Swapping my driving license

[Ref]

a document stating that the applicant has been driving a car in Finland for at least six months

is this like a printed form you have to get it from the police station or what?

[Pursuivant]

A free form letter it used to be. Just written in the "proper" formal manner.

[Rip]

A free form letter it used to be. Just written in the "proper" formal manner.

At least last year in Helsinki there was form at the police station stating that the applicant has been driving a car for six months, and a place for signatures of two other person than the applicant himself to affirm that. Presumably your very own "Me allekirjoittaneet todistamme.... " would be accepted as well.

[Ref]

oh yeah i found out they have a printed form at the police station!

[Pursuivant]

Yay, they've improved! I got a copy of one my dad got signed by his old coot friends when he was 70 to keep his licence...

[Ref]

i don't know if it's just me who find this paper confusing since there's no information about it on the police site or mentioned anywhere,it's not even on the stand with the rest of the applications you just have to take a number and wait lol

[Upphew]

i don't know if it's just me who find this paper confusing since there's no information about it on the police site or mentioned anywhere,it's not even on the stand with the rest of the applications you just have to take a number and wait lol

Why bother with fetching a form when you can swig a cold one with a couple of friends and ask from the bar maid for a pen and paper...
"Me XXX ja YYY todistamme, että ZZZ on ajanut suomessa autolla aikana 1.2.2009-1.1.2010
Tsadissa 2.1.2010
XXX YYY"

[Pursuivant]

see now thats a "notarized" document

[Ref]

i don't know why i didn't think if that

[MC Deli]

Finally got round to exchanging my licence a few weeks ago. As I believed the 18 month rule does not apply to EU licences, if your EU licence has not gone past the expiry date printed on it, it is good for exchange, I have been here for four years.

I went to my local police station, told them what i needed and they wanted the following:

Driving licence
Fill in an application form
Sign a statement that you are not banned from driving
Two passport photos
40 euros
Medical certificate (38 euros)*

Wait two weeks and go and collect new licence.

*Having passed my driving test 20 years ago (+ bike test a bit later) in blighty I had categories A,B,BE,C1,C1E,D1,D1E which lets me drive up to 7.5tons or 16 passengers plus trailer. Had i wished to skip the medical I would have got a A,B licence,(bike, car) but if I wanted the other catagories back at a later date it would cost well over a 1000 euros here so the 38 euros seemed well spent.

This is great news. Kai, you may remember we had a similar thread last year that left me thinking I was facing a Finnish driving test. I will be paying a visit to my local rozzers shortly.

[DMC]

This is great news. Kai, you may remember we had a similar thread last year that left me thinking I was facing a Finnish driving test. I will be paying a visit to my local rozzers shortly.

Yes, good news indeed. Is there any incentive to changing a licence now though? I still have my (old, paper) UK licence. It is valid until I am 70 and I don't see any real need to change it. Or have I missed something?

[MC Deli]

This is great news. Kai, you may remember we had a similar thread last year that left me thinking I was facing a Finnish driving test. I will be paying a visit to my local rozzers shortly.

Yes, good news indeed. Is there any incentive to changing a licence now though? I still have my (old, paper) UK licence. It is valid until I am 70 and I don't see any real need to change it. Or have I missed something?

My UK license (the paperwork) is valid until 2041 BUT the actual physical license (the card) is only valid until 2011, hence I am happy I can swap it.

[dave071061]

This is great news. Kai, you may remember we had a similar thread last year that left me thinking I was facing a Finnish driving test. I will be paying a visit to my local rozzers shortly.

Yes, good news indeed. Is there any incentive to changing a licence now though? I still have my (old, paper) UK licence. It is valid until I am 70 and I don't see any real need to change it. Or have I missed something?

If you are no longer resident in the UK and you lost or had your license stolen you wouldn´t be able to get it replaced.

[srivibhu]

gotta exchange mine too, been here 5 months and its about time.
Looks like i have to take a medical for an exchange. Anyone know where/how i can get one ?
Also do I just walk into any police station with the paperwork and ask for an exchange?

Thanks folks

[SteveS]

I just exchanged my UK license for a Finnish one following the advice in this post. I would just like to add one thing to the list..

TAKE YOUR PASSPORT WITH YOU WHEN YOU GO!

I didn't, and they wouldn't accept anything else as proof of ID so I had to return a second day to get the license

Also, I don't know if it is everywhere but Vantaa take 4 weeks to process the new license.