Driving examination

You may take an oral theory test in the following cases:

• your mother tongue is other than Finnish, Swedish or English and you do not have good skills in any of these languages
• you cannot read and write, or
• you are aged 75 years or over and you failed a normal theory test you took earlier.

If you have been guilty of misconduct in an earlier theory test, you must take any following tests orally.

You may take the oral (spoken) theory test for health reasons in the following cases:

• you are deaf or sign language is your first language
• you are dyslexic
  • You need to have a statement or other report from a healthcare professional or a special needs teacher concerning your dyslexia or reading difficulty. The statement or report must include your name and personal identity code or date of birth.
• you have some other health reason that makes it necessary for you to take the theory test orally.
  • You need to have a statement or report explaining this reason given to you by a healthcare professional. The statement must contain the diagnosis code of the illness or disorder. 

The examiner checks the interpreter’s identity before the test starts.

Both the interpreter and the candidate may bring a printed dictionary to the test. The interpreter may also bring a printed word list they have composed. These materials will be inspected before the test starts.

The examiner reads the theory test questions aloud and the interpreter translates them for the candidate.

If remote interpretation is used, the candidate and the interpreter are jointly responsible for ensuring that the remote connection works and for the devices used to facilitate the remote connection.

If suspicions of misconduct, such as cheating, arise during the test, the examiner removes the interpreter from the test session immediately. The candidate may complete the theory test.

You may use an interpreter in the theory test in the following cases:

• your mother tongue is other than Finnish, Swedish or English and you do not have good skills in any of these languages
• you are deaf and sign language is your first language.

The interpreter demonstrates their competence with a degree/qualification certificate issued by an educational institution (university, university of applied sciences or vocational institution). 

You should check the competence of the interpreter you are using in advance. If Ajovarma cannot ascertain the interpreter’s competence in the theory test, the interpreter will not be admitted to the test. The person taking the theory test pays the costs of using the interpreter.

If you need an interpreter at the theory test, call Ajovarma to book your test.

The possibilities of finding a qualified interpreter may vary by region. If no interpreter is available to attend the test or the costs are unreasonable, remote interpretation may be used. An interpreter working remotely must be qualified.

The  interpreter must apply for approval for remote interpretation from Traficom. The approval is only granted for one candidate mentioned in the decision, per one service point and per one driving license category.

The approval is valid until the theory test has been completed at the Ajovarma service point specified in the application, but no later than the expiry date of the driving licence permit granted to the person requiring interpretation.

Interpreter – How to Apply for Approval for Remote Interpretation

Fill in a freely worded application.

The application must contain the following information:

• your name and date of birth
• target language of interpretation
• name and date of birth of the client (test candidate)
• the category of driving licence the theory test concerns
• the Ajovarma service point where the theory test will be taken
• a declaration affirming that there is no conflict of interest and that you are not disqualified from interpreting for the client.

Attach a copy of your diploma (university, university of applied sciences, or vocational school) to your application.

Submit the application with attachments to the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom's registry
• by email: kirjaamo(at)traficom.fi or
• by mail: Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom, P.O. Box 320, FI-00520 Helsinki, Finland.

Include the attachments as email files (pdf, jpeg, or tiff). Do not send attachments as cloud storage links.
We will process the application within one month of its arrival, provided that sufficient information has been submitted.

You will receive the granted exemption or the negative decision by email or in the suomi.fi service, if you have enabled it.

It may be difficult to find a qualified interpreter for small languages. If a trained interpreter is not available even for remote interpretation, a person wishing to act as an interpreter may apply for an exemption.

There must be no conflict of interest, and the applicant must not be otherwise unsuitable for the interpreter’s task. Conflicts of interest arise from a family relationship, friendship or financial relationship with the candidate.

How to apply for an exemption for interpretation

1. Fill in the application form.

   Application form for exemption from interpreter’s qualification requirement (form in finnish) 

2. Submit the application with attachments to the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom's registry
   • by email: kirjaamo(at)traficom.fi or
   • by mail: Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom, P.O. Box 320, FI-00520 Helsinki, Finland.

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   We will process the application within one month of its reception if sufficient information has been provided.

3. You will receive the granted exemption or the negative decision by email or in the suomi.fi service, if you have enabled it.

You can address a request for an administrative review concerning the examiner’ decision to the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom).

Traficom will only hand over test questions at the actual test. Disclosing the questions would jeopardise the reliability of the test and the equal treatment of candidates.

Around 150,000 theory tests are taken each year. This is why it is not possible to give detailed test feedback or go through the test questions. The test answers are assessed in the information system automatically and impartially. The assessment focuses on the test performance, not the candidate.

Each candidate receives feedback on their test performance by email or on paper. The feedback shows the number of correct and incorrect answers in each section. The candidate and their instructor should read the feedback carefully and focus their studies and practice on the subject areas in which the candidate has scored the lowest points.

A fee of EUR 60 is charged for processing a request for an administrative review. This concerns handling and driving test. Under the Act on Criteria for Charges Payable to the State, the fee is enforceable without a separate decision.

Instructions for requesting an administrative review are attached to the feedback sent to the customer’s email address.

The candidate may record or film their driving test if they wish. The driving test is comparable to using other official services and, as a rule, everyone has the right to record their service use.

You do not need a separate permission to record or film the test, but you must tell the examiner about it.

Sharing a recording on social media or otherwise is not permitted without the consent of each person appearing in the recording.

While you have the copyright to any recordings you make in public places, the persons who appear in them may have the right to restrict the publication of the images under privacy and data protection legislation.

If you do not tell the examiner that you are recording the test or share the recording without asking for permission, you may be guilty of violating such statutes as the Criminal Code or data protection legislation.