Vehicles in Åland
Åland has its own road traffic law, which differs from Finnish law, but in most cases the Finnish rules are followed, for example with regard to customs clearance and taxation. The Vehicle Authority is responsible for registering motor vehicles, trailers and watercraft in Åland. They also manage all inspections of vehicles in Åland.
If you want to know more about driving licences, go to the Info Norden page Driving licences in Åland. You can also read more on this subject on the page Vehicles in Finland.
Customs clearance of vehicles
Åland is not part of the EU fiscal territory, which means that all vehicles to be registered must be cleared through customs, regardless of their value. Complete customs clearance instructions for vehicles to be imported and registered in Åland are available on the Finnish Customs webpage Vehicles on the Åland Islands.
When you bring a used vehicle to Åland as part of your removal goods, the vehicle must be cleared through customs regardless of which country or area you are bringing it from. The car must be cleared through customs immediately when you first bring it to Åland in connection with your move.
If you are bringing in the vehicle as removal goods from Finland or the EU, you can clear the vehicle through Mariehamn Customs or via the Customs e-service. If you are bringing in a vehicle as removal goods from a country outside the EU, such as Norway or Iceland, you can declare the vehicle using the form ‘Private person’s declaration of removal goods imported from outside the customs and/or fiscal territory of the EU’ (1161)’ available on the Finnish Customs website.
When you purchase a used vehicle from elsewhere in Finland or from another EU country, such as Sweden, the vehicle must be cleared through customs, but no customs duty needs to be paid on the vehicle. You need to pay Finnish import VAT if the vehicle was owned by a private individual and VAT applicable in the country where the vehicle was first used was paid for the vehicle during the year of its first use. However, you may be eligible for import relief (hidden tax) with regard to Finnish VAT.
If you purchase a used vehicle and import it to Åland from a country outside the EU, for example from Norway, the vehicle must be cleared through customs and Finnish import VAT must be paid on the vehicle, as well as any customs duties.
Read more about customs clearance of used vehicles on the Finnish Customs webpage Vehicles on the Åland Islands.
If you purchase a new vehicle and bring it to Åland from elsewhere in Finland, the vehicle must be cleared through customs, but no customs duty is payable. However, Finnish import VAT is payable on the vehicle. Even though the Finnish car dealership charges VAT on the sale, you will still have to pay import VAT when clearing customs. The Finnish car dealership can refund the VAT on the sale afterwards when the customs clearance decision has been issued. The Finnish car dealership can also sell a new car to the customer at a tax-free price. In that case, customs clearance in Åland is facilitated. Read more on the Finnish Tax Administration's webpage Selling a vehicle or boat to Åland.
If you purchase a new vehicle and bring it to Åland from another EU country, for example from Sweden, the vehicle must be cleared through customs but no customs duty is payable. Finnish import VAT is payable on the vehicle. Even though the car dealership charges VAT on the sale, import VAT must still be paid in connection with customs clearance.
If you purchase a new vehicle and bring it to Åland from a country outside the EU, for example from Norway, the vehicle must be cleared through customs. In addition, Finnish import VAT must be paid on the vehicle, as well as any customs duties.
Read more about customs clearance of new vehicles brought to Åland on the Finnish Customs webpage Vehicles on the Åland Islands.
Vehicle registration
When moving to Åland with a vehicle, different registration processes apply depending on whether you come from mainland Finland or from abroad or the other Nordic countries. It is important to note that Åland is not part of the EU fiscal territory and therefore all vehicles to be registered in Åland must be cleared through customs regardless of their value.
Vehicles must be re-registered with the Vehicle Authority as soon as possible after a permanent move to Åland has been completed and the vehicle has been cleared through customs. Notification of first-time registration, re-registration, deregistration, change of ownership, and deletion or addition of owners must be done by the vehicle’s owner.
Read more about registration on the Vehicle Agency's website and in the menu tabs below.
When registering a Finnish vehicle in Åland, you need to bring the following documents to the Vehicle Authority:
- Original registration certificate, both the technical section (part 1) and the notification section (part 2).
- Insurance application in paper format with an insurance company operating in Åland.
- Other documents such as release decisions by Finnish Customs.
You can read more about how to re-register a Finnish vehicle in Åland on the Vehicle Authority's website.
When registering a foreign vehicle or a vehicle from the Nordic countries in Åland, you 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 need to declare your vehicle to Customs and submit your car tax declaration to the Tax Administration. When the car tax has been paid, you will receive a notification of the registration permit.
- After the registration permit, the vehicle must undergo a registration inspection. The foreign registration plates must be handed in to the Vehicle Authority and replaced with Åland plates.
You can find complete information about registering vehicles from abroad and more details about vehicle registration on the Vehicle Authority's website.
