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General / Road Rules & Regulations
Using
a Foreign Driving licence in Finland
Obtaining
a Finnish Driving licence
Exchanging
a Foreign Driving Licence for a Finnish Driving Licence
International
Driving Licence
Vehicle
Inspection, Registration and Taxation
Finnish
Driving Schools
Driving
Tips (FAQ's)
Additional
Information
See also Motor
Vehicle Insurance
The Ministry of Transport has published a booklet Driving in Finland, which contains information on Finnish traffic regulations and rules regarding the use of motorized vehicles (English PDF - download here)
Driving
in Finland during the winter months can be hazardous
and icy road conditions are common. If driving in Finland,
your car must be winterised and winter/snow tyres (either
studded or non-studded) are a legal requirement from
1 December to 3 March.
All motor vehicles must use headlights
at dusk, or in the fog or rain. Headlights must be used
at all times outside built-up areas (indicated by a
sign).
When driving at night (particularly
around dusk) incidents of moose or reindeer being struck
by vehicles are common, causing severe damage to the
vehicle and injury, sometimes fatal, to the occupants.
Police strictly enforce all traffic
laws and institute random roadside Breathalyzer tests.
Those drivers who register a .05 or above alcohol content
are subject to immediate arrest.
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Foreign
Driving Licences in Finland
Driving licences issued in another EU or EEA country
and interim driving licences issued in the Nordic countries
entitle the holder to drive motor vehicles in Finland
equivalent to those indicated on the non-Finnish licence.
The driver must be at least 18 years old. The right
to drive is valid regardless of whether the person is
in Finland as a tourist or residing permanently.
A person residing permanently in a
country that has signed the Geneva or Vienna Road Traffic
Convention and who holds a national or international
driving licence or an official Finnish or Swedish translation
of a national driving licence is entitled to drive motor
vehicles equivalent to those indicated on the non-Finnish
licence for up to a year following entry into Finland,
provided that the person fulfils the Finnish age requirement
to drive such vehicles.
The right to drive is based on the possession of a
driving licence issued to a person living permanently
in a
country that has signed the Convention. A driving
licence acquired in such a country during temporary
residence (for example as an exchange student) does
not entitle the holder to drive in Finland.
Other driving licences
Driving licences not issued in any of the signatory
counties do not give entitlement to drive in Finland.
On application, however, the police may grant a provisional
driving licence for a maximum of one year without the
need for a driver examination. After this, the Finnish
driver examination must be taken.
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Finnish
Driving licence
Driving licences are issued by the
Police. In some cases it is possible to exchange an
existing foreign driving licence for a Finnish licence.
See
below.
Instruction
If you are starting from scratch, the
situation is somewhat different from that of many other
countries. The driving student does not
need to apply for a "learner's permit" or
similar. They receive instruction from a qualified instructor,
usually from a driver
training school, and having completed their training
they complete theory
and driving tests, and apply for a driving licence.
Instruction can alternatively be given
by the holder of a driving
instruction permit, which grants the holder the
right to operate a vehicle intended for driving instruction.
Licence
Driving licences for operation of a
passenger vehicle in Finland are issued in two phases.
The first driving licence, a driving licence permit,
is valid for a period of two years. This is issued by
the police when a person has received instruction and
passed the theory
and driving tests.
When applying for a driving licence permit from the
local police, the following must be submitted:
- 2 photographs (required if the previous photographs
were submitted more than 3 years earlier or the applicant's
name has changed)
- young person's health certificate (obtained no more
than five years earlier) or a driving licence medical
certificate (obtained no more than six months earlier)
The second, or actual driving
licence is issued no earlier than 6 months after issue
of the driving licence permit. Before this licence can
be obtained, holders of driving licence permits must
complete further driver training provided by law (primarily
this involves driving techniques for ice and snow).
The certificate for this further training must be submitted
to the police.
A driving licence permit may be granted
to an applicant who:
- fulfils all the health requirements laid down by
Government decree
- lives permanently in Finland or has been studying
in Finland for at least six months
- is not considered a danger to traffic because of
habitual abuse of alcohol or other intoxicant
- is not banned from driving in Finland or in any
other EU or EEA country
- has not been guilty of operation of a vehicle without
a licence during the last year.
In addition to a permit application form, applicants
must fill in a form asking whether they already have
a driving licence issued by another EU or EEA country,
or whether they have been banned from driving in any
EU or EEA country.
Complete details, including fees, are available from
the Finnish
Police Web site.
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Exchanging
a foreign driving licence for a Finnish driving licence
Exchanging a driving
licence issued in an EU or EEA country
A person who lives permanently in Finland
or has been studying in Finland for at least six months
can exchange a driving licence issued in an EU or EEA
country for an equivalent Finnish driving licence without
having to take a new driving test. A driving licence
permit application must be submitted to the police in
person.
When applying for a driving licence permit, the following
must be submitted:
Exchanging a driving
licence issued in a country that has signed the Geneva
or Vienna Road Traffic Convention
A person holding a driving licence issued in a
country that has signed the Geneva or Vienna Road Traffic
Convention and who resides permanently in Finland
may apply to exchange the licence for a class A1-, A-
and B driving licence permit without the need for a
new driving test. The driving licence permit application
must be submitted to the police in person.
When applying for a driving licence permit, the following
must be included:
- 2 photographs (preferably black-and-white)
- driving licence medical certificate (obtained no
more than six months earlier)
- a document stating that the applicant has been driving
a car in Finland for at least six months
- driving licence issued in a
country that has signed the Convention.
At the police station you must fill in the driving
licence application form and a form asking whether you
already have a driving licence or are banned from driving
in another EU or EEA country.
A Finnish class B driving licence is issued as a permanent
driving licence. The country that issued the original
driving licence is entered on the Finnish driving licence.
The driving licence holder must surrender both his/her
national and international driving licence to the police
when collecting the Finnish driving licence. The police
will keep these licences and will return them only on
request if the driving licence holder leaves the country,
in which case the Finnish driving licence must be handed
to the police in exchange.
Complete details, including fees, are available from
the Finnish
Police Web site.
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International
driving licence
An international driving licence will
be useful if you intend to travel to, for example, Latvia
or Russia or countries outside Europe.
- An international driving licence does
not entitle you to drive a vehicle in Finland
- An international driving licence can only be issued
against a valid Finnish driving
licence
International driving licences are
applied for through the Automobile and Touring Club
of Finland (ATCF). You can fill in the application form
at any of the ATCF offices or service points round the
country. The application must include a photograph,
and you must also present your Finnish driving licence.
The ATCF will send the international driving licence
to the police for approval.
ATCF
Web site
Hämeentie 105 A
00550 Helsinki
Tel: (09) 72584400
Fax: (09) 72584460
E-mail: autoliitto@autoliitto.fi
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Vehicle
Inspection, Registration and Taxation
The responsibilities of the Finnish
Vehicle Administration (AKE) include vehicle and driving
licence registration, annual vehicle taxation, arranging
driving tests, the supervision of motor vehicle inspection
and handling the type approval.
Visit the AKE
Web site (comprehensive info. in English).
See also Motor
Vehicle Insurance
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Finnish
Driving Schools
There are approximately 600 driver
instruction companies or schools operating in Finland.
These are registered with the Finnish
Driving School Association (site in Finnish only).
Enter your region in the search box
under Autokouluhaku and
click HAE for a listing
of local schools.*
*Please note cookies
must be enabled or the site will not function correctly.
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