Driving in Finland in a Rental Car: Winter Tyres and Fines

When are winter tyres required in Finland?

Older guides give a fixed December-to-February period. The current Road Traffic Act (section 105) instead requires winter tyres on cars up to 3.5 tonnes during November, December, January, February and March if the weather or road conditions require them. The main grooves must be at least 3.0 mm deep.

Studded tyres may be used from the start of November to the end of March, and at other times when the weather or road conditions require them (section 106).

Traficom adds a detail that matters at a rental desk. Non-studded winter tyres used in winter conditions must carry the three-peak mountain snowflake symbol from December. A tyre marked only M+S no longer qualifies.

Hertz Finland says all its Finnish rental cars have winter tyres between 1 November and 31 March. Its FAQ does not say whether they are studded, so ask if you are heading north.

Winter speed limits

Many main roads switch to lower winter speed limits in autumn. Väylävirasto says the summer limits usually return at the end of March or early April. Without a sign, the Road Traffic Act sets 80 km/h outside built-up areas and 50 km/h inside them.

Lights on, always

Section 49 of the act requires motor vehicles to use headlights or daytime running lights whenever they are moving, and headlights with rear lights in darkness, dusk or poor visibility. Check the light switch setting before you set off in the dark months.

How much is a Finnish speeding fine up to 20 km/h over?

Section 165 sets the penalty fee (liikennevirhemaksu) for speeding in a motor vehicle:

Committing two or more offences at once adds EUR 40 to the most serious one. The police give 30 days to pay a penalty fee decision, after which the Legal Register Centre sends a reminder and then enforced collection.

How do Finnish day-fines work above 20 km/h over?

More than 20 km/h over the limit is a traffic offence, not a penalty-fee matter, and is punished with day-fines. The police fine counter explains the arithmetic:

• One day-fine = (net monthly income minus EUR 255) divided by 60.
• The lowest day-fine is EUR 6.
• The total for a car driver's speeding fine cannot be less than EUR 200.
• The number of day-fines depends on the offence; the calculator allows a tolerance of 2–4 day-fines either way.

Worked example: what one day-fine is worth

The number of day-fines reflects the offence, while income sets the value of each one. A driver earning EUR 8,000 net a month pays about four and a half times as much per day-fine as one earning EUR 2,000. The police pages do not explain how income is established for a visitor, so expect to be asked about it.

How does a Finnish camera fine reach a rental driver?

According to the police, a vehicle-specific penalty fee from a camera is sent to the registered owner, holder or person in charge of the vehicle's use without first establishing who was driving. The decision must be sent within 30 days of the offence. The recipient can be released by naming the actual driver. The Road Traffic Act (section 161) requires the driver to have been photographed in a way that allows identification.

For a rental car, the owner is the rental company. Avis Finland charges a handling fee of EUR 49.60 including VAT for each speeding or parking fine. Hertz Finland says it passes your details on, the fine arrives by post, and it charges a handling fee that varies by country.

So a 12 km/h excess on a 50 km/h street costs EUR 170, plus EUR 49.60 if the car came from Avis: EUR 219.60.

Moose, deer and reindeer

Liikenneturva counted more than 13,000 game-animal accidents in Finland in 2025: 1,814 with moose, over 6,300 with white-tailed deer and almost 5,000 with roe deer. Five people died. Nearly 30% of moose collisions happen in September and October, and the riskiest time is about an hour after sunset.

In the north, reindeer are a separate hazard. Liikenneturva reports 4,000–5,000 reindeer accidents a year, mostly in October, November and December, when herds are gathered and moved and road salt draws them onto the road. Where there is one reindeer, expect more.

For what the dark months mean for daylight driving time, see white nights and kaamos.

Renting as a visitor

EU and EEA licences are valid in Finland for as long as they are valid at home. Traficom accepts licences from other convention countries for visitors, but asks for an international permit or an official translation into Finnish, Swedish or English during traffic checks when the licence does not clearly show categories and validity dates.

Company rules add their own layer:

If you are landing in Helsinki and only staying in the city, you may not need a car at all; compare the airport rail and bus options first.