A city plan will name districts, streets, parks, market squares and other public areas. In semi-urban areas, road names are confirmed with an official’s decision. The address numbers are given to plots during the property formation and to buildings during the application for a building permit. The addresses and nomenclature are kept up to date in the City’s address system and nomenclature registry.
Addresses are given based on the street and road names confirmed in the city plan. Address numbers are assigned so that the left-hand side (from the start of the road) of the road has even numbers and the right-hand side has odd numbers. In semi-urban areas, the numbers are assigned based on the distance to the property, counted from the start of the road: the address number is based on the distance in metres with the last digit removed.
Address changes
Changes to the city plan and changing road arrangements in semi-urban areas can cause changes to address and street names and address numbers. The changed addresses and street names are put to use according to the progress of the city plan implementation or when the new road arrangements are put to use. Property owners are notified of address changes well ahead of the implementation of the changes.
Communication regarding addresses
The City will report the address information and changes to the Finnish Population Information System administered by the Digital and Population Data Services Agency. From there, the information is conveyed to different operators. Address changes are also reported straight from the municipality to the rescue department, Posti’s address service, Lahti Energia and Lahti Aqua.
Marking addresses
The municipality is responsible for the placement of street name signs of the streets and roads in the municipality’s address system. The purpose of street name signs is to indicate what name the municipality has given to the street. You may not place a traffic route name or a sign indicating an attraction located on the traffic route to the junction of a street or other traffic route without permission from the authority. Placement of the street name signs of the municipality’s streets and private streets along roads is done in accordance with the instructions by the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency.
Address number plates are used to indicate the address number of a building or its entrance in the municipality’s address system and to guide traffic operations and emergency driving. Building owners are responsible for placing and maintaining the number or letter indicating the building and staircase in a place that is visible from a street, other traffic route and traffic areas within the plot in accordance with the decision of the municipality. The address numbers of buildings are controlled by the municipalities’ building inspection and emergency authorities.