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How to set up a trust in Guernsey
Seven stages cover how to set up a trust in Guernsey: enquiry, identity checks, structure design, drafting, signing, registration where needed, and funding. A Guernsey law firm drafts the deed and a local partner handles company work. The documents follow the steps.
Reviewed by a senior trust administrator, updated
Seven stages, who does what
Select a stage to read what slows or speeds it.
- EnquiryOne Pacific Trust
- Identity checksOne Pacific Trust
- Structure designOne Pacific Trust
- DraftingLaw firm, bank, adviser or trustee
- SigningYou
- Registration, where neededLaw firm, bank, adviser or trustee
- FundingLaw firm, bank, adviser or trustee
YouOne Pacific TrustLaw firm, bank, adviser or trustee
Legal basis: Governing law[1]
Key facts
- Governing law
- The Trusts (Guernsey) Law, 2007 is the main statute for Guernsey trusts[1]
- Perpetuity period
- No set limit on how long a Guernsey trust lasts, subject to its terms (s. 16)[2]
- Reserved settlor powers
- Reserving powers, such as to revoke or vary, does not void the trust (s. 15)[2]
Numbers in brackets point to the Sources list at the end of this page.
How the process runs
Enquiry
Tell us what the structure should do and which assets are involved, and we reply with the next questions.
Identity checks
We verify the settlor, any protector, the others connected with the trust, and the source of the funds.
Structure design
We agree the structure with a Guernsey law firm and the local partner, and who sits in each role.
Drafting
The law firm drafts the deed and you write a letter of wishes; you review the draft with your own lawyer.
Signing
You sign the deed and the trustee accepts office; signing at a distance works where your lawyer confirms it.
Registration, where needed
A company or foundation in the structure is incorporated; a local partner does the work in Guernsey.
Funding
Assets move into the trust: a bank account is opened, shares are transferred and the asset register is written up.
Before you start: what you decide
Four choices come before any signature: why the trust exists, who is meant to benefit, what it will hold, and who will act as trustee.
A family that wants continuity usually lands on a discretionary trust. An owner who wants a say may prefer reserved powers, and a stated aim with no named beneficiaries calls for a purpose trust or a foundation. The overview compares them.
A Guernsey trust is governed by the Trusts (Guernsey) Law, 2007 (source: Guernsey Legal Resources, Trusts (Guernsey) Law, 2007). Your deed names its governing law expressly. Your lawyer confirms how the statute applies to your deed.
Next, decide how hands-on you want to be. You can keep a say over investments, or you can hand them to a professional manager and read the reports.
Then name the people. Settlor, trustee, beneficiaries and protector are separate roles, and the deed describes each. A protector is chosen now, since the deed has to spell out what that person may do.
Show the plan to your own lawyer and tax adviser before drafting begins. A question raised at this stage is a short conversation, while the same question after signing may mean changing the deed.
Step by step: from enquiry to signed deed
Most cases follow the sequence below. Some stages run side by side, and your facts may call for one more.
- Enquiry. Tell us what you want the structure to do and which assets are involved. We reply with the next questions, and with a quote on request.
- Identity checks. We verify the settlor, any protector and the other people connected with the trust, and the source of the funds. The next sections list the documents.
- Structure design. We agree the structure with a Guernsey law firm and the local partner: trust, foundation or private trust company, and who sits in each role.
- Drafting. The law firm drafts the deed, and you write a letter of wishes alongside it. You review the draft with your own lawyer.
- Signing. You sign the deed, and the trustee accepts office. Signing can be done at a distance where your lawyer confirms it works.
- Registration, where needed. A company or foundation in the structure is incorporated in this stage. A local partner does the work in Guernsey; your engagement letter sets out its role.
- Funding. Assets move into the trust: a bank account is opened, shares are transferred, and the asset register is written up.
Documents the trustee asks for
Every settlor receives the same core request. The table shows which item concerns whom, and why we ask.
| What we ask for | Who it concerns | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Passport and proof of address | Settlor, protector, anyone who can direct the trust | Identity and address checks |
| Occupation and evidence of source of funds and wealth | Settlor | To show where the assets came from |
| Names and details of beneficiaries | Beneficiaries | Identification; for a class, enough detail to identify them at payout |
| Incorporation papers and share register | Any company placed in the trust | To confirm ownership and control |
The table is our onboarding checklist.
Identity and source-of-funds checks
Two questions sit behind the paperwork: who are you, and how did the money arrive? Identity evidence answers the first.
Source-of-funds evidence covers what goes into the trust, and source-of-wealth evidence shows how your wider wealth was built.
A business sale agreement, dividend statements and bank statements are typical proof. We copy them to the file and renew them on a cycle that follows the risk rating.
Anyone able to steer the trust is checked alongside the settlor: a protector, a director of a private trust company, a named investment manager.
Where we never meet face to face, we add one safeguard. It might be a second identity document, closer checks on the details you gave, or a small first payment sent from an account in your own name.
The Guernsey partner runs checks of its own. A data-sharing agreement lets us pass your file across, so nobody asks you for the same papers twice.
After the trust is set up
Once the deed is signed, the work settles into a rhythm. The trustee keeps the register, convenes a meeting when a decision falls due, produces the accounts and renews identity checks.
You receive the asset report and the minutes, and your letter of wishes can be revised whenever your plans change.
Every year the trustee also gathers self-certification forms for tax information exchange. The tax and reporting guide explains the detail.
Already hold a trust elsewhere? Our trust administration service shows what administration covers once we are appointed.
The guide to what you pay explains who charges for each part of the work.
Before the structure is fixed, read the features the law allows; for short answers go to the common questions. When you are ready, ask for a quote.
Frequently asked questions
How long does set-up take in Guernsey?
Speed depends mostly on three outside parties: the law firm, the Guernsey partner and the bank. Complete documents and prompt identity checks shorten the path, and moving the assets often comes last. We never promise dates, and you can see where each stage stands.
Which documents do I need for a trust in Guernsey?
Prepare a passport and proof of address, evidence of where your funds and wealth came from, details of each beneficiary, and incorporation papers for any company going into the trust. The table above names every item and the reason we ask for it.
Can I set up a trust in Guernsey from abroad?
Yes. Identity checks and signing can both happen remotely. When we do not meet in person, we add a safeguard, for example a second set of identity documents or a first payment made from an account held in your own name.
Sources
- Guernsey Legal Resources: Trusts (Guernsey) Law, 2007, read 2026-11-05.
- States of Guernsey: Billet d'Etat XIX 2007, Projet de Loi, The Trusts (Guernsey) Law, 2007, read 2026-11-06.