The domain name shall be clear and identify its holder. It shall not be possible to
mistake it for somebody else's name, nor shall it restrict another applicant's
possibilities to get a suitable domain name. Often trade marks and letter combinations
made up by only a few letters do not fulfil these requirements.
The aim of laying down conditions is that the domain names would increasingly be
founded upon a firm's business name or the official name of an association. This
condition will guarantee that there are enough domain names in the future as well.
When registering its domain name a corporation shall have working Internet connections.
Their function is checked out by the holder of technical records.
An organisation, a practitioner, an entrepreneur or the branch of a foreign entrepreneur
entered into the Finnish Trade Register, The Finnish Register of Associations or The
Finnish Register of Foundations can apply for a domain name.
In addition Finnish public corporations (e.g. municipalities, cities, provincial
federations, hospital districts, ministries, registered religious communities)
can apply for a domain name.
An organisation entered in the Finnish Trade Register, the Finnish Register of
Associations or the Finnish Register of Foundations can apply for a domain name
on grounds of
a registered firm name, a parallel firm name, a supplementary firm name or a
translation of the supplementary firm name.

General Instructions

Who Can Apply for a Domain Name

Only a company or a community entered into the Finnish Trade Register, the Finnish Register of Associations or the Finnish Register of Foundations, or a corporation within the Finnish public sector, may apply for a domain name. Applying is not possible before the registration is final. It is not sufficient to have a pending registration.

Public sector corporations include the state, municipalities, joint municipal authorities, congregations, registered religious communities, independent public corporations (e.g. the Social Insurance Institution of Finland), public associations and missions of foreign states.

Please note that you will be required to provide the business identity code (1234567-8) or registration number (123.556) of your company/community in the application form. If the applicant corresponds to one of the above definitions of public sector corporations but does not have a business identity code (e.g. registered religious communities), please contact our customer services - for contact information click the hyperlink at the top right hand corner of the Home page.


What Kind of Domain Names Are Acceptable - Restrictions Concerning Domain Names

The domain name can consist of 2-60 characters. It can be formed of the letters a-z, the numbers 0-9 and hyphens.

According to the Act on Domain Names a domain name cannot be illegally based on a name or trademark registered by another party. The Act refers to names entered into the Finnish Trade Register, the Finnish Register of Associations or the Finnish Register of Foundations, and trademarks entered in the Finnish Trademark Register or in the Trademark Register of the European Union. In addition to this, names of public sector corporations and established names that the Act on Business Names and the Act on Trademarks refer to are protected. Find out which names and marks are protected by registration from the register links. Also read the instructions titled Check Registers.

You can apply for a domain name consisting of a person's first name or surname (e.g. janesmith.fi or smithjane.fi) only if the name is registered. You will need to provide the registration number of the name in the application form.

A domain name cannot contain offensive terms or incitements to commit an offense. It is forbidden to apply for domain names in order to store them and to sell them to third parties.

It is not possible to apply for a domain name that is identical to an acronym for a type of company/community (e.g. oy for osakeyhtiö or tm for tavaramerkki) or top level global or national domains (e.g. com, net, org, fi).


You Need Name Servers

Please note that you will need to provide information about name servers in the application form. If no name servers have been configured to serve your new domain name, you should contact an Internet service provider of your choice. The service provider can also forward the application for a domain name on your behalf.

If no name servers have been configured to serve the domain name, it will not be possible to find the domain name on the Internet and you will be unable to receive e-mail.

The domain name service will automatically check that the name servers specified in the application function properly. All the name servers that have been configured to serve the domain name must be indicated in the application. Each name server must be functioning. If one or several name servers do not pass the name server test and are not repaired within the deadline (1 month), the application for a domain name will expire and the applicant will lose the domain name. The fee will not be returned.

A minimum of two and a maximum of ten separate, functioning name servers must be configured to serve the domain name. The geographical location of the name servers is not relevant, but the name servers must respond to name service queries on the Internet. All the name servers specified in the application for a domain name must meet the requirements of the Regulation of the Finnish Communications Regulative Authority.

