Moving a RHD UK Car to Finland

[maxfinland]

I have setup a business here in Finland and have my UK registered car here on UK Plates.

The tax and Mot run out in April and as I am looking at moving here permenantly can anyone give any advice on the costs involved in importing the car to Finland?

Will I need to take it out of the country and then bring it back for customs purposes or can I just turn up at a customs office with all the paperwork?

After the car has been imported what is then the process for registering the car here with Finnish plates and a new Finnish MOT?

Any help would be appreciated

Thanks

Dave

[Hank W.]

OK.

1. Are you a Finnish resident?

Now think a lot before you answer that, as a Finnish resident may not drive a foreign registered vehichle in Finland. Nobody gives a crud over your tax disk - resident = car impounded.

2. Have you officially moved to Finland?

Think again before answering this as if you are imagining to bring the car as a moveable item it has to come with you when you move. There are some loops and holes but usually theres a customs officer waiting behind one.

3. Are you seriously saying you are going to pay taxes for a car with the steering wheel in the passenger's seat???

Think again now straining your brain before answering this, as the value of the car will be assessed of a similar LHD car in Finland. However after the two years' probation (if you manage to swim it in as a moveable) you try getting rid of it - now who is buying a car with the steering wheel on the passenger seat?

4. MOT & stuff you need a COC certificate and then probably to get continental lights changed & some odd stuff. Its a pretty straightforward process.

Now read these...
1. Temporary Use of Vehicle in Finland
http://www.tulli.fi/en/02_Publications/ ... 05_eng.pdf
2. Importation of Removal Goods including Private Motor Vehicles into Finland
http://www.tulli.fi/en/02_Publications/ ... 08_eng.pdf
3. Importation of Used Motor Vehicles into Finland
http://www.tulli.fi/en/02_Publications/ ... 20_eng.pdf

You can either start giggling yourself silly or start crying then. Its been done, but I fail to see any benefit - unless its a Jaguar.

[PeterF]

MOT & stuff you need a COC certificate and then probably to get continental lights changed & some odd stuff. Its a pretty straightforward process.

Its been done, but I fail to see any benefit - unless its a Jaguar.

The bottom line is "unless it is a collectors item" take it back to the UK sell it and come back here and buy a car design/built for Finland.
Or else you will be stuck with an un-sellable car and a lots of bills.
The cost of getting even a bulk standard UK produced car converted to meet Finnish MOT regulations. Plus the Finnish paper work..(all of course in Finnish) is just not worth the time and effort.
Do a first check..go into the main dealer for your car here in Finland and ask.."how much to convert my cars headlight so they dip in the correct direction? If it is a bulk standard, and there were many produced/sold into Finland, you might get away with less than 500€. If it some odd ball model...dont even bother asking.

Oh by the way how good is the anti corrosion under seal on your car?

[maxfinland]

Thanks for the information.

I have applied for a Finnish Resident Permit and get the paperwork on the 16th March. I dont see there being a problem as I am self employed with my own business that is setup here already and I am an EU Citizen, but who knows what paperwork is around the corner !

I then intend to move officially to Finland on the 1st April after the UK tax year finishes.

I can take the car out of the country and then bring it back when I officially move here as a moveable item. Do I have to go to the customs office at the port I arrive at?

If I am then officially a Finnish resident how do I import the car on UK plates then and legally drive it or do I have to move here before that date and sort the car out?

The car is worth keeping as it is a 1998 Grand Cherokee Jeep which only has 60,000 miles on the clock. I have owned it nearly a year so it wont be classed as a new import and I wont be able to get one here for the same price I paid. I intend keeping the car so the two year nosale rule doesnt apply either.

I have driven it here for a few months now and not come across any problems accept for being able to see the road clearly when overtaking slow moving lorries and tractors ! and of course the tailgaters who obviously have never heard of black ice!

[PeterF]

The car is worth keeping as it is a 1998 Grand Cherokee Jeep which only has 60,000 miles on the clock.

Very Nice ...I see you are in JÄRVENPÄÄ
..get your self here and ask them what they can do about the head lights..as it is an American car might be quite easy.

Mäkelän Kone Oy
Kielokatu 1
JÄRVENPÄÄ
puh (09) 5495 2500
fax (09) 5495 2558

Main dealers for:

Chrysler and Jeep.

[maxfinland]

Thanks

They did my brakes last year so I will get a quote from them for the lights and getting the car ready for the Finnish MOT inspection.

[Hank W.]

OK, you also need to ask them about a CoC as they ask it here.

