Can a 15-year-old drive a light car in Finland?
No — light cars never reached Finnish roads. Parliament passed the light car laws in 2018: a passenger car limited to 60 km/h, drivable on an AM licence at 15. The European Commission held the arrangement contrary to the Driving Licence Directive, no derogation was granted, entry into force was postponed, and the laws were repealed for good in October 2020. The lawful options for a 15-year-old are a moped (AM120) and a microcar (AM121), both capped at 45 km/h. At 17 you can get a B licence by age derogation — but the 2026 licence reform brought restrictions for under-18 drivers, including a night driving ban from 00:00 to 05:00.
📋 The rules
- The 2018 light-car laws would have allowed 60 km/h-limited cars for 15-year-olds — repealed in October 2020 before ever taking effect.
- Reason: the European Commission deemed the scheme contrary to the EU driving-licence directive and granted no exemption.
- Legal options at 15: moped (AM120) and microcar (AM121) — microcars are capped at 45 km/h.
- At 17 a B licence is possible by age exemption; the 2026 reform added under-18 restrictions such as the 00–05 night ban.
- A home-limited 'light car' without any legal basis is just an unregistered modified car — driving it is driving without a licence.
🔓 Exceptions
- Vehicles registered as tractors (class T, e.g. tractor quads) are a separate lawful category with their own age limits.
- The Åland Islands have rules that differ from mainland Finland in some respects.
- The topic returns to politics regularly, but the EU-law obstacle stands — there is no light car law in force.
⚠️ Penalties
Driving a self-limited 'light car' at 15 is not a grey area but driving without a licence in an unregistered vehicle — two separate offences at once. The result is fines and a deferral of the driving licence permit, which can push your B licence back by years. And the liability does not stop with the young driver: the adult who handed over the vehicle incurs liability as the person who permitted it, so giving a car to a minor is an independent offence for the parent. Insurance is the third blow: in a crash, with the wrong vehicle class and no valid licence, compensation can be cut or refused — leaving the damage payable by the driver and the person who handed over the keys.
📎 Sources
- Finnish Government · Repeal of the light-car acts proposed →
- Yle · Light cars won't enter traffic — entry postponed →
- Helsingin Uutiset · No light cars on Finnish roads →
❓ Frequently asked questions
Why did light cars never come into use?
The European Commission held that a 60 km/h passenger car driven by a 15-year-old breaches the Driving Licence Directive. Finland got no derogation, and the laws were repealed in October 2020.
What may a 15-year-old drive?
A moped (AM120) and a microcar (AM121), both capped at 45 km/h. A tractor licence (T) is also possible, and it opens up tractor quads as well.
Can a 17-year-old drive a car?
Yes, on a B licence granted by age derogation. The 2026 reform brought restrictions for under-18 drivers, including a night driving ban between midnight and five in the morning.
Will light cars ever return?
The topic resurfaces in politics regularly, but the EU-law obstacle remains unchanged. There is no light car law in force, so as things stand the answer is no.
Can I limit a car to 60 km/h myself?
Not lawfully for road use. A limited car is still a passenger car, so driving it requires a B licence — otherwise it is driving without a licence, with liability for whoever handed it over.
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