View Full Version : Question about legislation in your country
Hi !
I'm a french offroader.
We ask a question on a french pirate4x4 forum about legislation in your country !
We watch a lot your "Maasturi projekti" section, but in general what are the conditions to modify a standart car in Finland, and the limit street/ not street legal ?
And about offroad activity ?
We trying to list country by country laws restrictions.
Thank you !
Christophe
Hi !
I'm a french offroader.
We ask a question on a french pirate4x4 forum about legislation in your country !
We watch a lot your "Maasturi projekti" section, but in general what are the conditions to modify a standart car in Finland, and the limit street/ not street legal ?
And about offroad activity ?
We trying to list country by country laws restrictions.
Thank you !
Christophe
If you can be more specific I am sure that all your questions will be answered.
In general offroading is only allowed in designated areas and one needs a permission from the landowner (state or private).
Nowadays you can find a happening almost every weekend, say, within less than 2 hrs drive from the location that you are living. Most popular (by the number of cars) is when a bunch of people gather together and drive a certain route in the forest.
legal<->not legal:
As a general rule if you change more than 50 % of the vehicle it will be regarded as a new one and all the emission laws will apply as per the date of the new MOT done. This makes it practically impossible to modify an old vehicle more than the said 50 %.
As an example if your car has a 2-liter engine and the similar model has a 3-liter engine you can still change it and maintain the registration/MOT legal. Brakes have to be upgraded accordingly to match the HP.
Tyres: oversize tyres not listed in your cars' alternative size will definitely put you off the MOT. There is an exception that you can apply from the authorities/MOT to accept bigger tyres. Speedometer must be calibrated not to show readings less than your actual speed is.
Offroad lights: In general you are not allowed to permanently install extra lights behind the front axle. Some exceptions, such as working lights to vans, apply.
Accessories: It is fairly free to install offroading equipment such as winches, roll cages, seats, higher air intakes.
Above as starters, others can fill you in with more detailed info.
Ok thank you
It's less restrictive than France about cars !
Here you much have an original car with original engine, all numbers are on the "grey card" of the car (frame)
If you change engine and you have an accident, they can ask to the manufacturer the original number engine with the frame number. Big problems in perspective for you !
People here can drive with mod car but in France we are "laxist" (?)?
You can drive with it on road, everybody make it, but if you have an accident, you're dead. Insurance, police, and victims against you !
We got 2 "Mot" : private (general control center) and public (DRIRE). The public "MOT" is very very very restrictive like the german tüv.
About offroad, it's more and more difficult in green lanes, but we got a lot of private offroad center.
I see some cars with a "80", it is a special rule ? (historic car, or other ?)
I see some cars with a "80", it is a special rule ? (historic car, or other ?)
Max.speed for that car.It´s registered as a van or an "service car"
Ok thanks !
In belgium, for example, MOT is a public control. Very very restricitive. Little rust on the body and you are recalled. Crazy !
BUT if you get an historic frame (+25 years), no limit to mod the car ^^
J0hannes
13.05.2009, 16:24
I translated some:p of the regulations and restrictions found on the Finnish Vehicle Administration web site.
You can find it in Finnish here (http://www.ake.fi/AKE/Katsastus_ja_ajoneuvotekniikka/Ajoneuvon+rakenne++ja+varusteet/). The English version is pretty much useless:(
So, regarding the vehicle engine change:
It can be done with several restrictions and requirements.
If a model series of a vehicle has several engine options, the new engine is compared to the engine with the highest values of the property being compared to (Eg. horsepower)
The new engine cannot weigh more than 20% more than the compared engine. If added weight is more than 10% than the heaviest comparable engine, you must compensate added weight on the axle by some way (eg. move battery or lessen the maximum number of transportable people)
The engine cannot be more that 20% more powerful than the most powerful comparable engine.
The cylinder capacity cannot exceed more than 20% of the biggest comparable engine.
The brakes and power train must always be modified to match the vehicle equipped with the compared engine ( eg. sj410 needs brake upgrade and antiroll bar, when installing a suitable 1.3l engine)
Also all modified mounting points need to have appropriate welds.
Engine change requires the vehicle alteration inspection to be street legal.
Also vehicles taken to use before 1.7.87 only need to meet the emission standards of their time.
Vehicles taken to use 1.7.89-31.12.91 need to meet the ECE R15-04 emission standards.
Also a pile of paperwork regarding the engine and the swap are needed.
Altering the original engine
Non-turbo engine mods allowed:
-Carburetor change
-Installation of fuel injection to a engine with a carburetor (this is automatically calculated as a 10% power gain, unless proven otherwise)
-Alteration of ignition system
-Change of engine compression ratio
-Change of cam shaft
-Alteration of cylinder head
-Change of intake manifold and exhaust manifold
These modifications don't require an alteration inspection
The following modifications are compared to engine change
-Any alteration of a turbo engine
-The installation of an intercooler or a turbo
-Change of cylinder head
-The increase of engine cylinder capacity more than 10% (power is calculated to rise at same rate as cylinder capacity rises, unless proven otherwise)
These modifications require alteration inspection of the vehicle
Tires and rims
No alteration inspection required IF:
-Diameter change is less than 26mm
-Width 30mm
Alteration inspection required in change is from the listed original size
-Diameter change MAX 51mm
-Width MAX 102mm
-Vehicle track width change is MAX 30mm
Axles
The new axles have min. the same weight classification as originals
All axle parts other than mounts need to be OE equipment
Track width change MAX 100mm
Axle linkage needs to be mounted securely and with enough strength
During alteration inspection you must give a written explanation of the weld additives and welding job and the strength of any self-made mounting points.
