A limited liability company in Finland, also known as osakeyhtiö (Oy), is the most usual form a small or medium-sized company can take. If you are interested in opening a limited liability company in Finland, you are welcome to get in touch with our company formation agents. They can help you with company formation in Finland and related procedures.
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| The limited liability company in Finland is also known as | Osakeyhtiö (Oy) |
Types of LLCs | Private and limited |
Authority in charge of registration | Finnish Trade Register |
| Minimum share capital | Not imposed for private LLCs. EUR 80,000 for public LLCs in Finland. |
| Number of shareholders | At least 1 |
| Management structure | – board of directors, – managing director, – general meeting |
| Documents | Memorandum of Association and the Articles of Association are the LLC’s official founding documents. Start-up notification for opening an LLC is solicited at the registry. |
| Representative agent required | We recommend the services of our representative agents when forming an LLC in Finland. |
| Tax registration | With the help of our tax agents in Finland. The VAT and the corporate tax rate are the most important. |
| Business license | Required depending on the activities of the LLC in Finland. Commercial and trade licenses are available. |
| Bank account required (YES/NO) | YES |
| Corporate tax in Finland | 20% |
| Start-up grants available in Finland (YES/NO) | YES |
| Best cities for doing business in Finland | – Helsinki (the capital), – Espoo, – Tampere, – Turku, etc. |
| Working with our Finnish agents | We assist local and overseas investors in opening an LLC in Finland by managing the procedures. Our clients can be represented with a power of attorney for business formation, without traveling to this country. |
Table of Contents
Registration of an LLC in Finland
With the help of our incorporation agents, you can also set up a subsidiary in Finland in 2026 with only 1 shareholder and 2 directors and no minimum share capital. The name chosen by the LLC must not already be in use by another Finnish legal organization. To assist applicants in choosing a distinctive company name, the government maintains a website listing all registered company and corporation names. Our company incorporation agents in Finland can help you choose an appropriate name as required by the rules. Any LLC must finish its firm name with either the letters “Oy” or “LLC.” To establish an Oy in Finland, a Memorandum of Association (MOA) must be developed and signed. This Memorandum includes:
- the date of the Memorandum;
- information regarding the Management Board;
- the auditors;
- the shareholders;
- the shares;
- the price of the shares;
- the payment term of the shares.
Also, next to the Memorandum of Association, the entrepreneur must enclose:
- the name of the company;
- the domicile and the type of business.
These are all included in the Articles of Association (AOA). Within three months after signing the Memorandum, the company must be enrolled in the Trade Register; otherwise, the setting up of the company expires. For more information about time limitations, you can get guidance from our agents. Or you can directly get incorporation services from our agents if you want to start a company in Finland. With the help of our agents, you will submit the correct documents before the expiry of the filing date. Consult with our company formation consultants on this topic, and also check the following infographic:
Documents required to open an LLC in Finlandin 2026
Please find below the list of documents that you are required to submit for opening an LLC in Finland:
- a copy of the Articles of Association (AOA);
- original Memorandum of Association for the LLC, executed by the shareholders;
- a declaration by the managing director and the board of directors confirming that the Limited Liability Companies Act was followed during the setting up of the company;
- confirmation of payment of the registration fee receipt.
An auditor’s certificate stating the conditions of the Limited Liability Companies Act requiring the payment for shares before registration have been adhered to if an auditor is needed by law or by the articles of association. To get information about the requirements of an auditor, you are welcome to get in touch with our company formation experts. They can explain to you what to do if an auditor is required by law. However, you must include another document proving the payment of the shares must be filed if an auditor is not necessary, such as:
- an auditor’s certificate, if the firm has designated an auditor;
- an auditor’s certificate from any licensed auditor, attesting to the transfer of assets;
- an account statement, or a comparable document, issued by a financial institution, attesting to the payment.
Would you like to start a limited company in another country, such as Germany? You should know that the time frame for the incorporation is approx. 5 weeks, and the minimum number of shareholders is 1. BridgeWest Germany has an experienced team of company formation agents and can assist you in this matter.
