Aircraft registration and changes in registration information

An aircraft has the nationality of the country in which it has been registered. To obtain Finnish nationality, an aircraft must be entered in the Finnish Transport Register.

The registration marks of aircraft registered in Finland consist of the nationality mark OH and a registration mark with three or four characters. Depending on the category and type of the aircraft, the registration mark includes letters, numbers, or letters and numbers.

Reserving registration marks

A registration mark can be reserved in advance for an aircraft to be registered in the near future. Reservation can be requested by sending an email to ilmaalusrekisteri(at)traficom.fi.

The reservation request must contain the following information:

• unique identification of the aircraft to be registered (e.g. aircraft category, manufacturer, type, serial number, year of manufacture)
• the owner and possible operator/possessor/representative to be registered for the aircraft
• time of registration
• name and contact information of the person making the request (email address and telephone number).

The reservation for aircraft registration remains in force for 3 years from the date of reservation. After the reservation expires, the registration mark becomes freely available again. If necessary, the reservation can be renewed before expiration. If the reserved registration mark is no longer needed, Traficom must be notified of the matter.

• Aeroplanes and lighter-than-air aircraft: the registration mark consists of the nationality mark OH and a three-letter register mark.
• Helicopters: the registration mark consists of the nationality mark OH and a three-letter register mark beginning with the letter H.
• Amateur-built aeroplanes, helicopters and experimental aircraft: the registration mark consists of the nationality mark OH and a three-letter register mark beginning with the letter X.

A registration mark can also be requested to be reserved for the following aircraft categories, but their registration marks are determined in numerical order according to the next available mark:

• gliders and motor gliders (OH- followed by numbers)
• ultralight aircraft (OH-U followed by numbers)
• autogyros (OH-G followed by numbers).

Registration is applied for in writing using the relevant application form. The application with its required attachments can be sent by post, or by email to kirjaamo(at)traficom.fi. Private persons may also apply for registration via Traficom’s e-services.

If the aircraft has several owners, the application must include the name, personal and contact information of all owners. All owners must also sign the application or, alternatively, a power of attorney from all owners must be attached to the application.

Where applicable, the following must be attached to the registration application:

• A copy of the aircraft manual page showing the type information of the aircraft to be registered.
• A copy of the bill of sale or other title deed. If the transfer of right of ownership is bound to the payment of the purchase price, you must also include a uniquely identified receipt of the payment or the seller’s confirmation of the payment of the purchase price.
• A foreign authority’s certification of removal from the register or of the aircraft not being registered in the register of the country of manufacture.
• Any power of attorney or other document that indicates the signatory’s power to sign the application (e.g. an extract from the trade register for foreign companies or associations).
• If the aircraft has a separate operator, possessor or representative (other than the owner(s)), you must include a notification of the aircraft operator signed by both parties (the same form can also be used for the possessor or the agent by making the required corrections to the form).
• If the application concerns the temporary registration of an aircraft under construction, you must attach to the application a copy of the construction permit and a short description of the aircraft being constructed (e.g. are you constructing the aircraft from scratch or are you using the airframe of an existing aircraft).
• If the domicile of the aircraft’s owner or operator is not in Finland, you must attach to the application an account of the aircraft’s principal point of departure and its operational connection with Finland.
• If the application is submitted by the estate of a deceased person, the estate can act as the applicant. A copy of the estate inventory deed (or extracts from the population register) must be attached to the application in order to determine the parties to the estate. The parties to the estate jointly govern the assets of the estate.
• If the applicant is a bankruptcy estate, the bankruptcy trustee may act as the applicant. The letter of appointment or an extract from the court minutes indicating the appointment as the bankruptcy trustee must be attached to the application.
• If the applicant has been appointed a trustee, the trustee may act as the applicant. A certificate of the appointment of the trustee must be attached to the application.

Registering an aircraft is subject to a fee. Traficom will issue a certificate of registration as proof of the registration of an aircraft, and a temporary certificate of registration for the temporary registration of an aircraft.

According to the Aviation Act, the owner of an aircraft must notify any changes in the right of ownership within 14 days of the change. Registering a change in the right of ownership is subject to a fee. Traficom will issue a new certificate of registration as proof of registering the change.

Notifying a change in the right of ownership

The notification of a change in the right of ownership is done in writing using the notification form and, if necessary, the continuation sheet of the form. The notification and the required attachments can be sent by post, or by email to kirjaamo(at)traficom.fi. Private persons may also submit the notification via Traficom’s e-services.

If the aircraft has several owners, the notification must include the name, personal and contact information of all owners. All owners must also sign the notification or, alternatively, a power of attorney from all owners must be attached to the notification.

Where applicable, the following must be attached to the notification:

• A copy of the bill of sale or other title deed. If the transfer of right of ownership is bound to the payment of the purchase price, you must also include a uniquely identified receipt of the payment or the seller’s confirmation of the payment of the purchase price.
• The old certificate of registration.
• Any power of attorney or other document that indicates the signatory’s power to sign the notification (e.g. an extract from the trade register for foreign companies or associations).
• If the aircraft has a separate operator, possessor or representative (other than the owner(s)), you must include a notification of the aircraft operator signed by both parties (the same form can also be used for the possessor or the agent by making the required corrections to the form).
• If the domicile of the aircraft’s owner or operator is not in Finland, you must attach to the notification an account of the aircraft’s principal point of departure and its operational connection with Finland.
• If the notification is submitted by the estate of a deceased person, the estate can act as the notifier. A copy of the estate inventory deed (or extracts from the population register) must be attached to the notification in order to determine the parties to the estate. The parties to the estate jointly govern the assets of the estate.
• If the notifier is a bankruptcy estate, the bankruptcy trustee may act as the notifier. The letter of appointment or an extract from the court minutes indicating the appointment as the bankruptcy trustee must be attached to the notification.
• If the notifier has been appointed a trustee, the trustee may act as the notifier. A certificate of the appointment of the trustee must be attached to the notification.

