Leaving Finland: the moving-abroad checklist

When you leave Finland, three deadlines matter most: one month of notice on your lease, the notice of moving abroad to DVV no earlier than a month before and no later than a week after you leave, and enough time to sell or ship your furniture. Start about two months ahead. The checklist below goes from the first decisions to the things you still handle from abroad: the deposit, the final tax return and anything Kela needs to know.

Two months before: decide what goes

• Decide what you ship and what stays. Shipping large furniture abroad often costs more than buying new, while personal items, quality furniture and things you can't replace are worth taking.
• Ask for moving quotes. International moves are priced by volume and distance, so a list of the big items speeds it up.
• Check your lease type. An open-ended lease needs one month of notice from the end of the month; a fixed-term lease needs an agreement with the landlord.
• If you have a car, decide whether to sell it in Finland or drive it out. For driving it abroad, Traficom issues export registration plates, and the car needs valid motor liability insurance.
• Pets travelling within the EU need an EU pet passport and valid rabies vaccination. Check the destination country's rules in good time.

One month before: lease and furniture

• Give written notice on your lease. Our notice period calculator shows the end date and the default moving day.
• Put furniture you won't take up for sale on Tori.fi or Facebook. What doesn't sell goes to Kierrätyskeskus or a Sortti station: see old furniture disposal in Helsinki.
• Book the move and the move-out cleaning for the days just before the lease ends.
• Give notice on the electricity contract, internet, phone subscription and gym from the day you leave. Home insurance stays valid until the flat is empty.
• Tell your employer or university, and ask for any certificates you may need abroad, such as an employment certificate (työtodistus).

The authorities

A move abroad of more than a year is permanent in the population register, and your municipality of residence in Finland ends. A shorter stay can be registered as temporary. For taxes, Finnish citizens usually remain resident in Finland for the year of the move and three years after it unless they show they no longer have essential ties to Finland. Others are usually no longer resident once they move away permanently. The Tax Administration's page on moving away from Finland covers the details.

Moving week

• Pack what you take and label boxes by destination room. For a move abroad, also keep a simple list of contents per box: the receiving end or customs may ask for it.
• Keep passports, residence documents, medicines, laptops and valuables with you, not in the load.
• Empty the fridge, defrost it and let the freezer dry a day before.
• After loading, the flat gets its final clean, then the inspection and key handover.

Shipping your home

Within the EU, household goods move without customs formalities. To the UK, Norway or Switzerland, a list of contents and customs documents are needed. A whole home usually goes door to door in one truck; a smaller load can share a truck with other moves in the same direction, which costs less but takes longer. We move homes from Finland to the rest of Europe with our own crew, and international moves are priced individually after your quote request: see moving from Finland to Europe.

After you leave

• Check that the deposit comes back. For leases signed from 1 October 2026 the landlord must return it or notify you of a deduction within 14 days of the end of the tenancy or the handover.
• File your final Finnish tax return if the Tax Administration sends you one.
• Close remaining subscriptions and the bank account once everything has been paid.
• Keep your Finnish personal identity code written down. It stays yours and is needed if you deal with Finnish authorities later.

Frequently asked questions

When do I have to tell DVV that I am moving abroad?

File the notice of moving abroad no earlier than one month before and no later than one week after the move, online at dvv.fi or posti.fi. A move abroad of more than a year is permanent in the population register.

Do I need to tell Kela that I am leaving Finland?

Yes, especially if you receive benefits. You can report the move in OmaKela. Moving abroad can end your right to Finnish residence-based benefits, depending on how long you stay away and where you move.

Can I drive my Finnish car to another country?

Yes. For the transfer, Traficom issues export registration plates, and the car needs valid motor liability insurance. The car is then registered in the new country according to its rules.

Is it worth shipping furniture abroad?

Often not for large, inexpensive furniture, which can cost more to ship than to buy again. Personal items, quality furniture and things you can't replace are usually worth taking. A list of the big items helps you get a price quickly.