Property Taxes and Costs of Buying a Home in Finland

When you buy a home in Finland, transfer tax (varainsiirtovero, tax paid by the buyer on transfer) is 1.5% of the debt-free price for housing company shares and 3% for real property (kiinteistö, registered land parcel, including its buildings). A real property purchase can also involve fees charged by the National Land Survey of Finland, and the owner of real property pays an annual real estate tax, the official English name for property tax in Finland. This article covers the taxes and fees paid in Finland.

First: are you buying housing company shares or real property?

The taxes and fees described in this article differ depending on what exactly you buy in Finland.

A buyer of a flat in a block of flats or a terraced house usually buys shares in a taloyhtiö (housing company that owns the residential building). These shares, known as asunto-osake, entitle the owner to occupy a specific flat. The company owns the building, and the plot is either the company's own or leased.

A buyer of a detached house or a mökki (cottage, often by a lake) usually buys real property, that is, the land and the buildings.

The form of the sale, the taxes and the registration differ between the two.

In this article, National Land Survey of Finland fees and real estate tax are described for real property (kiinteistö). The difference between the two types of purchase is explained in more detail in our main guide to buying property in Finland as a foreigner.

Transfer tax in Finland: rates, tax base and deadlines

The two rates

• Housing company shares (asunto-osake): 1.5%
• Real property (kiinteistö), such as a house with its plot or a cottage property: 3%

Both rates are based on a change in the law that took effect on 1 January 2024, and they apply to agreements signed on or after 12 October 2023.

Housing company shares: tax on the debt-free price

For housing company shares, the tax is calculated on the debt-free price (velaton hinta, sales price plus share of company loan). The debt-free price is the purchase price (and any other agreed consideration paid for the shares) plus the share of the housing company loan allocated to the shares, under the conditions set out in section 20 of the Transfer Tax Act. That loan share is called yhtiölaina (the flat's share of the housing company loan), and it is not included in the sales price.

Example only, with invented figures (not typical prices):

In other words, the transfer tax is not calculated on the €100,000 (about £84,000 / $110,000) sales price alone.

Real property: 3% of the price

For real property, such as a detached house with its plot or a cottage property, the rate is 3%.

Example only, with an invented figure (not a typical price): purchase price of a real property €180,000 (about £150,000 / $200,000); transfer tax at 3%: €5,400 (about £4,600 / $6,100).

When transfer tax is declared and paid

The deadline depends on the type of purchase and, for housing company shares, on how the sale is made:

For real property, the law requires the buyer to apply for lainhuuto within 6 months of signing the deed of sale, and the transfer tax is to be paid before that application is made.

Buyers without a Finnish personal identity code

The Finnish Tax Administration (Verohallinto) provides instructions for buyers who do not have a Finnish personal identity code (henkilötunnus, Finnish personal ID number).

No first-time buyer exemption

The first-time buyer's exemption from transfer tax was abolished on 1 January 2024.

How a real property sale is made, and National Land Survey fees

The form of a real property sale

A sale of real property (kiinteistö) is made in writing, signed by the parties and confirmed by a public purchase witness (kaupanvahvistaja, official who witnesses real property sales), or in the electronic trading system of the National Land Survey of Finland (Maanmittauslaitos) (Land Code, chapter 2, section 1). The deed of sale (kauppakirja, written sale contract) for real property states the purpose of the transfer, the property, the seller and the buyer, and the purchase price and any other consideration.

Logging in to the National Land Survey of Finland's electronic property transaction service requires Finnish strong electronic identification. Foreign identification methods cannot be used in the service. Without Finnish identification, a sale of real property is made in the presence of a public purchase witness or through an authorised representative.

How a flat is bought as housing company shares (asunto-osake) is described in our main guide.

National Land Survey of Finland fees for real property

In a real property purchase, the following fees appear in the National Land Survey of Finland's price list:

(National Land Survey of Finland, price list, checked October 2026.)

The lainhuuto fee relates to the buyer's application for registration of title; as described in the transfer tax section, the law requires the buyer of real property to apply for lainhuuto within 6 months of signing the deed of sale.

