Are you just starting out with your club? Switzerland is known for making the process of forming an club quick and easy. We’ll show you how to successfully start your club in 9 steps. Last update: 02.01.2025
A club is the right legal form whenever several people pursue a common non-profit, non-commercial purpose. A club must not primarily pursue entrepreneurial intentions—such as generating profit or providing significant assets for various purposes. In those cases, a company must be founded and an appropriate legal form chosen.
A club may only operate a business that is "run along commercial lines"—for example, a clubhouse or a small fan shop. However, it must be clearly evident that this business activity is subordinate to the non-profit purpose. In such a case, the club must be registered in the commercial register.
This article focuses exclusively on founding a club in Switzerland. If you are interested in founding one in another country, we have also written an article for Austria and an article for Germany.
To ensure that as many people as possible can start a club, the process in Switzerland is kept particularly simple. Only two people are required for the founding. Statutes are also required, which must be presented to the founding members at a constituent assembly. Once the members adopt the statutes, the club is officially founded. One of the responsible persons must be based in Switzerland.
Once the club's statutes have been drafted and the board has been elected, the club can be entered into the commercial register. This registration is necessary if the club intends to or does operate a commercial business, or if it needs to prove its existence to another entity (such as an umbrella organization or partner organization).
Upon registration, the association's statutes and a list of board members must be filed. Similarly, any new members joining or leaving must be reported to the commercial register.
In Switzerland, there are two popular legal forms for pursuing non-profit purposes such as community, social, sporting, or cultural interests: clubs and non-profit foundations. How do these two legal forms differ, and when should you choose one over the other?
A club is a group of people pursuing a non-profit purpose. It is not necessary for the club to have any assets at the time of its founding—all that is required are statutes that regulate its purpose and legal organization. In Switzerland, a club is generally subject to standard taxation, unless it pursues a non-profit purpose or its capital does not exceed a limit set by the canton. This limit varies by canton and can be verified with the cantonal tax office.
A foundation is officially not a company—it consists of assets that the founder dedicates to a specific purpose. The basis for this is a foundation deed, which is usually submitted to a notary for public certification. The minimum capital required to establish a foundation is 50,000 Swiss francs. A non-profit foundation can be granted tax-exempt status upon application.
Due to the relatively relaxed regulations for establishing a club, it can be done quickly and inexpensively. Setting up a foundation requires significantly more resources—a public deed and a high amount of starting capital are mandatory. Furthermore, a club's statutes are more flexible; for example, the club's purpose can be changed at any time through an amendment to the statutes. The decision is made by the members.
In contrast, the purpose of a foundation can only be changed by submitting an application to the supervisory authority. For the founder, this naturally provides a higher level of security, as the invested assets cannot simply be used for a different purpose. The main advantage of a non-profit foundation, however, is its tax-exempt status, which does not always apply to clubs. Regarding the right to participate in a dissolution, club members can decide on this themselves, which is not possible with a foundation.
As you can see, choosing between a non-profit foundation and a club is not a matter of one legal form being "better" or "worse" than the other. Rather, it depends on what you want to achieve. If you want to channel funds into a specific, largely unchangeable purpose, you should opt for a non-profit foundation. If you are looking to form a club of people to fulfill a purpose where the use of capital is not the primary focus, then a club is the recommended legal form.
Be part of over 15,000 clubs
The club's statutes are the fundamental rules that both members and the board must follow. By joining the club, you agree to these terms. Here, we explain what you absolutely must or should include in your club's statutes:
The club's statutes must clearly express the intent to exist as a club.
Reasons for choosing to establish a club – including its social impact on a region or its contribution to the environment/nature, sports, and health.
Name and registered office of the club. The name should not be misleading and must be clearly distinguishable from existing club names. Checking the commercial register can be helpful. The club's headquarters must be located in Switzerland.
The association's governing bodies must be designated. By law, these include the general meeting as the supreme body and the board as the executive body. If the association is entered in the commercial register, an auditor is also required. Associations are free to structure their remaining organization as they see fit. It is important to define the duties and powers of these bodies in the articles of association.
