Finland Construction Site Cards: Työturvallisuuskortti, Valtti Card & Tax Number

Want to work in Finland on a building site? First, sort out your Finland construction site cards. Finnish main contractors check them at the gate: a photo ID card with your Finnish tax number (veronumero), the Occupational Safety Card (työturvallisuuskortti) and, depending on the job, the Hot Work Card (tulityökortti), the Electrical Safety Card or the Road Safety Card. Posted workers also need an A1 certificate, and their employer must send a posting notification. This guide goes deeper than our Nordic site cards overview and covers what each card is, how to get it, how long it is valid and what to do before you travel.

Finland construction site cards at a glance

Tax number (veronumero) and the tax number register

A Finnish tax number is mandatory for everyone who works on a building or installation site or at a shipyard, and your number must be entered in the public tax number register (veronumerorekisteri) before you start. To get a tax number you need a Finnish personal identity code (henkilötunnus). If you don't have one yet, you must visit a Tax Administration service point in person – book an appointment first. Bring:

• a valid passport or official ID card with a clear photo;
• your employment contract – or a written employer statement with your name, the employer, the work, the period, the workplace and the Finnish client;
• a residence permit or visa if you need one to work in Finland.

You can fill in the online form in advance; for construction work the Tax Administration recommends sending it two weeks before your appointment. Processing takes about 1–3 working days when all documents are in order. Workers with a Finnish identity code can add their tax number to the register themselves in OmaVero, and employers can register their staff through Ilmoitin.fi.

New in 2026: in March 2026 the Tax Administration removed people from the public register if no construction employee notifications had been filed for them in the last two years – without sending a notice. Your tax number stays the same, but if you haven't worked in Finland for a while, check that you are still in the register and re-register if needed. Estonian workers can sort out the tax number in Tallinn – see our guide for Estonian workers on Finnish sites.

Photo ID card with tax number: the Valtti card (valttikortti)

On Finnish building sites you must wear a visible photo ID card that shows your tax number. Most companies use the Valtti card from Vastuu Group. A foreign company registers at Vastuu Group, adds main users and orders the cards for its employees – but only after the workers are in the tax number register. From 5 January 2026 the Valtti card costs €32 + VAT per card, plus a delivery fee of €8.20 + VAT per order. Companies that can't join Vastuu Group's Reliable Partner service also have to submit Valtti card employment information, which is a separate annual service.

Occupational Safety Card (työturvallisuuskortti)

The Occupational Safety Card (työturvallisuuskortti) is run by the Finnish Centre for Occupational Safety (Työturvallisuuskeskus, TTK). No law makes it compulsory, but many clients require it from every subcontractor's employee, so on a construction site it is effectively a must.

Course, languages and online option

• Length: one day, 8 hours of training, followed by an exam (on paper or electronic).
• Language: the course can be taught in any language the instructor speaks, or with an interpreter. Course material and exams exist in Finnish, Swedish, English, Estonian and Russian.
• Online (verkossa): many approved providers run the course remotely, for example on Teams – look for "verkkokurssi" in the official course calendar at tyoturvallisuuskortti.fi.
• Price: each training provider sets its own price, so compare courses before booking.

Validity, renewal and proof on site

The card is valid for 5 years from the course date. You can renew it with a shorter refresher course (kertauskurssi) of about 4 hours plus the exam – but only while your current card is still valid. If it has expired, you take the full course again. Since 15 January 2025 printed cards are no longer sent automatically: your card is in the electronic Occupational Safety Card search, where you, your employer or the client can check it. If a site wants a physical card, you can order one at your own cost through mobiili.korttitieto.fi.

Hot Work Card (tulityökortti)

The Hot Work Card (tulityökortti) is the Finnish qualification for hot work – welding, gas cutting, grinding and torch roofing – issued under the Finnish National Rescue Association (SPEK). Insurance terms and clients require it whenever hot work is done outside a permanent hot work area.

• Course: one working day – six lessons of theory, practical fire extinguishing and protection exercises, and an exam. The textbook is available in Finnish, Swedish, English, Russian, Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Spanish and German.
• Validity: 5 years from the course date.
• Renewal: online only if your previous card is still valid; otherwise you attend in-person training.
• Price: varies by course organiser.

