Finland - Customs

Arriving By Yacht:

Customs clearance may be carried out at Coast Guard stations, unless the yacht has goods to be cleared for import or export. In intra-EU traffic, boaters are not required to declare if they do not have taxable goods with them. If the pleasure craft has goods that are taxable in traffic between EU countries, the master of the vessel is obliged to make a prior notification to the customs authority to the nearest customs office in order to agree on the taxation of the goods.

Length of Stay:

For boats built on or after 1 January 1987 and registered in a EU country, evidence has to be produced that VAT has been paid on the boat in one of the EU member states. A boat on which VAT has been paid can be used and docked in Finland without any time limits.

Residents of non-EU countries may leave their boats for the winter at a boatyard providing the boat is to be used the following season. Customs must be notified and it may be necessary to pay a deposit which is refunded when the vessel is in use again. If a vessel is not taken out of the country within one year of arrival, appropriate taxes and fees must be paid. A cheaper alternative is to leave the vessel in a bonded warehouse, for details contact the appropriate port authority in the port of entry.

In general, EU regulations apply concerning temporary importation. See EU VAT page for more information.

Other Items:

• The following items must be declared to Customs and are subject to duties and import restrictions: drugs, firearms and ammunition, endangered species and their products, live animals and plants.
• If alcohol and tobacco products are for personal use and shown to have been purchased in the EU, then there is no limit of the amount which may be brought in.
• The importation of more than 250g of caviar must be accompanied by a CITES import or export permit.

For more information on the customs clearance of recreational craft, please contact the Customs Information Service, tel. +358 295 5201, or visit www.tulli.fi.

Last updated:  February 2022

Customs