Richmond City Certificate of Trust Form (Virginia)

All Richmond City specific forms and documents listed below are included in your immediate download package:

Certificate of Trust Form

Richmond City Certificate of Trust Form

Fill in the blank form formatted to comply with all recording and content requirements.
Included Richmond City compliant document last validated/updated 5/20/2025

Certificate of Trust Guide

Richmond City Certificate of Trust Guide

Line by line guide explaining every blank on the form.
Included Richmond City compliant document last validated/updated 6/3/2025

Completed Example of the Certificate of Trust Document

Richmond City Completed Example of the Certificate of Trust Document

Example of a properly completed form for reference.
Included Richmond City compliant document last validated/updated 6/26/2025

When using these Certificate of Trust forms, the subject real estate must be physically located in Richmond City. The executed documents should then be recorded in the following office:

City of Richmond Circuit Court Clerk

John Marshall Courts Bldg - 400 N 9th St, Richmond, Virginia 23219

Hours: 8:30 to 4:30 Monday through Friday / Recording until 3:30

Phone: (804) 646-6505

Local jurisdictions located in Richmond City include:

  • Henrico
  • Richmond
  • University Of Richmond

How long does it take to get my forms?

Forms are available immediately after submitting payment.

How do I get my forms, are they emailed?

Immediately after you submit payment, the Richmond City forms you order will be available for download directly from your account. You can then download the forms to your computer. If you do not already have an account, one will be created for you as part of the order process, and your login details will be provided to you. If you encounter any issues accessing your forms, please reach out to our support team for assistance. Forms are NOT emailed to you.

What does "validated/updated" mean?

This indicates the most recent date when at least one of the following occurred:

  • Updated: The document was updated or changed to remain compliant.
  • Validated: The document was examined by an attorney or staff, or it was successfully recorded in Richmond City using our eRecording service.
Are these forms guaranteed to be recordable in Richmond City?

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

Can the Certificate of Trust forms be re-used?

Yes. You can re-use the forms for your personal use. For example, if you have more than one property in Richmond City that you need to transfer you would only need to order our forms once for all of your properties in Richmond City.

What are supplemental forms?

Often when a deed is recorded, additional documents are required by Virginia or Richmond City. These could be tax related, informational, or even as simple as a coversheet. Supplemental forms are provided for free with your order where available.

What type of files are the forms?

All of our Richmond City Certificate of Trust forms are PDFs. You will need to have or get Adobe Reader to use our forms. Adobe Reader is free software that most computers already have installed.

Do I need any special software to use these forms?

You will need to have Adobe Reader installed on your computer to use our forms. Adobe Reader is free software that most computers already have installed.

Do I have to enter all of my property information online?

No. The blank forms are downloaded to your computer and you fill them out there, at your convenience.

Can I save the completed form, email it to someone?

Yes, you can save your deed form at any point with your information in it. The forms can also be emailed, blank or complete, as attachments.

Are there any recurring fees involved?

No. Nothing to cancel, no memberships, no recurring fees.

Signed by a currently acting trustee, a certification or certificate of trust under Va. Code Ann. 64.2-804 is a document summarizing a trust in lieu of the trust instrument, and contains certified statements affirmed by the trustee in the presence of a notary public. The document confirms the existence of the subject trust and the trustee's capacity and relevant powers, and is presented in support of a transaction involving trust property.

A certificate of trust is frequently recorded alongside a trustee's deed or acquisition of real property by the trust, though recording of the document is not required by Virginia Code. Instead of disclosing the settlor's estate plan by providing the entire trust instrument, the certificate allows a trustee to provide parties outside of the trust arrangement (anyone who is not a trust beneficiary) only the essential information necessary to conduct the business at hand. Recipients of a certificate "may assume without inquiry the existence of the facts contained" within it ( 64.2-804(F)).

Requirements of a certificate include statements that the trust exists and that it has not been revoked or modified in a way that would invalidate the contents of the certificate. The form presents basic information, such as the trust's name and date; the identities of the settlor and the current trustee; the trust's identification number; and the name by which property is titled to the trust. In addition, the document identifies anyone who can revoke the trust and, if there are co-trustees, the specifications for authenticating documents relating to the trust.

Further, the document enumerates the powers of the trustee pertaining to the transaction for which the certificate is presented. These may include powers under the Uniform Trust Code, codified at 64.2-7 of the Virginia Code. Recipients of a certificate can also request excerpts of the trust instrument and any amendments thereto that designate the trustee and establish these powers.

Consult a lawyer with questions about trusts and certifications of trust in Virginia.

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

Our Promise

The documents you receive here will meet, or exceed, the Richmond City 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 Richmond City 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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June 30th, 2025

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June 30th, 2025

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January 31st, 2019

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September 18th, 2020

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August 26th, 2021

I found the form easy to file out. But everything else was confusing with very little direction and help.

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August 26th, 2020

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February 17th, 2023

The process was easy going. The process is one thing, the results another. I have attempting to resolve this matter, of claiming sole ownership of the property for several YEARS. I lost my Bride of 65 years in 2015. A lawyer I hired failed in his attempt, so I'm waiting to see the actual results.
I also have two parcels in New Mexico under the same situation, so if this is successful, I'll gladly be back. Thank You so very much. Don Martin

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May 10th, 2019

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April 11th, 2022

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January 12th, 2021

Thank You, Job well done. So nice not to have to leave house and drive all over to record these documents. Very satisfied.

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Toni M.

June 24th, 2019

I liked having the forms. Some may need to know they can look at the legal Description from online county records, then type up in Word document line by line, the degree sign in Word program is achieved by using alt and 248 on number pad. Then on the form page one write SEE Exibit A and title your Word program description as Exibit A. Goes without saying the legal description should be looked over many times and it is easier to do so if you format your Word the same lineage as the legal description online which is usually not text which is why you have to retype it.

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May 5th, 2019

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January 3rd, 2020

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February 17th, 2021

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