This is how you can register the ownership of your apartment

What is your role?

Are you buying an apartment? Are you selling your apartment? Do you want to digitise your paper share certificate?

By responding to these questions, you can easily see how you can register your ownership.
Are you selling an apartment?
Is the apartment in a new or old housing company?

If your housing company was established after 1 January 2019, it is a new company. New companies no longer have any paper share certificates.

If your housing company was established before 1 January 2019, it is an older company.
Has your housing company been registered in the Residential and Commercial Property Information System?

If your housing company was established after 1 January 2019, it will automatically be entered into the Residential and Commercial Property Information System.

Older housing companies will transfer to the Residential and Commercial Property Information System by the end of 2023. Housing companies will notify their shareholders of this transfer.

If you have any questions, contact your building manager or the NLS customer service.
Has your housing company been registered in the Residential and Commercial Property Information System?

If your housing company was established after 1 January 2019, it will automatically be entered into the Residential and Commercial Property Information System.

Older housing companies will transfer to the Residential and Commercial Property Information System by the end of 2023. Housing companies will notify their shareholders of this transfer.

If you have any questions, contact your building manager or the NLS customer service.
Was the apartment under construction or ready at the time of the transaction?
Has your housing company been registered in the Residential and Commercial Property Information System?

Older housing companies will transfer to the Residential and Commercial Property Information System by the end of 2023. Housing companies will notify their shareholders of this transfer.

If you have any questions, contact your building manager or the NLS customer service.
What is the format of the share certificate?

The ownership of an apartment has traditionally been indicated by a paper certificate. The certificate can be used as security for a loan or kept in custody at a bank.

In place of a paper certificate, the ownership of an apartment can be indicated by an electronic ownership registration in the Residential and Commercial Property Information System.
Where is the physical share certificate?

The certificate can be kept in custody at a bank, or you can keep it in custody. If a paper share certificate is misplaced, you need to annul it at a district court before the ownership can be registered.
Did you buy the residential or commercial property from a construction company or other party?

New properties are often purchased directly from the construction company. However, a first buyer may also sell an apartment forward during the construction process (transfer agreement).
What is the format of the share certificate?

The ownership of an apartment has traditionally been indicated by a paper certificate.

In place of a paper certificate, the ownership of an apartment can be indicated by an electronic ownership registration in the Residential and Commercial Property Information System.

The format of the certificate is shown, for example, in the building manager’s certificate or in a printout produced by the Residential and Commercial Property Information System. You can order a printout from the customer service of the National Land Survey of Finland.
Has the residential or commercial property been pledged as security for a loan?

An owner apartment is often used as security for a loan.

The pledge is registered in the Residential and Commercial Property Information System, and it is indicated in the printout of owner apartments, which can be obtained from the Residential and Commercial Property Information System.
Has the residential or commercial property been pledged as security for a loan?

An owner apartment is often used as security for a loan.
Has the residential or commercial property been pledged as security for a loan?

An owner apartment is often used as security for a loan.

The transaction is completed as before

The Residential and Commercial Property Information System does not yet include information about your housing company or apartment.

You can buy or sell an owner apartment as before: the transfer of ownership is marked in the share certificate, and the paper certificate is transferred to the buyer.

Wait for the housing company’s notification

The housing company needs to transfer its list of shares to the Residential and Commercial Property Information System before you can register your ownership.

Housing companies will notify their shareholders of this transfer.

Wait for the housing company’s notification of the transfer.

Apply for the registration of ownership

The purchase of an owner apartment must be completed before the registration of ownership. Apply for the registration of your ownership from the National Land Survey of Finland. If you want, your bank can also apply for the registration of ownership on your behalf.

More information about the registration of ownership

The seller must give their consent to the registration of ownership. Make sure that you obtain it.

More information about consent

Remember transfer tax

Remember to pay transfer tax.

More information about transfer tax is available from the Tax Administration’s website

Ownership can be registered in two ways: you can either register the ownership yourself before selling your apartment or the new owner can register the ownership after the purchase.

You can register your ownership before the transaction

You can register your ownership before selling your apartment.

More information about the registration of ownership

You can also complete the transaction as before

You can buy or sell an owner apartment as before: the transfer of ownership is marked in the share certificate in conjunction with the transaction, and the paper certificate is transferred to the buyer.

After the transaction, the new owner (buyer) will apply for the registration of their ownership in the Residential and Commercial Property Information System. When the ownership is registered, the paper certificate will be made void.

Apply for the registration of ownership

Apply for the registration of your ownership from the National Land Survey of Finland. When registering your ownership, the National Land Survey will make your share certificate void. Do not destroy the share certificate yourself.

More information about the registration of ownership

Please note: Currently, there is delay in the digitisation of share certificates. Therefore, wait until the delay has eased.

Check the average processing time of applications

The entire ownership must be registered at the same time

Note: The entire ownership of your apartment must be registered at the same time.

RS bank gives a notification of your ownership to the NLS

After you have paid the purchase price in full and the ownership has transferred to you, the RS bank notifies the National Land Survey of your ownership of the apartment.

The ownership is registered in the Residential and Commercial Property Information System on the basis of this notification, and you do not need to apply for the registration of your ownership.

