In Finland, car taxation consists of several different charges. The most important ones are car tax (autovero), vehicle tax (ajoneuvovero) and the driving force tax (käyttövoimavero). These are often confused with one another, even though they refer to different things. In 2026, changes to the vehicle tax in particular will affect many motorists, especially those driving electric cars, plug-in hybrids and diesels.

Car tax is generally a one-off tax that is paid when a car is registered or first put into use in Finland. According to the Finnish Tax Administration, car tax is usually paid when a vehicle imported from abroad is registered in Finland, and you can estimate the amount of car tax using the Tax Administration’s car tax calculator.

Vehicle tax, on the other hand, is an annual tax on vehicles in road use in Finland. According to Traficom, vehicle tax is paid in advance for a 12-month period, and it is usually the responsibility of the vehicle’s owner or keeper. Finland does not use vignettes, road tolls or emission stickers for passenger cars in the same way as some other European countries do.

Car tax: a one-off tax upon registration

Car tax applies in particular to cars that have not previously been registered in Finland. This is important, for example, when you import a car from Germany, Sweden, Estonia or another country. The amount of car tax is affected by, among other things, the car’s general retail price in Finland, its age, its equipment and its emissions.

When importing a used car, the Tax Administration’s calculator can provide an estimate of the amount of car tax. If you do not know the car’s estimated retail price in Finland, you can look up price information from the Tax Administration’s service for used cars that are more than two years old.

For this reason, anyone buying an imported car should calculate the total cost before making a decision. A low purchase price abroad does not always mean a low final cost in Finland, if car tax, registration, inspection, transport and any repairs raise the costs.

Vehicle tax: an annual tax on car use

Vehicle tax is paid annually when a car is in road use in Finland. Traficom collects the vehicle tax, and it is determined based on the vehicle’s details. The tax can be paid in one, two or four instalments.

Vehicle tax generally consists of a basic tax. If the car uses a power source other than petrol, a driving force tax may also be added. In practice, a petrol car usually only pays the basic tax, whereas a diesel, an electric car or a plug-in hybrid may also incur a driving force tax.

Driving force tax 2026: diesel, electric and hybrids

In 2026, the levels of the driving force tax will change. For passenger and dual-purpose cars, the driving force tax from 1 January 2026 is, according to Traficom, 5.5 cents per day per started 100 kilograms for diesel, 1.9 cents for electric cars, 0.95 cents for petrol-electric plug-in hybrids, 3.6 cents for diesel-electric plug-in hybrids and 3.1 cents for methane-powered cars.

The taxation of electric cars will become stricter in 2026. According to Traficom, the vehicle tax for an electric car consists of a basic tax and a driving force tax. From the beginning of 2026, the basic tax for electric cars will rise, and an electric car will additionally pay a driving force tax of 1.9 cents per day per started one hundred kilograms.

There will also be changes to the basic tax for low-emission cars. For cars measured under the WLTP method, the basic tax will rise if emissions are 0–102 g/km, and the new basic tax is 106.21 euros per year.

What should a car buyer keep in mind in 2026?

In addition to the purchase price, a car buyer should look at the taxes, the power source and their own annual mileage. A diesel may make sense for someone who drives a lot, but the driving force tax raises the costs. A fully electric car may be inexpensive to run, but the 2026 tax changes are worth factoring in. A plug-in hybrid can be a good compromise if it is charged regularly and not driven on the combustion engine alone.

Before buying a car, it is worth checking the car’s CO₂ emissions, total mass, date of first registration, power source and vehicle tax estimate. Traficom’s vehicle tax calculator is the best tool for this, because the amount of tax depends on the car’s individual register data.

Summary

In 2026, car taxes in Finland consist mainly of three things: car tax, vehicle tax and driving force tax. Car tax is usually paid once, when a car is registered in Finland. Vehicle tax is paid annually on a car that is in road use. The driving force tax applies in particular to diesels, electric cars, plug-in hybrids and other alternative power sources.

The best way to avoid surprises is to calculate the total costs before buying a car. The purchase price, taxes, insurance, servicing, tyres and fuel or electricity make up the car’s real monthly cost.