Finland sits at the far end of Europe from us, with the Baltic in the way, and people expect a long, complicated move. In practice it is one sea crossing, a run down through Scandinavia and the usual UK steps. The Finnish paperwork also works in a slightly different order from most of Europe, which is worth knowing before you start.
- Usual method
- Road transport, ferry or container
- Price
- Priced per job
- Transit time
- Usually 1 to 4 weeks door to door
- Import tax
- 20% VAT, no duty if EU or UK-built
How the car gets here
We bring Finnish cars over by sea, by road, or a mix of both. The usual line runs from Helsinki across to Sweden, then south through Denmark and Germany to the Channel and over to Dover. A container is another option, and it can suit a car that is travelling with your household goods.
Door to door, once collection and customs are allowed for, European moves usually take 1 to 4 weeks. Our guide to container, RoRo or air compares the methods if you want the detail.
Traficom and the Finnish side
Traficom, the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency, keeps the vehicle register. A car leaving Finland for registration abroad is decommissioned as transferred abroad, and this is the step people ask about.
The point that catches people out is timing. Traficom needs proof that the car has left the country, so this step comes after the car has gone, not before. The owner or holder can do it at an inspection station that offers registration services, or by sending the documents to Traficom by post or email.
Traficom accepts either of two documents as proof:
- A copy of the registration certificate from the new country, which for us means the UK V5C
- A certification of exit from Finnish customs
Decommissioning stops the Finnish vehicle tax and ends the motor liability insurance. Other EU registration authorities tell Traficom when a Finnish car is registered there, but the UK is no longer in the EU, so do not count on that happening. Traficom says doing it yourself is the quickest way to stop the charges anyway.
Keep the Finnish documents with the car. We need the registration document for UK registration, and you will need a copy of the new V5C for Traficom afterwards. Ask us for it once the car is on UK plates.
Import tax from Finland
Finland is in the EU, so a car coming from there pays 20% import VAT on the price you paid plus transport. There is no duty if the car was built in the EU or UK. If the invoice is more than 3 months old, a recent valuation is used instead.
Duty follows where the car was made. A Finnish-registered car built in Japan or the US pays 10% duty on top of the VAT. A car over 30 years old pays 5% VAT and no duty. The import tax calculator gives a rough figure.
If you have lived outside the UK for over 12 months and owned the car for over 6, you may bring it in tax and duty free under Transfer of Residence, through an HMRC application. A car that was UK-registered before may come back tax free with its UK purchase invoice and old V5C, as bringing a UK car back home explains.
The whole job, in order
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Before it leaves
Gather the paperwork
Finnish registration document, proof of ownership and a Certificate of Conformity if you have one.
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Transit
Sea and road
Across the Baltic, down through Scandinavia and over the Channel, or by container.
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Arrival
Customs and NOVA
As HMRC CDS authorised agents we make the customs entry and tell HMRC the car has arrived through NOVA.
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Preparation
Changes and testing
Headlights, mph speedometer and rear fog light, then the approval route that fits the car’s age.
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Within 10 working days
DVLA registration
Our dealer-level DVLA account lets us register imported cars within 10 working days.
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Afterwards
Decommission with Traficom
Send Traficom a copy of the V5C, or the Finnish customs exit certification, to stop the tax and insurance.
Changes for UK roads
Finnish cars are left-hand drive and set up for driving on the right. Before registration the headlight beam pattern needs correcting so it does not dazzle oncoming traffic, the speedometer must show mph, and a rear fog light may be needed if the car does not already comply.
We do this work on our own site. See speedometer and headlight conversions for how, and left-hand drive cars in the UK for living with one.
Testing and registration
The test depends on the car's age. An EU-built car under 10 years old can usually use a Certificate of Conformity, which we can source if it is missing. Without one, it takes an IVA test.
- Under 10 years old: a Certificate of Conformity or an IVA test
- Over 10 years old: an MOT and the usual changes
- Over 40 years old: no MOT, and the car can be delivered to your UK address before registration
We run one of only seven privately operated IVA centres in Great Britain and test on site every week, so there is no wait for a government slot. If you have already driven the car over, most EU cars can be registered remotely with our help on the paperwork.
Your Finland paperwork
0 of 7 done
What it costs
We do not publish a guide price for Finland, because European routes are priced per job. The location, the crossing and what the car needs here all change the figure. The estimator covers the tax, and importing a car from Europe covers what every EU route shares.
There is more on the Finland country page.
Questions people ask
How long does it take to bring a car from Finland to the UK?
Door to door, European moves usually take 1 to 4 weeks, allowing for collection, the sea crossing and customs.
Do I deregister my car with Traficom before it leaves?
No. Traficom decommissions a car transferred abroad once you can show it has left, using a copy of the new registration certificate or a Finnish customs exit certification. That stops the vehicle tax and insurance.
Do I pay import tax on a car from Finland?
Usually 20% import VAT on the price plus transport, with no duty if the car was built in the EU or UK. Cars over 30 years old pay 5% VAT, and Transfer of Residence can make it tax free if you are moving here.
Does a Finnish car need an IVA test?
An EU-built car under 10 years old can usually use a Certificate of Conformity instead. Without one it takes an IVA test, which we run on our own site. Over 10 years old it needs an MOT.
How much does it cost to ship a car from Finland?
Finland is priced per job, because the location, crossing and work needed vary. Send us the details for a full price.
Bringing a car over from Finland? Send us the details on the quote form.