Notifying the end of a right of ownership

If an aircraft has been sold, but the new owner has not fulfilled its obligation to notify Traficom of the change in the right of ownership in accordance with the Aviation Act, the previous owner of the aircraft can notify Traficom of the end of their right of ownership. The notification is done in writing using the notification form. The notification and the required attachments can be sent by post, or by email to kirjaamo(at)traficom.fi.

The notification must include information on the new owner of the aircraft, and a copy of the bill of sale must be attached to it. If necessary, any power of attorney or other document that indicates the signatory’s power to sign the notification (e.g. an extract from the trade register for foreign companies or associations) must be attached to the notification.

Any changes in the information on the operator, possessor or representative of an aircraft must be notified to Traficom within 14 days of the change.

If the aircraft has several owners, all owners must sign the notification or, alternatively, powers of attorney from all owners must be attached to the notification.

Notifying details on operator, possessor or representative

Addition or removal of aircraft operator, possessor or representative details must be notified in writing, using a form signed by both parties. The notification and the required attachments can be sent by post, or by email to kirjaamo(at)traficom.fi.

The details on the operator, possessor or representative reported to the aircraft register are always valid until further notice, and a separate notification must be made to remove the information from the register. The form can be used to notify one addition and one removal at the same time. The earlier information will be automatically removed when the owner changes, unless a new operator, possessor or representative is notified at the same time.

Private persons

Private persons must notify changes of address electronically with the change-of-address notification for private persons. The notification must list the aircraft to which the address change applies. The notification form may also be sent by post, or by email to kirjaamo(at)traficom.fi.

Legal persons (e.g. companies and associations)

Legal persons must notify changes of address with the change-of-address notification for companies/organisations. The notification must list the aircraft to which the address change applies. The notification form may be sent by post, or by email to kirjaamo(at)traficom.fi.

The owner of an aircraft can apply for the removal of an aircraft from the Transport Register. A mortgaged aircraft cannot be removed from the register before the aircraft mortgage has been discharged (see aircraft mortgages). An aircraft removed from the register cannot be used in aviation before re-registration.

As confirmation of the removal of the aircraft from the Finnish Aircraft Register, the owner is issued a certificate of deregistration. If the aircraft is removed from the register for the purpose of registering it in another country, Traficom will also send the certificate electronically to the registration authority in the country in question.

Applying for deregistration

Deregistration is applied for in writing using the relevant form. The application with its required attachments can be sent by post, or by email to kirjaamo(at)traficom.fi.

The application must state the reason why you wish to remove the aircraft from the register. If deregistration is applied for due to a sale to abroad, the application must include the country to which the aircraft was sold so that Traficom can send a notification of the deregistration to the authority in the country in question.

If the aircraft has several owners, all owners must sign the application or, alternatively, powers of attorney from all owners must be attached to the application.

Where applicable, the following must be attached to the deregistration application:

• Certificate of Registration
• Any power of attorney or other document that indicates the signatory’s power to sign the application (e.g. an extract from the trade register for foreign companies or associations).
• If the application is submitted by the estate of a deceased person, the estate can act as the applicant. A copy of the estate inventory deed (or extracts from the population register) must be attached to the application in order to determine the parties to the estate. The parties to the estate jointly govern the assets of the estate.
• If the applicant is a bankruptcy estate, the bankruptcy trustee may act as the applicant. The letter of appointment or an extract from the court minutes indicating the appointment as the bankruptcy trustee must be attached to the application.
• If the applicant has been appointed a trustee, the trustee may act as the applicant. A certificate of the appointment of the trustee must be attached to the application.

Under the Aviation Act, the owner of an aircraft must notify any changes in the aircraft registration information within 14 days of the change. The notification must be submitted for example when the owner or some of the owners of the aircraft change, if there are changes in the details of the possessor or representative of the aircraft or the owner’s name (e.g. company merger), or if there are changes in the right to register the aircraft in the Finnish Transport Register. Changes in the address of the owner, operator, possessor or representative must also be notified to the Transport Register by the party in question.

The owners or operators of all aircraft entered in the Finnish Transport Register must also annually report data on their flight operations during the previous year for statistical purposes. The data must be reported for each aircraft. Flight operations statistics can be reported each year via a survey on the Traficom website.

Registration decision EUR 185
– first registration or change of owner

Printout of a registration certificate EUR 75
– temporary registration certificate
– certificate due to a change in the owner’s name or address
– certificate to replace a lost or destroyed certificate

Mortgage decision EUR 115
– confirmation, renewal or cancellation/discharge of a mortgage
– change of the order of priority of a mortgage

Certificate of mortgages and encumbrances or an extract of the Register EUR 75

Glider listing decision EUR 25

Aircraft registration maintenance fee, annual fee EUR 75
– This annual fee is charged on the first day of the invoicing year for aircraft in the Aircraft Register from the owner or operator of the aircraft listed in the register at the time in question.
– The registration maintenance fee is not charged for the year of registration.