Sign an association prefectural declaration online
Declaration of creation or statutory amendment of a 1901 Act association to the prefecture, electronically signed with the same legal effect as a paper declaration. Compliant with art. 5 of the Act of 1 July 1901, the decree of 16 August 1901 and the eIDAS regulation — compatible with the e-création teleservice on service-public.fr.
- Legal framework
- 1901 Act art. 5 · decree of 16 August 1901
- Signature level
- AES eIDAS recommended
- Legal archiving
- 10 years included
What is a prefectural declaration?
Any 1901 Act association must be declared at the prefecture (or sub-prefecture) of the department where its headquarters is located to acquire legal capacity (art. 5 of the 1901 Act). The creation declaration must be made within 3 months of the constituent assembly and must contain: the name, purpose, address of the headquarters, names/first names/occupations/addresses/nationalities of the officers (president, secretary, treasurer), accompanied by a copy of the signed bylaws and the minutes of the constituent general assembly. Any subsequent amendment (change of officers, bylaw modification, headquarters transfer, dissolution) must also be declared within 3 months. The e-création teleservice on service-public.fr accepts electronic signatures.
Why sign electronically?
e-création teleservice — receipt within 5 days
The e-création teleservice on service-public.fr (decree 2009-1090) accepts upload of electronically signed declarations. The prefecture issues the receipt on average within 5 business days (vs 3-4 weeks in paper).
Multi-signatories (board)
The declaration must be signed by at least 2 officers (president + secretary typically). Our workflow handles sequential or parallel signature. Each signatory receives a secure individual link protected by SMS OTP.
JOAFE-compatible format
Once the declaration is validated, the prefecture publishes the notice in the Official Journal of Associations and Corporate Foundations (JOAFE). Certyneo electronic signature + signed bylaws are compatible with this publication process.
Enforceable audit trail
Each declaration is delivered with a proof PDF: identity of the signing officers, qualified timestamp, SHA-256 hash, SMS OTP. Enforceable in case of dispute over the regularity of the declaration or the officer''s qualification.
4-step procedure
From preparation to legal archiving, in less than 5 minutes.
1. Prepare the declaration
Use CERFA form n° 13973 (creation) or n° 13972 (amendment). Mandatory information: name, purpose, headquarters, identity of officers (president, secretary, treasurer at minimum).
2. Attach documents
Signed bylaws (creation) or general meeting minutes (statutory amendment), list of officers. Certyneo allows you to electronically sign each document and attach them to the declaration.
3. Advanced signature by the board
Electronic signature by the president and secretary (at minimum). Qualified timestamp attests to the authenticity of the signature before filing with the prefecture.
4. Upload to e-création
Upload the signed PDF + audit trail to the e-création teleservice on service-public.fr. Receipt issued within an average of 5 business days. Publication in JOAFE within 1 month.
Frequently asked questions
- Can a prefectural declaration be electronically signed?
- Yes — Decree No. 2009-1090 of September 4, 2009 created the e-creation online service which accepts the upload of declarations of associations under the 1901 Law signed electronically with audit trail. Accepted by all prefectures in mainland France and overseas territories.
- What is the deadline for declaring an association creation?
- No legal deadline for creation (an association can exist without being declared but then without legal capacity). For statutory or leadership changes, Article 5 of the 1901 Law requires declaration within 3 months under penalty of sanction (up to €1,500 fine).
- Who must sign the declaration at the prefecture?
- Minimum 2 leaders: president + secretary (or president + treasurer). The declaration is a commitment of the association and its leaders — hence the importance of a traceable advanced signature.
- How long does it take to receive the receipt?
- Via the e-creation online service: on average 5 working days. By traditional postal mail: 3-4 weeks depending on the prefecture. The receipt proves the declaration and allows the association to acquire legal capacity (bank account opening, grant application, etc.).
- What level of signature is required for the declaration?
- Advanced signature (AES) recommended. It provides the presumption of reliability (Article 1367 Civil Code) and meets the requirements of the e-creation online service. SES is not sufficient for high-stakes declarations (significant statutory changes).
- Is there a cost to declare an association?
- No — declaration at the prefecture is free (Article 5 of the 1901 Law). Only publication in the Official Journal (JOAFE) is paid (~€44 in 2024). The receipt and declaration themselves are free.
- How long must the declaration and receipt be kept?
- For the entire lifetime of the association + 10 years after dissolution. The receipt is the legal proof of the association''s legal existence — to be kept carefully. Certyneo automatically archives the signed declaration and the receipt.
- Is the electronically signed declaration enforceable against third parties?
- Yes — publication in the JOAFE after acceptance by the prefecture makes the declaration enforceable against third parties (banks, partners, courts). Electronic signature does not change this enforceability regime.
Also read
Declare your association online
Permanent free plan (5 envelopes/month), no credit card required. Compliant with 1901 Law and eIDAS. Compatible with e-creation prefecture online service.