This section defines, for example, whether membership fees are collected or a club bar is operated to generate the necessary funds for the operation and maintenance of the club.
A club's liabilities are limited exclusively to its own assets. This should also be explicitly stated in the bylaws. The legal provisions governing clubs can be found in the Swiss Civil Code (ZGB) (Art. 60 et seq.).
What does membership entail, how does it become valid, and how should a resignation be handled? Furthermore, if the bylaws provide for it, financial contributions may be collected from members. All of this should be clearly defined.
How does your club go about raising funds to support its core mission? For example, through ticket sales, a clubhouse, events and concerts, or social markets and projects (e.g., flea markets).
In Switzerland, a club is formed at the inaugural meeting. Consequently, there are no costs involved, and no deadlines to meet. The only requirement is for the founding members to agree on the club's articles of the club. However, the following is required:
Since the structure of authorities and forms varies from canton to canton, we have provided a concrete example based on the Canton of Zurich. The templates for the formation minutes and the articles of club can, of course, be used for any canton.
Forms and templates for download
In summary, this checklist provides an overview of what you need to consider when founding an association and the order in which to do it. This list can, of course, be modified as needed and does not claim to be exhaustive.
By successfully founding your organization, you have already taken the first step into the world of clubs. We have taken your ideas further and prepared additional articles on a wide range of topics related to club management. We hope this knowledge makes your day-to-day work significantly easier.
Comprehensive management of membership fees from the very beginning
Vereinsplaner is a powerful tool, and we would like to highlight one of its features here: create custom membership types, define the associated fees, and assign them to your members. You can then generate invoices for these membership fees and send them directly to the relevant members. Save yourself time and money. More information on membership fee management.
For example, read up on how to find your first members. Or, if you are already a step further, our article on successful club management might be helpful.
We are currently working on an e-book with tips and tricks for successfully starting an association in Switzerland. The Austria Edition is already available and also applicable to Swiss users. If you are interested in more information about clubs, follow our Knowledge & Tips section – here you will find everything on other topics.
Management tip
Once your club is founded and, if applicable, registered in the commercial register, you can get started with your operational activities. Establish a solid structure from the very beginning to benefit your club later on. With Vereinsplaner, for example, you can easily add members, send them appointments, store documents online, and check your club's finances. Everything is smartly connected in one piece of software.
Because when your club is still small, it is much easier to introduce or change organizational and communication methods. We are happy to support you with optimal communication in your group, team, or squad using a suitable web application and mobile app. You can test both for free.
The time savings are definitely enormous. Plus, no more latecomers or missed appointments. There are also features for online storage, inventory, financial, and member management.
Secure your mega discount now with the code VP50DACH.VP30DACH.
Below you will find the most important questions that arise when starting a club in Switzerland. Is there information missing or do you have a suggestion for improvement? Simply visit our Help Center and submit a request.
Otherwise, we wish you the best of luck with starting your club.
The club is established and finalized at the inaugural meeting. There are no costs associated with this process. Registering a club in the commercial register incurs costs of approximately CHF 400.
You need at least 2 people to form a club.
The statutes serve as an agreement among members on various regulations covering different aspects of the club, such as its intent, name, purpose, governing bodies, membership, and much more.
A club is considered non-profit if it pursues a charitable purpose and all its economic activities are clearly subordinate to that purpose.
Generally speaking, yes! A club in Switzerland is typically subject to standard taxation, unless it serves a charitable purpose or its capital does not exceed a limit set by the canton.
Registered clubs are also subject to tax. The same exemptions apply to them.
Support clubs are only considered non-profit if they pursue a charitable purpose.
The club itself is the legal form.
Although it is not recommended, no more than 2 members are required for registration. To apply, you will need the statutes and a list of board members.
No, a club is not a public institution.
A club only becomes a legal entity upon registration, which allows it to sue or be sued.
Yes, a club is a private legal entity.
Together with nine industry experts, we have written a 98-page ePaper on current topics related to club management. The ePaper contains 5 chapters and 15 subject areas covering key aspects of organization, members, funding, sponsors, taxes, and much more. You can download the handbook for free on the Vreinshandbuch website.
.webp)
