Hallintolaki

This is the chapter heading for the law’s general provisions, covering its purpose and scope.

Heading for the Act’s general provisions, covering the law’s purpose and scope.

The law’s purpose is to promote good administration and legal protection in administrative matters, and to improve the quality and efficiency of administrative services.

The law’s purpose is to promote good administration and legal protection in administrative matters, and to improve the quality and efficiency of administrative services.

Tätä lakia sovelletaan valtion ja kunnallisissa viranomaisissa sekä tietyissä muissa julkisissa toimijoissa, ja yksityisissä silloin kun ne hoitavat julkisia hallintotehtäviä.

This provision says the law applies to good administration and administrative procedure, and it sets out which public bodies and certain private actors are covered.

A “hallintosopimus” is defined as a contract within an authority’s competence about performing a public administrative task or a contract linked to the exercise of public power.

Lain soveltamisessa hallintosopimus tarkoittaa viranomaisen toimivaltaan kuuluvaa sopimusta julkisen hallintotehtävän hoitamisesta tai julkisen vallan käyttöön liittyvää sopimusta.

Tätä lakia ei sovelleta lainkäyttöön, esitutkintaan, poliisitutkintaan, ulosottoon, sotilaskäskyihin tai muihin hallinnon sisäisiin määräyksiin. Säännöksiä ei sovelleta myöskään ylimpien laillisuusvalvojien laillisuusvalvontaan, ellei toisin säädetä.

This section says the law does not apply to adjudication, pre-investigation, police investigation, enforcement, military orders, internal administrative orders, or legal supervision by the highest legality overseers unless otherwise expressly provided.

If another law has conflicting rules, those rules apply instead. The section also points to separate laws for electronic filing, service, and church administrative procedure.

If another law has conflicting rules, those rules apply instead. Electronic filing and service for administrative matters are governed by Act 13/2003, and procedure in administrative matters in the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church is governed by the Church Act.

Viranomaisen on kohdeltava hallinnossa asioivia tasapuolisesti, käytettävä toimivaltaansa vain lain hyväksymiin tarkoituksiin, toimittava puolueettomasti ja suhteellisesti sekä suojattava oikeusjärjestyksen perusteella oikeutettuja odotuksia.

If another law has differing rules, those rules apply instead of this Act. The section also points to two other laws for electronic initiation/service and for procedure in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland.

Authorities should arrange handling so people get appropriate public services and the authority can perform its tasks effectively.

Viranomaisen must treat people in administrative matters equally, use its powers only for lawful purposes, and act impartially and proportionately while protecting justified expectations.

An authority must give needed administrative guidance, answer questions, and try to direct the customer to the competent authority when the matter is outside its competence. The guidance is free.

Viranomaisen on pyrittävä järjestämään asiointi ja asian käsittely niin, että asiakas saa asianmukaiset palvelut ja viranomainen voi hoitaa tehtävänsä tuloksellisesti.

The authority must use appropriate, clear, and understandable language.

Viranomaisen on annettava asiakkailleen tarpeen mukaan maksutonta neuvontaa ja vastattava asiointia koskeviin kysymyksiin. Jos asia ei kuulu sen toimivaltaan, sen on pyrittävä ohjaamaan asiakas toimivaltaiselle viranomaiselle.

Authorities must help another authority on request within their powers and to the extent needed, and should generally promote cooperation between authorities.

Viranomaisen on käytettävä asiallista, selkeää ja ymmärrettävää kieltä.

In an administrative matter, a party is the person whose right, interest, or obligation the matter concerns.

Viranomaisen on autettava toista viranomaista tämän pyynnöstä hallintotehtävän hoitamisessa ja pyrittävä muutenkin edistämään viranomaisten yhteistyötä.

In administrative matters, a principal may need to appear in person, agents must prove their authority, and an authority may bar an unsuitable agent or assistant from appearing.

In an administrative matter, the party is the person whose right, interest, or obligation the matter concerns.

Asiamiehen, avustajan ja tiettyjen muiden asian hoitamiseen osallistuvien henkilöiden on pidettävä päämiehen luottamukselliset tiedot salassa eikä niitä saa ilmaista luvattomasti.

Hallintoasiassa voi käyttää asiamiestä tai avustajaa, mutta päämiehen on tultava paikalle henkilökohtaisesti, jos se on tarpeen asian selvittämiseksi. Asiamiehen on tarvittaessa osoitettava oikeutensa edustaa päämiestä, ja viranomainen voi kieltää sopimattoman asiamiehen tai avustajan esiintymisen.

