formation and registration

Founding of an association (2025)

Establishing a society and registration - This article will give you all the information you need about the process of setting up and registering a society, the documents required and the costs.

Contents

Concept of association.

What is an association? An association is a voluntary association of persons formed for the purpose of pursuing a non-profit-making objective as defined in its statutes.

The founders of the Society may be both natural and legal persons, but the number of Founders may not be less than two.

The Society shall have the right to engage in economic activities in order to pursue its objectives and to ensure its activities.

Law on Associations and Foundations regulates the basic principles, organisational structure, liquidation and reorganisation of associations and foundations.

The association is considered a legal person.

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Objectives and areas of activity.

Have a clear vision of what your association's purpose and mission are and what areas of activity it will cover.

Associations are classified according to the classifier of fields of activity, approved by Cabinet Regulation, which covers 23 fields of action. Associations and foundations may indicate several fields of activity at the same time. 

Name of Society.

Check that the name of the association you choose is not already in use and that it complies with legal regulations.

Finding the perfect name for your association may not be so difficult. However, there are some limitations to consider:

  • cannot include the names of state or local government bodies (institutions) or the word "state" or "local government";
  • cannot include the words "Republic of Latvia" and their translation into a foreign language;
  • cannot contain misleading information about the form of business, such as "AS", "IC", etc;
  • the use of names that contain obscenities and ambiguous terms (contrary to good manners) is not allowed;
  • cannot coincide with an already registered trade mark or part thereof. Check the trademarks registered with the Patent Office trademark finder;
  • numbers can be used;
  • punctuation is allowed: periods, commas, colons, etc;
  • the symbols &, @, %, +, = are allowed. Other symbols are not allowed;
  • cannot be the same as the name of any entity already registered or applied for registration with the Register of Enterprises. Existing names can be checked Lursoft database;
  • Punctuation, spaces and the use of capital or small letters are not sufficient to distinguish one name from another.

The management structure of the Society.

Decide on the creation of a board or council and determine its members and powers.

Member of the Board be responsible for the property and its management, the business activities of the Society and the keeping of its accounts in accordance with the law, as well as for the financial resources of the Society.

The Management Board is usually appointed at the time of the Society's foundation.

Legal address.

You cannot set up a society without a registered office.

The association needs to register a registered office address where messages, documents or other correspondence are sent.

The easiest way to register a registered office is in a property you own, a house or an apartment.

A legal address might also be in another property. In this case, it is advisable to negotiate with the owner of the real estate to avoid problems in the functioning of the association. Consent does not have to be given to the Registrar of Companies!

For example, when renting out premises, landlords usually agree to register a legal address.

A Virtual Office, or an address where only correspondence is received, is also popular. 

The process of setting up a society.

Below you will find the necessary sequence of the process of setting up an association. 

1. Preparation of e-documents for the establishment of the association.

Prepare the documents needed to register your association In the Register of Companies.

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2. Start of the registration service.

Start the association registration service In the Register of Companies.

3. Attach the e-documents for the establishment of the Society and pay the State Fee.

Don't forget to electronically sign the documents you submit.

4. Submit the e-Documents for the establishment of the Society

E-documents submitted are examined by the notary within 7 days.

Incorporation - documents.

Below you will find the necessary documents for setting up the association. Sample documents can be found at On the website of the Register of Companies. Specific knowledge and expertise are needed to complete and submit the required documents accurately.

The association's constitutional documents (list):

The founding decision shall be signed by all the founders.

The Statutes set out the main principles of the Society. The statutes shall be signed by all the founders or by at least two founders authorised to sign the statutes in the instrument of incorporation.

The application shall be signed by all the founders or by at least two founders authorised to sign the application in the instrument of incorporation.

Each member of the Board must sign and submit a consent to hold office in the Society.

Setting up a society - costs.

Stamp duty.

The registration fee is EUR 11.38

Exempt from the state fee are associations of disabled persons, orphans or large families; associations the purpose (or one of the purposes) of which is the organisation of sports events for children and schoolchildren.
A reduction of 10% is applied to the stamp duty if the application for registration is submitted via the service on the portal registrs.ur.gov.lv and prefer to receive their replies electronically.

