International driving permit

In Finland the Finnish Ministry of the Interior has given the right for issuing the international driving permits to the automobile club and its service outlets already in the 1920’ies.

Before issuing the IDP Autoliitto checks the validity and the right to drive of the Finnish driving licence from the central register of driving licences at the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom. As regards national licences issued in EU/EEA countries, the appropriate register authority will be contacted.

In Finland the IDP models of 1949 Geneva Convention and 1968 Vienna Convention are in use. The IDP 1949 is valid one year from date of issue and the model 1968 is valid for 3 years from the date of issue at the most.

Provisions of the Vienna Road Convention and of the EU driving licence directive as well as of the Finnish Driving Licence Act mean that the place of residence is of crucial importance when issuing driving licences. The principle is that the driving licences, also the IDPs, should be applied for in the country, in which the person has his permanent residence. Hence in Finland you can be granted an international driving permit if

• you are aged 18 or over
• you have a valid driving licence issued in Finland or another EU or EEA State
• you are permanently resident in Finland or
• you have a Finnish driving licence and are permanently resident in a country outside the EU or EEA.

Whether all EU countries have amended their driving licence legislation accordingly, is not known to Autoliitto; but Finnish driving licence holders living permanently in Sweden face problems, as in Sweden it is only possible to get an IDP against a Swedish driving licence.

Automobile and Touring Club has listed countries in a table in alphabetic order. The table informs if the IDP is compulsory or if it is recommended to take IDP in addition to the Finnish driving licence.

The applicant is responsible for checking which model the destination country accepts.

The table with specific country information can be found here.

If some country accepts both 1949 and 1968 models, you can choose, one IDP is enough.

The information in the table is based on a short touristic trip. Many countries require a local driving licence, if the stay is longer than 3 or 6 months, or the purpose of the stay is other than tourism.

The source of information is FIA. Autoliitto is not liable for the information and changes are possible.

The IDP model 1949 costs 35 €.

The IDP model 1968 costs 45 €.

Express fee, 3 days: 28 €

• By mobile application “Kansainvälinen ajokortti”

You can pay and order IDP, if you have a Finnish driving license and your permanent residence is in Finland.
The app can be downloaded without charge from App Store and Google Play Store. The application functions on Android and iOS platforms.

• Check that the IDP you are applying for is accepted the country where you plan to drive
• Take a passport photo in the app with your own mobile phone, no copy of your driving permit

– Submit a color photo, taken in last 6 months.
– Use a clear image of your face. Do not use filters commonly used on social media.
– Have someone else take your photo. No selfies.
– Take off your eyeglasses for your photo.
– Use a plain white or off-white background

• Pay in the app
• The IDP will be mailed by post to the address you provided in the application

• By personal visit in Autoliitto office, Hämeentie 105 in Helsinki

Another person can deliver the application with attachments and pick up the IDP for you. A power of attorney is not required to submit an application and pick up the issued IDP.

Necessary documents:

• photo = passport photo; printed on photo paper (one piece) up to 12 months old. We do not accept other images. No electronic images.
• a photocopy of both sides of a valid driving license
• application for an international driving permit

 

• By post

Applying by post:

1.Check here what kind of card your destination countries accept.

2.Necessary documents:

• photo = passport photo; printed on photo paper (one piece) up to 12 months old. We do not accept other images. No electronic images.
• a photocopy of both sides of a valid driving license
• application for an international driving permit

3.Pay in the AL-kauppa (AL store). Alternatively, the issued IDP can also be sent by cash on delivery to an address in Finland.

4.Send a passport photo, a photocopy of your driving license and a completed application for the IDP to: Autoliitto, Automobile and Touring Club of Finland, Hämeentie 105 A, 00550 Helsinki

5.The IDP will be sent to the address you provided.

(If you want the IDP to be sent to an address other than your local address, enter the shipping address in the “Name and shipping address if different” section of the application.)

Neither Autoliitto nor the Finnish Post is responsible for the proper delivery of letters mailed as ordinary letters.

We recommend that you choose either express delivery or cash on delivery.

Processing time is 10 working days from the date of receipt of the application and the necessary attachments, plus mail delivery time.

Express delivery surcharge is 28 €. Processing time up to 3 business days from the receipt of the application and the necessary attachments.

NOTE. It can take up to 1-2 weeks for letters mailed as regular letters to arrive. We recommend that you send the application and attachments by express mail.

The IDP is valid from the date of issue. The IDP cannot be dated later.

 

For more information, call (09) 7258 4400 or (09) 7258 4458.

Application