A guardian or other legal representative usually speaks for a person with limited legal capacity, but the person may act alone in certain matters.

Asiamies, avustaja, tulkki, kääntäjä ja muut päämiehen asian hoitamiseen osallistuvat henkilöt eivät saa luvattomasti paljastaa asian hoitamista varten saatuja luottamuksellisia tietoja.

A court-appointed guardian may exercise speech authority for the principal in matters within the guardian’s duties, and in some restricted-capacity cases the guardian acts alone or together with the principal.

A guardian, custodian, or other legal representative generally speaks for a person with limited capacity, but the person may act alone in some personal or property matters.

Viranomaiselle toimitettavassa asiakirjassa on kerrottava, mitä asia koskee, sekä ilmoitettava lähettäjän nimi ja tarvittavat yhteystiedot.

A guardian appointed for an adult may use the principal’s speaking rights independently in matters within the guardian’s duties, and in some cases must use the principal’s speaking rights alone or together with the principal.

The sender is responsible for delivering the document to the competent authority, and if there is a deadline, the sender must make sure it arrives on time. On request, the sender must be given a certificate of registration or other registration proof.

Viranomaiselle toimitettavan asiakirjan on kerrottava, mitä asia koskee, ja siinä on oltava lähettäjän nimi sekä tarvittavat yhteystiedot.

Asiakirjan saapumispäivä määräytyy sen mukaan, milloin asiakirja annetaan viranomaiselle; postitse lähetetyn asiakirjan osalta myös postilokeroon saapumispäivä tai ilmoitus saapumisesta postiyritykseen voi ratkaista päivän.

Lähettäjän on huolehdittava siitä, että määräajalla varustettu asiakirja saapuu toimivaltaiselle viranomaiselle ajoissa, ja lähettäjä voi pyytää todistuksen kirjaamisesta tai muusta rekisteröinnistä.

A matter must be initiated in writing by stating the claims and grounds; with the authority’s consent, it may also be initiated orally.

A document is treated as received by the authority on the day it is given to the authority; for mailed documents, the receipt date is also the day the item reaches the authority’s mailbox or the authority is notified that the item has arrived at the postal company.

A administrative matter becomes pending when the initiating document reaches the competent authority, or when it is raised orally and the information needed to start processing has been recorded.

A matter must be started in writing by stating the claims and the grounds for them. With the authority’s consent, it may also be started orally.

If a document was sent by mistake to the wrong authority, that authority must promptly forward it to the authority it considers competent and notify the sender.

An administrative matter becomes pending when the initiation document reaches the competent authority, or when an oral initiation is presented and the information needed to start processing has been recorded.

If a document submitted to an authority is incomplete, the authority must ask the sender to complete it, unless that is unnecessary for deciding the matter.

If a document is sent by mistake to the wrong authority, that authority must promptly forward it to the authority it considers competent and notify the sender.

The authority must handle matters without undue delay and, on request, tell the party when a decision is expected and answer questions about progress.

If a submitted document is incomplete, the authority must ask the sender to complete it and tell them how to do so, unless that would be unnecessary for resolving the matter. The party may also add documents on their own initiative.

A case is public if required by law or decided under a special provision.

The authority must handle matters without undue delay, give the person an estimated decision date on request, answer questions about how the case is progressing, and set expected processing times for key case groups in its field unless a statutory deadline already applies.

An authority must prepare related pending matters together and decide them at the same time when one decision may significantly affect another pending matter, unless joint handling would cause harmful delay or is unnecessary because of the matter’s nature.

A matter is handled publicly if this is provided by law or decided under a special provision.

Authorities must arrange interpretation and translation in certain cases, and may do so in additional cases.

An authority must prepare and decide related pending matters together when one decision could significantly affect another case, unless joint handling would cause harmful delay or is unnecessary because of the matter’s nature.

A disqualified official may not take part in handling a matter or be present while it is being handled.

The authority must arrange interpretation and translation in certain cases, and it may do so in other cases to clarify matters or protect a party’s rights.

A public official is disqualified from handling a matter in several listed conflict-of-interest situations.

A disqualified official must not take part in handling a matter or be present when it is being handled.

Disqualification questions must be decided without delay. Officials decide their own disqualification, but a multi-member body decides disqualification for its members, rapporteur, and other persons entitled to be present. Separate review or appeal is not allowed.

A civil servant is disqualified in listed conflict-of-interest situations.

If an official is disqualified, a substitute official must be appointed without delay. An official may still handle an urgent matter if disqualification cannot affect the decision.

