Driving, car rental and winter roads
Licences, car rental, Finnish road rules, winter driving and tyre rules, wildlife on the roads, where to fuel or charge, and what residents need to know about inspection and vehicle tax.
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Can you stop on the hard shoulder of a motorway in Finland?
MTV Uutiset explains that stopping or parking on a motorway is allowed only in a few special cases.
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Can you cycle or ride a moped on a motorway in Finland?
The Road Traffic Act defines a motorway and a motor road as roads marked for motor vehicles.
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What counts as permanent residence for car tax in Finland?
The Finnish Tax Administration says that in car taxation, permanent residence is the place where you live or stay for at least 185 days during a calendar year.
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What is car tax (autovero) when you bring a car to Finland?
Veronmaksajat describes car tax as a one-off tax paid on passenger cars, vans and motorcycles intended for registration in Finland.
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Can someone living in Finland drive a car registered in another EU country?
The Finnish Tax Administration says a person living permanently in Finland may use a vehicle for up to 14 days in a row once a calendar year if it is registered in another EEA or EU country and has valid motor insurance.
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Can you drive your foreign-registered car in Finland as a visitor?
Veronmaksajat explains that a person living permanently abroad may temporarily use a vehicle registered in another country in Finland without paying taxes.
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What are the rules for driving near trams in Helsinki and Tampere?
Moottori explains that the main rule between trams and vehicles is that a tram must be given free passage.
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Are Finnish traffic and parking fees enforced in other EU countries?
The European e-Justice portal says that a traffic penalty fee and a parking fee are administrative sanctions in Finland, so they are not enforced in another member state.
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Who pays a speed camera fee in Finland, the driver or the owner?
Moottori explains that in speeding cases found by automatic traffic surveillance, the traffic penalty fee is vehicle-specific.
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How are day-fines calculated in Finland?
Finland has used day-fines since 1921.
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How old are cars in Finland on average?
Statistics Finland reports that at the end of 2025 the Finnish vehicle register had 3,819,975 passenger cars, of which 2,723,489 were in traffic use.
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How many electric cars are there in Finland?
Statistics Finland says the mainland register had 169,458 fully electric passenger cars and 193,767 plug-in hybrids at the end of 2025.
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Who pays if an uninsured or unknown car hits you in Finland?
Verkkouutiset reported that when an uninsured vehicle crashes, LVK compensates the personal injuries and property damage of the other parties.
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What is the speed limit with a trailer in Finland?
MTV Uutiset reported that from June 2020 a car or van towing a light trailer may drive at most 100 km/h.
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How close to a pedestrian crossing can you park in Finland?
Section 37 of the Road Traffic Act, quoted in a 2024 ruling of the Supreme Administrative Court, says a vehicle may not be stopped or parked on a pedestrian crossing or within five metres before it.
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Can you park on the left side of the road in Finland?
Moottori explains that since the Road Traffic Act took effect at the start of June 2020, you may stop or park on the left side of the road in a built-up area, also on two-way roads.