Finland combines a strict annual filing cycle with a very practical tax administration. The Finnish Patent and Registration Office (PRH) keeps the Trade Register and receives the financial statements. The Tax Administration (Vero) receives the corporate tax return and can forward the financial statements to the Trade Register. A company that files correctly with the tax return usually satisfies both, but a company that files incorrectly can miss the registry filing without noticing.

This guide covers the limited liability company (osakeyhtiö, Oy), the usual vehicle for a foreign-owned subsidiary, and notes where a branch differs. It is written for founders and for legal, finance and operations teams.

Updated November 9, 2026. Finnish filing dates follow the financial year, and PRH and Vero publish current guidance, so use the dates below as the usual pattern and confirm them with both authorities.

Entity compliance Finland: the quick answer

• Prepare the financial statements (tilinpäätös), have the board sign them and the shareholders approve them at the annual general meeting.

• File the corporate tax return (Form 6B) through OmaVero, which professional sources place four months after year-end, so 30 April for a calendar-year company, with a possible extension to the end of May when an authorised tax adviser files.

• Make sure the approved financial statements reach the Trade Register at PRH, which most companies do by attaching them to the tax return exactly as Vero instructs.

• File VAT and payroll reports on time, and keep beneficial owner data current.

What determines a Finnish company's compliance requirements?

Size decides the audit and the content of the statements. Finnish law requires an auditor for companies above thresholds, and small companies below them may skip an audit unless the articles require one. Every Oy must file financial statements even with no activity. Professional sources state there is no simplified dormant return.

Ownership matters for the beneficial owner register and for related-party pricing. A foreign parent does not change the Finnish filing duties, but statements must be in Finnish or Swedish for official filing even if internal accounts are in English, according to professional sources.

Annual entity requirements in Finland: the core checklist

1. Financial statements and the annual general meeting

The board prepares the financial statements after the year-end and the annual general meeting approves them, normally within six months of the year-end under the Limited Liability Companies Act. Professional sources describe a four-month date for preparation and tax filing for calendar-year companies. Keep the signed statements, the board's report where required and the auditor's report together.

2. Filing with the Trade Register

PRH states that all limited liability companies must file their financial statements with the Trade Register for each financial period. PRH does not extend the filing deadline. If the statements do not arrive in time, PRH sends a reminder with a new time limit, and it can start deregistration. PRH announced a fee for late submission under the Trade Register Act, so late filing now carries a cost. The statements are generally public documents.

PRH explains that most companies file their approved statements together with the tax return, and that the Tax Administration forwards them to the Trade Register within about a week when the company follows Vero's instructions exactly. If the attachment is not done correctly, the statements do not reach PRH. Check the Trade Register extract to confirm that each period is recorded.

3. Corporate tax return

Companies file the corporate tax return on Form 6B in OmaVero. Professional sources give four months after the financial year-end, so 30 April for a calendar year, and for a company that uses an authorised tax adviser and registers the relationship in time, an automatic extension to the end of May applies to the return but not to the PRH filing. The corporate tax rate is 20 percent according to commonly published rates, and professional sources report a planned reduction to 18 percent, so confirm the current rate.

4. Beneficial owner and registry data

Finnish companies report beneficial owner information to PRH and keep it current. Changes of board members, managing director, auditor and signatory rights are also notified to the Trade Register. Check the current deadlines for notifications with PRH.

5. Language and format

The official filing should be in Finnish or Swedish and in euros, according to professional sources. Plan for translation of statements prepared for a foreign parent.

Tax and indirect tax obligations

The standard VAT rate is 25.5 percent according to commonly published rates after the 2024 increase, with reduced rates for some goods and services. Professional sources report a VAT registration threshold of EUR 20,000 from 2025. VAT returns are filed monthly, quarterly or yearly depending on turnover. Intra-EU supplies need a summary report.

Employers file payroll reports with the Incomes Register, withhold tax and pay social security contributions. Dividends and other payments to non-residents may attract withholding tax, with EU rules and treaties reducing it when conditions are met. Transfer pricing documentation is required for larger related-party transactions.

Foreign-owned subsidiaries

Foreign ownership of a Finnish Oy is generally unrestricted, with screening rules for investments in sensitive sectors. The company needs a board and a managing director, and at least one board member must be resident in the EEA unless an exemption is granted, according to Finnish company law. Foreign shareholders obtain a Finnish identification number for tax purposes. Foreign corporate shareholders provide apostilled documents with translations.

Banks apply due diligence to foreign-owned accounts and ask for beneficial owner data. Intercompany loans, services and royalties need contracts and arm's-length pricing, and interest deductibility rules can limit deductions.

First-year and event-triggered obligations

In the first year, the company is registered with PRH and Vero in one notification, receives its business ID, registers for VAT and the employer registers, opens a bank account and sets up payroll reporting. The first financial period can be longer or shorter than twelve months, so choose the year-end deliberately.

Events that trigger filings include a change of board or managing director, a share issue, a transfer of shares, a change of address or name, a merger and a liquidation. Most are notified to the Trade Register, and ownership changes need a beneficial owner update.

Employment and local requirements

Finnish employment is shaped by statute and by collective agreements that cover most sectors. Employers give written terms, pay holiday pay with annual leave that accrues monthly, contribute to pension, unemployment and accident insurance, and report each payment to the Incomes Register. Dismissal needs a justified reason and a notice period tied to service. Many foreign-owned subsidiaries use a local payroll provider.

Build a compliance calendar for Finland

A compliance calendar turns the rules above into dated tasks with named owners. Start from the financial year-end and the incorporation anniversary, then add the recurring monthly and quarterly items. Review it each quarter, because deadlines, extensions and registry systems change.

• January to March: close the books, prepare the statements and the board report.

• By 30 April: file the Form 6B tax return, or by the end of May with a registered adviser, with the statements attached as Vero instructs.

• Within the legal period after year-end: hold the annual general meeting.

• After filing: check the Trade Register extract for the recorded statements.

• Monthly: Incomes Register payroll reports and VAT returns.

• After any change: notify the Trade Register and update beneficial owner data.

Common mistakes

• Filing statements with Vero only and assuming PRH received them.

• Attaching the statements to the tax return incorrectly so they are not forwarded.

• Assuming PRH grants extensions.

• Relying on the adviser extension for the PRH filing.

• Preparing statements only in English.

• Treating a dormant Oy as exempt.

Entity compliance Finland: frequently asked questions

When is the Finnish tax return due?

Professional sources give four months after year-end, which is 30 April for a calendar year, with an extension to the end of May when an authorised adviser files.

Where are financial statements filed?

With the Trade Register at PRH. Most companies attach them to the tax return so Vero forwards them.

Does PRH extend the filing date?

No. PRH states that it does not extend the deadline for filing financial statements.

What happens if the statements are late?

PRH sends reminders, can charge a late submission fee and can start deregistration.

Does a dormant Oy file?

Yes. Professional sources say there is no simplified dormant return.

Do statements have to be in Finnish?

The official filing must be in Finnish or Swedish, according to professional sources.

How CoverPin can help

CoverPin helps finance, legal and operations teams track entity obligations across countries. See our international entities overview, learn about compliance advisory, or browse more guides in our legal and compliance resources.

This article is general information, not legal, tax or accounting advice. Confirm current requirements with the relevant authority or a qualified local adviser before acting.