Short answer
Yes. Under Article 25 of the EU eIDAS Regulation an electronic signature cannot be denied legal effect only because it is electronic, and most contracts in Finland are valid in any form. In everyday use the most reliable way to sign is with Finnish online banking credentials or Mobiilivarmenne: the signer's official name comes from the bank, and the document gets a certificate with time stamps. A few documents need a special form and cannot be signed this way, such as a will, a prenuptial agreement and a real estate deed.
Three levels of electronic signature
The eIDAS Regulation (EU 910/2014) has three levels. The level tells how tightly the signature is tied to the signer and to the document.
| Level | What it means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Electronic signature | Any electronic way of expressing approval. Its weight as evidence depends on how the signer was identified. | A drawn signature in a PDF, approval by e-mail, or a signature confirmed with a bank ID |
| Advanced electronic signature | Identifies the signer, is under the signer's sole control and reveals any later change to the document. | A signature based on the signer's own certificate |
| Qualified electronic signature | An advanced signature made with a qualified certificate on a separate signature device. Has the same legal effect as a handwritten signature (eIDAS Article 25(2)). | Signing with the certificate on a Finnish identity card, using a card reader and the PIN2 code |
For everyday contracts, such as a lease, a deed of sale, a promissory note or an employment contract, the law does not usually require a particular level. What matters is whether you can show afterwards who approved the document and that it has not been changed. That makes the way the signer is identified the most important choice in practice.
How signing with a bank ID works
Finnish online banking credentials and Mobiilivarmenne belong to the Finnish Trust Network (FTN), which is supervised by the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom. The Act on Strong Electronic Identification and Electronic Trust Services (617/2009) sets the requirements, and the same identification is used with the Tax Administration and Kela.
- The document gets a fingerprint: the service calculates a SHA-256 hash of the PDF. If a single character of the file changes, the hash changes.
- The signer identifies: they log in with their own bank or with Mobiilivarmenne. The signing service never sees the credentials; it receives the name confirmed by the bank.
- The approval is recorded: the confirmed name and a time stamp are saved as the signature.
- A certificate is attached: when everyone has signed, a signature certificate is added to the end of the PDF with the names, time stamps, the hash and a QR code for checking.
How to sign a PDF in practice, step by step: signing with a Finnish bank ID.
Documents you can sign electronically
- A residential lease: from 1 October 2026 the Act on Residential Leases says outright that an electronic lease counts as written. See how to sign a rental agreement in Finland.
- An employment contract: under the Employment Contracts Act (55/2001, chapter 1, section 3) it can be made orally, in writing or electronically.
- A deed of sale for a car or other movable property, a promissory note, a power of attorney, a non-disclosure agreement and a shareholders' agreement.
- Minutes of a board, an association or a housing company meeting.
- A deed of gift for money or movable property.
Documents that need a special form
- Sale or gift of real estate (a house or a plot): the deed is signed in the presence of a public purchase witness, or the sale is made in the National Land Survey's electronic property transaction service.
- A will: made in writing with two witnesses present at the same time.
- A prenuptial agreement: dated, signed, attested by two witnesses and registered with the Digital and Population Data Services Agency.
- A continuing power of attorney (edunvalvontavaltuutus): made in writing with two witnesses present at the same time.
- Shares in a housing company (an owner-occupied flat): for registering the ownership, the National Land Survey accepts the deed of sale or gift only when it is signed by hand or with a qualified electronic signature. A bank ID signature is not enough for that, so sign such a deed on paper.
- Documents for which an authority requires its own online service or a qualified electronic signature.
Who can sign?
Every signer needs Finnish online banking credentials or Mobiilivarmenne. A foreign electronic ID cannot be used. If one of the parties has neither, sign the document on paper instead.
How to check a signed document
The last page of a PDF signed with Helppo Allekirjoitus is the signature certificate with a QR code. The code opens the verification page, where the file can be dropped into a checker that compares its SHA-256 hash with the one saved at signing. Keep the PDF attachment exactly as it arrived: opening and re-saving the file in a PDF program can change the hash even when the content looks the same.
What is changing: the EU Digital Identity Wallet
The revised eIDAS Regulation (EU) 2024/1183 requires every member state to offer a digital identity wallet. In Finland the Digital and Population Data Services Agency has said it will publish the Suomi.fi wallet in 2027. Using it will be voluntary, and it is meant for identifying oneself online and for making qualified electronic signatures. Existing ways of identifying, such as bank IDs, stay in use, and documents signed with them remain valid.
Frequently asked questions
Is signing with a bank ID a qualified electronic signature?
No. It is an electronic signature in which the signer is identified with strong electronic identification. Finnish law rarely requires a qualified signature, and for the documents listed above a signature confirmed with a bank ID is enough.
Do I need a Finnish company or a business ID to sign?
No. A private person signs with their own bank ID, and no account is created.
What does it cost?
€1.49 per signer including VAT, with no monthly fee. A contract between two people costs €2.98.