1 The kinds of registers that exist in the Member State, containing information relevant to successions
In Finland, information that is relevant to succession is contained in at least the following registers:
– Population Information System
– Register of Marital Contract Affairs
– Title and mortgage register, which is part of the Land Information System
– Residential and Commercial Property Information System
– Trade Register
2 Information contained in each of the registers of the Member State, as listed under point 1
Population Information System
Information on civil status can be found in the Population Information System. Other information on family relationships, e.g. children, is also recorded in the Population Information System. The Population Information System is maintained by the Digital and Population Data Services Agency. Its contact details are:
Digital and Population Data Services Agency
email: vtj-todistus(a)dvv.fi, tel.: +358 2955 36230
Website: Civil status certificate | Digital and Population Data Services Agency (dvv.fi)
The Population Information System contains up-to-date personal data of Finnish citizens and of foreign citizens residing permanently or temporarily in Finland. There are no separate regional registers. The Population Information System is not a public register; the Digital and Population Data Services Agency discloses information if there is a legitimate interest in the information. Anyone who has a legitimate interest may request information. The restrictions are laid down in national law (661/2009).
The information must be necessary for the purpose for which it is disclosed. Information may also be disclosed from the Population Information System to a foreign authority that has a legitimate interest. The Population Information System may request proof of power of attorney from a person’s heir for the purposes of disclosing information.
When requesting population information, the following information must be provided:
- the name and contact details of the requesting authority
- the name and date of birth of the person whom the request for information concerns
- the purpose of the information
- the scope of the information, (civil status, spouse, children, parents, etc.)
- the country in which the information is to be used
- to whom the information is to be presented (an authority or an individual)
- the language of the certificate
- the postal address if the certificate is to be sent by post
- if the certificate needs to have an apostille or standard EU form, this is to be mentioned in the request.
In certain circumstances, a power of attorney may be requested from the requesting authority. Specific documentary evidence that the request is based on Article 66(5) of the Succession Regulation is not required. Requests for information may be sent by email to the following address: vtj-todistus(a)dvv.fi. Requests can be made in Finnish, Swedish or English. The population information is disclosed in the form of an original extract/certificate. There are three types of original extract/certificate:
- A certificate intended for use abroad includes a handwritten signature and the stamp of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency. The document may also contain an apostille or a standard EU form. Certificates of this type are always sent by post.
- The certificate or extract may also be signed electronically. Electronically signed certificates are sent by email.
- There is no signature or stamp of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency on an electronic certificate. The accuracy of the certificate can be checked with the Digital and Population Data Services Agency by using the identifier found on the certificate. This type of certificate can only be requested by the person concerned or by their guardian, and it can be obtained in the self-service environment.
Extracts/certificates are issued in Finnish, Swedish or English. Extracts/certificates may also be obtained in German, Spanish, French or Italian.
There is a fee to obtain a certificate from the Population Information System. The prices of the certificates can be found on the Digital and Population Data Services Agency’s website. An invoice is sent to the person or body requesting the issue of the certificate.
According to the law, the Population Information System is a register that creates legal certainty.
Information concerning prenuptial agreements (Register of Marital Contract Affairs)
Information concerning prenuptial agreements is recorded in a register maintained by the Digital and Population Data Services Agency. In order to enter into force, a matrimonial property agreement must be registered with the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (see sections 41–44 of the Marriage Act [avioliittolaki] (234/1929)). The register contains information on the possible matrimonial property agreements, and also information on the law applicable to matrimonial property regimes or on the unilateral cancellation of marital rights. The register contains matrimonial property agreements between spouses and between registered partners. The register shows the names and habitual domicile of the parties, their dates of birth, and information on whether, for example, a matrimonial property agreement or similar agreement has been recorded or not. For more information: Prenuptial agreement | Digital and Population Data Services Agency | Digital and Population Data Services Agency (dvv.fi)
The Digital and Population Data Services Agency’s contact details are:
Digital and Population Data Services Agency
PL 1003
00531 Helsinki
A matrimonial property agreement is valid in accordance with the law only if it is recorded in the register maintained by the Digital and Population Data Services Agency. There are no regional registers. Previous registration authorities were the local register offices and the district courts. However, all older records can be found in the single national register.
