Finland driving licence photo requirements
The 36 × 47 mm photo rules set by Traficom for the Finland driving licence, with the official wording and sources.
Quick answer
What size is the Finland driving licence photo?
For a Finnish driving licence, Traficom first reuses the facial photo and signature held in the police passport photo register. If it cannot, you bring 2 passport photos to a service point. They must meet the passport photo standard, 36 x 47 mm with a head of 32 to 36 mm on a plain light background, but the Driving Licence Act exempts them from the six-month age limit. A retrieval code from a photo studio cannot be used.
Driving licences in Finland are issued by the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency, Traficom. Applications that cannot be made online are handled at the service points of Ajovarma Oy, which provides customer and advisory services for driving licences and other personal road transport licences on Traficom's behalf.
Traficom does not take a photo file from you. When you apply for a first licence, renew a licence or order a new card in Traficom's My e-Services, you see the facial photograph and signature obtained from the passport photo register of the police, and by applying you accept them for your licence. If the system holds no photo or signature, or you do not want them used, you cannot apply online.
At a service point you bring 2 passport photos, unless you have a valid passport or identity card and allow its photo to be used, or Traficom already holds a photo from an earlier driving licence or road traffic permit card in which you are still recognisable. The Driving Licence Act also requires a new photo when the one in the authorities' registers is more than 15 years old.
Finland driving licence photo size and specifications
The requirements as published by Traficom:[1]
| Print size | 36 x 47 mm (1.42 x 1.85 in) passport photo; 2 prints at a service point |
|---|---|
| Digital size | No file from you: online, Traficom uses your photo from the police passport register |
| Head height | Passport standard: 32 to 36 mm from crown to chin, hair and beard excluded |
| Background | Plain light background in a single neutral colour, as for passports; light grey is best |
| Colour | Colour or black and white (passport standard) |
| Photo age | No six-month limit; a new photo is needed if the one on record is over 15 years old |
| Print quality | Passport standard: high-quality photo paper, clean, with no scratches or creases |
| Pixels when printed | 425 × 555 px at 300 dpi · 850 × 1110 px at 600 dpi (calculated) |
Key requirements
- Passport rules without the age limit
Section 10 of the Driving Licence Act requires a photo that meets the passport photo requirements, except the rule that it must have been taken within six months. The exemption covers the age only: size, framing, background and quality still follow the passport standard.
- 15-year limit on stored photos
An application for a driving licence permit or for renewing a licence must include a new photo if the photo stored in the authorities' registers is more than 15 years old. Until then, Traficom can keep using the stored photo.
- No studio photo codes
Traficom cannot use the photo code a photo studio gives you for a driving licence. Either let Traficom use the photo on your valid passport or identity card, or hand over printed passport photos at the service point.
- Stay recognisable
You may reuse an earlier Traficom photo only if you are still recognisable in it. If you can no longer be recognised from the photo on your licence, that is a reason to order a new one, and the Act lists it as a ground for a replacement card.
- Attachments go to the service point
My e-Services does not let you add attachments to a driving licence permit application. Photos, a medical certificate and any other papers are handed over at a service point instead.
- Signature sample as well
Besides the photo, the licence needs a signature sample that can be digitised, unless one already stored in the transport register is used. Online, Traficom shows the signature held in the police passport photo register together with your photo.
Do's and don'ts
Do
- Log in to My e-Services first to see which photo it will use.
- Bring a valid passport or identity card and allow its photo to be used.
- Otherwise bring 2 identical passport photos to the service point.
- Book an Ajovarma appointment in advance.
- Order a new licence if the photo no longer looks like you.
Don't
- Do not bring a photo studio retrieval code.
- Do not look for a photo upload in My e-Services.
- Do not rely on a stored photo more than 15 years old.
- Do not bring photos that fall short of passport rules.
- Do not let hair or glasses frames cover your eyes.
Sample photos
How a Finland driving licence photo should look, and the mistakes that most often get photos rejected. Each example is drawn to this document's 36 × 47 mm, head height and background colour.
Illustrations, not real photos. The official rules above always take priority; some documents do not allow glasses at all.
Glasses
Because the Act points to the passport photo requirements, the police rules on glasses apply to licence photos. Your eyes must be clearly visible, no part of the frame may cross them, thick frames that hide your facial features are a fault, and lenses and frames must not reflect light or cast shadows. Tinted glasses are accepted only for medical reasons.
