<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001209191-05-062884
<TYPE>3
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>2
<PERIOD>20051205
<FILING-DATE>20051213
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20051213
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>KLOTZBACH KEVIN B
<CIK>0001345986
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>3
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-26481
<FILM-NUMBER>051260441
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<PHONE>585-786-1100
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>220 LIBERTY STREET
<CITY>WARSAW
<STATE>NY
<ZIP>14569
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS INC
<CIK>0000862831
<ASSIGNED-SIC>6021
<IRS-NUMBER>160816610
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>NY
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>220 LIBERTY STREET
<CITY>WARSAW
<STATE>NY
<ZIP>14569
<PHONE>7167861100
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>220 LIBERTY STREET
<CITY>WARSAW
<STATE>NY
<ZIP>14569
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>3
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>doc3.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 3 SUBMISSION
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>3</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2005-12-05</periodOfReport>

    <noSecuritiesOwned>0</noSecuritiesOwned>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000862831</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>FISI</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001345986</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>KLOTZBACH KEVIN B</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>220 LIBERTY STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>WARSAW</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>14569</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Senior VP &amp; Treasurrer</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>500</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1251</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Held under 401K plan</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>25.33</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2003-01-31</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2012-01-30</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>800</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>22.51</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2004-02-19</value>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2013-02-18</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>774</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>23.80</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2005-02-05</value>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2014-02-04</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>1157</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>21.05</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2006-02-24</value>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2015-02-23</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>2553</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Held under 401(K) as of 10/31/05.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The option is exercisable in three equal annual installments beginning January 31, 2003.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The option is exercisable in three equal annual installments beginning February 19, 2004.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">The option is exercisable in four equal annual installments beginning February 5, 2005.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">The option is exercisable in four equal annual installments beginning February 24, 2006.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Kevin B. Klotzbach</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-12-13</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-24.3_112504
<SEQUENCE>2
<FILENAME>poa.txt
<DESCRIPTION>POA DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
 AUTHORIZATION TO FILE SECTION 16 REPORTS

I hereby authorize and
designate Ronald A. Miller, Sonia M. Dumbleton
or Michael D. Grover to
execute and file or cause to be filed, on my
behalf any Forms 3, 4 and 5,
including any amendments thereto, that I
may voluntarily or be required
to file with the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission as a result of
my ownership of, or transactions in,
securities of Financial
Institutions, Inc.  This authority shall
continue until I am no longer
required to file such forms, or until
sooner revoked by me in writing.


In witness whereof, I have executed this authorization this 2nd day of

December 2005.

							 Kevin B. Klotzbach

						-------------------------------
							Financial Institutions,
Inc.


Elizabeth M. Nowak
------------------
Witness
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
