Clarify the situation
We review the goal, status, timing, family/work/company context and available documents together.
Build the evidence logic
We explain which documents matter, why they are needed and what each should prove.
Explain the risks
We identify risks linked to missing evidence, income, timing, the wrong route or authority expectations.
Define next steps
We turn the next filing, evidence, strategy or professional-support step into a practical plan.
What do we assess in this service?
Choose the company structure before filing
The company form affects governance, liability, ownership, accounting and how later changes are handled. A limited liability company (Oy) is a separate legal entity and is created through registration with the Finnish Trade Register.
2026: Trade Register filings are online
From 1 January 2026, companies must as a rule submit Trade Register notifications and applications online. This includes startup notifications, change notifications, termination notifications, applications, financial statements and corrections. The online-filing obligation does not apply to private traders, associations or foundations in the same way.
Limited liability company registration
A Finnish limited liability company comes into existence through registration in the Trade Register. The startup notification can also be used to submit information to the Finnish Tax Administration. An Oy can be formed with or without share capital; if there is no share capital, EUR 0 is recorded in the Trade Register.
Beneficial-owner information
Most limited liability companies must file details of their actual beneficial owners with the Trade Register and keep those details up to date. The notification is required even when the company has no identifiable beneficial owners or does not know them. The beneficial-owner notification itself is currently free of charge.
Tax and accounting setup
- Prepayment register assessment
- VAT registration where applicable
- Employer register where applicable
- Bookkeeping and document-flow setup from the start
- Payroll setup if salaries are paid
- Tax calendar and annual reporting
Bank-account preparation
Company registration does not guarantee a bank account. Banks conduct their own KYC and risk assessment. Ownership, beneficial owners, source of funds, business activity and expected transactions should be documented clearly before the banking process.
What you provide before anything is filed
All of this comes from you rather than from a register, and having it ready first is what keeps the filing to a single round. Two items usually need lead time: founders or directors resident outside the EEA may need an exemption from PRH, and foreign identity or register documents may need certified translation.
- Full name, date of birth and Finnish personal identity code for every founder and board member, or passport details where there is no code
- Proof of identity for each founder, board member and beneficial owner
- Two or three company-name options in order of preference
- The intended line of business and a short plain description of the activity
- Share numbers, subscription price and who pays what, where the company has share capital
- The municipality of the registered office and a Finnish address for service
- An estimate of first-year turnover, payroll and countries of operation, for the tax registrations
What company formation costs
ENB's published fee for company formation in Finland is EUR 400, and case-specific consulting outside that scope is EUR 120 per hour. Both are ENB's own fees and exclude Finnish VAT, where the standard rate is 25.5%. Fees charged by PRH, Vero or any other authority are separate, are set by that authority and are paid directly to it.
Read the first two lines below together. ENB's company-formation fee and PRH's Oy registration fee are both EUR 400, and they are two separate payments to two separate parties: one to ENB for the work, one to PRH for the registration. EUR 400 does not cover both.
PRH's establishment fees below are PRH's own published amounts, effective 1 January 2026, with 0% VAT. The amounts marked as indicative are budgeting ranges, not a quotation; they move with transaction volume and the provider you choose. Only ENB's own published fees and PRH's published fees are fixed.
- ENB company formation in Finland: EUR 400 excluding VAT, paid to ENB
- ENB case-specific consulting: EUR 120 per hour excluding VAT, paid to ENB
- PRH guided establishment package (ohjattu perustamispaketti) for an Oy in YTJ: EUR 300, paid to PRH - the route where the share capital is EUR 0 and the shares carry no subscription price, which is how ENB files them
- PRH ordinary electronic establishment notification for an Oy: EUR 400, paid to PRH - where the guided package cannot be used
- PRH establishment notification for a private trader (toiminimi): EUR 75, paid to PRH
- PRH establishment notification for an avoin yhtiö or kommandiittiyhtiö: EUR 300, paid to PRH
- PRH establishment notification for an osuuskunta: EUR 400, paid to PRH
- Beneficial-owner notification: currently free of charge
- Monthly bookkeeping service: indicatively EUR 80-350 per month
- Annual financial statements and filings: indicatively EUR 300-900 per year
- Certified translation of a foreign document: indicatively EUR 40-120 per document
How long each step realistically takes
These are typical durations when the documents are complete and consistent. Each authority sets its own processing time and a busy period or an additional-information request makes it longer; the timeline belongs to the authority, not to us.