Important for Swedish, Norwegian and Danish card holders: from 2026, hot work certificates from other Nordic countries (Heta arbeten, Varme arbeider, Varmt arbejde) no longer meet the Finnish requirements, and SPEK recommends that sites don't accept them. Certificates issued on or before 31 December 2025 are still recognised until the expiry date printed on them. If you are getting a new hot work qualification for Finland, take the Finnish tulityökortti.

Electrical Safety Card (sähkötyöturvallisuuskortti, SFS 6002)

Electricians and anyone working on or near live electrical installations need training under the Finnish standard SFS 6002, proven with the Electrical Safety Card (sähkötyöturvallisuuskortti). The card is valid for 5 years after the exam. Several providers offer it fully online – typically 4–6 hours of study. Check with your employer whether you also need a separate qualification for your specific electrical tasks.

Road Safety Card (tieturvakortti)

If you work on a public road – road maintenance, transporting road materials, driving work machines or other tasks on the road – the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency (Väylävirasto) requires the Tieturva 1 qualification, commonly called the Road Safety Card (tieturvakortti). The course is free and online, you print or save the certificate yourself, and it is valid for 5 years. To renew it, you simply complete Tieturva 1 again.

Posted workers: A1 certificate and posting notification

A1 certificate (A1-todistus)

If a foreign company sends you to Finland, your employer should apply for the A1 certificate from the social security institution in your home country. The A1 shows that you stay insured in your home country during the posting. If no A1 is granted, the foreign employer must insure you in Finland. For postings over two years, the employer must either move you into the Finnish system or ask both countries to approve an extension.

Posting notification to the OSH authority (työsuojelu)

A company posting workers to Finland must send a posting notification to the Finnish occupational safety and health authority (tyosuojelu.fi) through an online form – at the latest before the work starts. In construction there are no exceptions, even for short intra-group postings. The notification includes the company details and foreign tax number, the client, the builder and main contractor, each worker's identity and Finnish tax number, the dates, the workplace and the company's representative in Finland. A copy must also go to the builder and the main contractor, and changes require a supplementary notification. Missing the notification can lead to a negligence fee (laiminlyöntimaksu). During the posting the company must also keep employment terms, pay slips and records of working hours available for inspection.

Checklist before you travel to Finland

1. Ask the main contractor or your employer exactly which cards the site requires.
2. Book a Tax Administration appointment (or the Tallinn option for Estonians) and get your tax number into the register.
3. Make sure your employer orders your Valtti card once you are in the register.
4. Take or renew the työturvallisuuskortti – online if possible, before your current card expires.
5. Get the tulityökortti if you will weld, cut or grind; add the Electrical Safety Card or Tieturva 1 if your job needs them.
6. If you are posted: check that the A1 certificate is applied for and the posting notification is sent before day one.
7. Pack your passport, contract and digital copies of all certificates.
8. Order your protective equipment early – delivery takes 8–16 days.

Protective equipment you'll need on site

The cards get you through the gate; the PPE keeps you working. Finnish sites expect a helmet, hi-vis clothing, safety boots, eye protection and suitable gloves – see the details in mandatory PPE on Finnish construction sites and compare the countries in Nordic PPE rules compared. Browse hi-vis workwear, safety boots, safety helmets, safety glasses and work gloves. Hot work card holders should add welding gloves and flame-resistant workwear. To equip a whole crew at once, use the workwear kit builder.

FAQ

Can I do the työturvallisuuskortti online?

Yes. Many approved providers run the Occupational Safety Card course remotely, and the 4-hour refresher course is also available online if your card is still valid.

How long is the työturvallisuuskortti valid?

5 years from the course date. Renew it before it expires to take the shorter refresher instead of the full course.

Is my Swedish Heta arbeten certificate valid in Finland?

Only if it was issued on or before 31 December 2025, and only until its printed expiry date. Newer Nordic hot work certificates are not recommended for acceptance – take the Finnish tulityökortti.

Do I need a Finnish tax number if I only work for a few weeks?

Yes. Everyone on a Finnish building site needs a tax number in the register and a photo ID card that shows it, regardless of how long the job lasts.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules and prices change – always confirm with the issuing authority or your main contractor before you travel.