Terms of purchase and cancellation

These terms were last updated on 19 November 2024.

The following terminology is used in these terms of purchase and cancellation:

Customer refers to the person who places the order, for example buys a permit. The Customer is responsible for the order they have placed, the information they have provided, payment of the fees related to the order as well as any changes and cancellations referred to in these terms.
Order refers to a purchase or reservation for which an order number is issued. A single order may comprise several permits and/or other products or services reserved or purchased through the online store.
Permit User is the person entitled to use the permit. The Permit User’s name is stated in the permit. The Customer must provide the Permit User’s data in connection with the order. This data will be processed as described in the Privacy Statement, and the Customer is responsible for ensuring that the Permit Users are aware of this. The guardian’s consent is required to store the data of a person aged under 16. The Permit User and the Customer may also be the same person.
In section B, permit refers to Metsähallitus’ fishing, hunting and natural product permits, with the exception of seasonal grouse permits, which are discussed in section C. Metsähallitus’ off-road permits are dealt with in sections D-E.
Terms of purchase and cancellation refer to these terms.

Metsähallitus’ hunting, fishing and off-road permits are administrative decisions. Anyone who is dissatisfied with a decision may address a request for an administrative review to Metsähallitus within 30 days of being informed of the decision. Instructions for requesting an administrative review can be obtained from Metsähallitus’ Eräluvat customer service. A decision made following an administrative review is subject to a fee.

A. General permit terms

The Customer is responsible for ensuring that, before placing their order, they have familiarised themselves with

the documents and terms associated with the actual permit, service or product,
the Terms of Use and Privacy Statement of Eräluvat.fi online service, as well as
these Terms of purchase and cancellation.

If the Customer does not accept these terms, they cannot purchase permits or other products and services to which the terms apply.

1. Placing an order and accepting the terms

The Customer can place their order in Eräluvat.fi online service or by contacting Metsähallitus’ Eräluvat customer service.

In the online service, the Customer adds the permits/products/services to be purchased or reserved to the shopping cart. After going to the checkout, the Customer first fills in their details. They then fill in the data concerning any Permit Users. The Customer accepts the terms by ticking the box "I accept the Terms of purchase" and confirming their order. A binding contract is concluded as the Customer pays for their order.

When placing their order through the customer service, the Customer must provide the data needed for the order. The Customer receives an order confirmation, these terms, and payment instructions by email or, if necessary, as a printed order confirmation.

If the order process differs from what is described here, the Customer should contact Metsähallitus’ Eräluvat customer service without delay.

2. Restrictions related to the operation of the online service

Metsähallitus does not guarantee that the Customer can place their order successfully. The order may fail if the product in question runs out due to another order being placed at the same time. A system overload can also result in an error that causes the order to fail. If a limited number of the product requested by the Customer is available, Metsähallitus does not guarantee that the Customer will get a permit or other product/service for the area and period for which they originally attempted to purchase or reserve it.

Metsähallitus is not responsible for damages resulting from problems with using the service, service interruptions or other technical faults that impede the proper use of the online service. The payment transaction is handled and the Customer is returned to the online service by a third-party service, the operation of which is not the responsibility of Metsähallitus. Metsähallitus is also not responsible for any indirect damage caused by the failure of an order.

When placing their order, it is the Customer’s responsibility to ensure that the online service provides them with the appropriate order documents, including an order confirmation, terms and any other information related to the permit, product or service. The system sends a confirmation email of a successful order and the required documents to the email address that the Customer provided when registering or placing their order. The conclusion of a binding contract is not conditional to this email confirmation being received, as the contract and the payment obligation are already created when the Customer accepts and confirms their order.

3. Paying for the order

Orders placed in Eräluvat.fi online service are paid for in this service. Metsähallitus personnel do not send invoices, confirmations or other similar information about an order made in the online service to the Customer.

Orders placed through the customer service are primarily paid for by a payment link.

It is the Customer’s responsibility to ensure that their order is paid for by the due date. Orders to be paid for in the online service or by a payment link will be automatically cancelled if they are not paid by the due date. This does not apply to permits obtained by submitting an application.

Permits obtained by submitting an application are primarily paid for using a payment link. If no payment has been received by the due date, a recoverable invoice is sent to the Customer for a processed permit application that has not been paid for.

If necessary, an order that will be invoiced to the Customer can be placed through the customer service. Orders that are invoiced separately are not cancelled automatically.

4. Changing or cancelling an order

Changing an order is only possible by contacting Metsähallitus’ Eräluvat customer service in accordance with the terms applicable to the permit, product or service in question.