An official must decide disqualification questions without delay. A multi-member body decides disqualification for its members, presenters, and other persons entitled to be present. A member or presenter may participate only in the stated necessity case, and separate rectification or appeal is not allowed.

The authority must adequately investigate the matter and obtain the information and evidence needed to decide it. The party must provide evidence for its claim and otherwise help clarify the case it has initiated.

If an official is disqualified, a disinterested official must be appointed immediately; the official may still handle an urgent matter if the disqualification cannot affect the decision.

A request for a statement or other explanation must specify the particular matters on which the explanation is sought.

The authority must adequately investigate the matter and collect the information and reports needed to decide it. The party must provide evidence for the basis of its claim and otherwise help investigate the matter it initiated.

A sufficient deadline must be set for supplementing documents, giving explanations, and presenting evidence.

A request for a statement or other clarification must specify the particular matters that need to be explained.

Ennen asian ratkaisemista asianosaiselle on varattava tilaisuus kertoa mielipiteensä ja selityksensä, mutta kuuleminen voidaan tietyissä tilanteissa jättää tekemättä.

A sufficient deadline must be set for supplementing a document, giving an explanation, or presenting an account; the deadline may be extended on the party’s request if needed to clarify the matter.

If a guardian, custodian, or other legal representative speaks for a principal, the principal must be heard; if the principal speaks, the representative must be heard, when needed for the principal’s benefit or to clarify the matter.

Before deciding the case, the party must be given a chance to state its view and explain relevant demands and evidence. In some listed situations, the case may be decided without hearing the party.

When hearing a party, the purpose and time limit for giving a statement must be communicated, the request may need to specify what issues are being asked about, and the hearing documents must be provided or made available for review.

Jos edunvalvoja, huoltaja tai muu laillinen edustaja käyttää puhevaltaa, päämiestä on kuultava; vastaavasti päämiestä käyttäessä puhevaltaa kuullaan edunvalvojaa, huoltajaa tai muuta laillista edustajaa, jos kuuleminen on tarpeen päämiehen edun vuoksi tai asian selvittämiseksi.

The authority must let a party present a request or explanation orally on request when it is needed to clarify the matter and written procedure would cause unreasonable difficulty.

Asianosaiselle on ilmoitettava kuulemisen tarkoitus, selityksen määräaika ja tarvittaessa ne seikat, joista selitystä pyydetään; hänelle on myös annettava mahdollisuus tutustua kuulemisen kohteena oleviin asiakirjoihin.

Viranomainen may hold an inspection when needed, but must let the interested party attend and comment, keep minutes, give the minutes to the party and invitees promptly, avoid unreasonable harm, and generally not inspect premises covered by home privacy unless law says otherwise.

Viranomaisen on pyynnöstä järjestettävä asianosaiselle tilaisuus esittää vaatimus tai selvitys suullisesti, jos se on tarpeen asian selvittämiseksi ja kirjallinen menettely aiheuttaa kohtuuttomia vaikeuksia.

The authority must notify the affected party when an inspection will start, unless notice would jeopardize the inspection’s purpose. The affected party may attend and comment, and the inspector must prepare and share a written report promptly.

The authority may carry out an inspection when needed to clarify a matter, but it must let the party attend and comment, keep minutes, and avoid unreasonable inconvenience.

Hallintoasiassa voidaan kuulla todistajaa tai asianosaista suullisesti, ja asianosaisille on annettava tilaisuus olla läsnä sekä esittää kysymyksiä ja lausua näkemyksensä.

The authority must notify the directly affected party when an inspection will start unless notice would jeopardize the inspection, and the party may attend and speak. The inspector must promptly write an inspection report and give it to the party entitled to be present.

The provision allows oral testimony in administrative matters for special reasons, gives affected parties a right to question the person heard and comment on the testimony, and assigns assistance/hearing duties to the relevant administrative court or court.

In an administrative matter, a witness may be heard under oath and a party may be heard orally for special reason. Directly affected parties must be allowed to be present, and parties may ask questions and comment on the testimony.

Viranomaisen on annettava mahdollisuus saada tietoja ja esittää mielipide, kun ratkaisu voi vaikuttaa huomattavasti sivullisten oloihin, ja ilmoitettava asian vireilläolosta sopivalla tavalla.

Viranomaisen on annettava vaikutusmahdollisuus ja ilmoitettava asian vireilläolosta, ellei ilmoittamista ole syystä poikkeuksellisesti tarpeen jättää tekemättä.