- Preparation and document collection: 3-10 days
- PRH registration when filed online: 1-3 weeks
- Tax register processing: with the registration, or 1-3 weeks
- Business bank account: 1-4 weeks
- Entrepreneur residence permit decision, where one is needed: 1-4 months
What ENB delivers
- Company-form and ownership-structure checklist
- PRH/YTJ filing preparation
- Beneficial-owner data checklist
- Tax-registration planning
- Bookkeeping handover structure
- Bank KYC preparation checklist
- Post-incorporation compliance calendar
What this service does not include
- It is not a promise that PRH, Vero or a bank will accept the filing or the customer
- It is not a tax ruling and does not fix your tax treatment
- Registering a company does not by itself create a residence permit or a residence right
- It is not an investment recommendation or a return projection
- It does not replace a qualified lawyer where legal representation is required
Detailed guides related to this service
Use ENB's official-source reviewed guides before assessing the consulting scope or while preparing your documents.
Limited Company (Oy) in Finland
A practical guide to the Oy company form, shareholders, governance, registration, taxation and post-registration duties in Finland.
Open guideSole Trader (Toiminimi) in Finland
A guide to the sole-trader model, personal liability, tax and registrations for people starting a business alone in Finland.
Open guideVAT for Businesses in Finland
A business guide to VAT registration, output VAT, deductible VAT and filing logic in Finland.
Open guideIf you need a calculator or practical checklist, use the free tools as well.
Open toolsFrequently asked questions
Can an Oy still be registered on paper in 2026?
As a rule, no. From 1 January 2026, company Trade Register filings must be submitted online. PRH has separate online procedures for special cases.
Does an Oy need share capital?
No. A Finnish limited liability company can be formed without share capital; EUR 0 is then recorded as the share-capital amount.
Do limited companies need to file beneficial-owner details?
Yes, most limited companies must file and keep beneficial-owner details up to date, including a notification when no beneficial owner can be identified.
How much does it cost to set up a company in Finland?
Two payments of EUR 400 that are easy to confuse. ENB's own formation fee is EUR 400 excluding VAT, paid to ENB for the work. PRH's establishment fee for an osakeyhtiö filed online in YTJ is also EUR 400, paid to PRH for the registration, with 0% VAT. They are separate, and EUR 400 does not cover both. PRH's guided establishment package is EUR 300 where the share capital is EUR 0 and the shares carry no subscription price; a private trader is EUR 75 and an avoin yhtiö or kommandiittiyhtiö EUR 300. Consulting outside ENB's formation scope is EUR 120 per hour excluding VAT, and bookkeeping, certified translations and any residence-permit fee are additional.
How long does it take to register a company in Finland?
With complete documents, an Oy filed online with PRH is usually registered within 1-3 weeks, and the tax registrations follow either with the filing or within 1-3 weeks. A business bank account typically adds 1-4 weeks. PRH, Vero and the bank each decide their own processing times.
Does registering a company give me the right to live in Finland?
No. Company registration creates no residence right. A non-EU founder who wants to live in Finland and run the company applies separately for an entrepreneur or startup residence permit, and Migri decides that application on its own conditions.
Official sources and content review
Last checked: 2026-09-13- PRH — Finnish Patent and Registration Office
- Vero — Finnish Tax Administration
- PRH — Trade Register establishment fees, effective 1 January 2026
ENB Consulting is not a public authority. This page provides general information and explains the consulting scope. Case-specific assessment is separate and final decisions are made by the competent authority. No outcome is guaranteed.