An unpaid order can be cancelled before the due date without a processing fee unless otherwise stated in the terms and conditions of the permit, product or service in question.

An order placed through the customer service that is paid for by a payment link can be cancelled by contacting the customer service. This also applies to self-service orders placed in Eräluvat.fi online service. Both types of orders can also be cancelled by logging in to the online service's customer account if the order is linked to an existing customer account. If the order is not paid for, it will be cancelled automatically after the due date (excluding permits for which an application is submitted).

To cancel an order placed through the customer service for which an invoice is issued to the Customer, Eräluvat customer service must be contacted. Failure to pay for a reservation is not considered a cancellation.

Once paid for, an order cannot be cancelled or changed unless otherwise stated in the terms of the permit, product or service in question.

Metsähallitus does not refund amounts of less than EUR 30.

5. Payment broker details

Paytrail Plc (2122839-7) works in cooperation with Finnish banks and credit institutions as the provider of payment brokerage services. In payments made with a Visa card or MasterCard, Paytrail Plc transfers the payment to Metsähallitus and is shown as the payment recipient on the card statement. Paytrail Plc is a licensed payment institution.

6. Collection of charges

Failure to pay for the reservation is not considered a cancellation. Outstanding payments are recoverable and enforceable.

Pursuant to section 24 of the Act on Metsähallitus (234/2016) and section 11 of the Act on Criteria for Charges Payable to the State (150/1992), the charge for a performance under public law made by Metsähallitus can be collected as laid down in the Act on the Collection of Taxes and Charges in Execution Proceedings (367/61) without a judgement or decision.

7. Registration, processing and disclosure of personal data

For the Privacy Statement of Eräluvat services, visit www.eraluvat.fi/en/privacy-statement or call Metsähallitus’ Eräluvat service line at +358 (0)20 692 424 to request it.

B. Terms of fishing, hunting and natural product permits

As Metsähallitus is not mainly responsible for providing information on hunting and fishing seasons, the Customer has a duty to check the dates of open seasons on official information channels, which are the website of the Finnish Wildlife Agency at riista.fi, kalastusrajoitus.fi service or the website of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry at mmm.fi.

1. Cancelling, changing, or transferring an unpaid order

An unpaid order can be cancelled before the due date without a processing fee as described in section A 4.

For changing an unpaid order, a processing fee of EUR 15 will be charged. Changes must be made by contacting Metsähallitus’ Eräluvat customer service before the due date of the order.

An order that remains unpaid for after the payment due date cannot be cancelled, changed or transferred to another person.

2. Cancelling, changing or transferring a paid order

Once paid for, an order or a permit included in it cannot be transferred to another person, other dates or another permit area.

In certain situations, the Customer has the right to cancel the permit and have the amount paid for it refunded. The minimum refundable amount is EUR 30.

A personal permit may be cancelled if the Customer, the Permit User or a close relative of the Customer or the Permit User falls seriously ill, is involved in a serious accident or dies. Close relatives include spouses, common-law partners, children, parents, parents-in-law, siblings, grandchildren and grandparents. The permit may also be cancelled if the Customer or the Permit User is involved in some other unexpected and serious incident. Other unexpected and serious incidents include a house fire that causes substantial property damage. Such as the illness or death of a dog or a car breaking down are not deemed serious incidents.

The cancellation must be made before the start of the permit period. If a permit is cancelled for the above-mentioned reasons after the time period specified in the permit has already begun, the Customer will receive no refund.

The Customer must notify Metsähallitus’ Eräluvat customer service of the cancellation without delay. The Customer must, as soon as possible, provide credible proof explaining the reason for being unable to use the permit. The reason must be provided no later than two weeks after it emerges, unless meeting this deadline would be unreasonably difficult for the Customer. Credible proof includes a medical certificate issued by a physician or a nurse, a record of a police investigation or a statement from an insurance company. The employer's certificate of postponed leave, a certificate of starting studies or being called to reservist exercises are also accepted as proof. The certificate must contain the contact details of the person who issued it. The information must be submitted to Metsähallitus at Metsähallitus Wildlife Service Finland, P.O. Box 81, 90101 OULU. The permit which the cancellation concerns (permit number) must be included in this information.

3. Fisheries management fees

The permit conditions set out in sections B 1 and B 2 apply to fisheries management fees, with the exception that no processing fees are charged for changes to fisheries management fees.

As stated in section 81 of the Fishing Act, Metsähallitus is not obliged to provide a new proof of payment of the fisheries management fee to replace a lost one

or to refund an erroneously paid fisheries management fee without special reason.

