General Instructions
Who Can Apply for a Domain Name
Only a company or a community entered into the Finnish Trade Register, the Finnish Register of Associations or the Finnish Register of Foundations, or a corporation within the Finnish public sector, may apply for a domain name. Applying is not possible before the registration is final. It is not sufficient to have a pending registration.
Public sector corporations include the state, municipalities, joint municipal authorities, congregations, registered religious communities, independent public corporations (e.g. the Social Insurance Institution of Finland), public associations and missions of foreign states.
Please note that you will be required to provide the business identity code (1234567-8) or registration number (123.556) of your company/community in the application form. If the applicant corresponds to one of the above definitions of public sector corporations but does not have a business identity code (e.g. registered religious communities), please contact our customer services - for contact information click the hyperlink at the top right hand corner of the Home page.
What Kind of Domain Names Are Acceptable - Restrictions Concerning Domain Names
The domain name can consist of 2-60 characters. It can be formed of the letters a-z, the numbers 0-9 and hyphens.
According to the Act on Domain Names a domain name cannot be illegally based on a name or trademark registered by another party. The Act refers to names entered into the Finnish Trade Register, the Finnish Register of Associations or the Finnish Register of Foundations, and trademarks entered in the Finnish Trademark Register or in the Trademark Register of the European Union. In addition to this, names of public sector corporations and established names that the Act on Business Names and the Act on Trademarks refer to are protected. Find out which names and marks are protected by registration from the register links. Also read the instructions titled Check Registers.
You can apply for a domain name consisting of a person's first name or surname (e.g. janesmith.fi or smithjane.fi) only if the name is registered. You will need to provide the registration number of the name in the application form.
A domain name cannot contain offensive terms or incitements to commit an offense. It is forbidden to apply for domain names in order to store them and to sell them to third parties.
It is not possible to apply for a domain name that is identical to an acronym for a type of company/community (e.g. oy for osakeyhtiö or tm for tavaramerkki) or top level global or national domains (e.g. com, net, org, fi).
You Need Name Servers
Please note that you will need to provide information about name servers in the application form. If no name servers have been configured to serve your new domain name, you should contact an Internet service provider of your choice. The service provider can also forward the application for a domain name on your behalf.
If no name servers have been configured to serve the domain name, it will not be possible to find the domain name on the Internet and you will be unable to receive e-mail.
The domain name service will automatically check that the name servers specified in the application function properly. All the name servers that have been configured to serve the domain name must be indicated in the application. Each name server must be functioning. If one or several name servers do not pass the name server test and are not repaired within the deadline (1 month), the application for a domain name will expire and the applicant will lose the domain name. The fee will not be returned.
A minimum of two and a maximum of ten separate, functioning name servers must be configured to serve the domain name. The geographical location of the name servers is not relevant, but the name servers must respond to name service queries on the Internet. All the name servers specified in the application for a domain name must meet the requirements of the Regulation of the Finnish Communications Regulative Authority.
The Internet service provider is responsible for ensuring that the name servers function and that their configurations are updated. Updates related to name servers can be done directly via the domain name service. No permission from the Finnish Communications Regulative Authority is required.
Check Registers
According to the Act on Domain Names the applicant is responsible for ensuring that the domain name does not violate a registered name or trademark. Names and marks protected by registration can be easily found in the below public registers.
Names registered in Finland can be found in the Finnish Trade Register, the Finnish Register of Associations or the Finnish Register of Foundations. Trademarks are registered either in the trademark register of the National Board of Patents and Registration of Finland or in the EU trademark register. The data bases of all these registers can be accessed free of charge on the Internet.
At the request of the holder of a registered name or mark the Finnish Communications Regulative Authority can revoke a domain name that is based on a name or trademark registered by another party. If the domain name is derived from a registered name or trademark (e.g. telusproduct.fi or awfulfoodtelus.fi, derived from the registered trademark Telus), this domain name can be revoked, providing that the intention of the applicant or holder was to cause damage or obtain benefit. Using a name or mark registered by another party in a domain name can entail other consequences as well, on the basis of, for instance, the Act on Business Names and the Act on Trademarks.
FICORA cannot check name and trademark registers on behalf of applicants for domain names, nor can it provide advice on the use of registers. Please carefully follow the search instructions provided by the registers.
