Instructions for the builder

The municipal building control authority carries out the following official inspections specified in the building permit and included in the building permit fee:

• kick-off meeting (demanding buildings)
• marking location and elevation
• chimney inspection
• structural review
• final review

Official inspections must be ordered at least one week before the estimated inspection date.

A fee is charged for other official inspections and statements requested by the developer in accordance with the currently valid rate approved by the municipal council.

Learn about the building regulations in the municipality of Jämijärvi. The provisions of the building regulations are followed in addition to laws and regulations and other provisions and regulations concerning land use and construction. The building regulations are followed unless otherwise provided for in a legally effective master plan, local plan or the Finnish Building Regulations.

Building permit required

• for the construction of a building
• repair and alteration work that is comparable to the construction of a building
• to expand a building or to increase the space counted as its floor area
• for a substantial change in the purpose of use of a building or part of it (e.g. change of purpose from holiday home to permanent residence)

From 1 January 2025, the construction of a new building requires a building permit if it is:

• dwelling house 
• an outbuilding of at least 30 square meters or 120 cubic meters in size 
• a canopy of at least 50 square meters in size 
• a public structure that can be used by at least five natural persons at the same time 
• a mast or chimney at least 30 meters high 
• an illuminated advertising device of at least 2 square meters in size 
• energy well 
• an area built for a specific activity that has an impact on the use of the surrounding areas. 
• For construction projects other than those mentioned above, the municipality may stipulate in the building regulations that a permit is not required if the project is minor.
• There is a deadline for processing a building permit. The building permit application must be processed within three months.
• However, a construction permit application for a construction project with an exceptionally demanding and particularly demanding design task and a clean transition placement permit application must be decided within six months.

• Evidence of the right of possession of the construction site (land registry extract, title deed, deed of sale or lease agreement)
• Main drawings (position drawing, floor plan, section drawing and facade drawing)
• Extract from the base map (when building in a sparsely populated area, the construction site is marked visibly)
• Extract from the station, waterfront or waterfront master plan (construction site visibly marked)
• The report also includes an energy certificate and an equalization calculation. However, an energy certificate is not required for buildings under 50m, for example.² for buildings of a size or a building intended for holiday accommodation that is not used for the accommodation business. A more detailed list of exceptions can be found in Section 3 of the Act on the Energy Certificate of a Building.
• Construction project notification
• Possible exemption decision
• Application for a construction supervisor
• Application for a Kvv foreman (municipal water and sewerage)
• Application for IV foreman (ventilation equipment)
  • residential buildings, demanding leisure homes and large construction sites
  • The provisions regarding the corresponding supervisor apply to the approval, as applicable.
• A report and plan for wastewater treatment prepared by an expert
• Consultation/consent of neighbors

A permit is required.

• for the erection of structures and installations, such as masts, tanks and chimneys, for which the resolution of the permit issue does not in all respects require the guidance otherwise required for construction
• the erection and placement of a structure or facility that is not considered a building, if the measure has an impact on natural conditions, the land use of the surrounding area, or the urban or landscape image
• for a measure that changes the appearance or facade of a building in planned areas (measure notification in sparsely populated areas)
• for apartment arrangements in a residential building
• for the construction of a wastewater system
• for the construction of a geothermal heating system

The notification procedure applies to construction of minor importance. The matters to be handled by notification are specified in more detail in the municipal building regulations.

To demolish a building or part of it in a local plan area, a demolition permit must be applied for from the building control authority. A permit is also required outside the local plan area if there is a building ban in force in the area for the preparation of a local plan or if the master plan so stipulates. A demolition permit can be applied for separately or in conjunction with a building permit.

The application must be attached to the Lupapiste service

• site plan
• photographs of buildings being demolished
• possible power of attorney or authorization at the Licensing Office
• separate demolition waste report

The owner or occupier of a land area must apply for a landscape work permit for earthworks that alter the landscape, felling trees and similar activities in a local plan area. In a comprehensive plan area, a landscape work permit must be applied for if the comprehensive plan so provides. A permit is not required for work with a minor impact.

A landscape work permit is required for earthworks and tree felling in a local plan area that significantly alter the landscape, unless the measure is in accordance with the approved building permit or is so minor that the permit threshold is not exceeded.

