Founder of a limited liability company

A limited company no longer has founders if it is formed in accordance with the new Finnish Limited Liability Companies Act that entered into force on 1 September 2006. In such case, you do not have to apply for a permit from the NBPR for founders.

Managing Director of a limited liability company

The Managing Director (and the deputy managing director, if any) of a limited liability company must have a residence in the EEA. The National Board of Patents and Registration may grant an exemption to this requirement. The decisive factor is the Managing Director's place of residence, not his/her citizenship.

Member of the Board of Directors and the Supervisory Board of a limited liability company

At least one of the members and deputy members of the Board of Directors (and the Supervisory Board, if any) of a limited liability company must have a place of residence in the EEA, unless the National Board of Patents and Registration grants the company an exemption. The decisive factor is the individual's place of residence, not his/her citizenship.

If a permit is required, a free-form application in Finnish or Swedish shall be filed with the National Board of Patents and Registration.

The application must contain the following information:

the applicant's name, citizenship and place of residence, as well as the State in which the place of residence is located If the applicant is a corporation, its name and domicile must be given, as well as the State in which the domicile is located.
the permit(s) applied for (permit to act as founder/Managing Director/deputy managing directors/member of the Board of Directors/deputy member of the Board of Directors/member of the Supervisory Board/deputy member of the Supervisory Board of a limited liability company)
the enterprise the application applies to. In addition to the business name, the business ID must be given, if the company already has one
the grounds on which the permit should be granted
the postal address and any other contact information (such as telephone number) of the applicant or his/her representative.
If several permits are applied for in respect of the same business, the applicants can file one single application in which all the permits applied for and all the applicants are identified. The application is to be signed by the applicant or a representative authorised by a power of attorney. If the applicant is a corporation, those authorised to sign the business name of the corporation may sign the application. If the application is signed by power of attorney, the power of attorney is to be attached to the application.

Certified copies of the following documents applying to the new business are to be attached to the application:

Instrument of incorporation
Articles of Association
Minutes of the Constitutive Meeting
minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Directors when the Managing Director / Deputy Managing Director not resident in the EEA was elected.