Cost of Driving Permit?

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eashton
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Re: Cost of Driving Permit?

Post by eashton » Fri Aug 15, 2003 7:12 pm

katrina wrote:How much does it cost to get a driving permit in Finland? My hubby said around 80 euros, but I don't know:)lol I already have had my American one for 2 years:)..and I know they can turn my American one into a Finnish one. Do I have to take a driving test?

Goodbye my beautiful automatic..hello manual..AAH!:)lol :twisted:

:)Katrina

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

The US is one of these countries so you need to drive here for 6 months first and then you'll just exchange your US license and 40 euros for a Finnish one. No test required.



Re: Cost of Driving Permit?

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Caroline
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Re: Cost of Driving Permit?

Post by Caroline » Fri Aug 15, 2003 8:52 pm

katrina wrote:How much does it cost to get a driving permit in Finland? My hubby said around 80 euros, but I don't know:)lol I already have had my American one for 2 years:)..and I know they can turn my American one into a Finnish one. Do I have to take a driving test?

Goodbye my beautiful automatic..hello manual..AAH!:)lol :twisted:

:)Katrina

I changed my American license to a Finnish one in June of last year. It cost 40 € then. They permanently keep your American one at the police station in the city where you live, and then each time that you go to visit the USA, you give the police your Finnish license and they give you the American one. When you return to Finland, you do the exchange again.

To apply for the Finnish one, you have to have some friends sign a little paper that proves you've been practicing driving in Finland for 6 months, and you also need a quick 5-min. medical exam in which the doctor checks basic stuff like vision, vitals, and use of prescription medication, then fills out a form which you give to the police with your application.

There are some basic differences in driving laws, for example: you cannot ever make a "right on red", have to use headlights always, no matter what time of day or season, horn can only be used in an emergency (trying to get an old lady to hurry up crossing the road is not an emergency), etc.
Former expat in Finland, now living in New Hampshire USA.

Caroline
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Re: How do you do practice driving?

Post by Caroline » Sat Aug 16, 2003 7:23 am

katrina wrote:How do you do that? Do I need an international liscence? If so, do you know where I can apply for one? Do I get a practice liscence from the police station in Vantaa? Or can I just drive some back roads with my American liscence, and hope I don't have a wreck?:)lol

I'm confused as usual:)lol

:)Katrina




You have to get an international license first from the USA before you arrive in Finland.
Former expat in Finland, now living in New Hampshire USA.

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Hank W.
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Post by Hank W. » Sat Aug 16, 2003 8:28 am

The AAA I think writes them out. Its basically a booklet which has a standard form so if you have a chinese licence and go to arabia the local cops will understand if you are allowed to drive a tractor on the camel lane or not.

There seems to be 1001 scam artists in the USA selling them for a profit thoogh (as usual).

After that its just the back roads with someone. Traffic here isn't that difficult, just remember instead of 4-way stop crossings we have 4-way "survival of the fittest" crossings... just watch your right...

And there may or may not be yield signs, so learning to find the grey background if it is or is not one of those crossings you need to give way or not.

And remember, the car has the insurance here, not the driver.
Cheers, Hank W.
sitting here like a lemon looking for a gin.

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Kemars
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Post by Kemars » Sat Aug 16, 2003 9:52 am

You can drive here in Finland with your US license for six month (as long as you have someone who has a drivers license (over 24 or 25) from finland is in the car. do that for 6 month and then fill out the necessary paperwork (as usual here in finland- get used to it :shock:) that you can get from the local police station in the city that you live in, take a number, take abour 50 euros in cash, and have your US drivers license with you as you have to surrender that license in order to get a Finnish EU license. Oh ya, get passport black/white photos too...at least 2 of them.

Thats what I did and it was so easy. Just pay attention to the "person on the right has the right away all the time unless they have some hidden by trees, bushes,etc triangle, which then means you have the right of way. Be aware of this rule as people will not stop and they "barrel" from the right and keep on going, expecting you to yield to them. That was the hardest rule to learn, plus the fact that when you are in the country side, in neighboorhoods, they do not have stop signs, (at least I haven't see any as of yet...I know they exist here in Helsinki at least).

Just learn the rules and you will be ok! Ohya, the major rule, the bus has the right of way period! you see its blinkers, :shock: STOP and GIVE WAY!!! :shock:
How much wood would a wood chuck chuck if a wood chuck could chuck wood?

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Hank W.
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Post by Hank W. » Sat Aug 16, 2003 10:14 am

And in Helsinki the trams have a right of track. Even the tram is coming behind you from the rear left, if the driving lane goes on the tracks as someplaces it does, the tram is going to ram your ass because it is always correct (and bigger).
Cheers, Hank W.
sitting here like a lemon looking for a gin.

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Hank W.
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Post by Hank W. » Sat Aug 16, 2003 10:31 am

Cost in the UK is far higher though :mrgreen:

Supermarket worker passes driving test at 20th attempt

A supermarket worker has passed her driving test at the 20th attempt after taking more than 300 lessons.

Sue McIlwraith, of Hill Top, West Bromwich, West Midlands, said she was delighted to have made the breakthrough after spending £7,000 on tuition since 1996.

The 46-year-old grandmother admitted that her marathon quest to tear up her L-plates was not entirely due to bad luck or harsh examiners.

"I've got to be honest - I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer when it comes to driving and I just didn't get it at all," Mrs McIlwraith conceded.

"I don't do much for the cause of women drivers in general, but I am a determined person and when I put my mind to something I refuse to give up."

The newly-qualified driver's husband Colin said his wife had shown a never-say-die attitude in the wake of all 19 failed tests.

"She persevered from day one and she kept putting in for her test when others would have given up," he added.
Cheers, Hank W.
sitting here like a lemon looking for a gin.

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Kemars
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Post by Kemars » Sat Aug 16, 2003 11:09 am

now that is what I call "sticking to your guns" and try try again!.. :D
How much wood would a wood chuck chuck if a wood chuck could chuck wood?

Caroline
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Re: Thanks!:)

Post by Caroline » Tue Aug 19, 2003 7:33 am

katrina wrote::)THanks for the info:) I might get a international liscense...so I can just drive using my American one, I don't need an international one right? My hubby is turning 30 so he can teach me how to drive:)lol I'll probably learn on the private farm roads of my hubby's uncle :)lol Whoo!:)lol


It's going to be weird driving on ice. I've only seen ice twice where I live down south in 10 years. Yikes:)lol

:)Katrina




You must get an international license (for example from AAA) before coming to Finland. Your American license is NOT valid in Finland by itself. You must carry the international license and your American one when you are driving. You cannot get the international license after arrival in Finland. Ymmärrätkö nyt? :)
Former expat in Finland, now living in New Hampshire USA.


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