EU/Finnish drivers licence

[tiger1]

Hi All

I have a EU drivers licence - issued in Denmark in 1992 - one of the old paper models. When I moved to Finland, 17 month ago, I was holding a Nordic moving certificate, which meant, I didn't had to register at police, but only at Maagistrati. I have a finnish ID nummer and guess, I'm considered a permanent resident in Finland?

I'm a little confused about this:

1) Do I have to exchange my Danish drivers licence to a Finnish one? Also considered that I have one of the old models and not the new pink plastic model? If so, it has to be done before the 18 month's rule, if you dont wanna take a Finnish test, right?


My husband recently exchanged his Danish drivers licence to a Finnish one, because he took a test here in Finland allowing him to drive with trailer - BE. When he picked his new Finnish licence up at the police station, the woman told him, that he needs to turn his Finnish licence in and get the Danish one back, when he moves from Finland.

2) But what about the BE trailer thing then? If he get the Danish one back, he only holds the B catagori. So can he bring his Finnish drivers licence with him, when he moves to another EU-country and then exchange it, so he gets the BE in his new drivers licence?

Hope someone can sort this out

thanks

[mCowboy]

That's why Poliisi has the website up:

http://www.poliisi.fi/poliisi/home.nsf/ ... endocument

[tiger1]

already seen that website. Is just not very clear, I think. The tekst in english and swedish are different under same topic. Ex. the swedish tekst doesn't say anything about the 18 months rule???

Also can't find info about returning drivers licence and what happens with new catagories, you have obtained in Finland?

Anyone been in the situation?

[blaugrau]

Have been thinking about this driving licence issues too, this is my interpretation of it:

"A person who lives permanently in Finland or has been studying in Finland for at least six months can exchange a driving licence issued in an EU or EEA country for an equivalent Finnish driving licence".

So to me it seems, if you WANT you can exchange your licence, and then maybe the 18 months rule applies, but you don't have to apply for a Finnish one. A further quote from the poliisi website points into that direction:

"The right to drive is valid regardless of whether the person is in Finland as a tourist or residing permanently."

So, at least for myself I have concluded that I don't need to do anything about my driving licence and can drive with my current one (from an EU country) without having to exchange it for a Finnish one. And I don't think it is relevant if your licence is plastic or paper etc.

[karel]

I changed my driver's license after living here for about 4,5 years and it was no problem.

If you DO want to change it though, you might want to double check whether or not you need a medical certificate next to all the other necessary papers. The officials in Helsinki and Espoo at least have a completely different idea about that, regardless of what's written on the poliisi website.

[interleukin]

I agree with the interpretation that you CAN exchange a EU licence for a Finnish one, but that you do not NEED to (this is quite clear on the Swedish version of the poliisi site).

Would just like to add one point. When thinking about changing your licence, you may want to check how long a new licence is valid. This can vary a lot between countries. My partner chose to keep his Finnish licence renewed even while living in Sweden because the Swedish one would have to get renewed ridiculously often.

/interl

[Hank W.]

Ah, the discrepancies are because Swedish text is for "Finnish people" who know everything and it is "original text". The English text is for "foreign people" and has some(not all) things "everybody knows" spelled out and that is a "translation".

[nidhal]

Hi All

I have a EU drivers licence - issued in Denmark in 1992 - one of the old paper models. When I moved to Finland, 17 month ago, I was holding a Nordic moving certificate, which meant, I didn't had to register at police, but only at Maagistrati. I have a finnish ID nummer and guess, I'm considered a permanent resident in Finland?

I'm a little confused about this:

1) Do I have to exchange my Danish drivers licence to a Finnish one? Also considered that I have one of the old models and not the new pink plastic model? If so, it has to be done before the 18 month's rule, if you dont wanna take a Finnish test, right?


My husband recently exchanged his Danish drivers licence to a Finnish one, because he took a test here in Finland allowing him to drive with trailer - BE. When he picked his new Finnish licence up at the police station, the woman told him, that he needs to turn his Finnish licence in and get the Danish one back, when he moves from Finland.

2) But what about the BE trailer thing then? If he get the Danish one back, he only holds the B catagori. So can he bring his Finnish drivers licence with him, when he moves to another EU-country and then exchange it, so he gets the BE in his new drivers licence?

Hope someone can sort this out

thanks

yes i have german dringing licence, i went to the police 3 weeks ago and they said that i dont need to change it at all because it´s EU driving licence!!and honestly if u see the different EU driving licence i advise u to keep ur danish one ! is better than the finnish one ! u can always find reason if one day the police stop u like me

[hychamaz]

I went through this at the police station as well. If you have an EU drivers license you don't have to do anything but you can if you want. For someone like myself coming from the USA, all I need to do is drive with my NY license for 6 months here, then have 2 witnesses sign a paper that I have practiced here and then they will give me a Finnish Drivers license.

[RA]

Since your husband has a new driver's licence with the BE category and it's an EU licence, he doesn't need to change it when he goes back to Denmark. Just keep the one he has now.

@hychamaz. Not all non-EU can just exchange their licences for a Finnish one. Some have to go to do the test again. Also depends on who's signing that you've practised. My best bet is they'll probably make you take a test.