Driving licence in Finland – exchange deadlines, importing a car, no tolls and HSL fares 2026
Last updated 25 September 2026Rules checked every MondayOfficial sourcesSources & methodology →
An EU licence stays valid, a British or American one gives you two years, and some licences only one. Bringing a car means car tax with no discount for movers, but the roads themselves are toll-free. Here are the rules for your driving licence in Finland, and what HSL, Nysse, Föli and Oulu's buses cost in 2026.
Your driving licence in Finland follows national rules set by Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency). Two changes are recent: the Driving Licence Act reform of 29 May 2026, and from 1 October 2026 new drivers need 12 hours of risk training instead of eight. Public transport and parking are priced by each city, and Helsinki's HSL raised its fares on 1 January 2026.
One thing you will not find is a toll booth: according to Traficom, road tolls, vignettes and vehicle emission stickers are not used in Finland.
How long is a foreign driving licence valid in Finland?
A licence from an EU or EEA state is valid for its whole validity period. A licence from a state party to the Geneva or Vienna road traffic conventions – about 110 countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, India, Ukraine and Russia – is valid for two years after you move to Finland permanently. Licences from other recognised countries are accepted for one year. A foreign licence is never valid if your permanent residence was already in Finland when it was first issued.
| Licence issued in | Valid in Finland | Exchange |
|---|---|---|
| EU or EEA state | For its whole validity period | Optional; if you live here permanently or have studied here six months; medical certificate only if the licence has expired |
| Geneva or Vienna Convention state | Two years after moving | Before two years pass; medical certificate; about 3–4 months; a test if you have lived here over two years or the licence has expired |
| Other recognised country (Andorra and El Salvador added in 2025) | One year after moving | Only by passing the Finnish theory and driving test after Traficom approval, about 3–4 months |
| Any country, first issued while you lived in Finland | Not valid | Get a Finnish licence from scratch |
Source: Traficom and InfoFinland, read 24 September 2026.
Exchanges are done at an Ajovarma service point by appointment, with passport or ID, two passport photos and the licence. With an EU licence you leave with a temporary licence, and the Finnish card, valid for at most 15 years, arrives by post in about two weeks; a Convention exchange gives a temporary licence valid up to six months. You need a kotikunta (municipality of residence) registered with DVV (Digital and Population Data Services Agency) to get a Finnish licence at all. Book on +358 29 534 5115, weekdays 7.30–15.00, and ask about the exchange fee.
Getting a Finnish licence from scratch – and the 2026 changes
Anna, from a country outside the conventions, takes the Finnish route like any first-time driver: minimum age 18, a driving licence permit, four theory lessons, at least ten driving lessons and risk recognition training – eight hours for tests taken by 30 September 2026, 12 hours from 1 October 2026. After passing, the exam certificate serves as a licence for up to six months, the card comes in about two weeks, and the licence is valid for 15 years.
| Traficom fee from 1 January 2026 | Amount (2025 in brackets) |
|---|---|
| Category B driving test | €110 (€99) |
| Theory test | €46 (€40) |
| Driving licence permit application | €28 online, €45 in person (€24 / €39) |
| Vehicle transfer permit | €17.50 (€15) |
| Simple registration notification, e.g. change of owner | €3.50 online, €10 in person |
| Decommissioning a vehicle; recommissioning is free | €7 online, €22 in person |
Source: Traficom, read 24 September 2026.
The 29 May 2026 reform mainly affects young drivers: 17-year-olds may not drive between 00.00 and 05.00, and from 1 October 2026 must display an underage-driver sign. Cheating in the theory test brings a six-month ban. A medical certificate for a licence costs at most €72.80 at a public health centre, a national maximum that Kela (Social Insurance Institution) does not reimburse.
Importing a car: car tax with no discount for movers
The car-tax reduction for vehicles brought as removal goods has been completely abolished: according to Vero (Tax Administration), a car you bring when relocating is taxed like any other imported vehicle. Car tax (autovero) is paid once, based on the car's general retail value in Finland and its CO2 emissions, and registration cannot be finalised until it is paid. Customs is separate: from another EU country there is nothing to declare; from outside the EU the car must be declared, and duty and VAT apply unless the removal-goods conditions are met.
| Step | What | Where |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Valid EU/EEA registration, or a transfer permit (€17.50) in advance – without either the car may only move on a trailer | Inspection station |
| 2 | Motor liability insurance (liikennevakuutus), compulsory; insurers normally want a Kela card | Insurance company |
| 3 | Declaration of use, before driving in Finland | Tax Administration |
| 4 | Car tax return within five days; pay the tax | Tax Administration |
| 5 | Customs clearance if from outside the EU | Finnish Customs |
| 6 | Registration inspection, then first registration and Finnish plates | Inspection station |
Source: Traficom, Vero and Finnish Customs, read 24 September 2026.
