Speed LimitsFinland 2026: 120 km/h Motorways Drop to 100 Each Winter
Summer motorways are signed 120 km/h; from late October to about the turn of March and April they drop to 100. Up to 20 km/h over costs EUR 70-200, beyond that an income-based fine.
A Finnish motorway signed 120 km/h in July is signed 100 km/h in December. The Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency lowers limits nationwide by the end of October and restores them around the turn of March and April.
Limits that follow the season
Finland has only two limits written into the Road Traffic Act: 80 km/h outside built-up areas and 50 km/h inside them, both applying wherever no sign says otherwise. Every higher figure, 100 or 120, is a signed limit, and that is what allows the agency to change them twice a year. The reasoning it gives is darkness as much as ice: once summer time ends, most driving happens in the dark, so the winter limits go up at the end of October even if the snow has not arrived.
The 2025-2026 winter map shows how each road type is stepped down:
| Summer limit | Winter limit |
|---|---|
| 120 km/h (motorways) | 100 km/h |
| 100 km/h | 80 km/h |
| 80 km/h | 70 km/h or 60 km/h |
| Variable-limit motorway sections | Set by the overhead signs |
Some 100 km/h roads keep 100 all year; on those, the sign simply does not change. The regional authorities set the exact changeover dates, and they return to summer limits in stages once conditions allow.
The fixed fee stops at 20 km/h over
Up to 20 km/h over the limit, speeding is handled with a traffic penalty fee (liikennevirhemaksu) set in section 165 of the Road Traffic Act. The amount depends on whether the limit is above 60 km/h.
| Over the limit | Limit above 60 km/h | Limit 60 km/h or below |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 10 km/h | EUR 70 | EUR 100 |
| 11-15 km/h | EUR 140 | EUR 170 |
| 16-20 km/h | EUR 170 | EUR 200 |
Above 20 km/h over, the fixed fee no longer applies. The case is dealt with under the Criminal Code with day-fines (päiväsakko), whose amount depends on the driver’s income, which is why Finnish speeding fines occasionally make international headlines.
Check exact speed limits for your route
Open Speed Limit MapWhy the winter limits bite on studded tyres
The agency adds one practical reason for the lower winter limits: on studded tyres, road-surface wear accelerates once speeds pass 80 km/h. The lower limits also cut fuel use and emissions. For a visitor on a hire car fitted with studs for the season, the winter 100 on the motorway is both the legal and the sensible ceiling.
Sources
- Tieliikennelaki 729/2018 (Road Traffic Act), sections 9 and 165 — Finlex
- Väylävirasto — Talvi- ja pimeän ajan nopeusrajoitukset (winter and dark-season limits)
- Väylävirasto — Winter speed limits 2025-2026 map (PDF)
- Väylävirasto — Talvi- ja pimeän ajan nopeusrajoitukset käyttöön maanteillä
- Rikoslaki 39/1889, chapter 2a (day-fines) — Finlex
More Resources
Full rules, fines & requirements
Winter tyres, tread depth & rules
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Related Questions
Motorway limits are set by signs rather than by a general rule. In summer most motorways are signed 120 km/h; for the winter and dark season they are lowered to 100 km/h, and some motorway sections use variable signs instead.
The Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency switches to winter limits across the country by the end of October and usually returns to summer limits around the turn of March and April. The regional authorities decide the exact dates for each area.
80 km/h outside built-up areas and 50 km/h inside them, under section 9 of the Road Traffic Act. Anything higher, including every 100 and 120 km/h stretch, has to be signed.
Up to 20 km/h over, a fixed traffic penalty fee: on roads limited above 60 km/h it is EUR 70 up to 10 over, EUR 140 at 11-15 and EUR 170 at 16-20. On roads at 60 km/h or less it is EUR 100, 170 and 200. Above 20 km/h over, the fixed fee no longer applies and the fine is calculated from income.