The Internet service provider is responsible for ensuring that the name servers function and that their configurations are updated. Updates related to name servers can be done directly via the domain name service. No permission from the Finnish Communications Regulative Authority is required.


Check Registers

According to the Act on Domain Names the applicant is responsible for ensuring that the domain name does not violate a registered name or trademark. Names and marks protected by registration can be easily found in the below public registers.

Names registered in Finland can be found in the Finnish Trade Register, the Finnish Register of Associations or the Finnish Register of Foundations. Trademarks are registered either in the trademark register of the National Board of Patents and Registration of Finland or in the EU trademark register. The data bases of all these registers can be accessed free of charge on the Internet.

At the request of the holder of a registered name or mark the Finnish Communications Regulative Authority can revoke a domain name that is based on a name or trademark registered by another party. If the domain name is derived from a registered name or trademark (e.g. telusproduct.fi or awfulfoodtelus.fi, derived from the registered trademark Telus), this domain name can be revoked, providing that the intention of the applicant or holder was to cause damage or obtain benefit. Using a name or mark registered by another party in a domain name can entail other consequences as well, on the basis of, for instance, the Act on Business Names and the Act on Trademarks.

FICORA cannot check name and trademark registers on behalf of applicants for domain names, nor can it provide advice on the use of registers. Please carefully follow the search instructions provided by the registers.

- Finnish Trade Register
- Finnish Register of Associations
- Finnish Register of Foundations
- Finnish Trademark Register
- EU Trademark Register


Products and Prices

New domain name 55€ (vat 0%)

Transferring to a new Internet service provider / Changing a name server 22€ (vat 0%)

Change the domain name 55€ (vat 0%)

Transferring a domain name to a new holder 55€ (vat 0%)

Certificate 5€ (vat 0%)

Hand signed certificate 10€ (vat 0%)

Domain name Renewal 55€ (vat 0%)


Period of Validity and Renewal of a Domain Name

The domain name registration is valid for three years, after which it can be renewed by paying a renewal fee. FICORA will send renewal instructions to the addresses provided by the domain name holder, well before the expiry deadline.


Important Contact Information

All information, decisions and communication will be sent to the e-mail and mailing addresses specified in the application. If the contact information is not up-to-date or is incorrect, the holder's right to the domain name may be jeopardized. Please check regularly that the contact information is updated and make the necessary corrections directly via the domain name service.

Please note that the Business ID/Registration number identifies the domain name holder and cannot be updated. If the holder's Business ID/Registration number changes, the domain name must be transferred to the new holder.


Internet Service Providers and the Authorization Key

If the applicant has no name servers of his own, the application for a domain name is forwarded by an Internet service provider who provides name services (see also the instructions under the heading: You need name servers). The Internet service provider also provides the additional services related to a domain name, such as e-mail addresses and home pages. Each domain name is connected with its own authorization key that consists of a series of numbers and is sent to the holder enclosed with the decision to register the domain name. Keep the authorization key in a safe place. By submitting the authorization key the holder can authorize the Internet service provider to make changes in the domain name.

You are free to transfer to another Internet service provider at any time. The authorization key can be replaced by a new one if necessary.


Using a Representative

The holder of a domain name can authorize a representative to act on his behalf in all matters relating to domain name applications and changes to an existing domain name. Make an agreement of representation directly with the representative of your choice (e.g. a lawyer's office). Once the information about the representative has been supplied, FICORA will send all communication concerning the domain name to the representative, not to the holder.

The representative shall register with the domain name system on behalf of the holder and enter his or her contact information under "Representative's data". The representative shall thus be able to use the user ID and passwords of the holder.


FICORA Can Suspend a Domain Name

According to the Act on Domain Names FICORA can suspend a domain name for a period no longer than 1 year, if

· the police or a prosecuting authority has requested suspension due to a suspected criminal offense
· the name servers do not function and in spite of notifications have not been repaired
· there are good reasons to suspect that the domain name has been transferred to another party without the consent of the holder
· there are good reasons to suspect that the domain name is the registered name or mark of another party and the holder of the name or mark demands the domain name to be suspended
· there are good reasons to suspect that the domain name has been derived from a registered name or mark and that is has been registered with the obvious intention of causing damage or obtaining benefit, and the holder of the name or mark demands the domain name to be suspended

In this case, the holder shall retain the right to a suspended domain name but shall be unable to use it.


