North Dakota Forms

Williams County Certificate of Trust Form

Williams County Certificate of Trust Form

Williams County Certificate of Trust Form

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

Document Last Validated 8/8/2025
Williams County Certificate of Trust Guide

Williams County Certificate of Trust Guide

Line by line guide explaining every blank on the form.

Document Last Validated 6/26/2025
Williams County Completed Example of the Certificate of Trust Document

Williams County Completed Example of the Certificate of Trust Document

Example of a properly completed form for reference.

Document Last Validated 8/15/2025

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

Immediate Download • Secure Checkout

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

Where to Record Your Documents

Williams County Recorder
Address:
Courthouse - 205 East Broadway / PO Box 2047
Williston, North Dakota 58801 / 58802-2047

Hours: 8:00am to 5:00pm M-F Central Time

Phone: (701) 577-4540

Recording Tips for Williams County:
  • Ask if they accept credit cards - many offices are cash/check only
  • Make copies of your documents before recording - keep originals safe
  • Avoid the last business day of the month when possible
  • Ask about their eRecording option for future transactions

Cities and Jurisdictions in Williams County

Properties in any of these areas use Williams County forms:

  • Alamo
  • Epping
  • Grenora
  • Mcgregor
  • Ray
  • Tioga
  • Trenton
  • Wildrose
  • Williston
  • Zahl

View Complete Recorder Office Guide

Hours, fees, requirements, and more for Williams County

How do I get my forms?

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

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

Recording fees in Williams County vary. Contact the recorder's office at (701) 577-4540 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 Williams County to use these forms. Documents should be recorded at the office below.

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

Our Promise

The documents you receive here will meet, or exceed, the Williams 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 Williams 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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August 22nd, 2020

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January 24th, 2020

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January 22nd, 2019

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November 29th, 2019

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July 12th, 2019

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May 2nd, 2019

I'm still working on it. I'm surprised that it appears so much information has to be included about beneficiaries.

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June 26th, 2020

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April 7th, 2020

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January 7th, 2019

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January 3rd, 2019

The process was quite easy, following the instructional guide. I have yet to find out if the deed was accepted, but your site was very user friendly.

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