traffic offences are always fixed, and for individual offences the amount varies between EUR 20 and EUR 200. Common traffic offences include speeding, failure to obey road signs, using a mobile phone while driving, etc.
Watercraft
A watercraft is a recreational boat with a hull length of between 2.5 metres and 24 metres, or jet skis with a length of less than 4 metres and powered by a waterjet engine. If you own a watercraft, are a resident of Åland and use the watercraft in Åland, it must be registered with the Vehicle Authority if it meets the following criteria:
- Outboard motor greater than 115 kilowatts
- Inboard motor, or inboard motor with outboard drive, greater than 300 kilowatts
If the watercraft has an engine of lower power, it does not need to be registered. You can read more about watercraft registration and the documents required when registering at the website of the Vehicle Authority:
Further information
On the Info Norden website you can find information about vehicles in the other Nordic countries, and which authorities you should contact if you have questions.
Please fill in our contact form if you have any questions or if you have encountered an obstacle in another Nordic country.
NB! If you have questions regarding the processing of a specific case or application, or other personal matters, please contact the relevant authority directly.