One thing - the bulletin on removal goods this applies to you:

"A person who has stayed in Finland temporarily
before moving to Finland permanently
is entitled to the tax reduction granted in respect
of a vehicle imported as part of removal
goods if he can show that the requirements
set out above in section 4.1.2 have been fulfilled
immediately before his arrival in Finland for a
temporary stay. This means that the person
shall have stayed abroad uninterruptedly for
at least one year immediately before arriving
in Finland. In addition, he shall have had the
vehicle abroad under his ownership or in his
possession under conditions leading to ownership
and in his use for at least six months immediately
before his arrival in Finland.
Arrival in Finland means the date on which
the person arrives in Finland for the first time
for a temporary stay. During the period of one
year preceding his arrival in Finland the person
shall not have stayed in Finland for purposes
other than short visits as laid down in the first
subsection of Section 26 of the Car Tax Act
For tax reduction, it is also required that
the vehicle is declared for taxation as removal
goods within six months from the beginning
of the temporary stay. If the vehicle has been
in Finland temporarily free of tax as a so-called
tourist car within the meaning of the second
subsection of Section 2 of the Car Tax Act and
the time limit for the tax-free use of the vehicle
has been extended by a written permit given by
the Customs District concerned, the declaration
may be lodged before the extended period expires
but not later than within 18 months from
the beginning of the temporary stay.
The above-mentioned obligation to declare
is a condition for granting the vehicle tax treatment
as part of removal goods. Thus a vehicle
which has been used in Finland but which
has not been declared for taxation as removal
goods within the prescribed time is not considered
being imported as removal goods."

[Hank W.]

I can take the car out of the country and then bring it back when I officially move here as a moveable item. Do I have to go to the customs office at the port I arrive at?

Thats an option. You will get red sticker plates until your pound of flesh is appreciated. Remember the "muuttoauto" thing. You are not "importing" it. Theres a difference.

If I am then officially a Finnish resident how do I import the car on UK plates then and legally drive it or do I have to move here before that date and sort the car out?

Once you have paid the taxes - or gotten the customs deduction you go to a MoT place for a registeration MoT where they prod and poke. You better have your paperwork in order and the car made into specs, or you need to show up again and it costs. If you have the red plates you can drive around - if not - then you move with it on a trailer.

The car is worth keeping as it is a 1998 Grand Cherokee Jeep

Worth? - OK, gas is a fraction cheaper than in the UK, but have you seen an insurance quote on how much you'll pay for it yet? Hmmm.. actually I got off the Pohjola calculator 600 for a Jeep with a 2,5 liter engine + a grand for a Kasko so that isn't so bad actually.

...errr.. it is not diesel is it?

[maxfinland]

Thanks for all your help its aprreciated.

Would I have to go to the local customs who handle the Järvenpää district or at the port of entry?


The Gas isnt much cheaper here than the UK and I am waiting on an insurance quote but I currently pay approx 1000 € so I am not expecting it to be cheap here.

[Hank W.]

You can go to the local guys handling it for Järvenpää, if you have the paperwork intact - its been through the customs and is documented as a "tourist vehichle" etc.

[Mook]

...and of course the tailgaters who obviously have never heard of black ice!

oh, and it's illegal to drive here in the winter without appropriate tyres.

[maxfinland]

I have legal tyres. Its fitted with M+S All weather Tyres.

I drive to survive my journey as I know that speed and ice dont go well. 1 foot of braking distance isnt enough for the tailgater if I have to stop suddenly.

[Penguin]

It is not that difficult!

I moved a UK spec car here last year, without too much difficulty. Old car - not worth much, but worth bringing along to transport us and some of our luggage.

How much? Well it cost about 600 euros for oil heater, second hand headlamps, winter wheels/tyres and full cold weather service. I needed a certificate of exhaust emission(from the manufacturers office in Finland) - and a finnish MOT and plates - altogether another 200 euros.

We use it to potter about town. It will be run until it drops (in maybe another 5 years). The process takes a little time to complete. Make sure you have proof of 12 months insurance in UK - along with bank statements and utility bills to prove you also have been living outside Finland for 12 months.


Hope this helps....

[dave071061]

I have legal tyres. Its fitted with M+S All weather Tyres.

Legal yes, Sensible, Not really! When I oved back here last year I was driving a Ford Explorer with M+S tyres, Didn't bother with studded because I was taking it back to the UK before Christmas,
M=S are fine for Snow and Mud, but no use at all on sheet ice, 2 days before I was due to take it back to the uk I did a very graceful looking spin into a ditch!

Funny thing was my UK insurance company went mad because their insurance assessor over here estimated the damage at 12K euros and gave the go ahead because that a fraction of the cars worth here, In the UK it is proberbly only worth about 15K and the insurance company would have written it off!

When I was here before I had a LHD jeep cherokee that I brought over from the UK which had RHD lights, I went to a small garage over Valimo way and they changed them at a ridiculus low cost of 45 euros each!!!!!!

[Hank W.]

Funny thing was my UK insurance company went mad because their insurance assessor over here estimated the damage at 12K euros and gave the go ahead because that a fraction of the cars worth here, In the UK it is proberbly only worth about 15K and the insurance company would have written it off!

Yes, but to write it off they would have needed to export it out from the country. Scrapping it here would have required paying the taxes first.