- Finnish Trade Register
- Finnish Register of Associations
- Finnish Register of Foundations
- Finnish Trademark Register
- EU Trademark Register
Products and Prices
New domain name 55€ (vat 0%)
Transferring to a new Internet service provider / Changing a name server 22€ (vat 0%)
Change the domain name 55€ (vat 0%)
Transferring a domain name to a new holder 55€ (vat 0%)
Certificate 5€ (vat 0%)
Hand signed certificate 10€ (vat 0%)
Domain name Renewal 55€ (vat 0%)
Period of Validity and Renewal of a Domain Name
The domain name registration is valid for three years, after which it can be renewed by paying a renewal fee. FICORA will send renewal instructions to the addresses provided by the domain name holder, well before the expiry deadline.
Important Contact Information
All information, decisions and communication will be sent to the e-mail and mailing addresses specified in the application. If the contact information is not up-to-date or is incorrect, the holder's right to the domain name may be jeopardized. Please check regularly that the contact information is updated and make the necessary corrections directly via the domain name service.
Please note that the Business ID/Registration number identifies the domain name holder and cannot be updated. If the holder's Business ID/Registration number changes, the domain name must be transferred to the new holder.
Internet Service Providers and the Authorization Key
If the applicant has no name servers of his own, the application for a domain name is forwarded by an Internet service provider who provides name services (see also the instructions under the heading: You need name servers). The Internet service provider also provides the additional services related to a domain name, such as e-mail addresses and home pages. Each domain name is connected with its own authorization key that consists of a series of numbers and is sent to the holder enclosed with the decision to register the domain name. Keep the authorization key in a safe place. By submitting the authorization key the holder can authorize the Internet service provider to make changes in the domain name.
You are free to transfer to another Internet service provider at any time. The authorization key can be replaced by a new one if necessary.
Using a Representative
The holder of a domain name can authorize a representative to act on his behalf in all matters relating to domain name applications and changes to an existing domain name. Make an agreement of representation directly with the representative of your choice (e.g. a lawyer's office). Once the information about the representative has been supplied, FICORA will send all communication concerning the domain name to the representative, not to the holder.
The representative shall register with the domain name system on behalf of the holder and enter his or her contact information under "Representative's data". The representative shall thus be able to use the user ID and passwords of the holder.
FICORA Can Suspend a Domain Name
According to the Act on Domain Names FICORA can suspend a domain name for a period no longer than 1 year, if
· the police or a prosecuting authority has requested suspension due to a suspected criminal offense
· the name servers do not function and in spite of notifications have not been repaired
· there are good reasons to suspect that the domain name has been transferred to another party without the consent of the holder
· there are good reasons to suspect that the domain name is the registered name or mark of another party and the holder of the name or mark demands the domain name to be suspended
· there are good reasons to suspect that the domain name has been derived from a registered name or mark and that is has been registered with the obvious intention of causing damage or obtaining benefit, and the holder of the name or mark demands the domain name to be suspended
In this case, the holder shall retain the right to a suspended domain name but shall be unable to use it.
FICORA Can Revoke a Domain Name
According to the Act on Domain Names FICORA can revoke a domain name, if
· the application contains essentially incomplete or incorrect information, which in spite of notifications has not been corrected
· the domain name has been suspended for at least 1 month due to non-functioning name servers that in spite of notifications have not been repaired within the deadline of 1 month
· there are good reasons to suspect that the domain name has been transferred to another party without the consent of the holder
· there are good reasons to suspect that the domain name is the registered name or mark of another party and the holder of the name or mark demands the domain name to be suspended
· there are good reasons to suspect that the domain name is derived from a registered name or mark and that is has been registered with the obvious intention of causing damage or obtaining benefit and the holder of the name or mark demands the domain name to be suspended
· if a court of law has by a non-appealable judgment prohibited the use of the domain name
· the domain name holder no longer exists
· after the granting of a domain name it becomes evident that the domain name is illegal (see also the instructions titled: What kind of names are acceptable - restrictions concerning domain names)
The revoked domain name will become available for re-application within three months. In the case of a violation of a name or a trademark, however, the domain name can, immediately following revocation, be transferred to the rightful holder who has demanded the name to be revoked.
Domain Name Transfer
The domain name can be transferred to a new holder. In such a case, the person giving up the domain name and its recipient make an agreement on the transfer and decide on a security code. This security code consists of 4-8 characters and is known only to the person giving up the domain name and its recipient.
