Drone laws in Finland (2026)

Last reviewed: 30 October 2026

In short: Drone operators register with Traficom if the drone weighs 250 g or more or has a camera or other sensor; the operator must be 18 and the remote pilot 12. Open-category flights are limited to 120 m, and remote identification is required for C1, C2 and C3 drones. Liability insurance is obligatory above 20 kg.

RuleWhat applies
Operator registrationRecreational flying (open category)The operator registers with Traficom (drone operator register) if the drone weighs 250 g or more, or weighs under 250 g and has a camera or another sensor able to record personal data, unless it is a toy under Directive 2009/48/EC. The operator number is attached to the drone. [1]
Operator registration feeRecreational flying (open category)⚠ Not yet verified
Minimum age to register as operatorRecreational flying (open category)18 years [2]
Minimum age to flyRecreational flying (open category)12 years [2]
Pilot competencyRecreational flying (open category)A1/A3 online theory examination (40 multiple-choice questions, at least 75% overall and 50% in each subject) for C1 drones and for C2, C3, C4 drones in A3; C0 drones need no examination. A2 (C2 drones) also needs the A1/A3 examination, self-practical training and a supervised additional examination (30 questions). The certificate is valid for five years. [3]
Maximum heightRecreational flying (open category)120 m [2]
Remote IDRecreational flying (open category)Required in the class table for C1, C2 and C3 drones. The table shows no requirement for C0 and C4 drones. [2]
Liability insuranceRecreational flying (open category); Drones of 20 kg or moreYes [4]
Liability insuranceRecreational flying (open category); Drones under 20 kg⚠ Not yet verified
EU class-marked dronesRecreational flying (open category)⚠ Not yet verified

Notes

  • The operator number (FIN followed by digits) is attached to the drone; the remote pilot's competency certificate is carried when flying and has a different number.
  • Traficom's registration page lists EUR 40 for 1 year, EUR 95 for 3 years and EUR 125 for 5 years, but its A1/A3 examination page says registration for one year costs EUR 30. The two pages disagree, so no fee is shown.
  • In Finland the remote pilot must be at least 12 and the operator at least 18 in all open-category subcategories.
  • Traficom says liability insurance is obligatory for drones over 20 kg (Regulation (EC) No 785/2004) and recommended for all weight classes.
  • Traficom says insurance is not obligatory for most open-category drones, but the page does not state the rule for every drone under 20 kg.
  • The Traficom pages read describe the C-class rules for Finland but do not state how drones from other countries are treated, so no value is shown.

Sources

  1. Traficom: Registration and theoretical examination (consulted 30 October 2026) · all sources
  2. Traficom: Operations in the ‘open’ category (consulted 30 October 2026) · all sources
  3. Traficom: Online theoretical knowledge examination in subcategories A1 and A3 (consulted 30 October 2026) · all sources
  4. Traficom: How to be safe in case of accident – Insurance (consulted 30 October 2026) · all sources

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General information, not legal advice. Rules change: check the official source before you fly or ride.