Maryland Forms

Howard County Certificate of Trust Form

Howard County Certificate of Trust Form

Howard County Certificate of Trust Form

Fill in the blank form formatted to comply with all recording and content requirements.

Validated 7/8/2025 Preview Form
Howard County Certificate of Trust Guide

Howard County Certificate of Trust Guide

Line by line guide explaining every blank on the form.

Validated 6/24/2025 Preview Form
Howard County Completed Example of the Certificate of Trust Document

Howard County Completed Example of the Certificate of Trust Document

Example of a properly completed form for reference.

Validated 6/25/2025 Preview Form

All 3 documents above included • One-time purchase • No recurring fees

Important: Your property must be located in Howard County to use these forms. Documents should be recorded at the office below.

Where to Record Your Documents

Circuit Court: Land Records Department
Address:
6095 Marshalee Drive, Suite 120
Elkridge, Maryland 21075

Hours: 8:30 to 3:30 M-F

Phone: 410-313-5850

Recording Tips for Howard County:
  • Both spouses typically need to sign if property is jointly owned
  • Leave recording info boxes blank - the office fills these
  • Make copies of your documents before recording - keep originals safe
  • Check margin requirements - usually 1-2 inches at top

Cities and Jurisdictions in Howard County

Properties in any of these areas use Howard County forms:

  • Annapolis Junction
  • Clarksville
  • Columbia
  • Cooksville
  • Dayton
  • Dhs
  • Elkridge
  • Ellicott City
  • Fulton
  • Glenelg
  • Glenwood
  • Highland
  • Jessup
  • Laurel
  • Lisbon
  • Savage
  • Simpsonville
  • West Friendship
  • Woodbine
  • Woodstock

View Complete Recorder Office Guide

Hours, fees, requirements, and more for Howard County

How do I get my forms?

Forms are available for immediate download after payment. The Howard County forms will be in your account ready to download to your computer. An account is created for you during checkout if you don't have one. Forms are NOT emailed.

Are these forms guaranteed to be recordable in Howard County?

Yes. Our form blanks are guaranteed to meet or exceed all formatting requirements set forth by Howard County including margin requirements, content requirements, font and font size requirements.

Can I reuse these forms?

Yes. You can reuse the forms for your personal use. For example, if you have multiple properties in Howard County you only need to order once.

What do I need to use these forms?

The forms are PDFs that you fill out on your computer. You'll need Adobe Reader (free software that most computers already have). You do NOT enter your property information online - you download the blank forms and complete them privately on your own computer.

Are there any recurring fees?

No. This is a one-time purchase. Nothing to cancel, no memberships, no recurring fees.

How much does it cost to record in Howard County?

Recording fees in Howard County vary. Contact the recorder's office at 410-313-5850 for current fees.

Have other questions? Contact our support team

How to Execute a Maryland Certification of Trust

The certification of trust is codified under 14.5--910 of the Estates and Trusts Article of the Maryland Code. The document is an abbreviation of a trust instrument, verifying the trust's existence and the trustee's authority to enter into the impending transaction.

A certification of trust contains only information essential to the transaction at hand; for example, it need not provide the dispositive terms of the trust, so the identities of trust beneficiaries remain private. The rights of certain persons to obtain the trust instrument are reserved for the instances stated under Md. Code Ann., Estates and Trusts 14.5-910(h).

The information required in a Maryland certification of trust includes a statement that the trust exists, the date of the trust instrument under which it was formed, and the identity of the trust's settlor. A settlor is defined under the Maryland Trust Act as "a person...that creates or contributes property to a trust" and can include more than one person (Md. Code Ann., Estates and Trusts 14.5-103(v)).

The certificate includes the name and address of each acting trustee at the time of the certificate's execution, as well as a description of the powers the trustee has related to the pending transaction. For example, if a certificate of trust is presented by a trustee wishing to execute a trustee's deed, a power of sale should be referenced. Recipients of the certificate can request, in addition, the excerpts from the trust instrument which designate the trustee and establish the relevant powers (Md. Code Ann., Estates and Trusts 14.5-910(e)).

The document also identifies the trust as either revocable or irrevocable and, if the former, the identity of anyone having a power to revoke the trust. For living trusts, the settlor generally retains this power. In the case of co-trustees, the certificate tells which can authenticate documents and whether all or fewer are required in exercising trustee powers. Any trustee may sign a certification of trust in the presence of a notary public.

The taxpayer identification number (TIN) of the trust is required, unless this number is the Social Security number (SSN) of the settlor. Irrevocable trusts are assigned their own taxpayer ID, separate from a SSN.

Finally, the certificate contains the name by which the trust is to hold title to assets, including real property. Where the certificate is used in transactions involving real property, a legal description of the property subject to the trust should be included. The certificate must contain a statement "that the trust has not been revoked, modified, or amended in a manner that would cause the representations in the certification of trust to be incorrect" (Md. Code Ann., Estates and Trusts 14.5-910(c)).

Recipients of a certificate may rely on the correctness of its content, and are protected under Md. Code Ann., Estates and Trusts 14.5-910(f).

Contact an attorney with any questions regarding Maryland trusts and certifications of trust, as trust law can quickly become complicated and each situation is unique.

(Maryland COT Package includes form, guidelines, and completed example)

Important: Your property must be located in Howard County to use these forms. Documents should be recorded at the office below.

This Certificate of Trust meets all recording requirements specific to Howard County.

Our Promise

The documents you receive here will meet, or exceed, the Howard County recording requirements for formatting. If there's an issue caused by our formatting, we'll make it right and refund your payment.

Save Time and Money

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March 1st, 2025

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September 21st, 2020

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April 25th, 2022

The Mineral Deed transfer form was pretty good. Could have used more info in the guide about where to find legal property descriptions and source of title. Also more space on the pdf for entering return addresses - there was room for only one; I needed three. I will be sending the form to the County Courthouse soon. I hope it works.

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