The right to drive may include restrictions or conditions related to issues such as fitness to drive, professional aptitude or vehicle characteristics. The restrictions are recorded in the driving licence as special conditions.
The special conditions have numeric codes, which are shown on the reverse side of the driving licence. The most common special condition on a driving licence is 01 on eyesight correction with eyeglasses or contact lenses.
Other frequently used special conditions include special condition 95 on professional aptitude and special conditions 111 or 113 on alcohol interlock use.
The police may make changes to your driving licence in connection with the monitoring of fitness to drive.
Based on the vehicle used in the driving test, the examiner may restrict your right to drive. For example, if you are driving a vehicle with automatic transmission in the test, the special condition 78 is marked on your driving licence.
If you later wish to remove the special condition that obligates the use of automatic transmission from your driving licence, contact Traficom’s service provider Ajovarma.
Changes to the special conditions on the right to drive may also require a new driving test in some other cases.
The most common standardised special conditions within the EU
Certain special conditions and restrictions on driving licences are standardised across the EU. Such special conditions also used in Finnish driving licences include:
01, Sight correction. Glasses or contact lenses.
02, Hearing aid / communication aid.
69, Restricted to driving vehicles equipped with an alcohol interlock.
70 (--), Exchange of licence. The number and issuer of the foreign driving licence are indicated in brackets.
71 (--), Duplicate driving licence. The licence has been issued based on a third-country driving licence extract. The number and issuer of the foreign driving licence are indicated in brackets.
78, Restricted to vehicles with automatic transmission.
95, Driver holding CPC meeting the obligation of professional aptitude.
96, Category B vehicles combined with a trailer with a maximum authorised mass exceeding 750 kg where the maximum authorised mass of such combination exceeds 3,500 kg, but does not exceed 4,250 kg.
A comprehensive list of all harmonised driving licence conditions and restrictions applied in the EU can be found in the EU directive on driving licences (Annex 1 to the directive).
The most common special conditions on a driving licence used only in Finland
Driving licences issued in Finland may include national special conditions. They are only used in Finland. These special conditions include:
103 (01) Duplicate driving licence. The number of the duplicate is indicated in brackets. 111, alcohol interlock. Alcohol interlock-controlled driving rights ordered by the police.
113, Alcohol interlock on health grounds.
114, Alcohol interlock-controlled driving rights only valid in Finland with the exception of the Åland Islands. The special condition is no longer valid for driving licences issued after 1 January 2016.
120 AM licence, moped.
121 AM licence, light quadricycle.
131 Exceptionally, the minimum age for a C licence is 18 years and for a D licence 21 years. The licence is only valid in Finland in the following circumstances:
- Driving a vehicle belonging to the police, the rescue services, an emergency services academy, an emergency care service, the Finnish Defence Forces, Customs or the Finnish Border Guard for transportation related to their tasks.
- Moving or test driving a vehicle in connection with repairing or maintaining the vehicle or moving a vehicle in the depot area in connection with washing, cleaning or refuelling the vehicle. Driving the vehicle may not be the primary task of the driver.
- Moving a vehicle to vehicle sales or marketing events or between sales points. Driving the vehicle may not be the primary task of the driver.