Driving in Finland with a foreign driving licence
A valid driving licence issued in an EU or EEA Member State always entitles you to drive in Finland. Check this page to see if you can drive in Finland with a driving licence issued in another country.
On this page
- A driving licence issued in an EU or EEA Member State
- A driving licence issued in a Contracting State
- Driving licences issued in other states recognised by Finland
- States not recognised by Finland – driving licence not accepted
To drive in Finland, you must meet the age and health requirements set for getting a driving licence in Finland.
Please note that you can only drive in Finland if you originally got your driving licence before moving to Finland. A foreign driving licence is not valid in Finland if your permanent residence was here when the driving licence was first issued to you.
A driving licence issued in an EU or EEA Member State
A driving licence issued in an EU or EEA Member State is valid for driving in Finland within the period of its validity.
When your driving licence is about to expire, apply for a new driving licence in the country where you live permanently. A temporary driving licence issued in any other Nordic country is also valid in Finland.
A driving licence issued in a Contracting State
Finland and some 110 other countries are signatories to the Geneva and Vienna Conventions on Road Traffic. When visiting Finland, you may drive with a valid driving licence issued in any of these countries and in Hong Kong, Macao or Taiwan. On this page, these countries are called "Contracting States".
In connection with traffic surveillance, present your driving licence to the police together with an international driving licence or an official translation of the driving licence into Finnish, Swedish or English.
You do not need an international driving licence or a translation of the licence if your national driving licence clearly indicates the driving licence categories and the validity of your driving licence.
If you move to Finland permanently, exchange your driving licence for a Finnish licence well in advance before two years have passed of your moving into Finland.
When two years have passed from your moving into Finland, you are no longer entitled to drive with your foreign driving licence.
Exchange the driving licence earlier if it expires before the two-year deadline.
Driving licences issued in other states recognised by Finland
If you have a valid driving licence issued in a state other than an EU or EEA Member State or a Contracting State, when visiting Finland, you can drive a moped, motorcycle or passenger car. The state must be a country recognised by Finland.
In connection with traffic surveillance, present your driving licence to the police together with an international driving licence or an official translation of the driving licence into Finnish, Swedish or English.
You do not need an international driving licence or a translation of the licence if your national driving licence clearly indicates the driving licence categories and the validity of your driving licence.
If you settle officially in Finland, your driving licence will be accepted for one year after you moved to Finland. Apply for a Finnish driving licence well before the end of the one-year period.
States not recognised by Finland – driving licence not accepted
A driving licence is not accepted in Finland if it has been issued in a country that is not recognised by Finland. In other words, such a licence does not entitle you to drive in Finland.
Such countries or regions include Transnistria, the Donetsk People’s Republic, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and Crimea.