Permits for companies and entrepreneurs
A company or entrepreneur based in Espoo or already operating in Espoo may need various permits from the city when their activities begin or change. Business activities may also require permits issued by other authorities. For more information on business permits other than those issued by the city, contact business advisory services.
Construction and environment
Building and environmental permits and guidelines
More information on building and environmental permits is available from the Urban Environment Sector. Examples of such permits include:
- short-term land lease and land use permits
- building-related permits
- planning permissions for minor construction related to the building site, demolition or landscape permits
- planning permissions for minor construction related to sales, information and advertising equipment
- derogation decisions and planning solutions for areas outside the town plan area
- soil extraction permit
- landscape work permits other than building site permits
- notifications and permits for starting a business (e.g. starting a grocery, shop, restaurant or other food production)
- environmental permit if the activity is environmentally harmful
- other environmental permits and notifications (e.g. noise notifications)
Average processing time (decisions by authorities): 20–40 days
Average processing time (Building Control Committee): 70–130 days
Fire safety regulations
The Ministry of the Environment has issued a decree on the fire safety of buildings. Learn more about the maximum number of people and regulations for different properties.(external link, opens in a new window)
Changes in intended purpose
If the purpose of the property is to be changed, an application is submitted to the city. Projects of particular urgency will be dealt with by means of a temporary modification at first, later by means of a town plan or derogation permit. Temporary premises for schools and private day-care centres are handled on a temporary basis. Additional information.(external link, opens in a new window)
Land lease
The city acquires land primarily through voluntary acquisition. Commercial plots are allocated based on applications or, for special locations and high-demand plots, through a public application procedure or competitive bidding for price or quality. The city also grants land use permits for its land for short-term events and campaigns.
For more information, please contact the City of Espoo’s Building Site Services.
Health care and social services sector
Permits in the health care and social services sector
If the service operates in the territory of two or more regional state administrative agencies, the permit for operations is granted by Valvira(external link, opens in a new window). For a service provider operating in the territory of one regional state administrative agency, the regional administration agency(external link, opens in a new window) acts as the permit authority.
The average processing time of applications for permits and changes in permits for providers of private health care and social services is about two months.
The city is obliged to monitor some private service providers in the sector, such as the providers of services for the elderly and mental health services. These service providers must notify the city of the commencement and termination of operations in the City of Espoo. Read more.
Companies can register as service providers through the electronic service voucher and service outsourcing system. For more information, visit the Parasta palvelua website(external link, opens in a new window).
What insurance policies should a provider of physiotherapy and health care services have?
- self-employed person’s pension insurance
- insurance against treatment injury
- employment pension insurance and workmen’s compensation insurance for employees
Learn more about the necessary insurance policies.(external link, opens in a new window)
What is Valvira’s guidance?
Permit prices?
Reporting obligation
The operator must check whether it is necessary to notify the municipal health protection authority in writing in accordance with Section 13 of the Health Protection Act(external link, opens in a new window). If a notification is required, it must be submitted 30 days before starting operations.
Private schools
The City of Espoo’s Finnish Education Unit issues statements about the private schools to be established in Espoo, for which state support and the right to issue certificates are being sought. Permission is granted by the Government.
Food, restaurant and tourism sector
Notification of food premises
A notification of food premises must be made when food will be prepared, handed over, stored, transported, marketed, served or otherwise handled. The online sale of food must also be notified. A notification must be submitted for new food premises, a substantial change in operations, a change of operator and the termination or interruption of operations.
The notification can be submitted electronically in the Ilppa service(external link, opens in a new window).
Home kitchens/Production at home
Small-scale food business activities can be carried out at home. The home operator must comply with the requirements of food legislation and contact Food Control before starting operations. If the premises at home are adequate, it is allowed to, for example, make pastries or store food there.
Required passes and licences
The person responsible for a place licensed to sell alcohol or another person appointed for the task must hold a certificate approved by Valvira attesting to knowledge of the Alcohol Act, i.e. a serving licence.
