Associations

An association is the appropriate organizational form when several people want to pursue a common purpose on a permanent basis — for example in the areas of sports, culture, social affairs, or education. As soon as your group starts acting regularly, collects membership fees, concludes contracts, or accepts donations, you should place your cooperation on a legally secure footing. By founding a registered association (e. V.), you create clear structures and benefit from important advantages: The association can act in its own name, is only liable with its association assets, and can—if certain requirements are met—be recognized as a non-profit organization, which enables tax advantages.

Your notary is your competent local contact. He will accompany you from the initial idea to form an association to registration in the association register, advise you on the drafting of statutes, liability issues, and legal requirements, and ensures that your association is founded on a secure basis.

Do you have further questions about the law of associations and would like some preliminary guidance?

For this purpose, the Federal Chamber of Notaries (Bundesnotarkammer) provides a dedicated webpage for associations, offering support with all questions related to founding an association. There you will also find a step-by-step guide for setting up an association in a legally compliant manner and an express-toolkit for drafting your association’s articles.