Applying for and renewing certificates in the Suomi.fi Data Exchange Layer is changing – organisations will apply for certificates themselves in the future

Due to the ACME reform and the tightened regulation concerning certificates, we are harmonising the practices for applying for certificates in the Suomi.fi Data Exchange Layer.

The change affects all organisational customers using the Suomi.fi Data Exchange Layer, as well as intermediaries that provide security server services for customer organisations.

Applying for and renewing certificates today

At present, the Data Exchange Layer maintenance team applies for and renews certificates on behalf of organisations.

Requests for applying for or renewing certificates are submitted by email to the maintenance team (palveluvayla@palveluvayla.fi), and the team returns the certificates signed by the Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV) to the customer by email.

Applying for and renewing certificates as of 1 May 2026

From 1 May 2026, organisations will apply for the certificates needed in the Data Exchange Layer themselves through DVV’s e‑service.

This applies to:

• Organisations whose existing certificates have previously been renewed manually.
• New organisations that start using the Data Exchange Layer.
• Organisations that will introduce ACME certificates at a later stage.

DVV’s e‑service will soon be updated with the ability to create an ACME account, through which ACME certificates will be applied for. We will provide more information when the ACME account is introduced.

Why is certificate management moving to e‑services?

• DVV’s e‑services offer strong authentication and a secure way to apply for and renew certificates.
• Organisations can view all their own certificate applications: in progress, requiring supplementation and completed.
• Intermediaries can manage customer organisations’ signing certificates centrally and transparently in the same service.

Preparing your organisation for the change taking effect on 1 May 2026

1. Familiarise yourselves with DVV’s e‑serviceOpens in a new window.

• Check whether your organisation already has a customer account.
• If not, create an account and invite the necessary users before 1 May 2026.

2. Prepare to apply for and renew certificates yourselves

• From 1 May 2026, the Data Exchange Layer maintenance team will no longer submit certificate applications on behalf of customers.
• Requests to renew certificates sent by email will no longer be processed.

3. Plan your organisation’s certificate process and responsible persons

• Define whether your organisation will apply for the certificates itself or whether an intermediary will do so.
• Agree on the persons responsible for submitting certificate applications and maintaining the customer account.

When should the first self‑submitted application be made?

The first certificate application should be submitted:

• Approximately one month before the current certificates expire, or
• when your organisation starts using the Data Exchange Layer or a new security server after 1 May 2026.

Read more about preparing for the change

• Applying for Certificates for the Data Exchange Layer (from 1 May 2026)

More detailed instructions coming soon

We will soon publish a new instruction describing the steps for applying for certificates in the e‑service.

Follow the Developers’ website and the maintenance mailing list – we will also inform by email when new materials are available.

More information

• General questions about certificates and application forms: palveluvayla-kayttoonotot@dvv.fiOpens in a new window.
• Technical questions: palveluvayla@palveluvayla.fiOpens in a new window.