How do you publish your association's creation in the Official Journal and verify it?

Document preparation

The first essential step is to gather the following documents:

• A copy of the association's articles of association, duly signed by its founding members;
• A copy of the minutes of the constituent general meeting, signed by the chairman and secretary;
• The complete list of board members, including surnames, first names, addresses and functions within the structure);
• The Cerfa n° 13973 form, which serves as a request for insertion, can be downloaded from the Journal officiel website or obtained from the prefecture;
• Receipt from the prefecture certifying your association's registration;
• An explanatory letter addressed to the JOAFE, specifying your request for insertion;
• The SIRET number if your association plans to carry out an economic activity.

Additional documents may be required depending on the legal form of your association(law 1901, non-profit, sports association...) or your département. We therefore recommend that you check these requirements with your local prefecture, or consult the Journal officiel website for more detailed information.

Since January 1, 2020, publication in the Journal officiel has been free of charge, whether for the creation of an association, its dissolution or any other modification.

Sending documents to the Official Journal

Once you've carefully assembled all the necessary documents, you have three options for submitting them. You can either send them by post to the DILA (Direction de l'information légale et administrative), whose address is given on the Journal officiel website, or hand them in directly at the prefecture. Last but not least, it is now increasingly easy to do this online, and send your documents electronically.

The Official Journal is published once a week, every Tuesday. Announcements are generally published within 8 days.

As soon as the announcement of your association's creation appears in the Journal Officiel, your association is officially recognized and acquires legal personality. You will also receive an RNA (Répertoire National des Associations) number, authorizing you to act on behalf of your association, open a pro association account and enter into contracts. Opening an online association account will help you manage your association's expenses in real time.

A proof of publication is available as a free download in PDF format. We advise you to keep the printed version indefinitely, or in your personal space on your "association account" if you have used the online procedure.

Checking the publication of your association's creation

When you want to confirm publication of your association's creation in the Journal Officiel, there's a simple procedure to follow. Go to the official website and enter the name of your association in the search bar. Then click on the association's name to access details of its publication.

Here you will find all the legal information:

• The full name of your association ;
• The unique ad number that uniquely identifies your publication;
• The publication date, indicating when the ad was officially published in the JOAFE ;
• The address of your association's head office ;
• A description of the association's purpose, outlining its main activity;
• The RNA number assigned to your association ;
• The duration of the association, if it is created for a specific period;
• The date on which the association was registered ;
• Details of the prefectoral decision concerning the creation, modification or dissolution of your association;
• The names and functions of the persons who signed the declaration of creation of the association;
• Any other relevant information, such as amendments to the articles of association or a change of office.

This information, made public and opposable to third parties, is highlighted to guarantee the transparency and legality of your associative activities.