Headwear and religious dress
The passport photo rules allow a scarf or other head covering only for religious reasons or an established tradition, or for health or medical reasons, and the covering must not hide too much of the face or shade it. Bring prints taken without a hat or cap otherwise.
Printed and digital photos
There is nothing to upload in Traficom's online services. The electronic channel works only with the photo and signature already held by the police for your passport or identity card, and you see them before you apply. If they are missing, or you would rather not use them, you apply at a service point.
At the service point, Traficom asks for 2 passport photos. A digital photo can be printed on a 4x6 inch sheet at a photo counter and cut into identical 36 x 47 mm prints. Ajovarma likewise tells customers who lose a licence that they need no new photos if they hold a valid Finnish passport or identity card, or have given photos for a licence or driver card in 2013 or later.
Where to submit the photo
Apply online in Traficom's My e-Services, signing in with strong identification. If you cannot use the e-service, apply at a service point of Traficom's service provider Ajovarma, where you fill in the form; book the appointment in advance. Exchanging a foreign licence for a Finnish one always requires a service point visit.
How to get your Finland driving licence photo
- Check the official requirements. Read the official specification for the Finland driving licence: 36 × 47 mm print, plain light background in a single neutral… background. Check the rules on pose, expression, glasses and headwear below.
- Take the photo. Follow the key requirements: passport rules without the age limit; 15-year limit on stored photos; no studio photo codes; stay recognisable.
- Prepare a print or digital file. There is nothing to upload in Traficom's online services. The electronic channel works only with the photo and signature already held by the police for your passport or identity card, and you see them before you apply.
- Submit the photo with your application. Apply online in Traficom's My e-Services, signing in with strong identification. If you cannot use the e-service, apply at a service point of Traficom's service provider Ajovarma, where you fill in the form; book the appointment in advance.
Finland driving licence photo FAQ
Often not. Online, Traficom uses the photo and signature from the police passport photo register. At a service point you need 2 passport photos, unless you have a valid passport or identity card whose photo you allow Traficom to use, or an earlier Traficom photo in which you are still recognisable.
No. Traficom says it cannot use the photo code provided by a photo studio for a driving licence. The code works for police documents such as the passport. For the licence, use your passport or identity card photo, or bring printed photos.
The six-month limit for passport photos does not apply to driving licence photos. A new photo is required when the photo stored in the authorities' registers is more than 15 years old, and whenever you can no longer be recognised from your licence photo.
The online service needs a facial photograph and signature already stored in the police passport photo register, for example from a passport application. If none is stored, or you do not want them on your licence, apply at a service point and bring 2 passport photos.
The Driving Licence Act requires photos that meet the passport photo requirements, so the size is 36 x 47 mm with a head of 32 to 36 mm from crown to chin on a plain, light background.
Order a new driving licence. Not being recognisable from the photo on the old licence is one of the reasons Traficom lists for ordering a new card, and the Act treats it as a ground for a replacement. A new photo comes from your passport register record or from prints you bring.
Related photo specifications
Other Finland documents
- Passport photo 36 × 47 mm
- Visa photo 36 × 47 mm
- ID card photo 36 × 47 mm
- Residence permit photo 36 × 47 mm
- Firearms permit photo 36 × 47 mm
Driving licences nearby
Also 36 × 47 mm
- Åland Islands passport photo 36 × 47 mm
- Albania eVisa photo 36 × 47 mm
- Albania visa photo 36 × 47 mm
- All Finland photo specifications
- Driving licences: photo rules by country
- Every document that uses a 36 × 47 mm photo
- Photo specifications in Europe
Official sources
- Traficom. Driving licence permit traficom.fi. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Traficom. Apply for a driving licence permit for your first driving licence traficom.fi. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Traficom. Renew your driving licence traficom.fi. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Traficom. Order a new driving licence traficom.fi. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Traficom. Our offices traficom.fi. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Parliament of Finland, published in Finlex. Act amending the Driving Licence Act, 938/2018 (Finnish, PDF) finlex.fi. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Police of Finland. Passport photograph instructions by the police (PDF) poliisi.fi. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Ajovarma (A-Katsastus). Frequently asked questions about driving licenses and permits a-katsastus.fi. Checked 2 November 2026.
Requirements can change, so always confirm with Traficom before you apply. WorldPhotoSpecs is independent and not affiliated with any government.
Cite this page
"Finland driving licence photo". WorldPhotoSpecs. Last updated 4 November 2026. https://worldphotospecs.org/finland/driving-licence-photo