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Responsible for the service Regional State Administrative Agency

Cemeteries and private burial grounds

  • Permit or other obligation
  • Nationwide except the Åland Islands
  • Public service

Burials

Regional State Administrative Agencies have a range of licensing, enforcement and cadastral responsibilities relating to cemeteries and burials.

Can I start a cemetary?

We can authorise registered organisations and foundations (such as registered religious communities) to start a cemetery.

Do cemeteries and private burial grounds appear in the Finnish Land Information Syste ...

Do the following

The Regional State Administrative Agency for Eastern Finland provides advice on the application of the Finnish Funeral Services Act free of charge.

To whom and on what terms

Cemeteries are not permitted to be profit-seeking.

In order to be authorised to start a cemetery, you need to be able to demonstrate that you are capable of taking care of one. This involves, among other things, producing a realistic plan of how your cemetery will be managed in the long term.

The property manager must own the land on which the cemetery is established. If the property manager does not own the land, they must have

• the landowner’s permission to start the cemetery and

• a priority lease or other right to the property.

The lease or other right must be for a fixed term of at least 130 and no more than 200 years. The lease must cover the entire property.

The property must be free of all liens and encumbrances within the meaning of the Funeral Services Act. Any restrictions on the use of the property must be entered into the land register.

The service is provided by

Regional State Administrative Agency

Responsible for the service

Regional State Administrative Agency
Text edited by: Regional State Administrative Agency
Updated: 16/12/2020