Changing a transport licence | Traficom
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Transport and Communications Agency

Changing a transport licence

If the transport manager changes, an application for a change of transport manager must be submitted. A notification on terminating transport operations subject to a licence must also be submitted to Traficom. When the company type changes, an application for a licence document with up-to-date information or a new licence must be submitted. If the name or address of the licence holder has changed, the licence holder can apply for a licence document with up-to-date information, if necessary. However, the taxi transport license holder does not need to apply for a license document with up-to-date information if the address information changes, because address information is not printed on the new type of taxi transport license.

Changes have been made to the legislation governing the submitting of notifications regarding the transport of goods and passengers. Read more:  Goods and passenger transport licences 2022  (in Finnish)

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  • Step 1

    Are your contact details up to date?

    Check that the contact information of the company in My e-Services is up to date: contact person, email and telephone number.

    You can update your telephone number and email address via My e-Services (My e-Services/Front page/My details). You can log in with your online banking credentials, mobile certificate or certificate card.

    You do not need to report a change of name or address to Traficom. Name or address changes for natural persons are reported to the Digital and Population Data Services Agency and name or address changes for legal persons are reported to the Finnish Trade Register.

    If the name or address details of the licence holder have changed, the licence holder can apply for a licence document with updated details, if necessary. Address details are not included on the new type of taxi transport licence which means that a taxi transport licence holder does not need to apply for a licence document with updated details in case of a change of address.

    Apply for a goods or passenger transport licence document with up-to-date information
    Apply for a taxi transport licence document with up-to-date information due to a change of name
  • Step 2

    Has your company type changed?

    For example, if the company type changes from a limited partnership company to a limited liability company and the business ID remains the same, an application is submitted for a licence document with up-to-date information. In contrast, if you establish a new company, you should apply for a new licence while requesting that the old licence be cancelled, if the old licence is no longer used for transport operations.

    Only the party marked as the licence holder on the licence document can engage in transport operations based on the licence. If the licence holder is a natural person, only the person in question may engage in transport operations based on the licence, and they do so as a private trader (sole trader). If the licence holder is a community, only the community in question, such as a limited company or limited partnership, may engage in transport operations based on the licence.

    A transport licence can never be transferred or forwarded to another party. For example, a licence granted to a natural person cannot be transferred to a company owned by the person; instead, the company must apply for a transport licence of their own.

    Merger or closure of a licence holder company

    If a transport licence holder is acquired by another company or otherwise ceases to exist, the transport licences granted to it are withdrawn. If the acquiring company intends to continue transport operations, it must submit a transport licence application in good time.

    The right of an estate of a deceased person to continue operation

    If a transport licence holder dies, the estate of the deceased person can continue transport operations for up to six months from the date of the person’s death, provided that it notifies Traficom within three months of a transport manager who meets the conditions of good repute and professional competence.

    Apply for a taxi transport licence document with up-to-date information when the business type changes
    Apply for a goods or passenger transport licence document with up-to-date information
  • Step 3

    Has your transport licence been lost or destroyed?

    If your transport licence is lost or destroyed, you can apply for a transport licence to replace a lost or destroyed licence. The replacement licence is granted according to the validity of the original licence.

    Apply for a taxi, goods or passenger transport licence document to replace a lost/destroyed document
  • Step 4

    Are you terminating transport operations?

    If you are about to terminate transport operations, remember to apply for a cancellation of your transport licence. Submitting a termination notification to the Trade Register will not cancel your transport licence. You must apply for the cancellation of the transport licence with Traficom separately. By cancelling your transport licence, you will avoid extra costs, such as the annual transport licence holder fee.

    You must also apply for a removal of a register entry concerning taxi or goods transport operations with Traficom.

    Apply for the cancellation of a taxi, goods or passenger transport licence
    Apply for the removal of a register entry concerning taxi or goods transport operations.
  • Step 5

    Apply for a change of transport manager

    When the transport manager changes, you need to apply for a change of transport manager.

    Apply for a change of transport manager as the holder of a taxi, goods or passenger transport licence

Community licence for goods transport

The change in legislation does not affect the validity of Community licences for goods transport granted by ELY Centres. The Community licence and the vehicle-specific copies thereof will remain valid until the expiry date marked on the licence document.

Additional vehicle-specific copies of a Community licence are granted based on an application. The copies always expire at the same time with the original Community licence.

A Community licence granted by an ELY Centre is renewed into a new Community licence on the basis of an application. The new licence is granted for a period of 10 years.

Domestic goods transport licence

The change in legislation does not affect the validity of domestic goods transport licences granted by ELY Centres. These licences will remain valid until the expiry date marked on the licence document.

A domestic goods transport licence is renewed on the basis of an application. A domestic goods transport licence is always renewed into a Community licence for goods transport if the applicant has the professional competence required for the Community licence.

If the applicant does not have the professional competence required for the Community licence, the licence is renewed into a domestic goods transport licence. To be granted a domestic goods transport licence, the applicant must have at least one valid domestic goods transport licence at the time of submitting the application.

A holder of a domestic goods transport licence is granted additional licences on the basis of an application. The additional licences are always granted in the form of a Community licence for goods transport and vehicle-specific copies thereof if the applicant has the professional competence required for the Community licence. If the applicant does not have the professional competence required for the Community licence, the additional licences are granted in the form of domestic goods transport licences.

All domestic goods transport licences granted after 1 July 2018 will expire by 1 July 2028 at the latest. Domestic goods transport licence holders who intend to continue operating after July 2028 should acquire the professional competence required for the Community licence in good time.

Tractor transport licence

The Act on Transport Services does not include any provisions on tractor transport licences.

The granting of new tractor transport licences was discontinued on 1 July 2018.

Permits for scheduled services and demand responsive transport permits

The Act on Transport Services does not include any provisions on permits for scheduled services or demand responsive transport permits. In practice, the aforementioned permits were discontinued as a result of the Act on Transport Services entering into effect. Passenger transport licence holders who provide services based on these permits or based on concession or other contracts should contact the competent ELY Centre about how to proceed.

International scheduled bus and coach services between EU Member States

The licences required for international scheduled passenger transport services between EU Member States are granted by Traficom.

Taxi licences granted by ELY Centres remain valid even after the change in legislation that entered into effect on 1 July 2018. However, licences valid until further notice have been converted into fixed-term licences. According to the transitional provisions of the Act on Transport Services, the first licenses that were previously valid until further notice will expire in 2029. Traficom will remind licence holders of the need to renew the licence in good time before the expiry of the licence. In the event that a licence valid until further notice needs to be changed on the basis of an application, the licence will be converted into a fixed-term licence as part of the change decision.

Taxi transport licences were changed from vehicle-specific to company-specific in the new Act, meaning that the numbers of vehicles of individual companies are no longer limited. From now on, a taxi operator only needs a single taxi transport licence.

INFORMATION AND ADVICE ON TRANSPORT LICENCES

Telephone service
+358 29 534 5181
weekdays 8:00–16:15
liikenneluvat(at)traficom.fi

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