If you are going to set up a limited liability company in Finland and you have concerns about filing the right paperwork, you can get help from our Finnish agents. They can compile all the required documents for you. This assistance prevents you from wasting any time, and you will be able to incorporate a company much faster. Here is a video presentation we have prepared on this subject:
Members of a Finnish limited liability company
A Limited Liability Company in Finland can be formed by one or more legal persons. All the shareholders have equal rights in the company except in the case when the difference is stipulated in the Memorandum of Association. An Oy in Finland must have a Board of Directors (according to the Companies Act), elected by the General Meeting of Shareholders. The Board of Directors must include one or two common members and at least one adjunct. He/she is responsible for the administration and the suitable disposal of the operations as well as for the proper monitoring of the accountancy and the check of the financial issues of the company.
Also, a managing director, named by the Board of Directors, must be appointed. In matters which belong to his/her tasks, he/she has the right to represent the company. Furthermore, the managing director has to see if the accountancy and financial issues are being handled reliably. Extended or unusual acts (considering the scope and the kind of the company’s transactions) may be taken by the managing director only when he is authorized by the Board of Directors. Plus, an external audit can be requested by a shareholder, at an Ordinary General Meeting or at a General Meeting where the matter is according to the notice to be approached. The special auditor can be an individual or an audit firm.
About public LLCs in Finland
EUR 80,000 is the minimum share capital requested for a public limited liability company in Finland (Oyj). This entity is quite advantageous for those who have large-scale business projects and want to develop them in Finland. In order to set up a public LLC in Finland, the company needs to have a managing director and a board of directors, with at least 50% of them being residents of EEA countries. This business structure is also required to undergo an annual audit, where the Auditing Board of the Central Chamber of Commerce provides approval for the specialist who will perform this examination. As for the company formation of a public LLC, the process is carried out with the Finnish Trade Register, where foreign entrepreneurs can be represented with a power of attorney by our local agents.
Benefits of incorporating an LLC in Finlandin 2026
If you want to set up a limited liability company in Finland, you are recommended to get assistance from our company incorporation consultants. They can provide you with a detailed list of possible advantages you can get by opening a limited liability company in this country. However, these potential advantages can be attained by starting a Finnish Limited Liability Company (LLC):
- 100% Foreign Ownership – foreigners are permitted to hold all shares in an LLC in Finland;
- limited liability – the owner’s liability is limited to the value of the shares he/she owns;
- one member/manager – to incorporate an LLC, just one member (who may be a foreign national) is needed, and he/she may also serve as the only manager;
- no minimum share capital since 2019;
- no language barrier – although it is not the official language of Finland, many Finnish individuals speak English. This factor can help reduce the language barrier to a large extent.
If you need additional information about the other advantages you can get by opening a limited liability company in Finland, you are advised to consult with our agents. They can provide you with assistance in opening a company in Finland and related procedures.
Business updates in Finland in 2026
The business climate in Finland comes with news and updates that it is recommended to take into account when starting a company here:
- one of the most important changes concerns the taxation of company profits. For example, the corporate income tax in Finland has increased from 20% to 22%. However, there are certain business sectors where the tax rate of 20% is maintained;
- small and medium enterprises will benefit from a boost in government support in 2026. Around EUR 240 million will be allocated to research and development for various projects;
- intrastat arrivals declaration will no longer be submitted in 2026, which will reduce bureaucracy in the business environment in Finland;
- the VAT rate for specific goods and services has been reduced from 14% to 13.5%. This category includes accommodation, medicines, food, transport, and restaurant services in Finland;
- a 20% tax credit for global-scale net-zero investments will be proposed to incentivize industrial expansion in green energy and decarbonization sectors in Finland.
Finland’s economy in a few lines
Starting a business in Finland as a foreign investor also involves analyzing the climate, economy, and development conditions of the company. The following statistics may be useful:
- economic growth is estimated at almost 1% in 2026 and around 1.2% in 2027;
- Finland’s exports are expected to accelerate in both 2026 and 2027, according to Economy-Finance;
- the inflation rate was around 1.9% in 2025, falling to 1.6% in 2026;
- the unemployment rate is expected to fall from 9.5% to 9.3% in 2026.
Interested in company incorporation in Finland? You can rely on the services offered by our Finnish experts. Please contact us for further details about starting a limited liability company in Finland.