If your stay in Åland is temporary, for example a holiday, you do not need to register or clear your vehicle through customs in Åland. Vehicles registered in Åland do not need to be registered in another Nordic country if the stay is only for a short period. The length of time you are permitted to drive a vehicle registered in another country varies.
In the Nordic countries, vehicles must always have valid motor insurance. If you are moving house, it may also be a good idea to check your motor insurance. Some insurance companies will not insure a vehicle if the owner is not permanently resident in the country.
You can read more about what is involved in bringing your car to Finland or Åland as a tourist on the Finnish 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 generally only payable once, when a vehicle is first taken into use or registered in Finland and Åland, while vehicle tax is payable per day for the period the person owns the vehicle.
In Finland and Åland, car tax is levied on all vehicles that are registered or taken into use for the first time. For example, if you purchase a vehicle from abroad and bring it to Åland, you must pay car tax within five days of confirmation of the declaration of use. Car tax is declared and paid to the Finnish Tax Administration. Read more about car tax on the Finnish Tax Administration's website.
Vehicle tax is paid per day for the period a person possesses or owns a vehicle. The person registered as the owner of the vehicle is always liable for the tax, and if the tax is unpaid, it is not permitted to use the vehicle.
The State Department of Åland handles vehicle tax in Åland, and on their website you can select vehicle tax from the menu tabs to read more about payment, tax periods etc.
Inspection of vehicles
The Vehicle Authority is responsible for carrying out inspections on Åland vehicles and trailers. 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 purchase a vehicle from another Nordic country or abroad, the vehicle must undergo a registration inspection. This is done after you have obtained the registration permit. However, a registration inspection is not required if the vehicle comes from mainland Finland. Before a registration inspection, you also need to check whether the vehicle needs to undergo a control inspection. This is done by checking when the last control inspection was carried out and adjusting this to the Åland inspection intervals. The registration inspection and the control inspection can be booked and carried out at the same time.
Read more about inspection intervals, how to book an inspection and what is checked during the inspection on the Vehicle Authority's website.
Motor insurance
Motor insurance is compulsory in Åland, and under the Motor Insurance Act anyone injured in a traffic accident is entitled to compensation. Under the law, insurance liability applies to the vehicle at the moment 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 to the new owner for 7 days after the transfer of ownership. The change of ownership must be reported to the Vehicle Authority within these 7 days. Read more on the Vehicle Authority's website.
You can read more about which insurance companies offer both compulsory and voluntary car and traffic insurance on the page Insurance in Åland.
Åland traffic rules
Åland has its own road traffic law. Below is a list of some of the most common and important traffic rules that apply in Åland. The complete Road Traffic Act is available on the website of the Government of Åland.
- General speed: In Åland there are various road signs indicating speed limits. In built-up areas, vehicles may not exceed a speed of 50 km/h. Outside built-up areas, vehicles may not exceed a speed of 70 km/h, unless another speed limit is indicated by road signs.
- Use of seat belts: It is compulsory to wear a seat belt, even when travelling by bus or taxi, for example. When transporting children shorter than 135 centimetres, a child car seat, booster cushion or other child restraint system must be used. Children up to four years of age should travel in a rear-facing car seat.
- Use of winter tyres: Winter tyres must be used in winter road conditions. Winter tyres can be studded or non-studded. Studded tyres, snow chains or equivalent 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 road, you can also park on the left-hand side unless road signs indicate otherwise. If parking time is limited, a parking disc or equivalent must be used. The time on the parking disc must be set to the nearest half hour or hour from the start of the parking period.
- Blood alcohol limit: In Åland it is illegal to drive a vehicle while intoxicated. The limit for drink driving is 0.5 per mille and for aggravated drink driving 0.8 per mille.
- Headlights: Headlights or warning lights on the vehicle must be switched on, even during the day. When driving in the dark, at dusk or when visibility is reduced due to weather conditions or other reasons, headlights and rear lights must also be switched on.
Traffic offences
If you break any road traffic laws, you might get a warning or have to pay a fine. Fines for traffic offences are imposed by the Åland police authority, for example during traffic surveillance, and are then paid to the Province of Åland. The amount of the fine for a traffic offence is always fixed, and for individual offences the amount varies between €20 and €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 at least 2.5 metres and no more than 24 metres, or jet skis with a length of less than 4 metres and powered by a water jet engine. If you own a watercraft, are a resident of Åland and use the watercraft in Åland, you must register it with the Vehicle Authority if it meets the following criteria:
- Outboard motor over 115 kilowatts
- Inboard engine or inboard engine with outboard drive over 300 kilowatts
If the watercraft has a lower-powered engine, it does not need to be registered. Read more about the register and what documents are required for registration on the Vehicle Authority's website:
More information
On the Info Norden website you can find information about vehicles in the other Nordic countries and which authorities to contact if you have any 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.