Legal basis
The Civil Code of Germany regulates registered non-profit, and for-profit associations regarded as juridical persons () in sections 21–79 and any other associations by contract () in sections 705–740. The is the basic type of a juridical person while the is dogmatically more a partnership. Due to this theoretical distinction, the concept of is also the legal basis for particular economic entities () such as and , which are also endowed with juridical personhood. These are regulated in separate statutes as special economic associations but bear the same basic features. The ("Act regulating the public law of associations") and the associated regulations ("Regulation implementing the Act regulating ...") contain specific provision on the rights and duties of in general. All natural and juridical persons in Germany, including entities such as municipalities, counties, and other entities under public law, can form associations and be members of an association. This means that associations are not limited to private clubs formed by natural persons but have a much broader scope. They can be very locally limited club-like institutions but also nationwide units representing important economic or social groups. It is even possible that registered associations themselves form a new association whose membership is composed entirely of associations (often called ). The statutory minimum number of members for forming a registered association is seven. The minimum number of members before a registered association needs to be dissolved is three. The largest associations can have over one million members, there is no legal limit concerning membership numbers.Registration
The registration of is regulated in the ('Regulations for the registry of associations'). It requires registration of an with the association registry () either kept at the district court of its seat or, if directed by state law, as a centralized register for the its seat is located in.Differences to other jurisdictions
In other German-speaking countries such a distinction does not exist. But there may be legal requirements which oblige an association to register itself; for example, inReferences
Further reading
* * * *{{cite web , title=Verordnung zur Durchführung des Gesetzes zur Regelung des öffentlichen Vereinsrechts (Vereinsgesetz) , url=https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/vereinsgdv/index.html , language=de , trans-title=Regulations for the Enforcement of the Act Regulating Public Association Law , website=Gesetze im Internet – VereinsGDV , publisher=Federal Ministry of Justice , access-date=23 January 2020 , ref=VereinsGDV Law of Austria German business law Legal entities Law of Switzerland Non-profit organisations based in Germany de:Verein#Eingetragener Verein