Minnesota Forms

Houston County Certificate of Trust Form

Houston County Certificate of Trust Form

Houston County Certificate of Trust Form

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

Document Last Validated 5/19/2025
Houston County Certificate of Trust Guide

Houston County Certificate of Trust Guide

Line by line guide explaining every blank on the form.

Document Last Validated 7/15/2025
Houston County Completed Example of the Certificate of Trust Document

Houston County Completed Example of the Certificate of Trust Document

Example of a properly completed form for reference.

Document Last Validated 6/9/2025

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

Immediate Download • Secure Checkout

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

Where to Record Your Documents

Houston County Recorder
Address:
304 South Marshall St / PO Box 29
Caledonia , Minnesota 55921-0029

Hours: 8:00am to 4:30pm Monday through Friday

Phone: (507) 725-5813

Recording Tips for Houston County:
  • Bring your driver's license or state-issued photo ID
  • Double-check legal descriptions match your existing deed
  • Make copies of your documents before recording - keep originals safe
  • Recorded documents become public record - avoid including SSNs
  • Ask about their eRecording option for future transactions

Cities and Jurisdictions in Houston County

Properties in any of these areas use Houston County forms:

  • Brownsville
  • Caledonia
  • Eitzen
  • Hokah
  • Houston
  • La Crescent
  • Spring Grove

View Complete Recorder Office Guide

Hours, fees, requirements, and more for Houston County

How do I get my forms?

Forms are available for immediate download after payment. The Houston 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 Houston County?

Yes. Our form blanks are guaranteed to meet or exceed all formatting requirements set forth by Houston 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 Houston 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 Houston County?

Recording fees in Houston County vary. Contact the recorder's office at (507) 725-5813 for current fees.

Questions answered? Let's get started!

The certificate of trust is codified under the Minnesota Trust Code at Minn. Stat. 501C.1013.

This document is an abstract of the trust instrument setting forth "fewer than all of the provisions . . . and any amendments to the instrument," and contains only essential information relevant to the transaction for which it is being presented (Minn. Stat. 501C.1013, Subd. 1). It "serves to document the existence of the trust, the identity of the trustees, the powers of the trustees and any limitations on those powers, and other matters the certificate of trust sets out, as though the full trust instrument had been recorded or presented" (Subd. 4).

Presented to a recipient in situations regarding personal property, or filed with the county recorder in situations regarding real property, a certificate of trust is "prima facie proof as to matters contained in it" (Subd. 4).

A certificate is valid when executed by settlor or trustee "any time after the execution or creation of a trust" (Subd. 1). The basic content requirements include the name of the trust; the date of the trust instrument; the name and address of each acting trustee; the number of trustees required to act; and the powers of the trustee relevant to the transaction at hand. The certificate also declares whether the trust has terminated or the trust instrument has been revoked (Subd. 1 (1-6)).

For use in real property transactions, the certificate requires the name of each settlor and original trustee, along with a specific statement relating to the authority of the trustee and any restrictions on the trustee's power "to sell, convey, pledge, mortgage, lease, or transfer title to any interest in real property" (Subd. 2). Transactions affecting real property may also require an affidavit of trustee under Minn. Stat. 501C.1014.

The representations contained within the certificate are made by the executing trustee or settlor under oath before a public notary and as such the executing party ensure there are no provisions in the trust instrument or subsequent amendments to limit the power of the trustee in the transaction or "to exercise any other power identified in the certificate" (Subd. 1).

Contact an attorney with any questions regarding trusts or certificates of trust, as each situation is unique.

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

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

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

Our Promise

The documents you receive here will meet, or exceed, the Houston 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

Get your Houston County Certificate of Trust form done right the first time with Deeds.com Uniform Conveyancing Blanks. At Deeds.com, we understand that your time and money are valuable resources, and we don't want you to face a penalty fee or rejection imposed by a county recorder for submitting nonstandard documents. We constantly review and update our forms to meet rapidly changing state and county recording requirements for roughly 3,500 counties and local jurisdictions.

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January 31st, 2020

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Reply from Staff

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December 19th, 2021

Was insecure about being able to access the information but pleasantly found that the site was easy to use. Seems that I can use it repeatedly to go back and reprint the forms once I paid.

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Stephen B.

August 21st, 2024

This was the first time to use the Deeds.com website for preparing my deed document. This was painless and easy to follow the instructions and sample package for filling in the blank boxes document. The city clerk was impressed to review my document and easily filed my deed record without questions. I would recommend anyone to prepare a legal form that is available from the Deeds.com website.

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Ashley H.

September 21st, 2020

Thank you for the quick response time messaging back and forth to get this completed, and also the fairly speedy e-recording! Excellent customer service!!!

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October 28th, 2019

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December 14th, 2021

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October 18th, 2022

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Joseph D.

November 14th, 2024

Easy to use and a quick turnaround Deed was recorded and retuned within 24 hours

Reply from Staff

We are grateful for your engagement and feedback, which help us to serve you better. Thank you for being an integral part of our community.

John K.

June 21st, 2023

Very pleased. Responsive staff and fast recordation.

Reply from Staff

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April 13th, 2023

I needed a specific form. I found it, printed it and saved myself $170 because I didn't need a lawyer. Thank you

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Rebecca M.

December 28th, 2021

This was pretty easy to fill out. The directions on all of the forms was very good. This should make life much easier at the County Recorder. Thank you!

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Stephen D.

July 18th, 2023

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Debora A.

May 23rd, 2023

Website easy to use and explanations available

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October 21st, 2020

What a wonderful resource! Forms are so easy to use, made the process a breeze. Deeds even helped with the recording. Thank you.

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December 1st, 2020

Quick and easy, however, I couldn't get the guide to download.

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