One more time: foreigen car in Finland

[Kai Schwämmle]

Hello together,

I read the trends about this thing, but I´m still not sure how it really works.
I will come to Finland next week. I´m half German and half Finnish. I will stay permanent in Finland, my car is of course still German registrated.
Do I have to registred it really very fast in Finland? How does it work? How much does it cost?
I have this car (usual Golf 4, Diesel) now for almost 3 years. I guess, I don´t have to pay the tax anymore. Is that right?

Thanks,
Kai

[Hank W.]

Ok, I don't care which half you are, but you are not a Finnish *resident* before this, right?

You come in on the ferry, go to the customs and, say
"olen germaani, tullaa mun autoni"
They ask you stupid questions which you need to answer the right way.

Here is the catch: for "moving vehichles" (as in tax-free) they give you 30 days leave to drive, for "imported vehichles" (as in taxed) they give you 3 months leave (with red tags)

Within the 30 days or in case of importing an used car of 3 months you get a paper from the customs stating your car tax, which should be the 0 unless your car is überposh. Also explaining the restrictions etc.

Then you go to the nearest katsastus station and get the car inspected. If the inspection goes through you then register the car. And then you may not give it to anyone else in 2 years or so or you'll be made to pay the tax you evaded. Very clearly stated at http://www.tulli.fi in a document titled briefly as "Importation of Personal and Household Effects and Private Motor Vehicles as Removal Goods into Finland".

Necessary papers from Germany would be Euro CoC document, and then of course if you don't have winter tires a 2nd set or rims and an Eberspächer or Webasto installed.

If you "think" at any moment in between the Customs levies a "thinking tax", which is added "I was in the belief that" supplement, so read the Tulli website thoroughly.

[stefaaane]

I was told that insurance for motorbike here in Finland were sky high, i brought 2 weeks ago my motorbike to Finland ( Yamaha FZS 1000) model 2003. Yesterday I went to Pohjola and the price for 1 year was the same as i was paying in Belgium about 500 euros. It's the basic insurance but I don't think that's sky high.

Stephane

[Hank W.]

Thats pretty good, the prices have come down a bit, but they still expect your riding time to be just the summer months?

[sinikala]

Ok, I don't care which half you are, but you are not a Finnish *resident* before this, right?

You come in on the ferry, go to the customs and, say
"olen germaani, tullaa mun autoni"
They ask you stupid questions which you need to answer the right way.
They give you 3 months leave (red tags).
Within 3 months you get a paper from the customs stating your car tax, which should be the 0 if you answered the questions correctly.

Then you go to the nearest katsastus station and get the car inspected. If the inspection goes through you then register the car. And then you may not give it to anyone else in 2 years or so or you'll be made to pay the tax you evaded. Very clearly stated at http://www.tulli.fi in a document titled briefly as "Importation of Personal and Household Effects and Private Motor Vehicles as Removal Goods into Finland".

Necessary papers from Germany would be Euro CoC document, and then of course if you don't have winter tires a 2nd set or rims and an Eberspächer or Webasto installed.

If you "think" at any moment in between the Customs levies a "thinking tax", which is added "I was in the belief that" supplement, so read the Tulli website thoroughly.

Hank has written the procedure nicely, just to add a couple of comments

- I understand it depends on your port of entry, but the tax assessment can be much faster, last time we had the tax bill in under a week (entering through Hanko) and the permanent registration plates were already in place after about 8 or 9 days.

- Just to make clear you do not need to wait for the tax assessment before going to Autokatsastus (Finnish version of TüV).

The customs office at the port (Tulli) will give you a piece of paper which you get stamped at various stages along the process. The Autokatsastus check can take place before you have the tax decision, and they will order the registration plates for you.

The final step is to go back to the Katsastus with all the papers in order and the tax bill paid (in your case hopefully showing tax exempt), then they give you the plates.

[Hank W.]

It is "within 3 months" but it seems they've "gotten a routine" nowadays. Last year there was still a backlog of old taxation complaints that clogged up the system. The brilliance of "Finnish logic" again you have to pay the tax before you can complain about it, can't stop the cash flow...

I had the impression some stations wouldn't start the inspection procedure without the full paperwork. Good thing if you can start the process - but you won't get everything done "at once". Though if you are importing something "a bit more funky" it may well be worth taking it to katsastus and hearing what all needs to be changed...

[stefaaane]

To give you my experience but I'm talking about a motorbike, it should be about the same, maybe a little bit more for a car.
When you arrive in the harbour, you go to Tulli and you will fill a paper and get a permit to drive for 30 days with German register plate ( you have to have valid insurance) then you will you have to go to Helsinki Tulli, I had to go to Hameenlinna Tulli as i'm living there to fill many paper, take as many paper as you can about the car and even as many proof as you can that you were living and working in Germany. Tulli will then make the car tax decision. Check on the web site http://www.tulli.fi.
During this 30 days i have to register it to finnish register, meaning going to Katsastus (car check + registration), the price for motorbike was 130 euros. Car is more expensive.
I don't know about the exact difference between 30 days permit and 3 months transfer permit, but on Tulli web site it's explained well.
Stephane

[stefaaane]

For the insurance of motorbike, you can drive all year round if you want.
Stephane

[Hank W.]

Ah, the 30day / 3 month difference is easy it seems. The 30 days is when you "move" in with the car or motorbike and its tax-free "moving vehichle". The 3 months is when you "bring" one in and then "import" it and need to cough up some tax.

So you came here as a "current German resident moving in" and brought the bike and got the 30 days and got it into Finnish plates. You also have a restriction there you may not sell it for a time without paying tax on it. Say you now drive your motorbike around for the 2 years before the restriction lifts and you sell it. Then you go to Germany to buy a "cheap" motorcycle. Now when you bring that motorcycle as you are a "current Finnish resident" you get the 3 month tags and a tax decision (and the bike stops being that cheap).

[stefaaane]

Thanks Hank.
The restriction to sell it is 1 year once it's registered as a finnish vehicule, that's what is written on Tulli paper. I have to own the motorbike 2 years abroad and then 1 year registered in Finland. This only if i want to sell it.
Stephane

[Kai Schwämmle]

Hei together,

Thanks for information!

I arrived now on Monday in Helsinki. I will try to do my very best tomorrow. Lets see how it works.

Kai

[Hank W.]

OK, it should really be "routine" with the paperwork