The existence of a matrimonial property agreement is public information which is disclosed to anyone on request. The information can be requested from the Digital and Population Data Services Agency. When requesting information, the names of both spouses must be provided. Information can be requested from the register by telephone, email or letter.
If a certificate is required proving that an agreement has been registered, it may be sent either through the post or by email. Requests can be made in Finnish, Swedish or English. Certificates of registration are issued with either a digital or electronic signature. If a certificate is to be sent abroad, it is signed by hand and stamped with the Digital and Population Data Services Agency’s ink stamp. Certificates of registration are issued in Finnish or Swedish, and copies of matrimonial property agreements are in the language in which the agreement was drawn up (Finnish or Swedish).
There is a fee to obtain a copy of a matrimonial property agreement; the price list is available on the Digital and Population Data Services Agency’s website. An invoice is issued for sending a certificate.
The Register of Marital Contract Affairs is a register that creates legal certainty; a matrimonial property agreement is not valid unless it has been registered.
Registers maintained by the National Land Survey of Finland
The title and mortgage register is a public base register that includes information on owners of real estate (titles), mortgages on real estate and specific rights (e.g. leases and title-sharing agreements). The title and mortgage register maintained by the National Land Survey is a national register in which all real estate in Finland is recorded. There are no regional registers.
The title and mortgage register is a public register, as is the Land Information System of which it is part. According to law, the National Land Survey must make it possible for everyone to read the information in the Land Information System free of charge and to take notes on the information. In return for payment, information is disclosed in the form of extracts, certificates or other printouts or by means of a technical interface. The price list and instructions can be found here.
Information about the real estate owner is set out in the certificate of title if the information is entered in the title and mortgage register. Ownership information can also be obtained from customer services at the National Land Survey. Information is not disclosed for purchasing or direct marketing purposes. The search criteria in the Land Information System are the individual identifiers of the property units, i.e. real estate identifiers, land parcel identifiers and facility identifiers. The search criteria can also include the name or identification number of the natural person or legal entity (personal identification code or company number) where an authority needs information from the Land Information System to fulfil a statutory function or where a natural person or legal entity wishes to check the information concerning them in the Land Information System. More information here.
The Residential and Commercial Property Information System is an electronic register that was introduced in 2019 and in which information is gradually being collected on ownership, pledges and restrictions of housing companies, such as their apartments and parking spaces. It does not yet contain all residential and commercial property, but this will be transferred to the system during the transition period by the end of 2033. More information is available here.
For the most part, the Residential and Commercial Property Information System is public, but there is not unrestricted access to the information. A housing company’s public list of shares, without the personal identification codes or contact details of the shareholders, can be viewed by anyone. Information concerning shareholders’ ownership and pledges are not available to all. An apartment information printout containing personal data is only disclosed to the shareholder or a person authorised by them. It is disclosed to others only if there is a legitimate interest.
Where an authority needs information from the Residential and Commercial Property Information System to fulfil a statutory function or where a natural person or legal entity wishes to check the information concerning them in the Residential and Commercial Property Information System, the search criteria may be the personal identification code or the name and date of birth of a natural person or the name or company number of a legal entity. The search criteria in the information services of the Residential and Commercial Property Information System are the share group identifier or the precise address of the apartment, in the case of an apartment information printout for an individual apartment, and the name (or company number) of the housing company in the case of a list of shares.
Further information about printouts from the Residential and Commercial Property Information System, the information they contain and the conditions for disclosing information is available here.
In order to register a change in the ownership of registered property, the original deed of partition and/or deed of estate distribution or a valid will are needed, together with the deed of estate inventory and its annexes. Further information about the necessary documents is available here as regards real estate and here as regards owner apartments.
The National Land Survey’s contact details are:
email: customerservice(a)nls.fi
Telephone number: +358 29 530 1110
Further contact details can be found on the National Land Survey’s website.
Trade Register
The Finnish Patent and Registration Office maintains the Trade Register, in which limited liability companies, limited partnerships, general partnerships and cooperatives operating in Finland are registered. Information concerning companies is entered in the Trade Register on the basis of notifications, applications and communications received by the Finnish Patent and Registration Office. The contents of the register are laid down by law. Entries in the register concerning different types of company are determined on the basis of the Trade Register Act [kaupparekisterilaki] and Acts regulating the different types of company and business in general.