Preparation and submission of e-documents.

e-document production For the registration of a society The cost for the Companies Registry usually ranges from €35 to €80, depending on the service provider's price and the number of documents required.

What's included in URonline Setting up associations in the service?

  • Verification of the suitability of the name
  • Verification of the conformity of a legal address
  • Completed e-documents for registration of the Society in the Register of Enterprises
  • EXPERT e-filing service
  • Free consultation

Registration of the association in the Register of Enterprises.

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The Application for the establishment of a Society and the documents attached thereto may be submitted by the founders or by an authorised person.

In the e-service.
Documents must be submitted Register of companies on the services portal.
Documents must be signed with an eSignature on a smart card (eID or eSignature card) or on the eParaksts mobile portal www.eparaksts.lv
Get your answer via an e-service or e-address.

Send electronically signed documents e-adresē or by email to the Register of Companies. 

e-address is a more secure channel of communication between the individual and the state than email

By post.
Signed documents can be sent to the Register of Companies by post.
The payment order for the stamp duty must be enclosed in the consignment. Please note that only notarised documents can be sent in this way, which significantly increases the cost of registering the association.

Authentication of signature and capacity to act on applications and requests to public registers (e.g. Land Registry, Commercial Register) - €23.

In addition, there are fees for data checks, VAT, stamp duty, translation and actual costs.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

What are the most common mistakes when choosing a name for your association?

Often, there is insufficient prior checking. The most common problems with the name are:

  • The name is already taken: Before submitting the documents, it is important to check whether the chosen name is already registered in the registers kept by the Register of Companies, for example via the Lursoft database. Punctuation, spaces or the use of upper and lower case letters are not considered sufficient to distinguish.

  • The name is misleading: It must not contain misleading information about the purpose, nature or legal form of the activity (e.g. the name of the association must not include the word "foundation" or "foundations").

  • Forbidden words: The words "State" or "Municipality", the name of the Republic of Latvia and translations thereof may not be used in the name.

  • Conflict with trademarks: The name must not be the same as an already registered trademark. This can be checked in the Patent Office database.

What are the most common mistakes when submitting documents to the Register of Companies?

The most common problems that can cause the Register of Companies to delay or refuse registration are:

  • Incorrect application form.

  • One of the required documents is missing, such as the consent of a board member.

  • Documents are not signed with a secure electronic signature (eSignature) or not notarised (if sent by post).

  • No payment of the stamp duty or proof of payment.

Is the consent of the property owner required when registering a legal address?

No, since the legislative change, the owner's written consent is no longer required to be submitted to the Registrar of Companies. However, the applicant (e.g. the board of directors) must certify that the association has a legal basis for being at the address and can be reached there. To avoid problems in the future, it is advisable to have an agreement with the owner, especially if it is not one of the founders.

Can a foreigner be a member of the Society?

Yes, a foreigner can be a member of the association and a member of the board of directors. If the person does not have a personal identification number of the Republic of Latvia, an additional questionnaire for inclusion in the Register of Natural Persons must be submitted. It is important to ensure that the board member is not prohibited by law from holding this position.

What problems can you encounter with your registered office?

The main problem is the unreachability of the association at its registered address. Correspondence sent to the registered address is deemed to have been received on the seventh day after posting. If the association is not actually at that address and does not receive mail, this can have serious consequences, including legal action for dissolution. The address must also correspond exactly to the National Address Register.

How many founding members does it take to set up a society?

To set up a society, you need at least two founding members. These can be either natural or legal persons.

What are the main documents that need to be submitted to the Register of Companies?

The following documents must be prepared and submitted for registration:

  • Application form (Form B2)

  • Founding resolution signed by all founders

  • Statutes

  • Written consent of each member of the board to hold office

What are the costs of registering?

Registration costs are made up of two parts:

  • Stamp duty: The standard state fee for registering an association is EUR 11.38. If you submit documents electronically and choose to receive your reply electronically, the 10% discount applies.

  • Preparation of documents: If outsourced, the cost of preparing the documents can range from €35 to €80.

