Vehicles in Finland

Are you visiting Finland with a car, van or motorcycle, or are moving to Finland permanently with a vehicle? On this page you will find information on whether you need to have your vehicle inspected and registered and whether you have to pay tax on the 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. Read 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. You can get more information on situations other than tourist use from the Finnish Tax Administration.

In some situations persons living permanently in Finland are also 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 the 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 tax must be paid 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 free of import tax and customs duty.

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

Read more detailed instructions on the Finnish Tax Administration and Finnish Customs websites.

Car tax in Finland

After importing 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, you must take a vehicle that is imported for registration inspection at a vehicle inspection station that does first-time inspections. At the registration inspection, you must submit 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. Read 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 your mobility. Read 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 the owner does not live in the country permanently.