More information is available on the Patent and Registration Office’s website.
The Patent and Registration Office’s contact details are:
tel.: +358 29 509 5030
email: registry(a)prh.fi
The Trade Register is a register for public use. Anyone is entitled to obtain information about the entries in the register. This also applies to notifications made to the Trade Register, together with their annexes.
The Patent and Registration Office provides beneficial ownership information recorded in the Trade Register to its contractual clients or in the form of a document order. Information concerning beneficial owners is not public in the same way as the other information recorded in the Trade Register concerning a company. However, information about the registration of beneficial owner notifications is public.
The Patent and Registration Office provides information on beneficial owners to those having a legitimate interest under the Money Laundering Act [rahanpesulaki]. In practice, these include:
- authorities with a supervisory function under the Money Laundering Act
- companies performing customer due diligence under the Money Laundering Act (such as banks, insurance companies and other financial institutions, estate agents and auditors)
- representatives of the media
- other entities with a legitimate interest in the information under the Money Laundering Act.
A legitimate interest under the Money Laundering Act means that the information is intended to be used to prevent money laundering and terrorist financing or to contribute to uncovering money laundering and terrorist financing.
A company’s Trade Register extract and its articles of association, partnership agreement or statutes are in Finnish or Swedish, depending on the language in which the company in question has registered its information. An extract from the Trade Register information is available in English, Finnish or Swedish for the following types of company: limited liability companies, public limited companies, general partnerships, limited partnerships, sole traders and branches of foreign traders.
Further information about ordering extracts from the Trade Register can be found here.
The price list for Trade Register information services can be found here.
Some information is available free of charge and for some a fee has to be paid. If there is a fee to pay, it can be paid electronically or on receipt of an invoice.
Information on the registration of notifications of changes can be found here, and information on the effects of registration can be read here.
3 The availability of information on bank accounts
In Finland there is no list/register of bank accounts that is maintained by a public authority. Bank account details must be requested from individual credit institutions.
4 The availability of a register of intellectual property rights
In Finland, the register concerning intellectual property rights is maintained by the Finnish Patent and Registration Office. Its contact details are:
Patent and Registration Office
Sörnäisten rantatie 13 C, Helsinki
Postal address: 00091 PRH
Telephone advisory service for customers (Mon-Fri 9:00–15:00): + 358 29 509 5050
For more information: https://www.prh.fi/fi/index.html.
5 Other registers with information relevant to successions
Transport Register
The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom maintains an electronic transport register which contains information on means of transport, i.e. vehicles, aircraft, vessels and watercraft, railway rolling stock and related equipment, operator’s licences, operations subject to notification and transport-related personal licences. In principle, the Transport Register is public and the information contained in it may be disclosed if it is needed by public authorities, companies or individuals.
Traficom’s contact details are:
Transport and Communications Agency Traficom
PL 320
00059 TRAFICOM
Switchboard: 029 534 5000
Email: tietojenluovutus(a)traficom.fi
The disclosure of information from the Transport Register to public authorities (including foreign authorities) is regulated by section 230 of the Act on Transport Services [laki liikenteen palveluista]. Under the second subsection, the Transport and Communications Agency may disclose information from the register to foreign authorities or for the purposes of official functions if this disclosure is based on law, European Union law or an obligation under an international agreement binding on Finland. If personal data is transmitted outside the EEA, the requirements laid down in Chapter V of the European Union General Data Protection Regulation apply. Any other authority that has obtained information from the Transport Register may disclose the information further if the same requirements are met.
Disclosure of information is not linked to particular search criteria. When carrying out the process of disclosing information, it is essential that the requester has sufficient information to identify the means of transport or the person.
Further details about disclosing information from the Transport Register.
6 The availability of information on closed wills and wills not subject to registration
There is no register of wills in Finland. A testator may hold the will in their own possession or entrust it to a person or, for example, a law firm of their choice. When the testator dies, it is the obligation of the person or entity holding the will to notify the legal heirs of the will.