The training and test required for the serving licence can be completed at Omnia(external link, opens in a new window), for example.
More information on Valvira’s website(external link, opens in a new window).
A hygiene passport is required when handling unpackaged, easily perishable foodstuffs, such as dairy or meat products. The employee must have a hygiene passport at the following workplaces:
- cafés and restaurants
- industrial kitchens
- various kiosks
- barbecue carts, pop-up restaurants/cafés, etc. mobile food premises
- grocery shops
- food processing plants
The training and test required for the hygiene passport can be completed at Omnia(external link, opens in a new window), for example.
Travel Industry Safety Passport Matupa provides voluntary safety training tailored to the needs of employees in the hotel, catering and programme services. It provides workers with the necessary basic information on travel industry safety issues. Matupa is useful for everyone involved in tourism, the hotel and restaurant industry, sports and outdoor services, festivals, amusement parks and events.
Outdoor sales and terrace licences
Outdoor sales involves the serving and selling of food and the related processing of food outside the food premises, for example from mobile sales equipment outdoors. Mobile sales equipment includes tents, containers, vehicles and carts.
For additional information, please contact: ulkomyynti@espoo.fi
More information is available on the city’s Food Control website.
Outdoor serving area – terrace permit
You can rent an outdoor serving area on city land. Applications for permits are submitted to the city where the outdoor serving area is located. The City of Espoo’s application guidelines, pricing and rental rules.
Food Control
The task of the Espoo Region Environmental Health Services is to protect consumers from health hazards caused by food. The controls concern both foodstuffs and the conditions under which they are produced, stored, served and sold. Read more.
You can also watch the BE studio (in Finnish), where we use practical examples to explain the kinds of professional food business that can be done at home. You will receive advice, for example, on how to handle and prepare food in a safe and responsible manner, and what kind of practices are involved in starting a business.
Environmental advice for SMEs
EcoCompass offers customised advice on environmental issues. The aim is to strengthen companies’ capacity to improve environmental management and eco-efficiency. Read more on the website of EcoCompass(external link, opens in a new window).
Hairdressers, tattoo artists and beauty treatment services
Premises: Check whether the premises are approved for the intended use.
Beauty salons, solarium facilities, tattoo parlours, piercing shops and other premises where skin treatment is carried out (for example, cupping or hirudotherapy, i.e. the use of medicinal leeches) are subject to regular health protection monitoring. Read more.
According to Section 13 of the Health Protection Act(external link, opens in a new window), the operator must notify the municipal health protection authority in writing 30 days before starting operations. However, this does not apply to hairdressers or barbers. The notification must be accompanied by the layout and floor plan of the premises, the ventilation measurement protocol and, if necessary, a report on the quality of the tap water. The notification must also be submitted for a material change in operations.
You can submit the notification online in Ilppa. Use of the system requires Suomi.fi authorisation for the company to which you wish to submit a notification. More detailed instructions on how to submit a notification can be found on the Ilppa website: Electronic notification system Ilppa(external link, opens in a new window).
Daycare centres, children’s clubs, group family daycare centres
At the planning stage of a daycare centre and children’s club premises, you should contact the health inspector and other authorities, such as the social welfare authorities, Building Control (new use of the premises) and fire and occupational safety authorities in good time.
The daycare and children’s club premises must be suitable for the activity. Considerations include the placement of the premises, the need for space, ventilation, the sufficiency of toilets and washrooms, cleaning and laundry facilities, and staff social facilities. A substantial change in operations means, for example, a significant increase in the number of children, modernisation of the premises or the addition of space that was previously used for other purposes.
The operator has an obligation to identify the health risks of their operations and to arrange their operations in a way that prevents health hazards to the extent possible. For this purpose, it is recommended that the operator compiles a written own-check plan.
Business Espoo business advisory services
Contact us! We serve you by phone and email.
Tel.: +358 50 5130321
Email: info@businessespoo.fi
Address: Otakaari 5 A, 02150 Espoo.