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Filing company names with the Trade Register

‍Choose your company name carefully. A good name is striking, easy to remember and supports your business operations.

A name registration with the Finnish Trade Register gives you the exclusive right to the name. Exclusive right means that other business operators in Finland cannot use a name that is confusingly similar to the registered name. A company name can also gain protection by becoming established. Read more about the exclusive right to a company name.

The Finnish Patent and Registration Office (PRH) does not recommend using a name before registering it. The Trade Register may not approve the name you file, so you may need to change it.

Apart from the name of your company, you can also protect your company’s goods and services with a trademark. Read more about trademark protection.

Plan­ning the com­pany name be­fore reg­is­tra­tion

Per­son fil­ing

Do not publish the company name before it has been entered into the Trade Register.

There are many ways to form a company name. Read our company name instructions when you start planning the company name.

‍Use our name checking service for companies to find out if your planned company name can be registered.Open link in a new tab The service is free of charge.

Trade Reg­is­ter

After you have filed your notification with the Trade Register, we perform a name examination.

We cannot confirm in advance whether the proposed name can be entered in the Trade Register.

Name reg­is­tra­tion

Per­son fil­ing

We recommend you always use the company name in the form entered in the Trade Register. This ensures that your clients and partners can find your business easily. It also ensures that you do not infringe anyone else’s right to a name or trademark.

You can register the company name in two or more languages. Read our instructions about parallel company names in different languages.

You can file three name alternatives at a time.

You can choose between two ways to file the notification:

After registration, you will see the details in the company and organisation search at ytj.fiOpen link in a new tab and in the Virre Information Service.Open link in a new tab

Trade Reg­is­ter

After you have filed your notification with the Trade Register, we perform a name examination. As we process your notification, we examine whether the name is

  • individual
  • distinctive
  • easily confused with other names.

We will compare the proposed name with other registered and pending

  • similar names
  • trademarks
  • place names
  • last names.
Read more in our company name instructions.

‍We will automatically register the first acceptable name alternative in

  • notifications for private traders
  • start-up notifications or notifications of changes for limited liability companies, co-operatives, general partnerships, and limited partnerships if the memorandum of association, partnership agreement or general meeting minutes have approved more than one name alternative for registration.

Name change reg­is­tra­tion

Per­son fil­ing

File your company’s new name with the Trade Register without delay.

Changing the company name is

  • a change to the articles of association in limited liability companies
  • a change to the partnership agreement in general partnerships and limited partnerships
  • a rule change in co-operatives.

You can file three name alternatives at a time.

You can register the company name in two or more languages. Read our instructions about parallel company names in different languages.

Read our instructions about filing a notification of changes for

  • limited liability companies (change to the articles of association)
  • private traders
  • general partnerships and limited partnerships (change to the partnership agreement)
  • co-operatives (rule change).

Trade Reg­is­ter

After you have filed your notification with the Trade Register, we perform a name examination. As we process your notification, we examine whether the name is

  • individual
  • distinctive
  • easily confused with other names.

We will compare the proposed name with other registered and pending

  • similar names
  • trademarks
  • place names
  • last names.

Read more in our company name instructions.

We will automatically register the first acceptable name alternative in

  • notifications for private traders
  • start-up notifications or notifications of changes for limited liability companies, co-operatives, general partnerships, and limited partnerships if the memorandum of association, partnership agreement or general meeting minutes have approved more than one name alternative for registration.

Aux­il­iary com­pany name reg­is­tra­tion

Per­son fil­ing

Your company can run some of its operations using an auxiliary company name. Read our instructions about how to decide on the registration of an auxiliary company name.
When you file the auxiliary company name, you must also indicate which part of the company’s line of business it applies to. Read our instructions on how to indicate the auxiliary company name’s line of business.

The auxiliary company name must not contain any indication of corporate form. Read more in our company name instructions.

You can choose between two ways to file the notification:

After registration, you will see the details in the company and organisation search at ytj.fiOpen link in a new tab and in the Virre Information Service.Open link in a new tab

Trade Reg­is­ter

After you have filed your notification with the Trade Register, we perform a name examination. As we process your notification, we examine whether the name is

  • individual
  • distinctive
  • easily confused with other names.

We will compare the proposed name with other registered and pending

  • similar names
  • trademarks
  • place names
  • last names.
Read more in our company name instructions.

We cannot change a registered auxiliary company name. We can, however, remove the name from your company’s current register details and enter a new auxiliary company name in the register.

If the com­pany name can­not be reg­is­tered

Trade Reg­is­ter

We will send you a request to correct the notification if

  • there is an obstacle to the registration of the name you filed
  • you have not filed any name alternatives
  • there are no name alternatives in the partnership agreement or articles of association.

If the company name alternatives you filed lack a decision from the appropriate organ, for example, the general meeting of a limited liability company or co-operative or a partners’ decision, we will ask you to file the appropriate decision with a request to correct the notification.

We will examine the new name when we have received your response to the request to correct the notification.

The new company name does not have name protection until we have registered the new name and the decision on the name change with the Trade Register.

Per­son fil­ing

What should I do before responding to the PRH’s request to correct the notification?

Decide on new name alternatives or decide to use one of the alternatives you filed before as the company name.

You can investigate possible obstacles to your name by reading our instructions for company names and examining name alternatives in the name checking service for companies.Open link in a new tab The service is free of charge.

How should I respond to the PRH’s request to correct the notification?

Use the online filing service at ytj.fi to submit your response to our request to correct the notification. Please note that the online filing service is only available in Finnish and Swedish. You can also send your corrections and other additional submissions by email or post.

Read our instructions on how to complete and revise notifications.
Printable version Latest update 30.05.2024