Building permits

Applications for a building permit must be submitted to the municipal building supervisory authority, which also provides advice in the matter.

The application for the building permit may be submitted by the titleholder of the building site (the owner, the person authorised by the owner, or the person controlling the building site on the basis of a lease or other agreement).

In most cases, neighbours must be notified when an application for a building permit is submitted. 'Neighbour' refers to owners and titleholders of adjacent or opposite properties or other areas. The fact that the application has been submitted must at the same time be publicised on the building site by suitable means. The notification is not required when the project is of minor nature, or the impact of the project is not relevant to the neighbours' interests. The need to hear the neighbours is determined by the building supervisory authority.

• Contact the Building Control authorities or permit advisers to see if you need a building permit be-fore applying for one.
• Apply for the building permit in the Urban Environment e-services.

Ask for more details and instructions on building permits and the application process from the Building Control permit advisory service.

When the situation is unclear, the city determines whether a permit is required on a case-by-case basis. Please note that even if the intended measure does not require a building permit, it may still require a de-viation permit.

The permit is granted if all requirements for the permit have been met. If the project deviates from the provisions and regulations, a permit for an exception to the restrictions may be required before the building permission is granted.

If the entrepreneur has established itself in another country in the European Economic Area and temporarily offers services in Finland, the same permits are required as from entrepreneurs established in Finland.

You need a building permit for

• constructing a building
• carrying out repairs or alterations comparable to constructing a building
• expanding an existing building
• adding to the floor area of a building
• work that affects the health or safety of building users
• changing the intended use of a building or part of a building
• repairs and modifications to the building envelope or technical systems that significantly affect the building’s energy performance.

A building permit or other official approval is required for the construction of residential buildings and other construction that exceeds certain limits. A building permit is also required for extending a building or for substantial repair and alteration work or for work aimed at altering the intended use of a building. Provisions on these matters are contained in the Building Act. A municipality may also, in its building code, determine which measures require a building permit and an action permit.

In addition to provisions on the permits and the preconditions for granting a permit, the Building Act also contains provisions on the documents used in permit applications, designers’ competence requirements, the construction work and the persons responsible for the construction project.