If the Customer has paid the annual fisheries management fee twice, the additional fee may be transferred to a person indicated by the Customer. If it is not possible to transfer the fisheries management fee to another person, the extra payment may be refunded. The Customer must contact Metsähallitus’ Eräluvat customer service no later than 90 days after the payment of the fee in order for the refund or change to be possible.

If the short-term fisheries management fee has been paid twice, the fee may be transferred to another person. The change must be made before the permit period begins.

4. Cancellation of an angling permit in exceptional circumstances

If water temperature at a fishing destination rises to over 21°C, Metsähallitus may temporarily suspend permit sales in order to safeguard natural salmonid populations. The sale of permits is always suspended for a certain period of time, after which the situation is reassessed.

If the angling permit has already been obtained for the period in question, the Customer may

cancel the paid permit in full and get a refund. The cancellation must be made before the validity of the permit begins by contacting Metsähallitus’ Eräluvat customer service. Information on exceptional situations and refunds related to them will always be provided separately on Eräluvat.fi.
fish with the permit they have paid for if they so wish. However, this is not recommended. Metsähallitus cannot unilaterally change or cancel a fishing permit without the Customer’s consent.

5. Cancelling a hunting permit due to open season regulation

Metsähallitus also sells hunting permits before the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has adopted its decree on open seasons for forest fowls for the forthcoming hunting year. The grouse permits that go on sale for a week in the autumn are based on the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry’s draft decree on open seasons.

If the open seasons have not been confirmed before the sale of permits starts, the Customer should first and foremost check the open seasons based on the draft decree published on Eräluvat.fi. Metsähallitus will only cancel grouse permits purchased before the decree on open seasons for forest fowls is adopted if the decree does not allow the hunting of any forest fowl species during the validity period of the purchased permit. Information on such exceptional situations and refunds related to them will always be provided separately on Eräluvat.fi.

6. Catch reporting

The Permit User has a duty to report their bag immediately after the hunt (section 46 of the Hunting Act). The catch information should primarily be reported online at saalispalaute.eraluvat.fi.

Catch reports concerning fish are submitted in omakala.fi service and, in some cases, also as set out separately in the permit conditions for a permit area.

C. Terms of grouse permits

1. Cancelling or changing an unpaid seasonal grouse permit

An unprocessed application for a seasonal grouse permit can be cancelled or changed during the application period on Eräluvat.fi online service.

If a seasonal grouse permit has been granted but not paid for the Customer may, should they wish, cancel it before the due date without a cancellation fee. The permit can be cancelled by contacting Metsähallitus’ Eräluvat customer service. After the due date, a seasonal grouse permit can no longer be cancelled and it must be paid for in full. Failure to pay for a granted permit is not deemed cancelling it. Once granted, a seasonal grouse permit may not be changed or transferred to another person.

2. Cancelling a paid seasonal grouse permit

Basically, a seasonal grouse permit cannot be cancelled once it has been paid for.

In certain situations, a seasonal grouse permit can be cancelled after it has been paid for, and the Customer has the right to have the price paid for it refunded. The permit may be cancelled if the person for whom the permit was purchased, or a person close to them, falls seriously ill, is involved in a serious accident or dies. Close relatives include spouses, common-law partners, children, parents, parents-in-law, siblings, grandchildren and grandparents. The permit may also be cancelled if the person for whom the permit is purchased is involved in some other unexpected and serious incident. Other unexpected and serious incidents include a house fire that causes substantial property damage. Such as the illness or death of a dog or a car breaking down are not deemed serious incidents.

The cancellation must be made before the start of the permit period. If the cancellation is made for the above-mentioned reasons after the time period specified in the permit has already begun (1 August), the Customer will receive no refund.

The Customer must notify Metsähallitus’ Eräluvat customer service of the cancellation without delay. The Customer must, as soon as possible, provide credible proof explaining the reason for being unable to use the permit. The reason must be provided no later than two weeks after it emerges, unless meeting this deadline would be unreasonably difficult for the Customer. Credible proof includes a medical certificate issued by a physician or a nurse, a record of a police investigation or a statement from an insurance company. The information must be submitted to Metsähallitus at Metsähallitus Wildlife Service Finland, P.O. Box 81, 90101 OULU. In addition to the report, the letter must mention the permit to which the cancellation applies (permit number).

D. Terms of off-road traffic permits

1. Cancelling an unpaid track permit

An unpaid order can be cancelled before the due date without a processing fee as described in section A 4.

