Starting a New AA Group: Agree the Work Before Announcing the Meeting
Several people see a need for another AA meeting. Choosing a name and a time is only part of getting it started. A useful plan makes the ordinary work visible: who opens the room, how information stays current and what the group has actually agreed to offer.
Describe the need you are trying to meet
AA's participation resource includes guidance on starting a group and connecting with local services. The AA Group pamphlet provides broader background. Read those resources before assuming one existing meeting's routine is the only way to begin.
Explain the proposed need concretely: a time not currently served, a location people can reach or a format members want to explore. Listen to nearby groups and relevant contacts. Cooperation can reveal resources and practical difficulties that a name and an opening date would not show.
Confirm the meeting arrangement
For a physical venue, clarify access, booking responsibilities, setup, closing and the information a visitor needs to find the room. For an online arrangement, agree who maintains access and the current joining information. Check actual requirements with the responsible provider rather than making assumptions.
Choose a format the available volunteers can sustain. A promising plan still needs someone to carry out each ordinary task. Discuss what happens when a person is absent so that a missed shift does not leave visitors at a locked door or an unattended online room.
Make shared responsibilities and decisions visible
Agree how service roles, expenses and changes will be discussed. Keep a usable note of decisions and unresolved questions. If one person buys supplies or prepares a reading, clarify whether the group agreed that action before presenting it as a settled commitment.
Recognition customs deserve the same clarity. Our chip-history article offers background on tokens, but a custom's history does not decide your group's stock, handover or privacy arrangements. Ask what the group actually wants to offer and who will maintain it.
Publish accurate information and keep it current
Ask the relevant local service contact how meeting information is submitted and updated. Confirm the name, time, location or joining method, format and contact route before inviting people. Listing arrangements may differ across service structures; use the actual local process.
Our home-group guide covers choosing a group to return to, which is a different decision from starting one. After the new meeting begins, review what is working and update any inaccurate information promptly. Keep a group anniversary separate from members' sobriety dates when choosing any optional commemorative object.
Medallions to consider
If the group or an individual separately chooses an AA anniversary keepsake, use the intended person's confirmed duration. These numbered medallions should not be selected from the new group's opening date.
Tricolor Jet Black Diamond Sparkle (1-50y)
Annual options run from 1 year to 50 years. The photo shows the sample inscription XLV; choose your confirmed milestone using the product page's Sobriety Time selector.
Tricolor Jet Black (24h, 1-50y)
Annual options run from 1 year to 50 years, with 24 hours and 18 months also listed. The photo shows the sample inscription IX; choose your confirmed milestone using the product page's Sobriety Time selector.
Common questions
Should we announce details before confirming the venue or access?
Confirm essential arrangements first so visitors receive information they can use.
Does every group need the same chip custom?
Discuss the actual recognition arrangement rather than treating another group's routine as mandatory.
Is the group's opening date a member's sober anniversary?
No. Keep those dates separate when planning recognition or selecting a numbered coin.
Keep reading
For a confirmed AA milestone, compare the designs in Elite Medallions and Deluxe Coins. Check the live product selector for the duration you need.
