Copyright and permissions
General information on copyright
All the nautical chart materials created by the FMA are protected by the Copyright Act. Under this Act, the reuse, adaptation, copying and distribution of materials is subject to permission.
Copyright applies for 50 years from the materials’ publication date.
Copyright and the handover of nautical chart materials are governed by the following:
- Copyright Act (404/1961)
- Territorial Surveillance Act (755/2000)
- Directive on the re-use of public sector information 2003/98/EC
- Directive on the legal protection of databases 96/9/EC
- Directive on the harmonisation of certain aspects of copyright and related rights in the information society 2001/29/EC
If you want to use our materials
in, for example, publications, websites, data systems, using a chart as a sub-element in a product of yours, in distribution, etc. you will require permission.
Permission is usually granted and it is also part of our traditions to encourage the use of our materials.
Permits are subject to charges for rights granted, as follows:
| | user rights | user charge |
| | digitization rights | digitization charge |
| | publication rights | permit fee |
| | marketing rights | marketing fee (royalty) |
| | update rights | user and marketing fee |
Minimum charges and licensing principles are stated in the price list section.
How to get a permit to use our materials
In order to be able to use out materials, the easiest way is to send an application using the forms on our website.
For further information, please contact:
Finnish Transport Agency
Hydrography / Permits
P.O. Box 185, FIN-00101 Helsinki
or by email from the user: copyright@liikennevirasto.fi
We aim to deal with questions of permission within 14 days of receiving a request in writing. In cases which require more time, we will notify you of the delay.
If we reject an application, we will seek to suggest an alternative way of meeting your needs.
Applications for permission to reuse materials
Publication/user permit:
PDF application/permit – Adobe Acrobat (version to be filled out and emailed)
Our attitude to unlawful copying
We monitor the commercial use and publication of our materials. When we detect an abuse, we seek to ensure compliance with the law. When necessary we take legal action to protect our copyright.