The person giving up the domain name fills in a consent for transfer form, and saves this and the security code in the domain name service. After this, the recipient of the domain name fills in a request for transfer form. The domain name service then compares the data of the consent and the request, and if these match, the domain name is transferred to the new holder.
The person giving up the domain name can withdraw his consent for transfer before the recipient has submitted a request for transfer.
Relinquishment of a Domain Name
If you wish to remove your domain name from the register before the three-year period of period of validity expires, you can relinquish it by filling in and signing a notification of relinquishment. You can find the relinquishment form on FICORA's website at http://www.ficora.fi/suomi/internet/irtisanomisilmoitus.htm.
Once the service has displayed your user ID, click OK.
2. Restrictions Concerning Domain Names
A. Offensive terms and incitements to commit an offense
According to the Act on Domain Names a domain name cannot contain offensive terms or incitements to commit an offense. FICORA can revoke an illegal domain name.
According to the Act on Domain Names a domain name cannot be illegally based on a registered name or trademark of another party.
Read the instructions titled What kind of domain names are acceptable - restrictions concerning domain names, and the instructions under the heading Check registers
Find out which names and marks are protected by registration from the register links. By clicking a link you can access the name and trademark registers.
The data in the Finnish Trade Register and the Finnish Register of Foundations is available from the Finnish Business Information System maintained by the National Board of Patents and Registration of Finland. Note! The system also contains data from other registers. This data is marked with particular codes. A name entered only in the tax administration register, for instance, is not a registered name.
You can view the data of the Finnish Register of Associations online in AssociationNet database.
You can find trademarks that are valid in Finland either in the Trademark Database of the National Board of Patents and Registration of Finland or in the EU trademark register. The register links will open in a new browser window.
Please carefully follow the search instructions provided by the registers. FICORA cannot check name and trademark registers on behalf of applicants, nor can it provide advice on the use of registers.
B. The applicant is responsible for violations of a registered name or trademark
According to the Act on Domain Names a domain name cannot be based on a registered name or trademark belonging to another party. The Act refers to names entered into the Finnish Trade Register, the Finnish Register of Associations or the Finnish Register of Foundations, and trademarks entered in the Finnish trademark register or in the trademark register of the European Union. In addition to this, names of public sector corporations and established names that the Act on Business Names and the Act on Trademarks refer to are protected.
Find out from the register links which names and marks are protected by registration. By clicking a link you can get to the name and trademark registers.
The data in the Finnish Trade Register and the Finnish Register of Foundations is available from the Finnish Business Information System maintained by the National Board of Patents and Registration of Finland. Note! The system also contains data from other registers. This data is marked with particular codes. A name entered only in the tax administration register, for instance, is not a protected name.
You can view the data of the Finnish Register of Associations online in AssociationNet database.
You can find trademarks that are valid in Finland either in the Trademark Database of the National Board of Patents and Registration of Finland or in the EU trademark register. The register links will open in a new browser window.
Please carefully follow the search instructions provided by the registers. FICORA cannot check name and trademark registers on behalf of applicants, nor can it provide advice on the use of registers.
1. Apply for a new domain name
The domain name holder must be a company or a community entered into the Finnish Trade Register, the Finnish Register of Associations or the Finnish Register of Foundations, or a corporation within the Finnish public sector. Please note that you will need to provide full details of the name servers configured to serve the domain name.
It is punishable to intentionally submit false information to a registry maintained by an authority. A person can be sentenced to a fine or up to three years of imprisonment for a violation of an entry in a register.
A. Period of validity and price of domain name
- The domain name is valid for three years, after which it can be renewed by paying a renewal fee.
- The fee for the domain name is paid in the course of the application process either with a credit card (Visa, MC, EC) or through an Internet banking service (OKO, Sampo, Nordea).
- Please note that it is important the e-mail and mailing addresses you provide are up-to-date. Notifications affecting the validity of the domain name, such as reminders to renew the domain name or to repair name servers, are sent to the addresses you have provided.
B. The applicant is responsible for violations of names or trademarks
In the application form you must certify that the domain name is not a registered name or trademark that belongs to another party.
Check links below for registered names and trademarks
- Finnish Trade Register
- Finnish Register of Associations
- Finnish Register of Foundations
- Finnish trademark register
- EU trade mark register