Are there any exemptions for stamp duty?

Yes, associations of disabled persons, orphans or large families, as well as associations whose purpose is to organise sports events for children and schoolchildren, are exempt from the stamp duty.

How long does it take to process documents at the Register of Companies?

The statutory time limit for examining documents is 7 days, excluding the day of submission. However, this time limit may be extended if necessary for additional checks.

Can an association carry out economic activities?

Yes, an association is entitled to carry out economic activities if they serve the objectives of the association and if the profits are not distributed among the members but are channelled towards the objectives set out in the statutes.

What happens if errors are found in documents?

If the notary public of the State Register of Companies finds deficiencies in the documents submitted (e.g. inaccuracies in the statutes, errors in the application form), he will decide to postpone the registration and set a deadline for the deficiencies to be corrected. If the deficiencies are not remedied within the deadline, the registration will be refused.

Is it compulsory to specify the scope of the association?

Yes, for new associations that are registered, it is compulsory to indicate the scope of their activities at the time of incorporation. Previously registered societies had to provide this information in their annual report for 2024. Societies are classified according to a classification established by the Cabinet of Ministers.

Common mistakes and problems

Incomplete or incorrect documents

Mistakes often occur when the type of company is incorrectly reflected in various documents or when the cadastral designation of the registered office is incorrect.

The Register of Companies may refuse registration if the documents submitted do not comply with the requirements of the regulatory enactments or if the information contained therein is unclear. Often not all the required sections are filled in or there are inconsistencies between different documents (e.g. the memorandum and articles of association).

Problems with your legal address

Registration requires a registered office. Problems arise if the address does not correspond to the National Address Register or if the property owner's consent has not been obtained. If the property has several owners, the consent of all is required. Sometimes an address is given where it is not actually possible to receive correspondence, which can cause problems with public authorities in the future.

The law requires disclosure of information about the beneficial owners of the company - natural persons who directly or indirectly control the company. Failure to provide this information or providing false information is grounds for refusal of registration.

Errors in the preparation of the statutes

The statutes must contain certain details, such as the name, the objectives of the association and the number of board members. No details of the founders or registered office may be given, as this information may change and is recorded in other documents.

The Statutes do not contain all the mandatory information required by the Law on Associations and Foundations. For example, there is no clear definition of the procedure for convening the members' meeting, the representation rights of board members (individually or jointly) or the rules of the audit body.

Incorrect document format

Make sure the documents are in the correct format.

Inadequate e-signature

Documents must be signed with a secure electronic signature and time stamp.

Incorrect payment of stamp duty

Before submitting the documents, you must make sure that the amount of the stamp duty is correct and that you have paid it. Any incorrect or overpaid amount can be recovered by applying to the Companies Registry.

The Registrar of Companies has detected an error in the documents submitted

If the UR finds an error, the notary public postpones the decision for up to 30 days, pointing out the deficiencies. It is important to react promptly to such decisions and make the necessary corrections so that the registration process is not delayed and stamp duty is not lost.

Incorrect determination of the board's representational rights

If there are several members on the board, it is necessary to determine precisely their rights of representation - whether each can act alone or only together. A situation should not arise where one member has only a formal right of representation.

Lack of Written Consent of Board Members

Each member of the Management Board must submit a written consent to hold office. Often this document is forgotten or not properly executed.

Problems with Legal Address

A non-existent address or an address for which the owner's consent has not been obtained (although the consent does not have to be submitted to the UR, the board must certify its existence). A major problem arises if the association cannot be reached later at its registered address.

According to the latest amendments, when registering an association, it is compulsory to indicate its field of activity according to the classification.

Misunderstanding the Board's Responsibility

Founders are often not fully aware that a member of the Management Board is responsible for the assets, accounts and liabilities of the association. A Board member must fulfil his or her duties as a decent and caring steward.

Useful Resources

Website of the Register of Companies (UR): [https://www.ur.gov.lv/]

State Revenue Service (SRS) website: [https://www.vid.gov.lv/]

Commercial Law: [https://likumi.lv/]

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