Representation rights
The details on the rights to represent limited liability companies must be kept up to date in the Finnish Trade Register.
The most common representation rights are shown in the Virre Information Service of the Finnish Patent and Registration Office (PRH). The service allows the limited liability company’s customers, partners, financiers and other parties to check the company’s representation rights.
The articles of association may contain provisions entitling a member of the board of directors or the managing director (CEO) to represent the company or enabling the board of directors to grant representation rights to a board member, the managing director or another designated person.
Representation rights or procuration rights granted to specified persons
The articles of association may allow the board of directors to grant representation rights to a board member, the managing director or another designated person. However, the board of directors can grant said representation rights only if the articles of association enable it. An example of such a provision in the articles of association is as follows: “In addition, the board of directors can grant a specified person procuration rights or the right to represent the company.”
The company may also have holders of procuration. The board of directors can grant procuration rights even if the articles of association do not contain any provisions on granting them. The scope of procuration rights is more limited than that of representation rights. Read more about holders of procuration and the granting of procuration rights (In Finnish).
If you start a limited liability company, you file the persons on a start-up notification. If you file a notification of changes, you can file changes to the persons here.
Representation of a limited liability company according to the articles of association
Under the Finnish Limited Liability Companies Act, a limited liability company is represented by the board of directors. The managing director represents the limited liability company in matters falling within the managing director’s duties. The articles of association can also include a provision entitling a board member or the managing director to represent the company.
Commonly used representation provisions in articles of associations:
- The company is represented by the board of directors.
- In addition to the board of directors, the company is represented by the chairperson of the board of directors and the managing director, each on their own, and by any two board members jointly.
List of ways to represent a company shown in the online services
Deviating from the representation provisions listed below is not recommended as it complicates the company’s operations. Deviations from the listed provisions mean that the representation right based on the company’s articles of association is not shown in the online services, and the register details state that the representation of the company is indicated in the company’s documents, which are available at the PRH’s customer service.
All limited liability companies
- A board member and a deputy board member, each on their own
- A board member on their own
- Any two board members and deputy board members jointly
- Any two board members jointly
- Any three board members jointly
- A deputy board member on their own
- The board chairperson and aboard member jointly
- The board chairperson on their own
- The board chairperson on their own, and any two board members jointly
- The board chairperson on their own, and any three board members jointly
- The board chairperson on their own, and a board member and a deputy board member jointly
- The board chairperson together with a board member, and any three board members jointly
Companies applying the Finnish Limited Liability Companies Act
- A board member and the managing director jointly
- A board member and the managing director jointly, and any two board members jointly
- A board member together with the board chairperson or the managing director
- A board member, the managing director, and the substitute for the managing director, each on their own
- Board members and the managing director, each on their own
- Board members, the managing director, and the substitute for the managing director, two jointly
- The board chairperson and the managing director, each on their own
- The board chairperson and the managing director, each on their own, and any two board members jointly
- The board chairperson and the managing director, each on their own, and any three board members jointly
- The board chairperson and the managing director, each on their own, and a board member and a deputy board member jointly
- The board chairperson and the managing director jointly
- The board chairperson on their own, and the managing director and a board member jointly
- The board chairperson on their own, a board member and the managing director jointly, and any two board members jointly
- The board chairperson, the managing director, and a deputy board member, each on their own
- The board chairperson, the managing director, and the substitute for the managing director, each on their own
- The board chairperson together with a board member, and any three board members jointly
Companies applying the Finnish Housing Companies Act
- Board members and the property manager, each on their own
- A board member and the property manager jointly
- A board member and the property manager jointly, and any two board members jointly
- The board chairperson and the property manager, each on their own
- The board chairperson on their own, the property manager and a board member jointly
- The board chairperson and the property manager, each on their own, and any two board members jointly
- The board chairperson and the property manager jointly
- The board chairperson and the property manager jointly, or any two board members jointly
- The board chairperson and the property manager jointly, or each of them together with a board member
- The property manager on their own
- The property manager on their own and any two board members jointly
- The property manager on their own, the board chairperson and a board member jointly
- The property manager, the board chairperson and a board member, each on their own
- The property manager and the board chairperson jointly, the board chairperson and a board member jointly
- The board chairperson on their own, and any two board members jointly, or the company’s property manager together with a board member
- The board chairperson together with a board member, and any three board members jointly