Other possible costs when buying

Ministry of Defence permit fee for some buyers of real property

Under Finnish law, a permit from the Ministry of Defence (Puolustusministeriö) is required when real property is acquired by a person without EU or EEA citizenship, or by an entity in which a party from outside the EU or EEA holds at least 10% ownership or corresponding influence. The permit is to be applied for no later than 2 months after the purchase. The fee is €210 (about £180 / $240) (online payment) or €280 (about £240 / $320) (invoice) per property identifier (2026).

The permit applies only to real property (for example, a detached house with its plot or a cottage property), not to housing company shares. The law does not apply to Åland, which has its own land acquisition legislation. If the permit is not granted, the property is to be transferred to someone else within six months of the decision becoming legally final.

A permanent residence permit does not remove the need for a permit, and the law sets out certain exceptions. If you are a citizen of an EU or EEA country, the permit described above is not required for you as a buyer. The United Kingdom, the United States and India, for example, are not EU or EEA countries.

The conditions of the permit, including the separate restriction concerning Russian and Belarusian citizens, are described in our main guide.

Åland. On Åland, acquiring real property, including a cottage property, usually requires a land acquisition permit from the Government of Åland (Ålands landskapsregering) if the buyer does not have the Åland right of domicile. According to the Government of Åland, buying housing company shares does not require a permit unless the company's own land acquisition permit requires it. Åland's rules differ from those of mainland Finland, and it is worth checking them with the Government of Åland (its land acquisition page is in Swedish).

Financing

Whether a Finnish bank grants a loan to someone living abroad depends on the bank's own assessment and on the customer's ties to Finland. It is worth asking more than one bank. The National Land Survey's mortgage registration fee (€47, see the table above) applies if the property is pledged as loan security.

Deposit paid with an offer (käsiraha)

A käsiraha (deposit paid with an offer, credited to price) is counted in full towards the purchase price.

What this article does not cover

This article covers the taxes and official fees related to the purchase; other costs, such as fees agreed with a real estate agent, are not covered here.

Annual costs of owning: real estate tax rates in Finland

Real estate tax for owners of real property

Finland's annual property tax is officially called real estate tax (kiinteistövero, annual tax billed by the Tax Administration). The rate ranges below apply to the owner of real property (kiinteistö). For 2026, they are:

(Finnish Tax Administration, checked October 2026.)

The tax for the whole year is paid by whoever owns the real property on 1 January. A tax of at least €170 (about £140 / $190) is automatically split into two instalments.

For a mökki or another leisure home (vapaa-ajan asunto, official building-use category for holiday homes) on real property, the relevant building category is “other residential building”, 0.93–2.00% in 2026, and the land has its own range of 1.30–2.00%.

Owners of housing company shares

An owner of housing company shares pays a vastike (monthly charge paid to the housing company). Its amount and what it covers are not discussed in this article.

The real estate tax ranges above are presented here for owners of real property. The Finnish Tax Administration provides information on how real estate tax is calculated and paid.

If you rent out or sell: taxation in Finland in brief

This section describes the general rules of Finnish taxation. Renting out and selling a home each have their own rules, which we cover in a separate article: Airbnb in Finland: rules and tax for property owners.

Rental income

For someone living abroad, rental income from a home in Finland is usually taxed in Finland as capital income.

The Finnish Tax Administration recommends applying for prepayments when you start renting out, to avoid residual tax. Rental income is reported in MyTax (OmaVero, the Tax Administration's online service) or on a paper form, for example form 7H for flats.

In Finland, capital income is taxed at 30% on taxable capital income up to €30,000 (about £25,000 / $34,000) and at 34% on the part exceeding that. The limit applies to the tax year's capital income as a whole.

Income from short-term and occasional renting is also taxable.

Selling

In Finnish taxation, the gain on a sale is calculated as the selling price minus the acquisition cost, improvement expenses and the expenses of the purchase and the sale. Alternatively, a deemed acquisition cost can be used: 20% of the selling price if the property has been owned for less than 10 years, or 40% if it has been owned for at least 10 years.

A gain on a sale is one type of capital income, and capital income is taxed at the rates given above (30% and 34%).

The sale of a home is tax-exempt when the taxpayer has owned it for at least two years and they or their family have used it as their own permanent home continuously for at least two years during the ownership.

It is advisable to check with the Finnish Tax Administration how capital gains are taxed when the seller lives abroad.

Summary: taxes and fees in Finland at a glance

Taxation of rental income and of a sale is described in the previous section.

