Rovaniemi triples parking violation fees in five years

Rovaniemi issued more than 20,000 parking violation fees in 2025, more than three times the number recorded in 2021, according to Yle. The increase has frustrated local residents and led to harassment of parking enforcement officers on social media.

Municipal parking violation fees have increased across Finland in recent years, but the rise in Rovaniemi has been particularly sharp. Statistics Finland data shows that the number of fees issued in the city rose from 6,172 in 2021 to more than 20,000 in 2025.

The figures vary significantly even between cities of a similar size. Seinäjoki issued around 5,500 parking violation fees last year, while Hämeenlinna issued 11,000.

Rovaniemi’s director of technical services, Pertti Onkalo, attributed the increase to improved enforcement operations.

“Our staff have been trained and organised, and parking enforcement is now more efficient than before,” Onkalo said.

Only six of Finland’s largest cities issued more fees than Rovaniemi: Helsinki, Espoo, Tampere, Vantaa, Oulu and Turku.

Training does not fully explain the increase

The Police University College offers paid training for parking enforcement officers, which municipalities can purchase. The training covers subjects including traffic rules and road and off-road traffic legislation.

Rovaniemi’s parking enforcement officers take the Police University College course. However, Detective Chief Inspector Tero Halmela, who is responsible for traffic and driver training at the college, said the course is neither mandatory nor a qualification requirement for parking inspectors.

Halmela said training was unlikely to explain the large differences in the number of parking violation fees issued by different cities. Larger cities have more traffic and vehicles, he said, meaning they are also likely to have more incorrectly parked vehicles.

Changes to parking arrangements or an increase in enforcement can explain large local changes in the number of fees, Halmela said.

Onkalo said increased traffic in Rovaniemi, particularly during the tourist season, was also partly responsible for the rise.

Enforcement has led to harassment

Rovaniemi’s parking inspectors have recently faced significant pressure on social media. The city has filed reports with the Lapland Police over alleged harassment experienced by the inspectors.

Off-road parking and the fees issued for it have been a particular focus of criticism this summer. Incorrect off-road parking accounted for only about 5 per cent of all parking violation fees issued in Rovaniemi last year.

The largest share, 37 per cent, was issued for parking in a paid area. Parking without a parking disc accounted for 20 per cent, parking in a prohibited area for 16 per cent, and other reasons for 22 per cent.

Local residents say Rovaniemi should have more free parking spaces or spaces where drivers can use a parking disc.

Under Finnish law, a parking violation fee can be no more than 80 euros. A maximum of three fees can be issued for a continuing parking violation, while a minor violation may result in a warning instead of a fee.