Steele County Certificate of Trust Form

Last validated July 29, 2026 by our Forms Development Team

Steele County Certificate of Trust Form

Steele County Certificate of Trust Form

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

Document Last Validated 7/9/2026
Steele County Certificate of Trust Guide

Steele County Certificate of Trust Guide

Line by line guide explaining every blank on the form.

Document Last Validated 7/13/2026
Steele County Completed Example of the Certificate of Trust Document

Steele County Completed Example of the Certificate of Trust Document

Example of a properly completed form for reference.

Document Last Validated 7/29/2026

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

Immediate Download • Secure Checkout

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

Where to Record Your Documents

Steele County Recorder

Address:
Courthouse - 201 Washington Ave West / PO Box 296
Finley, North Dakota 58230-0296

Hours: 8:00 to 12:00 & 1:00 to 4:30 Mon-Fri

Phone: (701) 524-2152

Recording Tips for Steele County:
  • Verify all names are spelled correctly before recording
  • Ask if they accept credit cards - many offices are cash/check only
  • Make copies of your documents before recording - keep originals safe
  • Ask about accepted payment methods when you call ahead

Cities and Jurisdictions in Steele County

Properties in any of these areas use Steele County forms:

  • Finley
  • Hope
  • Luverne
  • Sharon

View Complete Recorder Office Guide

Hours, fees, requirements, and more for Steele County

How do I get my forms?

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

Yes. Our form blanks are guaranteed to meet or exceed the applicable formatting requirements used for recording in Steele County, including margin requirements, font requirements, and other layout standards. This guarantee applies to formatting, not to the legal sufficiency of information entered by the user or the suitability of a form for a particular transaction.

Can I reuse these forms?

Yes. You can reuse the forms for your personal use. For example, if you have multiple properties in Steele 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 Steele County?

Recording fees in Steele County vary. Contact the recorder's office at (701) 524-2152 for current fees.

Questions answered? Let's get started!

Codified at N. D. Cent. Code 59-18-13 as part of the North Dakota Uniform Trust Code, the certification of trust is a document containing essential information about a trust. A trustee can present a certificate when entering transactions on behalf of a trust. As the name suggests, the form certifies the trust's existence and the trustee's authority to conduct business in the trust's name, and its recipient may rely upon the facts contained within it without further inquiry ( 59-18-13(6)).

A trust is an arrangement whereby a settlor (or grantor) transfers property to another person (trustee) to be held for the benefit of third (beneficiary). The trust is governed by the terms expressed in the trust instrument, a (generally) unrecorded document that designates the trustee, contains the scope of the trust's assets, and identifies the trust's beneficiaries. Some types of trust take effect during the settlor's lifetime (inter vivos trust), and others take effect upon the death of the settlor (testator), as provided for by a will (testamentary trust).

In North Dakota, the certification states that the trust exists and provides the trust's name and effective date of the trust instrument. In addition, it identifies each person who has contributed property to the trust as a settlor and gives the name and address of the currently acting trustee. The trustee's powers relevant to the pending transaction are enumerated; reference may be made to the statutory trustee powers codified at chapters 59-09 through 59-19 of the North Dakota Uniform Trust Code. The recipient of a certification of trust can request copies of excerpts from the trust instrument designating the trustee and conferring the power to act in the business at hand ( 59-18-13(5)).

The certificate also defines the trust as either irrevocable or revocable, and names who, if any, holds a power to revoke the trust. If the trust has co-trustees, the certificate states whether or not all trustees are required in order to carry out trustee powers. It also specifies, by name, which trustees can authorize trust documents. Finally, the document contains a statement that the trust has not been revoked, modified, or amended in any way that would falsify the statements made within.

Generally, it is unnecessary to provide a certificate of trust alongside conveyances of property from trustees in North Dakota, as the "trustee of a trust that holds title to real property is presumed to have the power to sell, convey, and encumber the real property unless restrictions on that power appear in the records of the county recorder" ( 47-10-26).

However, some situations may warrant an accompanying certificate, such as when a trustee is incorrectly identified on the deed into trust, or the trustee named on the current deed has been replaced [1]. When property deeded into a trust is erroneously titled in the name of the trust rather than the trustee of the trust, the subsequent conveyance out of the trust may be validated if the trustee's identity "is reasonably ascertainable from the conveyance or from other information of public record," such as a certification of trust ( 47-19-42.1). When used in transactions involving real property, the certificate should provide a legal description of the subject property.

The certificate must be signed by a trustee in the presence of a notary public. If recording is applicable to the situation, the certificate may be recorded through the recorder's office. Consult a lawyer with any questions.

(North Dakota COT Package includes form, guidelines, and completed example)

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

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

Our Promise

The documents you receive here are guaranteed to meet or exceed the applicable Steele County recording format requirements. If there is a rejection caused by our formatting, we will correct the issue or refund your payment. This guarantee applies to document formatting only and does not extend to information entered by the user, the selection of the form, or the legal effect of the completed document.

Save Time and Money

Get your Steele 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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