Traficom then collects an annual vehicle tax: a basic tax based on CO2 plus a driving-power tax for diesel and electric cars, due 42 days after assessment; unpaid tax brings a prohibition of use, even for a previous owner's debt. Winter tyres are compulsory from November to March if the weather requires, with at least 3.0 mm of tread, and from December non-studded winter tyres need the three-peak mountain snowflake symbol.
HSL, Nysse, Föli and OSL: city transport prices 2026
Ticket prices are set by each transport authority. HSL (Helsinki Region Transport) covers Helsinki, Espoo and Vantaa in lettered zones; fares rose by an average of 3.1 per cent on 1 January 2026, and the current price list is valid from 2 June 2026.
| City and operator | Single adult ticket | 30-day season ticket | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Helsinki region, HSL | AB €3.30 in the app or on the card, €3.50 from machines or contactless; ABC €4.50 | AB €73.90, ABC €110.40, ABCD €121.80; app saver AB €61.90 | Day ticket AB €10.60; 360 days AB €739; discounts for children 7–17, Kela pensioners, students and over-70s |
| Tampere, Nysse | AB €2.50 on the travel card, €2.80 contactless or mobile; ABC €4.00 / €4.70 | AB or BC €65.00, ABC €84.00 | Three zones; inspection fee €80 |
| Turku, Föli | €3.15, valid two hours; €4.50 cash on the bus; night fee €1 | €57.00 | Value card trip €2.60; day ticket €8.30; under-7s free with a paying passenger |
| Oulu, OSL | €2.90 in the app, on the card or contactless; €5.00 cash from the driver; double fare 23:00–04:30 | €64.00; 90 days €172.00 | Zoneless fixed price |
Source: HSL (price list 2026), Nysse, Föli and OSL, read 24 September 2026.
HSL's 40 per cent student discount requires being 18 or over, living permanently in the HSL area with your address registered at DVV and full-time studies of at least eight months; the HSL app needs a henkilötunnus (personal identity code) and bank credentials. Non-residents of HSL municipalities pay €172.10 for a 30-day AB 'general' ticket.
Parking is a city matter. Helsinki charges €4 an hour in the centre (zone 1) and €2 elsewhere in the inner city (zone 2), weekdays 9.00–21.00 and Saturdays 9.00–18.00. Resident permits cost €45–69.30 a month depending on zone. In a town you may not need a car at all – public transport works well, and running a car is fairly expensive.
What to do now
| Step | What | When |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Find your licence in the table and note your deadline | The day you move |
| 2 | Register your kotikunta with DVV; without it there is no Finnish licence | In your first weeks |
| 3 | Book the exchange or the tests at Ajovarma | Well before the deadline – a Convention exchange takes 3–4 months |
| 4 | Bringing a car: insurance, declaration of use, car tax return, customs, registration | Before you drive it in Finland |
| 5 | Fit winter tyres with at least 3.0 mm of tread | November to March, as the weather requires |
| 6 | Buy a season ticket in the HSL, Nysse, Föli or OSL app | Once you have a personal identity code and bank credentials |
Source: Traficom, DVV and HSL, read 24 September 2026.
Official sources
The official pages this guide is based on, read 24 September 2026. Links open the authority’s own website.
- Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency) · traficom.fi
- Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency) · traficom.fi
- InfoFinland (City of Helsinki with the ministries) · infofinland.fi
- Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency) · traficom.fi
- Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency) · traficom.fi
- Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency) · traficom.fi
- Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency) · traficom.fi
- Finnish Tax Administration (vero.fi) · vero.fi
- Finnish Tax Administration (vero.fi) · vero.fi
- Finnish Customs (tulli.fi) · tulli.fi
- Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency) · traficom.fi
- Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency) · traficom.fi
- City of Helsinki (hel.fi) · hel.fi
- City of Helsinki (hel.fi) · hel.fi
- City of Helsinki (hel.fi) · hel.fi
- City of Helsinki (hel.fi) · hel.fi
- HSL Helsinki Region Transport (hsl.fi) · staticfiles.hsl.fi
- HSL Helsinki Region Transport (hsl.fi) · hsl.fi
- HSL Helsinki Region Transport (hsl.fi) · hsl.fi
Relocate in Europe provides general information, not legal or financial advice for your individual situation. Check with the authority named above before you act – rules change, and your case may differ.