Extracts from the criminal records for the authorities

The Legal Register Centre (LRC) discloses information from the criminal records to Finnish authorities for purposes such as law enforcement and the processing of licence matters. The information disclosed is typically used to establish or evaluate a person's reliability and suitability.

This page describes to whom and for what purposes the LRC discloses information from the criminal records. In exceptional cases and for important reasons, the LRC can also decide to disclose information for other purposes.

The LRC primarily discloses information to other authorities via APIs.

If we do not have a common API, you can send your request for information by email to [email protected]. The LRC will then deliver the requested information from the criminal records as an attachment to a secure email message.

To whom can the LRC disclose information?

The LRC can disclose information for the following purposes, for example:

Information is disclosed to the courts for the processing of cases instituted in them.

Information is disclosed to prosecutors for bringing charges, the consideration of charges and the processing of coercive measures. Coercive measures include arresting and remanding a person.

Information is disclosed to the Criminal Sanctions Agency for the enforcement of penalties and for suitability assessments. The most common reason for needing information from the criminal records is the enforcement of imprisonment. Suitability assessments are made for community service.

Information is disclosed to the Ministry of Justice official dealing with pardons for the presentation of pardon pleas. Pardon pleas are decided by the President of the Republic.

In the government, the Chancellor of Justice and Parliamentary Ombudsman have the right to obtain information for supervising compliance with the law.

The pre-trial investigation authorities, such as the police, have the right to obtain information for coercive measures.

The LRC also discloses information to the police and Finnish Immigration Service in matters under the Passport Act, Citizenship Act and Aliens Act. The information is used for determining and assessing an individual's reliability and personal suitability.

Disclosure of information for licence matters

The LRC discloses a wide variety of information for the processing of licence matters where the recipient's reliability is a condition for receiving the licence.

The licensing authority requesting the information is often the police or Regional State Administrative Agency, but many other authorities also process licence matters.

In licence matters, we disclose information related to the following subjects, among others:

• firearms licences,
• licences for explosive substances,
• transport of hazardous substances,
• private security services and the security guard industry,
• transport licences,
• private detective activities,
• pawnbrokers,
• real estate agents,
• debt collection activities,
• bingo,
• insurance brokers,
• serving alcohol,
• investment services,
• credit institutions,
• vehicle inspections,
• driving schools,
• official translators, and
• management of railway undertakings.

Disclosure of information for background checks

The LRC can disclose information from the criminal records for background checks.

Selection for training or a position

The LRC can disclose information from the criminal records to certain public authorities selecting individuals for training or, for example, public office.

We disclose data for purposes such as

• acceptance into the Police College of Finland,
• appointment to a police office,
• appointment to an office in the foreign administration,
• appointment to an office in the judicial administration, and
• central bank positions.

The LRC also discloses the criminal records of everyone participating in the call-up and performing their military service to the Finnish Defence Force.

Adoption and taking into care

The LRC can disclose information from the criminal records to the social welfare authorities in matters involving taking children into care. Information can be disclosed on persons whose children are being taken into care, as well as on individuals in whose care the child will be placed.

The LRC also discloses information for the adoption of children. In such cases, the information is given to the municipal social welfare authorities and/or adoption office providing adoption counselling.

Further information:

Criminal Records Act (770/1993)

Privacy statements (in Finnish)