FICORA Can Revoke a Domain Name

According to the Act on Domain Names FICORA can revoke a domain name, if

· the application contains essentially incomplete or incorrect information, which in spite of notifications has not been corrected
· the domain name has been suspended for at least 1 month due to non-functioning name servers that in spite of notifications have not been repaired within the deadline of 1 month
· there are good reasons to suspect that the domain name has been transferred to another party without the consent of the holder
· there are good reasons to suspect that the domain name is the registered name or mark of another party and the holder of the name or mark demands the domain name to be suspended
· there are good reasons to suspect that the domain name is derived from a registered name or mark and that is has been registered with the obvious intention of causing damage or obtaining benefit and the holder of the name or mark demands the domain name to be suspended
· if a court of law has by a non-appealable judgment prohibited the use of the domain name
· the domain name holder no longer exists
· after the granting of a domain name it becomes evident that the domain name is illegal (see also the instructions titled: What kind of names are acceptable - restrictions concerning domain names)

The revoked domain name will become available for re-application within three months. In the case of a violation of a name or a trademark, however, the domain name can, immediately following revocation, be transferred to the rightful holder who has demanded the name to be revoked.


Domain Name Transfer

The domain name can be transferred to a new holder. In such a case, the person giving up the domain name and its recipient make an agreement on the transfer and decide on a security code. This security code consists of 4-8 characters and is known only to the person giving up the domain name and its recipient.

The person giving up the domain name fills in a consent for transfer form, and saves this and the security code in the domain name service. After this, the recipient of the domain name fills in a request for transfer form. The domain name service then compares the data of the consent and the request, and if these match, the domain name is transferred to the new holder.

The person giving up the domain name can withdraw his consent for transfer before the recipient has submitted a request for transfer.


Relinquishment of a Domain Name

If you wish to remove your domain name from the register before the three-year period of period of validity expires, you can relinquish it by filling in and signing a notification of relinquishment. You can find the relinquishment form on FICORA's website at http://www.ficora.fi/suomi/internet/irtisanomisilmoitus.htm.


Once the service has displayed your user ID, click OK.




2. Restrictions Concerning Domain Names

A. Offensive terms and incitements to commit an offense

According to the Act on Domain Names a domain name cannot contain offensive terms or incitements to commit an offense. FICORA can revoke an illegal domain name.


According to the Act on Domain Names a domain name cannot be illegally based on a registered name or trademark of another party.
Read the instructions titled What kind of domain names are acceptable - restrictions concerning domain names, and the instructions under the heading Check registers
Find out which names and marks are protected by registration from the register links. By clicking a link you can access the name and trademark registers.
The data in the Finnish Trade Register and the Finnish Register of Foundations is available from the Finnish Business Information System maintained by the National Board of Patents and Registration of Finland. Note! The system also contains data from other registers. This data is marked with particular codes. A name entered only in the tax administration register, for instance, is not a registered name.
You can view the data of the Finnish Register of Associations online in AssociationNet database.
You can find trademarks that are valid in Finland either in the Trademark Database of the National Board of Patents and Registration of Finland or in the EU trademark register. The register links will open in a new browser window.
Please carefully follow the search instructions provided by the registers. FICORA cannot check name and trademark registers on behalf of applicants, nor can it provide advice on the use of registers.



B. The applicant is responsible for violations of a registered name or trademark

According to the Act on Domain Names a domain name cannot be based on a registered name or trademark belonging to another party. The Act refers to names entered into the Finnish Trade Register, the Finnish Register of Associations or the Finnish Register of Foundations, and trademarks entered in the Finnish trademark register or in the trademark register of the European Union. In addition to this, names of public sector corporations and established names that the Act on Business Names and the Act on Trademarks refer to are protected.

Find out from the register links which names and marks are protected by registration. By clicking a link you can get to the name and trademark registers.