Information about oral demands and explanations that may affect the outcome of a matter must be recorded or otherwise registered.

Oral claims and explanations that may affect the case outcome must be recorded or otherwise registered, and the same applies to information obtained from a personal register under the personal data law.

Administrative decisions must be in writing. An oral decision is allowed only if the matter is urgent, and it must then be provided in writing without delay with instructions for requesting rectification or appealing.

Administrative decisions must be given in writing. An oral decision is allowed only when urgency makes it necessary, and it must then be issued in writing without delay with instructions for rectification or appeal.

Written decisions must clearly state who made the decision, when it was made, who the decision directly concerns, the reasons, what the person is entitled or obliged to do (or how the matter was otherwise resolved), and contact details for further information.

A written decision must clearly state who made it, when it was made, who it directly concerns, the reasons, the specific outcome for the party, and contact details for further information. If the decision is given orally, the party must be told the outcome and the reasons.

A decision must be reasoned, unless one of the listed exceptions applies.

A decision must be reasoned, unless one of the listed exceptions applies.

If a decision must first be corrected through a separate rectification procedure, instructions for using that remedy must be given with the decision.

If a separate rectification procedure is required before appeal, instructions for using it must be given with the decision; the same applies when a decision may be brought before an authority as a non-appeal matter.

An appeal notice must be attached to an appealable decision.

A decision that can be appealed must include appeal instructions.

If an appeal is prohibited by a special rule or the decision is not appealable, the decision must include a notice stating which rule makes appeal impossible.

If an appeal is prohibited by a special provision or the decision is not appealable, the decision must include a notice stating which provision makes an appeal impossible.

Viranomaisen on korjattava virheellinen valitusosoitus ja oikaisuvaatimus on tehtävä kirjallisesti 30 päivän kuluessa tiedoksisaannista.

A decision’s appeal instructions must be corrected if missing or wrong, and a rectification request must be filed in writing within 30 days.

An authority may correct an incorrect decision and reopen the matter if specific error or new-information conditions are met.

An authority may correct its own erroneous decision and decide the matter again if certain error or new-evidence conditions are met.

Viranomaisen on korjattava päätöksessään oleva ilmeinen kirjoitus- tai laskuvirhe tai muu sitä vastaava selvä virhe.

An authority must correct an obvious writing, calculation, or equivalent clear error in its decision.

Viranomainen voi käsitellä oikaisuasian omasta aloitteestaan tai asianosaisen pyynnöstä, mutta oikaisua on vaadittava viiden vuoden kuluessa päätöksestä.

The authority may handle a correction case on its own initiative or at a party’s request. Requests or initiatives to correct an error must be made within five years of the decision. Substantive errors require rehearing and a new decision; clerical errors are fixed by replacing the faulty document with a corrected one.

A supervisory authority may handle correction of an obvious error by stopping enforcement, and a person may file a written administrative complaint about unlawful conduct or a failure to perform duties.

The provision sets rules for correcting administrative errors and for filing, handling, and limiting administrative complaints.

The authority must promptly notify its decisions to the parties concerned and other known persons entitled to seek correction or appeal, and it must also notify decisions that cannot be appealed.

Viranomaisen on annettava päätökset ja muut käsittelyyn liittyvät asiakirjat tiedoksi viipymättä ja ilmoitettava asiakirjojen nähtävilläpidosta.

This section sets out how notice must be served: as ordinary or proof service, or as general service if those methods cannot be used.

Asiakirja on annettava tiedoksi tavallisena tai todisteellisena tiedoksiantona; jos se ei onnistu, voidaan käyttää yleistiedoksiantoa.

Yksityishenkilölle toimitetaan tiedoksianto hänelle itselleen tai hänen lailliselle edustajalleen; yhteisessä asiassa tiedoksianto annetaan yhdyshenkilölle tai ensimmäiselle allekirjoittajalle, ja vastaanottajan on ilmoitettava tiedoksisaannista muille allekirjoittajille.

A notice is delivered to the person concerned, their legal representative, a named contact person, or the first signatory in some joint matters; the recipient must inform the other signatories when required.

This section sets out where notices must be delivered for entities, foundations, estates, and bankruptcy estates, and requires a shareholder to tell the other estate shareholders when they receive notice.

This section says how notice is delivered to a community, foundation, estate, or bankruptcy estate, and requires an heir to tell the other heirs about notice received.

Notice must be served on the authority that has standing in the matter; if the competent state authority is unclear, it goes to the Regional State Administrative Agency.

