A society may be established by at least three natural persons or legal entities with legal capacity.

Commercial companies cannot found a society that has the same activity as the basic activity performed by the companies themselves.

A foreign society may operate in the territory of the Republic of Slovenia through a branch registered in the register of branches of foreign societies.

An association of societies is an association of at least two societies.

Foundation of a society

A society is established at the founding assembly where you take a decision on the foundation and the basic act and elect the representative of the society.

An association of societies is founded by societies with the same or similar aims and objectives of the operation, performing similar or interrelated activities. The decision on foundation must be accepted by all member boards of all founder societies.

The foundation and operation of societies with the following purposes, objectives or activities is not allowed:

• violent change of constitutional order;
• execution of criminal offences or incitement to national, racial, religious or other discrimination;
• inflaming of national, racial, religious or other hatred and intolerance;
• incitement to violence and war;
• gainful activity and generation of profits.

Name of the society

The name of the society must be in Slovenian; it must be different from the names of other societies and must not be misleading or offensive. If a society is based in the area where Italian or Hungarian national communities live, the name of the society must be in both official languages.

Unless the law provides otherwise, the name must include the word society, association, club or family. An indication of the activity of the society must be included in the name.

The name of the society may have an additional component of the name indicating it in detail. The latter does not need to be in the Slovenian language or languages of national minorities if:

• it is a name or part of the name of an international association of societies, the member of which the society is, or the name of a foreign association which is the founder of a branch in the Republic of Slovenia;
• it is a personal name;
• these are foreign words indicating the activity of the society and the Slovenian language does not have an adequate term for them;
• it is an imaginary denomination or
• it is a dead language.

The name of the society must not contain the phrase Republic of Slovenia.

If you want to use a name or part of a name of a state authority, local community, company or another legal entity in the name of the society, you must obtain their permission. The same applies to the use of a personal name of a historic or famous personality. If the person has died, the consent to use the name must be given by the spouse or child. If these do not exist, the consent must be given by parents or descendants to the third generation.

Society may also determine the abbreviated name. The indication of the activity of the society is not a mandatory component of the abbreviated name, but it must include the word society, association, club or family

Registration of a society

In order for a society to operate in legal transactions, it must be registered at the administrative unit.

A branch of a foreign society can operate in legal transactions in the name and for the account of the foreign society through registration. This means that the branch must use their name and the name of the foreign society in operations; for the obligations arising from its operations, the foreign society is accountable with all its assets.

If the branch of a foreign society changes the name, address of head office, representative or other provisions of the basic act, it must submit a request to register the change within 30 days.

Basic act

The basic act of a society or association must determine:

• name, possible abbreviated name and registered office or selected place of operation;
• purpose and objectives of the operation;
• activity or task (the society or association must define gainful activity in accordance with the standard classification of activities);
• conditions and manner of obtaining membership and termination of membership;
• rights and obligations of members;
• management mode;
• representation of the society or association (if there are two representatives, the manner of representation and the limits of their powers should be defined);
• financing and the methods of supervising the use of the property and the financial and material operations;
• the way of ensuring that the operations of the society or association is public;
• the method of adopting amendments to the basic act;
• the manner of dissolution of the society or association and dispose of the assets in such case.