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.

You can come to Finland with your own car or other vehicle on holiday without having to having to pay customs duty or vehicle tax. The vehicle must have valid motor insurance in the country of registration. 

Please note that you cannot lend your vehicle to a person living in Finland. 

Read more on the websites of Finnish Customs and the Finnish Tax Administration.

If you live abroad permanently, you can use a vehicle registered abroad in Finland for up to six months without having to pay customs duty or vehicle tax. You can also apply for an extension of the six-month deadline. 

Please note that in most situations, persons permanently resident in Finland cannot use a vehicle registered abroad tax-free in Finland. You can get more details from the Finnish Tax Administration.

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

Read more on the websites of Finnish Customs and the Finnish Tax Administration.

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.

In Finland, traffic rules are defined in the Road Traffic Act. Here are some of the most common and important traffic rules in Finland:

• Speed limits: In urban areas, the general speed limit is 50 km/h, unless otherwise indicated. Outside urban areas, the speed limit is usually 80 km/h. On motorways, the speed limit is usually 100 km/h and 120 km/h in summer, but it drops to 80 or 100 km/h in winter.
• Blood alcohol limit: The drink-driving limit in Finland is 0.5 ‰.
• Seat belts and child car seats: The use of seat belts is compulsory for all car occupants, including those in the back seat. By law, children must use a safety device when travelling in a car until they are 135 cm tall.
• Headlights: All vehicles must have their headlights on at all times, including during daylight hours. 
• Giving way: Traffic coming from the right has the right of way, unless indicated otherwise by traffic signs. 
• Using a phone: When driving, a phone may only be used with hands-free equipment. The use of hand-held mobile phones while driving is prohibited.

Read more about the Road Traffic Act on the Finlex website and about traffic rules on the Liikenneturva website.

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 Liikenneturva 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 insurance. You should note that some insurers will not insure a vehicle if the owner does not live in the country permanently.