Finland Vehicle Registration Process

The Vehicle Registration Process In Finland | How To Register A Car

Bringing a car into Europe can be taxing as you deal with all the paperwork, laws and figuring out which country has what regulations. Luckily Finland is one of 28 members of the European Union, making it easier for you to register and adhere to regulations on the continent.

Depending on where your car is coming from, you may have an easier time registering a vehicle in Finland. As a member of the European Union, the country honors registration from other EU member nations. That is, so long as your vehicle is still registered in the other EU nation, you don’t need to register it in Finland.

For those bringing in vehicles from non-member nations, Finland requires registration within 30 days.

For more information about the process of shipping a car to Finland, including the cost and what steps are involved, you can read all about it on our international shipping page for the country by clicking here!

Requirements For Cars Registered In Finland

Much like other EU member nations, there are a host of items that must be checked off before you are allowed to drive in the Scandinavian country.

• It must be insured.
• A car tax must be paid to Finnish customs.
• Vehicles outside the EU must pay a value-added tax.
• A motor vehicle tax that is has a base price then a sliding addition based on the car’s horsepower.

As is typical, students from other EU nations are exempt from having to register their vehicle, buying additional insurance and paying taxes on their vehicle for their period of study.

Those who own a second home in Finland but who reside there for six months or less during the year provided that they meet the following conditions:

• The vehicle owner must be a citizen of an EU nation.
• The vehicle is registered in another EU nation.
• The vehicle is brought in for personal use.

Finnish Driving Laws and Expectations

As far as regulations and rules for driving in Finland, the first thing is to know that cars adhere to driving on the right-hand side of the road. The speed limit for populated areas is around 50 km/h and 80 km/h in more rural areas. Major highways allow speeds of up to 100 km/h or 120 km/h, depending on the season.

Here are other regulations required:

• Winter tires (spelled tyres locally) are obligatory.
• Lights must be on no matter the time or season.

While most of Central Europe features traffic jams of large proportions, heavy traffic in Finland is relatively mild by comparison. Sometimes roads are blocked by animals or other vehicles but the occasion is rare.

Finnish Car Registration Resources

Registration & Taxes - A broad overview laws governing Finnish drivers with further tips for car registration.

Finnish Transport Saftey Agency - An online portal of information and services for drivers in Finland.