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The Bike Benefit Continues, Even as the Tax Exemption Ends

September 22, 2025 – On Monday, September 22, 2025, the Finnish government confirmed its decision to present to Parliament that the tax exemption for benefit bikes will end on January 1, 2026. Vapaus bike benefit itself will continue and will remain an effective, affordable way to get a high-quality bike – even without the tax exemption.

Our customer service is currently experiencing high volumes due to this decision, and we are unable to respond individually to every tax-related question.

This page will be updated regularly as new information becomes available.

 

September 22, 2025: The government has today presented to Parliament that the tax exemption for benefit bikes will end at the close of 2025. The change will apply from 2026 onwards to all agreements where the employee approved the benefit bike order on or after April 24, 2025. These agreements will become taxable from January 1, 2026.

Bike orders approved on or before April 23, 2025, without changes during the contract term, will remain tax-exempt until the end of the original contract term, but for no longer than five years from the start of the benefit.

September 3, 2025: The citizens’ petition we launched earlier this summer in support of maintaining the tax exemption for benefit bikes collected over 50,000 signatures. It was handed over to Minister of Labour Matias Marttinen on September 3. Thank you warmly to everyone who signed and supported this cause.

June 26, 2025: The Ministry of Finance published a more detailed proposal, confirming that benefit bike orders approved on or before April 23, 2025 would remain tax-exempt, while those made after would no longer qualify for the exemption.

April 24, 2025: The government announced plans to remove the tax exemption for benefit bikes starting January 1, 2026. At that time, this was still only a proposal.

What does this mean in practice?

The decision follows the spring proposal:

  • Benefit bike orders approved on or after April 24, 2025 become taxable as of January 1, 2026.
  • Benefit bike orders approved on or before April 23, 2025 remain tax-exempt until the end of their contract term.

Vapaus determines the start date of a benefit bike agreement based on the bike order approval date.

The agreement is activated once the customer has approved the bike order, which means the order approval date and the contract start date may differ. However, when assessing the tax exemption of each benefit bike after January 1, 2026, the decisive factor is the date when the bike order has been approved.

For example, if the bike order was approved on or before April 23, 2025, the tax exemption for that bike will remain valid until the end of the agreement term, even after January 1, 2026.

You can easily check the order approval date of your bike in your Vapaus account: user.vapaus.io

 

From the beginning of 2026, the benefit bike will be treated in taxation similarly to a company car. The value of the benefit will be considered taxable income, and tax will be calculated based on your income tax rate.

What do I need to do?

Nothing right now. Your existing agreement continues as before, and the benefit remains in place. Vapaus will continue to manage benefit bike agreements also after the tax change.

If you already have a benefit bike, you can enjoy the current tax exemption until the end of 2025. After that, the benefit will simply become taxable income, meaning you will pay slightly more in tax than before.

We will update customers on the practical details as soon as the tax authorities provide further guidance.

If you are a journalist, please visit the Vapaus media page, where you will find the correct press contacts.

Frequently asked questions

We understand that the proposed change to the benefit benefit tax exemption raise questions. We’ve compiled answers to the most frequently asked questions below to help provide a clear picture of the situation. This FAQ section is updated regularly as soon as new and more detailed information becomes available.

No. Only the tax treatment will change. The benefit bike will remain an employee benefit offered by companies also in 2026 and beyond.

If your benefit bike order was approved on or before April 23, 2025, the tax exemption for that bike will remain valid until the end of the agreement term. In this case, you will not have to pay tax on the bike in 2026 either.

If your benefit bike order was approved on or after April 24, 2025, taxation will change starting January 1, 2026. In practice, your employer will then report the value of the bike benefit as taxable income. This change does not require any action from you, and you can continue using your benefit bike as normal.
You can easily check the date when your bike order was approved in your Vapaus account: user.vapaus.io

Vapaus determines the start date of a benefit bike agreement based on the order approval date, which means the order approval date and the contract start date may differ. However, when assessing the tax exemption of each benefit bike after January 1, 2026, the decisive factor will be the order approval date.
This depends on the cost of your bike and your tax rate. For example, if the monthly value of your benefit is 100€ and your marginal tax rate is 30%, you would pay about 30€ in tax per month. That’s roughly 360€ a year. For most users, this means an additional cost of around 35 € per month.
Absolutely yes. The benefit bike remains an easy way to get a high-quality bike without a large upfront cost. Leasing spreads costs into affordable monthly payments, and insurance and service are often included.


The benefit bike can be transferred to a new employer. Note that if you change or have changed employers on or after April 24, 2025, your agreement is treated as a new one, meaning the tax exemption will not continue. If transfer is not possible, the bike can usually be returned or purchased under the contract terms.
If your agreement changes for reasons unrelated to your employment (such as a stolen bike or warranty replacement), the tax exemption remains in place. Even if you receive a new bike in such a case, the original exemption continues.
The government justified the change as part of balancing public finances, aiming to increase tax revenue by making the benefit taxable. At Vapaus, we believe cycling should still be encouraged, and we will continue to promote sustainable mobility.
Vapaus will continue to serve customers as before. We will handle benefit bike agreements normally and ensure the service remains smooth, attractive, and cost-effective. We will inform customers about the implementation details once the tax authorities provide further instructions. We are also actively engaged in industry-wide advocacy and will continue dialogue with decision-makers to support cycling and benefit bikes in Finland.

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