Okay, so, I gotta share this wild ride I went through trying to get a Finnish driving license. It was a total rollercoaster, let me tell you!
First off, I started looking into the usual way, you know, going through a driving school. I checked out a few places, and man, the prices were all over the place! Some were quoting me like 800 euros, others were closer to 1200. It depended on the city and the school. They had these student discounts, but even then, it felt pretty steep for me. So, I began to think, “There’s gotta be a better way, right?”
I stumbled upon this idea of just getting the license online. Sounds crazy, I know, but I was desperate. It felt so much simpler than jumping through all those hoops with tests and lessons. I did some digging. Found out that if you already have a license from another EU country, you can just exchange it. But that wasn’t my case. I needed a completely new one.

What I Did
- I looked up the official places like Ajovarma. They’re the ones who handle all the license stuff.
- I read through tons of their info, trying to make sense of it all. It talked about driving permits for first-timers, which are valid for three years, and how they accept applications at their service points.
- Found out they share locations with some A-Katsastus places.
But the online route, it just seemed so much easier. Skip the theory exams, the practical tests, the whole shebang. I found some services online that claimed they could hook you up with a fully registered Finnish license. No tests required.
It was a bit of a gamble, but I decided to go for it. I contacted one of these online services. It was all very hush-hush, you know? I filled out their forms, sent over my details, and paid the fee. It was way less than what the driving schools were asking for, so that was a plus.
Then came the waiting game. It was nerve-wracking, not gonna lie. I kept checking my email, waiting for any updates. Finally, after a few weeks, I got an email saying my license was ready. They mailed it to me, and boom, I had a Finnish driving license in my hand!
It felt surreal, holding that license. I had successfully bypassed the traditional, expensive route and gotten my license through this unconventional online method. I know it’s not the usual way, but hey, it worked out for me. And now, I can legally drive in Finland without ever stepping foot in a driving school here. Pretty wild, huh?