2. Cancelling a paid track permit

A Customer who ordered a track permit is entitled to cancel a permit they have paid for and receive a refund on the following conditions:

If the permit is cancelled before its period of validity begins, the Customer will have the price of the permit refunded.
If the cancellation is made after the validity of the permit has already begun, the fee will not be refunded.

To cancel the permit, send an email to maastoliikenneluvat@metsa.fi. The minimum refundable amount is EUR 30.

3. Changing or transferring a track permit

A track permit cannot be changed or transferred to another person. The track permit must be cancelled as set out in sections D 1 and D 2 of the terms of cancellation, after which the permit can be repurchased using modified data.

4. Cancelling an unprocessed off-track permit application

If the Customer has applied for an off-track permit, the permit may be cancelled if the Customer cancels it before Metsähallitus has made a decision on the application (to either issue or refuse a permit). To cancel the permit, send an email to maastoliikenneluvat@metsa.fi. Pursuant to section 7 of Ministry of the Environment Decree (96/2024), charges based on the volume of work carried out will be levied for processing the cancellation of a paid permit.

5. Cancellation of an off-track permit processed by Metsähallitus due to a force majeure

As a rule, an off-track permit decision (later referred to as a permit) issued by Metsähallitus cannot be cancelled.

However, a permit may be cancelled if the Customer, the Permit User or a close relative of the Customer or the Permit User falls seriously ill, is involved in a serious accident or dies. Close relatives include spouses, common-law partners, children, parents, parents-in-law, siblings, grandchildren and grandparents. The permit may also be cancelled if the Customer or the Permit User is involved in some other unexpected and serious incident. Other unexpected and serious incidents include a house fire that causes substantial property damage. Such as the illness or death of a dog or a car breaking down are not deemed serious incidents.

The Customer (or the person dealing with the matter on behalf of the Customer) should give notification of the cancellation immediately by sending an email to maastoliikenneluvat@metsa.fi. The Customer must, as soon as possible, provide credible proof explaining the reason for being unable to use the permit. Proof must be provided no later than two weeks after the reason emerges. Credible proof includes a medical certificate issued by a physician or a nurse, a record of a police investigation or a statement from an insurance company. The report must be submitted to Metsähallitus at Metsähallitus, Wildlife Service Finland, P.O. Box 81, 90101 OULU. The permit which the cancellation concerns (permit number) must be included in this information.

The price paid for a permit that is cancelled for an acceptable reason will be refunded. If the processing of the matter lapses because an application is cancelled or for some other reason within the applicant’s control, a share of the fee corresponding to the volume of work performed will be charged on a separate invoice as provided in section 7 of Ministry of the Environment Decree (96/2024). The minimum refundable amount is EUR 30. If a permit is cancelled for the above-mentioned reasons after its period of validity has already begun, the Customer will receive no refund and the permit may not be transferred to another person.

6. Cancellation of an off-track permit processed by Metsähallitus without a special reason

It is not possible to cancel an off-track permit decision (to grant or refuse a permit) issued by Metsähallitus without a special reason mentioned in section D 5.

Failure to pay for the permit decision is not considered a cancellation.

7. Changing or transferring an off-track permit processed by Metsähallitus without a special reason

Changing an off-track permit decision issued by Metsähallitus (to either grant or refuse a permit) without a special reason is not possible. The permit can also not be transferred to another person.

E. Terms of off-road permits for companies and groups

1. Cancellation of an unprocessed company or group permit

An offroad permit for a company or group can be cancelled if the Customer cancels it before Metsähallitus has made a decision on the application (to either grant or refuse a permit). To cancel the permit, send an email to maastoliikenneluvat@metsa.fi. Pursuant to section 7 of Ministry of the Environment Decree (96/2024), charges based on the volume of work carried out will be levied for processing the cancellation of a paid permit.

A company running off-road safaris registers safari-specific off-road permits as a self-service. Cancelling a safari-specific off-road permit after the permit has been registered is not possible.

2. Cancellation of a company or group permit processed by Metsähallitus

It is not possible to cancel an off-road permit for a company or group once Metsähallitus has issued a decision on the application (to either grant or refuse a permit.

Failure to pay for the permit decision is not considered a cancellation.

3. Changing or transferring a company or group permit processed by Metsähallitus

A company or group permit decision (later referred to as a permit) issued by Metsähallitus cannot be changed or transferred to another person's name.

It is not possible to change a safari-specific off-road permit after the permit has been registered.

F. Terms for huts and other reservable sites

A Customer who books reservable and rental huts accepts section A. General permit terms as well as the reservation terms set out at www.eraluvat.fi/en/huts/hut-booker-s-information-bank/terms-of-reservation-for-huts.