Tax rules in your country of residence may also apply; it is advisable to check with your own tax authority.

What comes next

Taxes and fees are one part of buying. How the purchase works step by step, owning a home from abroad, and renting it out or selling it later each have their own rules; we cover them in separate articles. Home Of Homes aims to make buying, owning and renting out a home in Finland simpler – in one place, also when you live abroad.

FAQ

How much is the transfer tax in Finland?

Transfer tax is 1.5% for housing company shares (asunto-osake), calculated on the debt-free price, which includes the share of the housing company loan allocated to the shares. For real property (kiinteistö), such as a house with its plot or a cottage property, it is 3%. For shares, the tax is declared and paid within 2 months of the agreement, or at the time of the sale when the sale is made through a real estate agent; for real property, it is paid before the buyer applies for lainhuuto.

Who pays real estate tax in Finland and when?

The owner of real property (kiinteistö) on 1 January pays the real estate tax for the whole year. A real estate tax of at least €170 (about £140 / $190) is automatically split into two instalments. The 2026 rate ranges are listed in the section on annual costs, which also covers housing company shares.

Do foreign owners pay property tax in Finland?

Finland's annual property tax, officially called real estate tax, is paid by whoever owns real property (kiinteistö) on 1 January, for the whole year. For a building in the category “other residential building”, which is used, for example, for leisure homes, the 2026 range is 0.93–2.00%, and the range for land is 1.30–2.00%. For a flat owned as housing company shares, see the section on annual costs.

What fees does the National Land Survey charge?

In a real property (kiinteistö) purchase, the National Land Survey of Finland's price list (as at 1 October 2026) includes €172 (about £150 / $190) for lainhuuto (registration of title), €143 (about £120 / $160) for public purchase witnessing and €47 for mortgage registration, if the property is pledged as loan security. Extracts ordered through its e-service cost €16.

What does it cost to buy a house in Finland on top of the price?

When a house is bought as real property (kiinteistö), the transfer tax is 3%, and the National Land Survey of Finland charges €172 (about £150 / $190) for lainhuuto (as at 1 October 2026); the other official fees are listed in the summary table. A Ministry of Defence permit, with a fee of €210 (about £180 / $240) (online payment) or €280 (about £240 / $320) (invoice) per property identifier (2026), is required when the buyer is a person without EU or EEA citizenship or an entity with at least 10% ownership or corresponding influence from outside the EU or EEA. The permit law does not apply to Åland, which has its own land acquisition rules.

Related articles

• Buying property in Finland as a foreigner: the step-by-step guide
• How much does a house cost in Finland? Prices by region
• Owning a holiday home in Finland from abroad
• Airbnb in Finland: rental rules and tax for owners

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Sources

• Finnish Tax Administration: Transfer tax, buyer of a flat
• Finnish Tax Administration: Transfer tax, buying real property
• Finnish Tax Administration: Buyers from outside Finland – how to file and pay Finnish transfer tax and the Finnish-language version
• Finnish Tax Administration: Buying your first home
• Finnish Tax Administration: Real estate tax rates and Paying real estate tax
• Finnish Tax Administration: Advance information on real estate taxation 2026 (in Finnish)
• Finnish Tax Administration: Rental income and Occasional rental income from property
• Finnish Tax Administration: Capital income
• Finnish Tax Administration: Taxable sale of a residential property and Selling your home
• Finnish Tax Administration: Taxation of income received by non-residents
• National Land Survey of Finland: Public purchase witnessing, Property Transaction Service and Apartments
• National Land Survey of Finland: Price list, real property (in Finnish)
• Property transaction service help: Authentication and payment
• Ministry of Defence: Authorisation to non-EU and non-EEA buyers to buy real estate
• Government of Åland: Jordförvärv på Åland (in Swedish)
• European Union: EU countries and EFTA: The EEA
• Finlex (legislation in Finnish or Swedish): Transfer Tax Act 931/1996, Land Code 540/1995, Act 470/2019, Housing Companies Act 1599/2009, Act 843/1994, Real Estate Tax Act 654/1992

Information checked: October 2026. Rules and prices change; check current details from the sources above.

Currency conversions are approximate and based on the European Central Bank's reference rates of 16 October 2026.

This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Home Of Homes is a platform, not a real estate agent.