Downgrading the right to drive

The right to drive may be downgraded at the customer's request using Ajovarma’s service point (External link). (External link) Downgrading the right to drive may also follow a police check on a driver’s health.

Your right to drive can be downgraded using Ajovarma’s service point for example if you no longer need a driving licence for group 2 vehicles and do not want to provide the required age-based medical certificate. The downgrading would remove all the group 2 driving licence categories and the only ones left would be the group 1 driving licence categories for which you still have the right to drive.

Downgrading notification in writing to Ajovarma

Downgrading the right to drive must be made in writing. You can print the downgrading notification form (in Finnish) in advance here.  Do not post notification.

Take the notification form of downgrading the right to drive to Ajovarma and at the same time submit an application for a new driving licence to order your replacement licence. The notification and driving licence application can also be submitted by your representative. The driving licence application form can be completed at Ajovarma’s offices.

If your driving licence is expiring and you wish to downgrade your right to drive while renewing your licence, you must submit a driving licence permit application. The downgrading notification must then be attached to the permit application. Read more about renewing a licence here .

When the right to drive has been downgraded, you can get group 2 vehicles added to your licence again by submitting a driving licence permit application and attaching a medical certificate to the application.

If the downgrading took place over one year ago, you must also take a driving examination again for rights to drive the wider group 2 category vehicles. If the downgrading took place over 5 years ago, the driving examination must be taken for all vehicle categories applied for.

Police downgrading the right to drive

The police can downgrade your right to drive if you no longer meet the health requirements for your current driving licence or other requirements for a driving licence permit.

This may become clear for example when you have to provide a medical certificate to the police when you reach a certain age.

You can also request a downgrading of your right to drive from the police when you submit a medical certificate. If you intend to downgrade your right to drive then, you can also do it before visiting the doctor.

In addition, the police can downgrade your right to drive when they issue an alcohol interlock driving licence.

The police may downgrade your right to drive totally or for a maximum of two years.

When the police downgrade your right to drive, you can order a new driving licence either from Traficom’s e-Services (External link) or by submitting a driving licence application to Ajovarma’s service point (External link). The licence will be posted to your home address.