The minor nature of the project and the need for a permit are assessed by the decision-making authority, which must be contacted before carrying out the measure. A permit for felling trees is generally not required if the felling is minor.

• A new Construction Act has entered into force on 1 January 2025. At the same time, the planning need decision process has ended. In the future, the requirements for placement in a planning need area will be decided in connection with the construction permit or in a separate placement permit. Advice is offered at the Permit Point.
• The applicant may apply for a separate placement permit, which determines the existence of the placement requirements in accordance with Sections 44–46 of the Construction Act before the construction permit is issued. The decision on the placement permit is made by the municipal government. As part of the separate placement permit, deviations from the size of the construction site, building rights, planning regulations and other comparable deviations, as well as the need for planning the shoreline (Construction Act Section 57, Land Use Act Section 72).
• Applying for a separate placement permit decision can be useful if it is unclear whether the placement requirements are met and you want to ensure the suitability of the construction site before preparing the final drawings. Advice on choosing the appropriate application type is provided at the Permit Point.
• Investment permit is being applied for At the permit pointThe application for an investment permit must be accompanied by:
  • site plan according to the site plan guidelines (see below)
  • information about the size and facade of the building site (illustrative image or facade sketch)
  • a report on arranging transportation to the construction site
  • a report on the arrangement of water supply and drainage and, if connected to municipal utilities, information on where the building is intended to be connected to it
• The applicant can attach a report on the consultation with neighbors to the application. The “neighbor consultation form” completed on the Forms page or an electronic consultation completed through the Permit Point is accepted as a report.
  If necessary, the municipality will supplement the consultation. A fee will be charged for the consultation of neighbors carried out by the municipality.

If the construction work has not been started within three years or completed within five years of the permit becoming legally effective, the permit has expired. A permit or official approval for another measure has expired if the measure has not been completed within three years.

The building control authority may extend the validity of a permit or approval for the purpose of commencing work by a maximum of two years. For the purpose of completing work, the period may be extended by a maximum of three years at a time. (MRL Section 143)

According to the Occupational Safety Act, the responsibility for occupational safety always lies with the developer. This also applies when it comes to a once-in-a-lifetime single-family home. Therefore, it is a good idea to find out about the developer's responsibilities when planning a construction project.

The developer must appoint a safety manager and a main contractor for the construction project, who must have sufficient qualifications for the task in question. If a main contractor has not been appointed for the construction site, the developer is also responsible for the responsibilities of the main contractor. The developer is also responsible for the planning and preparation of the construction project, as well as the preparation and monitoring of the necessary documents. The developer's responsibilities are specified in more detail in the Government Decree on Construction Safety.

According to Section 79 of the Construction Act, the applicant for a permit or the person carrying out the measure is obliged to pay a fee to the municipality for official duties, the basis for which is determined in a tariff approved by the municipality.

Note! The fee is determined according to the fees that are in force on the date of the permit decision or the time of performing the official task. However, the repealed fee will apply to permit decisions for which applications have been submitted before 1 January 2025.

The permit point is a service that brings together municipal authorities, builders, designers and other construction professionals at one address and keeps all project parties informed about the progress of the project. Processing applications and permit transactions is smoother when the necessary information is immediately available, and paper applications and documents do not have to be submitted separately to different actors.

The service is registered with bank credentials or a mobile certificate upon first use. The service is free to use. However, organizations applying for a permit can register for a fee. Business account for internal project management.

1. Register for the service the first time you use it and then log in with your email address and password.
2. Create an application or survey: Select the location and main activity of your project. You can then either create a survey related to the project or create an application based on your previous selections.
3. Invite the necessary parties to the project from the “Parties” tab. Once the people have accepted the project invitation, their information can be selected for the application, saving you unnecessary typing. Please note that if your project requires a lead designer, he or she will be mainly responsible for promoting the project and communicating with the authorities at the Permit Point.
4. Save the project-related information and documents together with other parties. All the information you enter is automatically saved to the application and you can continue to complete it at a time that suits you.
5. If necessary, ask the authority for advice through the project-specific "Messages" window.
6. Submit your application to the authority from the “Submitting an application” tab.