Foreign driving licences more widely accepted as of 1 February 2018

Ministry of Transport and Communications
Publication date 31.1.2018 10.51
News item
(Photo: Rodeo)
(Photo: Rodeo)

From the beginning of February all driving licences issued in countries recognised by Finland will be accepted for driving in mainland Finland. So far, a licence issued in a European Union or European Economic Area Member State as well as a licence issued in a signatory country to the Geneva or Vienna Road Traffic Convention has been recognised in Finland.

The licence will give entitlement to drive in Finland, if it is valid in the issuing country and meets certain requirements of form. The information contained in the licence have to be in Latin alphabet and indicate the right to drive or include an official translation into Finnish or Swedish.

In order to prevent driving licence tourism, a licence qualification requirement is that the person's habitual residence was not in Finland at the time of issuing the licence.