Frequently asked questions about registrations, insurance and licence plates

The vehicle must be registered within 7 days if the vehicle’s owner or holder information changes. Please note that any changes to the owner or holder information of vehicles that have been decommissioned from traffic must also be notified to the register within seven days.

For example, if the owner information changes on Monday, the change of ownership must be notified on Monday of the following week at the latest. If the last possible date is on Saturday or a holiday, you can submit a notification on the following working day at the latest.

A shareholder of the estate can decommission the vehicle from traffic at an A-Katsastus or Ajovarma service points that handle registrations. A valid notification part (Part II) of the registration certificate needs to be provided. If the estate does not have the notification part, the shareholder of the estate can decommission the vehicle from traffic by presenting an inventory of the estate or an official certificate of the deceased as proof of being a shareholder in the estate.

The shareholder of the estate can take care of commissioning the vehicle for traffic at an A-Katsastus or Ajovarma service point that handles registrations. A valid registration certificate notification part (Part II) is required. If the estate does not have the notification part, the shareholder of the estate can commission the vehicle for traffic by presenting an inventory of the estate or an official certificate of the deceased as proof of being a shareholder in the estate.

If you are the owner or holder of a vehicle that is registered in the vehicle register, you can recommission the vehicle for traffic at an A-Katsastus or Ajovarma service point that handles registrations. You will need to provide the notification part of the registration certificate if one exists for the vehicle (not mandatory) and an identity card. Alternatively, an agent authorised by the owner or holder of the vehicle can take care of the matter on your behalf.

If you are the owner or holder of a vehicle that is registered in the vehicle register, you can decommission the vehicle from traffic at an A-Katsastus or Ajovarma service point that handles registrations. You will need to provide the notification part of the registration certificate if one exists for the vehicle (not mandatory) and an identity card.

Alternatively, an agent authorised by the owner or holder of the vehicle can take care of the matter on your behalf.

The current prices can be found in the inspection service price list:

Prices for vehicle inspection services

The current prices can be found in the inspection service price list:

Prices for vehicle inspection and registration services

The vehicle tax period ends at the time of decommissioning and the motor insurance becomes inactive.

Commissioning a vehicle for traffic means bringing a vehicle that has previously been decommissioned back into traffic use. When you commission a vehicle for traffic, the commission is effective immediately after the notification and will be valid indefinitely.

Decommissioning a vehicle from traffic means temporarily removing a vehicle that has been registered in Finland from use in traffic. The decommissioning is valid indefinitely.

When a vehicle is sold, it is always important to draw up a separate handover document that includes the buyer’s details, the handover date and the vehicle identification information, i.e. the registration number or the vehicle identification number.

If the buyer of the vehicle does not register the vehicle within seven days, the seller may submit a handover notification at an A-Katsastus or Ajovarma service point that handles registrations. Thus, the seller’s obligations in relation to taxes and insurance end on the date on which the vehicle is handed over.

In order to change ownership, you need either a certificate issued by the seller or a notification part of the registration certificate (Part II). You can also change ownership without a certificate or Part II if the previous owner has provided you with a handover notification. You can take care of the change of ownership at an A-Katsastus or Ajovarma service point that handles registrations.

You do not need to file a register notification under the estate of a deceased. If the estate is selling or buying the vehicle, you can find more information on Traficom’s website:

Vehicle belonging to the estate of a deceased person (Traficom)

Motor insurance is a legal obligation. Every motor-driven vehicle used in traffic must be covered by at least a motor insurance. Car insurance is also recommended, but not mandatory.

You can have your vehicle insured with the insurance company of your choice during the change of ownership at the A-Katsastus and Ajovarma offices that handle registrations. We cover almost all insurance companies.

If the insurance is taken out at the time of registration and the policyholder (vehicle’s owner or holder) is not present, the paying agent must have a power of attorney to take out the insurance. The power of attorney must indicate that the authorised person has the right to take out insurance, the vehicle identification data (registration number or vehicle identification number), the insurance company to which the vehicle is insured and the type of insurance to take out on the vehicle. In addition, it must indicate the transfer of any bonuses and in how many instalments the insurance will be paid for.

It is prohibited to use a vehicle that has been decommissioned from traffic. If the licence plates of a vehicle that has been decommissioned from traffic have not been returned and the vehicle is covered by a valid motor insurance, the vehicle may be used in traffic until the end of the day on which the decommissioning has been completed.

A vehicle that has been decommissioned may be moved to a pre-arranged vehicle inspection test and, from there, to repair or storage if the vehicle number plates have not been returned and the vehicle’s motor insurance has not ended.

Once you have commissioned the vehicle back for use in traffic, you can use the vehicle immediately if the vehicle’s periodic inspection and traffic insurance are valid, the licence plates are attached, and the vehicle tax is paid.

It is not necessary to return the license plates when a vehicle is decommissioned from traffic. Returning the licence plates has no impact on the validity of the registration number or the validity of the motor insurance. The validity of the registration number expires only when the vehicle is decommissioned abroad, in Åland, permanently removed or when the registration number is changed.