On a monthly tax period, you file the Finnish VAT return and pay the VAT by the 12th of the second month after the reported month. On a quarterly period, the due dates are 12 May, 12 August, 12 November and 12 February. On an annual period, the deadline is the end of February the following year. A late return costs €3 per day, up to €135, and a return more than 45 days late adds 2% of the VAT payable on it. Deadlines cannot be extended.

When is the Finnish VAT return due?

Return and payment share one due date, set by your tax period (verokausi).

A due date on a weekend or public holiday moves to the next business day, which is why the annual return for 2025 was due on 2 March 2026.

You file in OmaVero, the Finnish Tax Administration's e-service (MyTax in English), or through an API connection.

Can you get an extension on a Finnish VAT return?

No. VAT return deadlines cannot be extended.

Unlike the income tax return, there is no extension to request. Close the period well before the 12th, not the evening before.

Which tax period applies to your business?

By default, the tax period is one calendar month. You can choose a longer one based on your turnover.

Primary producers and visual artists usually have an annual period regardless of turnover.

How do you change your tax period?

Request the change in OmaVero under your taxpayer details, on paper with form 4071, or in a change notification to the Business Information System (YTJ).

A chosen period must stay in place for at least one year. A longer period starts at the beginning of the next calendar year, a shorter one from the next shorter period after your request.

Is a longer tax period a good idea?

A longer period means fewer returns, but a bigger single payment: three months of VAT at once on a quarterly period.

That makes it a cash flow decision. If VAT money tends to fund day-to-day costs, a monthly rhythm keeps it separate. If your cash is stable and invoicing steady, quarterly cuts the work.

How much does a late VAT return cost?

The late-filing penalty (myöhästymismaksu) is €3 for each day the return is late. Days are counted from the day after the due date to the day you file, weekends and public holidays included. The daily fee is capped at €135, which you reach after 45 days.

If you file more than 45 days late, 2% of the VAT payable reported on the return is added on top of the €135. That part is capped at €15,000 per tax period.

Miss a return completely and you receive a reminder or an estimated VAT decision. Filing the missing return lets the Tax Administration cancel the estimate and its punitive charges.

What happens if you pay your VAT late?

Unpaid VAT accrues late-payment interest (viivästyskorko) from the day after the due date until you pay. The rate is set annually: in 2026 it is 9.5%. OmaVero shows the exact amount.

Filing and paying are separate obligations. File on time even if you cannot pay in full yet: the late-filing penalty follows the return, so an on-time return with a late payment costs interest only.

Do you have to file a VAT return if you had no sales?

Yes. A VAT-registered business files a return for every tax period, even when it had no sales or purchases at all. In OmaVero you tick the box "No activities during the tax period". A zero return you forget to file is a late return.

This surprises seasonal businesses and voluntary registrants. Registering and deregistering are covered in our article on when you have to register for VAT in Finland.

How do you fix a mistake on a filed VAT return?

File a replacement return for that period in OmaVero. It overwrites the original, so it must include every figure again, not just the corrected line.

If you correct within 45 days of the original due date, there is no late-filing penalty for the correction. If the error changes the VAT by no more than €500, you can instead adjust it on your next VAT return, as long as you do so before that next return's due date. Errors must be corrected within three years, counted from the start of the calendar year after the period the VAT concerns.

Most return errors start as calculation errors on individual receipts. Our article on how to calculate Finnish VAT in both directions covers the common ones, and which purchases you can deduct VAT on covers the rest.

How do you get the return done without a month-end scramble?

The figures for your VAT return are already in your bookkeeping. The hard part is getting it up to date before the 12th.

NoCFO is the all-in-one AI-native finance platform for entrepreneurs and founders. Bank transactions, sales invoices and purchase invoices sit on the same platform, and your VAT figures for each period build up from the bookkeeping automatically. Luca, AI CFO, explains what the numbers mean and what to do next. You or your accountant stay in control: NoCFO suggests, a person reviews and approves.

Thresholds, rates and deductions are in the complete guide to Finnish VAT.

Frequently asked questions

When is the VAT return due in Finland?

On a monthly tax period, by the 12th of the second month after the reported month. VAT for March is due on 12 May.

When is quarterly VAT due in Finland?

On 12 May, 12 August, 12 November and 12 February.

How much is the late-filing penalty for a Finnish VAT return?

€3 per day, up to €135. After 45 days, 2% of the VAT payable on the return is added, capped at €15,000 per tax period.

When can I switch to a quarterly VAT period?

When your annual turnover is no more than €100,000. An annual period requires turnover of no more than €30,000.

Do I need to file a VAT return if I had no sales?

Yes. You file for every tax period, including periods with no activity.

Have the figures ready by the 12th

Let your VAT figures be ready by the 12th without a separate month-end project. Start free at nocfo.io.

Sources (checked 28 September 2026)

• Verohallinto: Instructions for filing (12th-day rule, quarterly and annual due dates, 2 March 2026 example, no extensions, zero return, replacement returns, 45-day and €500 correction rules, three-year limit, MyTax and API filing)

• Verohallinto: Tax period (€100,000 and €30,000, primary producers and visual artists, form 4071, one-year minimum, when changes take effect)

• Verohallinto: Seuraamusmaksut oma-aloitteisessa verotuksessa (€3 per day, €135, 45 days, 2%, €15,000, calendar days)

• Verohallinto: If you pay late (late-payment interest 9.5% in 2026)