Car taxation – when you buy or bring into Finland a car not earlier registered in Finland

You must pay car tax in the following circumstances:

• You took a vehicle with you from a foreign country and you are re-registering it in Finland.
• You buy a vehicle in Finland that has no registration. You are registering it for the first time.
• You put a vehicle into operation in Finland – unless it is a vehicle subject to tax-exempt use.

Car tax is collected for all motor vehicles registered for the first time in Finland, or put on the road for the first time, including passenger cars, vans and buses (weighing less than 1,875 kg), motorcycles and other L-category vehicles (e.g all-terrain quadricycles).

The Finnish Transport and Communications agency (Traficom) collects vehicle tax from car owners once a year (ajoneuvovero in Finnish, not discussed in this guidance).