The data in the Finnish Trade Register and the Finnish Register of Foundations is available from the Finnish Business Information System maintained by the National Board of Patents and Registration of Finland. Note! The system also contains data from other registers. This data is marked with particular codes. A name entered only in the tax administration register, for instance, is not a protected name.

You can view the data of the Finnish Register of Associations online in AssociationNet database.

You can find trademarks that are valid in Finland either in the Trademark Database of the National Board of Patents and Registration of Finland or in the EU trademark register. The register links will open in a new browser window.

Please carefully follow the search instructions provided by the registers. FICORA cannot check name and trademark registers on behalf of applicants, nor can it provide advice on the use of registers.

1. Apply for a new domain name
The domain name holder must be a company or a community entered into the Finnish Trade Register, the Finnish Register of Associations or the Finnish Register of Foundations, or a corporation within the Finnish public sector. Please note that you will need to provide full details of the name servers configured to serve the domain name.

It is punishable to intentionally submit false information to a registry maintained by an authority. A person can be sentenced to a fine or up to three years of imprisonment for a violation of an entry in a register.


A. Period of validity and price of domain name

- The domain name is valid for three years, after which it can be renewed by paying a renewal fee.
- The fee for the domain name is paid in the course of the application process either with a credit card (Visa, MC, EC) or through an Internet banking service (OKO, Sampo, Nordea).
- Please note that it is important the e-mail and mailing addresses you provide are up-to-date. Notifications affecting the validity of the domain name, such as reminders to renew the domain name or to repair name servers, are sent to the addresses you have provided.
B. The applicant is responsible for violations of names or trademarks
In the application form you must certify that the domain name is not a registered name or trademark that belongs to another party.
Check links below for registered names and trademarks
- Finnish Trade Register
- Finnish Register of Associations
- Finnish Register of Foundations
- Finnish trademark register
- EU trade mark register

Regulation
ON THE TECHNICAL CONFIGURATIONS AND PERMITTED
CHARACTERS FOR FINNISH DOMAIN NAMES
Issued in Helsinki on 25 February 2004
The Finnish Communications Regulatory Authority has, under section 4 (1)
and section 5 (2) of the Domain Name Act of 13 March 2003 (228/2003),
prescribed as follows:
Section 1
Scope of application
This Regulation shall apply to Internet domain names ending in
country code top-level domain .fi.
Section 2
Name servers
At least two and at the most ten, of one another independent,
name servers that can be reached by the Internet shall be
configured to serve the domain name.
The name servers shall be equipped with NS records (Name
Server) having information on all name servers configured to
serve the domain name. The NS records shall point to servers, for
which an A record (IP Address) has been configured in name
service.
2 (3)
FICORA 37B/2004 M
UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION
Section 3
E-mail connections
The name servers shall be equipped with the MX records (Mail
Exchanger) of the domain name. The MX records shall point to
servers, for which an A record (IP Address) has been configured
in name service. The e-mail systems in the servers shall be
configured to receive e-mail sent to the domain name.
The domain name shall have a working e-mail address of the following
structure:
"postmaster@domain.fi".
Section 4
SOA record
The SOA record (Start of Authority) that defines the configuration of the
name server of the domain name shall comply with the following:
1) The MNAME field shall contain the name of the primary name server of
the domain name.
2) The Zone contact field shall contain a working e- mail address.
3) The serial numbers and timers cannot differ essentially from published
Internet standards and recommendations.
Section 5
Domain name length and permitted characters
A domain name can contain a maximum of 63 characters.
The permitted ones are the letters a-z, numbers 0-9 and a hyphen
character. A domain name cannot begin or end with a hyphen. Hyphens
cannot be used simultaneously as the third or the fourth character of the
domain name.
Section 6
Entry into force
This Regulation enters into force on 26 February 2004 and remains valid
until further notice.
This Regulation repeals the Finnish Communications Regulatory Authority’s
Regulation of 26 August 2003 on the technical configurations and permitted
characters for Finnish domain names (FICORA 37A/2003 M).
3 (3)
FICORA 37B/2004 M
UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION
Section 7
Information and publication
This Regulation is included in the Series of Regulations issued by the
Finnish Communications Regulatory Authority and it is available at FICORA’s
customer service:
Visiting address Itämerenkatu 3 A, HELSINKI
Postal address PO Box 313
FIN-00181 HELSINKI
Tel. national (09) 6966 500
Tel. international +358 9 6966 500
Fax national (09) 6966 410
Fax international +358 9 6966 410
Website http://www.ficora.fi/
Helsinki 25 February 2004
Director-General Rauni Hagman
Director Jorma Koivunmaa