Please note: If you have bought a separate share that entitles you to a parking space, you will need to apply for the registration of ownership of this parking space yourself. The RS bank will only send notifications about the ownership of apartments.

Remember transfer tax

Remember to pay transfer tax.

More information about transfer tax is available from the Tax Administration’s website

Give a notification of the transfer of ownership to an RS bank

After the original buyer has transferred their rights to you and you are in the position of a buyer, send a notification of the transfer to an RS bank.

RS bank gives a notification of your ownership to the NLS

After you have paid the purchase price in full and the ownership has transferred to you, the RS bank notifies the National Land Survey of your ownership of the apartment.

The ownership is registered in the Residential and Commercial Property Information System on the basis of this notification, and you do not need to apply for the registration of your ownership.

Please note: If you have bought a separate share that entitles you to a parking space, you will need to apply for the registration of ownership of this parking space yourself. The RS bank will only send notifications about the ownership of apartments.

Remember transfer tax

Remember to pay transfer tax.

More information about transfer tax is available from the Tax Administration’s website

Agree upon the release of a pledge

Contact your bank so that your pledge can be released.

The new owner will apply for the registration of their ownership

After the transaction, the new owner (buyer) will apply for the registration of their ownership in the Residential and Commercial Property Information System.

The new owner will need your consent to the registration of their ownership.

More information on how to give consent

The new owner will apply for the registration of their ownership

After the transaction, the new owner (buyer) will apply for the registration of their ownership in the Residential and Commercial Property Information System.

Give your consent

The new owner will need your consent to the registration of their ownership.

More information on how to give consent

Agree upon the release of a pledge

Contact your bank so that your pledge can be released.

The transaction is completed as before

You can buy or sell an owner apartment as before: the transfer of ownership is marked in the share certificate, and the paper certificate is transferred to the buyer.

After the transaction, the new owner (buyer) will apply for the registration of their ownership in the Residential and Commercial Property Information System. When the ownership is registered, the paper certificate will be made void.

Ownership can be registered in two ways: you can either register the ownership yourself before selling your apartment or the new owner can register the ownership after the purchase.

You can register your ownership before the transaction

You can register your ownership before selling your apartment. In this case, you need to obtain the paper share certificate from your bank.

More information about the registration of ownership

You can also complete the transaction as before

You can buy or sell an owner apartment as before: the transfer of ownership is marked in the share certificate, and the paper certificate is transferred to the buyer.

After the transaction, the new owner (buyer) will apply for the registration of their ownership in the Residential and Commercial Property Information System. When the ownership is registered, the paper certificate will be made void.

Contact your bank

Your bank can apply for the registration of ownership on your behalf. When the ownership is registered, the paper share certificate will be made void and pledges will be registered.

More information about the registration of ownership

Please note: Currently, there is delay in the digitisation of share certificates. Therefore, wait until the delay has eased. 

Banks wish that customers who have the share certificate as security for a loan do not digitise their share certificates yet.

Check the average processing time of applications

Apply for the registration of ownership

Apply for registration of ownership from the National Land Survey. Firstly, acquire the paper share certificate from the bank.

When registering your ownership, the National Land Survey will make your share certificate void. Do not destroy the share certificate yourself.

More information about the registration of ownership

Please note: Currently, there is delay in the digitisation of share certificates. Therefore, we recommend that you wait until the delay has eased.

Check the average processing time of applications

The entire ownership must be registered at the same time

Note: The entire ownership of your apartment must be registered at the same time.

The transaction is completed as before

The Residential and Commercial Property Information System does not yet include information about your housing company or apartment.

You can buy or sell an owner apartment as before: the seller registers the transfer of the share certificate and transfers the certificate to you or your bank.

The ownership of an owner apartment is indicated by a paper certificate.

Wait for the housing company’s notification

The housing company needs to transfer its list of shares to the Residential and Commercial Property Information System before you can register your ownership.

Housing companies will notify their shareholders of this transfer.

Wait for the housing company’s notification of the transfer.

Remember transfer tax

Remember to pay transfer tax.

More information about transfer tax is available from the Tax Administration’s website

Order a printout of owner apartments

An owner apartment has no paper share certificate. Make sure that the seller is also marked as the owner in the Residential and Commercial Property Information System.

More information on how to order a printout of owner apartments

Apply for the registration of ownership after the transaction

Apply for the registration of ownership in the Residential and Commercial Property Information System. If you want, your bank can also apply for the registration of ownership on your behalf.

More information about the registration of ownership

Obtain the seller’s consent

The seller must give their consent to the registration of ownership. Make sure that you obtain it.

More information about consent

Remember transfer tax

Remember to pay transfer tax.

More information about transfer tax is available from the Tax Administration’s website

The transaction is completed as before

You can buy or sell an owner apartment as before: the seller registers the transfer of the share certificate and transfers the certificate to you or your bank.

Apply for the registration of ownership

Apply for the registration of ownership in the Residential and Commercial Property Information System within two months after signing the deed of sale. When the ownership is registered, the paper certificate will be made void. If you want, your bank can also apply for the registration of ownership on your behalf.

More information about the registration of ownership

Remember transfer tax

Remember to pay transfer tax.

More information about transfer tax is available from the Tax Administration’s website