Vehicles in Finland

Are you coming to Finland on a visit with your car, van or motorcycle or moving to Finland permanently with your vehicle? On this page you will find information on whether you need to inspect, register and pay tax on your vehicle in Finland.

There are separate rules for registration in Åland, which can be found on the page Bringing vehicles to Åland. You can find information on driving licences on the page Driving licences in Finland.

Vehicle tax does not have to be paid if a vehicle is used temporarily, such for as holiday travel and short stays. The vehicle must have valid motor insurance in the country of registration. Find out more on the Finnish Tax Administration website.

If you live abroad permanently, you can use a vehicle registered abroad in Finland for up to six months, but you can also apply for an extension. For more information on situations other than tourist use, please contact the Finnish Tax Administration.

In some situations persons living permanently in Finland are entitled to use a vehicle registered abroad temporarily without paying tax. You can get more details from the Finnish Tax Administration.

The vehicle must also have valid motor vehicle insurance. You should note that some insurers will not insure a vehicle if its owner does not live in the country permanently.

If you move to Finland permanently and you bring a vehicle with you, a vehicle brought to Finland in a permanent manner must be inspected, registered and you must pay car tax on it. Vehicles brought from outside the EU, i.e. from Iceland or Norway, must also be cleared through customs, but if certain conditions are met, a vehicle imported as removal goods is exempt from import tax and customs duty.

For a vehicle to be used in Finland without interruption from the day of moving, a declaration of use must be submitted to the Finnish Tax Administration on arrival in the country. For a vehicle that is to be registered in Finland, the declaration of use can be filed electronically.

You can find more detailed instructions on the Finnish Tax Administration and Finnish Customs websites.

Car tax in Finland

After bringing in a vehicle, a separate car tax declaration must be submitted to the Finnish Tax Administration within five days of confirmation of the declaration of use. Read more about car tax on the Finnish Tax Administration website.

Vehicle inspection and registration in Finland

Before registration, a vehicle that is imported must be taken for registration inspection at a vehicle inspection station that does first-time inspections. At the registration inspection, you must present the original registration certificate of the imported vehicle, stating the vehicle’s commissioning or first-time registration date. After registration you will receive the registration certificate and Finnish registration plates.

You can get more information on vehicle registration inspections, the vehicle inspection stations that do them, and on registration from the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency.

After registration you will be given the registration certificate and Finnish registration plates. Remember to take proof of identity with you when the vehicle is registered.

More information on vehicle registration is available from the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency.

If required by the weather or road surface conditions, winter tyres must be used in November, December, January, February and March. During the required time period, the minimum tread depth of the main tread grooves of winter tyres must be at least 3 millimetres. Winter tyres can be either studded or unstudded.

Studded tyres may also be used at other times if required by the weather or road surface conditions. Find out more on the Finnish Road Safety Council website.

If you have a disability, you can get relief on vehicle tax and many other subsidies and discounts to facilitate their mobility. Find out more on the page Support for assistive devices and services for people with disabilities in Finland.

A vehicle registered in Finland does not have to be registered in another Nordic country if you are only staying in the country for a short time. The time that a vehicle registered in another country can be used for varies by country. Go to the links below to find out more about the rules in the country concerned. 

A vehicle must always have valid motor vehicle insurance. You should note that some insurers will not insure a vehicle if its owner does not live in the country permanently.