A domain name cannot be based on someone else’s protected name or trademark

According to the Domain Name Act, a domain name cannot be illegally based on someone else’s protected name or trademark. The Finnish Communications Regulatory Authority (FICORA) can suspend or revoke a domain name on the request of the holder of the protected name or trademark.

What is meant by suspension or revocation of a domain name?

The former holder may keep the suspended domain name, but access to it is prohibited. A domain name is always suspended for a set time, which can at the most be 1 year. When the set time limit has passed, FICORA will restore the domain name to the holder unless FICORA revokes the domain name within the set time. At a separate request, FICORA can continue the set time limit for suspension if a specific reason for the suspension of the set time arises. An example of such a reason can be that a court hearing or police investigation concerning the domain name is still pending.

Revocation of a domain name means that the domain name holder loses the domain name due to FICORA’s decision.

The suspension or revocation decisions and FICORA’s decision of not to suspend or revoke a domain name can be appealed to the Helsinki Administrative Court. Despite the appeal, FICORA can decide that the suspension or revocation decision can be put into effect immediately.

On what grounds can a domain name be suspended or revoked if the holder of a protected name or trademark demands so?

A domain name can be revoked on the request of the holder of the protected name of trademark if there are weighty reasons to suspect that

1) the domain name is based on a protected name or trademark
2) the domain name is a derivative of a protected name or trademark and has been obtained with the obvious intent of gaining benefit of harming someone

The domain name can be suspended on the request of the holder of the protected name or trademark if there are probable causes.

How to request a suspension or revocation of a domain name?

The request for a suspension or revocation of a domain name must be submitted in writing. The written request can be submitted to FICORA by e-mail to the following address: peruutusvaatimus.domain@ficora.fi. The beginning of the subject field of the e-mail must contain the name of the domain name that is being requested to be suspended or revoked (Example: domainname.fi revocation request).

What kind of information should the request contain?

1) Complete information about the one who submits the request:

the name of the company and its business identity code

the name of the person who submitted the request and the person’s status in the company

telephone number

the e-mail address to which the messages and clarification requests concerning the handling of the request can be sent

the mailing address to which the decision is sent

Note that only the holder of the name or trademark can request for the suspension or revocation of the domain name

2) The domain name that the request concerns.

3) The reason why the suspension or revocation request was made.

4) Complete information about the trademark or the name on which the request is based

trademarks: name and register code of the trademark

business name: complete name and business identity code

association: complete name and code for the register of associations

foundation: complete name and code for the register of foundations

Note: Protected names and trademarks are defined in section 3 of the Domain Name Act. Other names and trademarks will not be protected.

5) If the domain name is a derivative of a name or trademark (the domain name is not exactly the same as the word trademark of the one who makes the request, but the written form closely reminds it) the request will have to contain a clarification saying that the purpose of obtaining the domain name was not to harm the holder of the name or trademark or to illegally benefit from somebody else’s protected name or trademark.

6) The content of the request: does the holder of the name or trademark demand that the domain name be totally suspended or revoked and does the request also include that, in addition to the revocation, the domain name be transferred to the holder of the name or trademark.

In which languages can the request be made?

The request and its reasons must be made in Finnish or Swedish.

How long does it take to consider the suspension or revocation request?

According to the Domain Name Act, the holder of the domain name has two weeks to present an acceptable reason to defend his own right. The set time begins when FICORA sends a clarification request to the domain name holder.

The clarification requests will no be sent and the set time will not begin unless a written, individualized and reasoned request containing all the above-mentioned information is submitted to FICORA.

The domain name cannot be transferred to a new holder if the case on suspension or revocation is pending at FICORA.