Registration notifications

• Owner of a vehicle
• Holder of a vehicle
• First-time registration
• Change of owner
• Changes in holder data
• Change of insurance information
• Decommissioning
• Commissioning
• Change of address or name
• Notification of transfer
• Veteran vehicle registration
• Other notifications
• Final deregistration

A registration notification of changes pertaining to a vehicle must be submitted within seven days of their occurrence. Notifiable changes include change of owner and change of holder, and changes related to the use of the vehicle. Notifications on decommissioning and commissioning must always be submitted on the same day.

Notification does not need to be submitted if the change pertains to a private individual's name, address or domicile, the death of a person, changes in structure or equipment on a vehicle that has passed an alteration and coupling inspection, or structural or equipment changes that do not require an alteration inspection.

Registration notifications are submitted with the most recent registration certificate. Changes are marked in the notification part of the registration certificate and signed by the person submitting the notification. Registration notifications are submitted at a registration office or online. Registration is subject to a registration charge confirmed in a decree issued by the Ministry of Transport and Communications concerning Finnish Transport Safety Agencys charges.

Owner of a vehicle

The owner of the vehicle is responsible for the vehicle he/she owns and for notifications related to any changed register information. The owner of the vehicle submits a registration notification pertaining to first-time registration, change of owner, change of holder (addition, change or deletion) and final deregistration. Notifications on decommissioning, commissioning or change of insurance provider can also be made by the vehicle's holder.

When submitting a registration notification, the owner needs both the notification part and the technical part of the registration certificate. The notification part must be stored carefully to prevent it from ending up in wrong hands. The technical part is kept with the vehicle. If the vehicle also has a registered holder, the technical part is to be submitted to him/her. If the holder plans to enter a registration notification of final deregistration, for example, the notification part is required.

If the vehicle is part of the estate of a person who is now deceased, click here for more information.

If the vehicle does not have a registered holder, the owner must pay the vehicle tax.

Holder of a vehicle

The holder is a person other than the owner who is the primary user of the vehicle, or to whom the vehicle has been contractually assigned for a period of more than 30 days. The first holder of the vehicle must be old enough to drive said vehicle in traffic.

Registration notifications on adding, changing or removing a listed holder are submitted by the owner of the vehicle. The holder is entitled to submit notifications pertaining to vehicle’s decommissioning, commissioning or the change of insurance provider.

The technical part of the registration certificate belongs to the holder and must be kept with the vehicle. The notification part of the registration certificate is retained by the owner. If the holder wishes to submit a registration notification for decommissioning the vehicle, for example, he/she must obtain the notification part from the owner.

The first holder entered in the register is always the individual required to pay the vehicle tax.

If a company vehicle has no natural person as its registered holder, the vehicle must be assigned a person in charge of use.

First-time registration

A motor-driven vehicle used in traffic in Finland (or a trailer attached to it or its trailer) must be registered in Finland.

Change of owner

A registration notification is submitted when the owner of the vehicle changes. The notification must be submitted at a registration office within seven days of the date of the transfer.

Changes in holder data

In compliance with Finnish legislation on vehicle registration, the holder of a vehicle must always be included in the Vehicular and Driver Data Register. When there are changes pertaining to the holder, e.g. when the holder changes into an owner, or a listed holder is added, changed or deleted, a registration notification must be submitted at a registration office within seven days of the change date.

Change of insurance information

A change of insurance provider or policyholder can be performed at any time during an insurance period.

Decommissioning

Decommissioning refers to the temporary decommissioning of a vehicle from traffic and entering this information into the Vehicular and Driver Data Register. No vehicle tax is levied during decommissioning.

Commissioning

Commissioning refers to recommissioning of a vehicle that has been decommissioned from traffic and entering this information into the Vehicular and Driver Data Register.

Change of address or name

Companies, associations, etc. must submit notification to the register of changes in their names or addresses. Private individuals do not need to notify the register of such changes, because their Vehicular and Driver Data Register data is updated automatically from the Population Information System.

Notification of transfer

If the owner of the vehicle fails to comply with the registration obligation, the previous owner can submit a notification of transfer, ending the seller’s obligations on the day of transfer.

Veteran vehicle registration

A vehicle manufactured more than thirty years ago can be registered as a veteran vehicle provided that its eligibility for such a registration has been verified by a veteran vehicle organisation.

Other notifications

The possible erroneous information in the registration certificate can be corrected at a registration office by presenting a corrected and signed registration certificate.

If a company vehicle has no natural person as its registered holder, a person in charge of use must be entered into the Vehicular and Driver Data Register.

The company can notify Trafi of its different offices operating under the same business ID if this is necessary for the company’s invoicing or reporting system, for example.

Final deregistration

Final deregistration of a vehicle entered into the Vehicular and Driver Data Register ends the vehicle tax liability and insurance payments. The validity of the register number also expires. A vehicle that has undergone final deregistration can no longer be commissioned for traffic.