All welds need to be unaltered during inspection(No grinding welds flat)
Bodywork
Side windows can't be replaced with plexy
It is allowed to change the number of doors within the vehicle model range(eg. 2door to 4 door)
body needs to be reinforced to meet the strength equivalent of the model with the same number of doors
Body width increase MAX 100mm compared to original vehicle width
Flip bonnet allowed
Body lift allowed for vehicles weighing over 1500kg
-Lift can be MAX 77mm
-It is forbidden to remove original body mounting pads (Needs to be included with the lift)
-Total vehicle height increase with body lift/suspension lift/tire size increase CANNOT exceed 150mm
- Lifted open tops need a roll cage installed
Chassis
Suspension lift in a 4x4 is MAX 77mm
Suspension lift cannot affect significantly to the camber and caster of the wheels
If lift affects angles significantly, lift is forbidden
Yeah, so that's pretty much it.:D
There are some more technicalities I didn't translate, but I hope this is enough.
Also if a mod isn't listed, it probably requires alteration inspection like the listed, or is forbidden.
People can point out things I've misread or otherwise translated bad.
Its also possible to for example increase your tire size beyond 51mm if you can get hold of paper that proves bigger increase is allowed (for example you can install 33" tires on hj althou it increases tire size 53mm becouse there is paper that states its allowed), theres also alternative for that which includes filling up some papers and paying couple hundred euros for special permit (for example, if you can prove that you need bigger tires in your car for work) you might get approval...
Thanks a lot !
About prototyp like BJ with big block and unimog axles, or the yellow Super Vitara, they are totally out the laws ?
I think you must tranport this car on trucks or trailers if you don't want problems ?
Is is expensive to have level to drive it ?
In France you must pay everything.
You get your car level (B) + 500 to 600 euros to drive with a +750kg trailer (EB) + 1600 to 1800 euros for driving trucks (C) + same thing for the truck with trailer (EC) Etc etc .... it's Hell !
J0hannes
13.05.2009, 17:08
Yes, getting a drivers license is really expensive here too.
BC was somewhere around 1700€ including theory,driving lessons and the test and then there are additional payments to authority (eg. application for a license).
There was a recent change in our traffic law and it makes getting C level even more expensive.
BE is only few hundred and you need to have B before getting it. BE is only a 10 question multiple choice and driving test with a trailer back up test to see that you can park it.
C1E is similar to BE
CE is hard for a normal person to get, since you need to have professional driving experience with C for several months.
Ouch !
Here you can drive C and EC with your license, but no work with it ! You must have a national professionnal license ! The "FIMO".
No Fimo, no work with a truck.
+/-4 weeks of apprentice .... License for life but update every 5 years
J0hannes
13.05.2009, 17:29
It sucks big time for me since I turned 18 this year and I'd like to get C1E, but it is pretty much impossible for me at the moment.
For C1E you need to have had C license for 12 months minimum and be 21 to get it with just the driving test and multiple choice. If you are under 21, you need to get 200 lessons of training with driving instructor (1 lesson= 25 minutes of driving)
C lessons were 35€ per lesson from the school I got my teaching and I guess that the combination lessons are even more expensive:mad:
Thanks a lot !
About prototyp like BJ with big block and unimog axles, or the yellow Super Vitara, they are totally out the laws ?
I think you must tranport this car on trucks or trailers if you don't want problems ?
Is is expensive to have level to drive it ?
In France you must pay everything.
You get your car level (B) + 500 to 600 euros to drive with a +750kg trailer (EB) + 1600 to 1800 euros for driving trucks (C) + same thing for the truck with trailer (EC) Etc etc .... it's Hell !
Yup, those are pretty much impossible to make road-legal so it means pulling them on trailers or loading em on truck... However its possible to get "moving license" for them, in other works you call the vehicle administration office and order sticker license (red sticker license you have to put on windshield) and pay the fee (some dozen euros i believe) and then you can drive the vehicle along public roads to specified destination. They also have time limit on them which is like one or two days usually...
Yup, those are pretty much impossible to make road-legal so it means pulling them on trailers or loading em on truck... However its possible to get "moving license" for them, in other works you call the vehicle administration office and order sticker license (red sticker license you have to put on windshield) and pay the fee (some dozen euros i believe) and then you can drive the vehicle along public roads to specified destination. They also have time limit on them which is like one or two days usually...
Few years ago those things were pretty much possible. Now days legislation has become really much tighter. For example for big trucks has no limits for tires in just few years ago. Now they have the same law order as person vehicles.
So in about ten or more years ago registered chances for vehicles are mostly by the order of the law. Especially those tires... Some cars with 40 hp engine has got papers with 400 hp with some strange reason... Finland is wery odd country.
But those legistlation orders of the day you mostly had all raedy. So if vehicle has confirmed changes, you will have them also in future.