This section says where notice must be delivered: to the authority that has authority in the matter, or to the regional state administrative agency if that authority is unclear; proof-based notice to a municipality goes to the municipal manager or the chair of the municipal body exercising the municipality’s authority, and may also go to another authorized recipient.

Ordinary service is delivered by mailing a letter to the recipient. The recipient is deemed informed on the seventh day after posting unless otherwise shown, and the matter is deemed known by the authority on the day the letter arrives.

Ordinary service is sent by post in a letter; the recipient is deemed informed on the seventh day after sending unless otherwise shown, and the authority is deemed to know the matter when the letter arrives.

Notice must be served by registered mail in certain cases, and proof of service must identify the sender, recipient, and time.

Tiedoksianto on joissakin tilanteissa toimitettava postitse saantitodistusta vastaan, ja haastetiedoksiantoa voidaan käyttää viranomaisen harkinnalla tai erityisesti valtuutetun virkamiehen toimesta.

If the recipient of documented service cannot be reached, substitute delivery of the document is allowed only in the listed ways and only if the recipient is likely to receive it within a reasonable time.

This section allows substitute service of a document in a sealed envelope when the recipient or the recipient’s representative cannot be reached, and requires a written certificate and immediate delivery of a copy to the recipient.

Public notice service requires the document to be kept available for a set period at the authority, and the notice must state the subject matter, where the document is available, and until when.

Viranomaisen on pidettävä yleistiedoksiannossa asiakirja nähtävillä määräajan ja ilmoitettava siitä verkkosivuillaan, tarvittaessa sanomalehdessä tai tietyissä tapauksissa virallisessa lehdessä.

If service abroad cannot be completed, the document is served in Finland by public notice; otherwise service abroad follows this law or the foreign state’s law unless binding international treaties or obligations provide otherwise.

Viranomaisen on annettava yleistiedoksianto ja julkinen kuulutus tietyllä tavalla verkossa ja tarvittaessa muissa julkaisuissa, pidettävä aineisto nähtävillä määräajan sekä poistettava henkilö­tiedot nähtävilläoloajan jälkeen.

In administrative cases, each party bears its own costs. Witnesses are paid compensation from the authority’s available funds, and the authority may require a party to reimburse those payments in whole or in part if there is reason to do so.

Documents served abroad must be served under this Act or the foreign state's law, unless binding international treaties or obligations require otherwise. If foreign service cannot be completed, the document is served in Finland by public notice.

A person must not be used as an interpreter or translator if their relationship to a party or the matter could undermine their reliability.

In an administrative matter, each party pays its own costs; witnesses are paid compensation from public funds, and the authority may require a party to reimburse that compensation if there is reason.

Administrative-contract disputes are handled as administrative disputes in the administrative court.

A person with a relationship to a party or the matter that could undermine trustworthiness must not be used as an interpreter or translator.

An authority may reinforce a prohibition, obligation, or requirement it has issued with a conditional fine, enforcement threat, suspension threat, or another administrative sanction, as separately provided by law.

A dispute concerning an administrative agreement must be handled as an administrative dispute in the administrative court, under the Administrative Judicial Procedure Act.

Certain notice recipients must pay damages caused by failure to notify, deliver a document, or delay, if reasonable in view of the omission. Authorities must attach a notice about this duty and related liability to the served document.

Viranomainen voi tehostaa antamaansa kieltoa, velvoitetta tai vaatimusta uhkasakolla, teettämisuhalla, keskeyttämisuhalla tai muulla hallinnollisella seuraamuksella, jos erikseen säädetään niin.

Violating the confidentiality duty in section 13 is punished under the Criminal Code, unless the act is punishable under another provision or a harsher penalty applies elsewhere.

Certain service-of-process recipients must compensate damage caused by failing to notify, deliver, or delay delivery of a document, when reasonable in light of the neglect and circumstances. The authority must attach a notice about this duty and related liability to the served document.

This section says the law enters into force on 1 January 2004 and repeals three listed laws, including later amendments to them.

Breach of the confidentiality duty in section 13 is punished under Criminal Code chapter 38, sections 1 or 2, unless chapter 40, section 5 applies or a heavier penalty is set elsewhere.

This section sets transition rules for pending administrative matters, remanded matters, and administrative contracts, and allows pre-commencement implementation steps.

This section says the law enters into force on 1 January 2004 and repeals three listed earlier laws, including later amendments to them.

This section sets transition rules for when the law applies and how earlier references are treated after entry into force.