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Setting up a trust in Jersey: steps and documents
Seven stages cover setting up a trust in Jersey: enquiry, identity checks, structure design, drafting, signing, registration where needed and funding. A Jersey law firm drafts the deed, and a local partner takes a defined role where the work is done in Jersey. This guide lists each stage and the documents we ask for.
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
- Jersey law decides validity and effect of a Jersey trust (Article 9)[1]
- Perpetuity period
- A Jersey trust may last for an unlimited period (Article 15)[1]
- Trustee requirement
- A Jersey trust must have at least one trustee (Article 16)[1]
- Reporting to authorities
- Jersey signed the CRS competent authority agreement on 29 October 2014[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 Jersey 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
If the structure has a company or foundation, it is incorporated here; a local partner does the work in Jersey.
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
Start with four questions. What should the trust achieve? Who should it benefit? Which assets will it hold? Who will take office as trustee?
Your answer to the first question shapes the rest.
Continuity for a family points to a discretionary trust, a business holding may suit reserved powers, and a stated aim with no named beneficiaries needs a purpose trust or a foundation. The overview sets them side by side.
Jersey law decides the validity and effect of a trust governed by it (source: Jersey Law Website, Trusts (Jersey) Law 1984, Article 9). Your deed names its governing law expressly.
Consider how much of the day-to-day you want. Some settlors keep an eye on investment choices, while others prefer to appoint a manager and review reports each period.
Roles come next. The deed names the settlor, the trustee, each beneficiary and any protector, and a Jersey trust must have at least one trustee (source: Jersey Law Website, Trusts (Jersey) Law 1984, Article 16).
If you want a protector, pick that person now so the deed can describe the role.
Bring your own advisers in early. A lawyer or tax adviser who reads the plan before drafting can flag a concern while the plan is still easy to reshape.
Step by step: from enquiry to signed deed
Cases differ, but the working order is usually the one below. Stages overlap, and yours may need an extra one.
- 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 Jersey 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. If the structure includes a company or a foundation, the incorporation steps are done in this stage. A local partner does the work in Jersey; 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
Each settlor gets the same core list. The table says whom each item concerns and what it is for.
| 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
We look at your identity first, then at the money. Source-of-funds checks trace the assets entering the trust, and source-of-wealth checks explain how your overall position was built.
Proof tends to be ordinary paperwork: the sale contract for a business, dividend statements, bank statements. Copies stay on file and are refreshed at intervals set by the risk rating.
The same checks reach whoever can direct the trust. A protector, a private trust company director or a named investment manager is identified in the way a settlor is.
If we have not met in person, one more safeguard is added. A second set of identity documents, closer checks on what you told us, or a first payment from an account in your name will each do.
Our Jersey partner screens you separately. Your file reaches it under a data-sharing agreement, which spares you from supplying duplicate papers.
After the trust is set up
After signing, the trustee takes on a steady routine of record keeping, meetings for decisions that arise, annual accounts and renewed identity checks.
Reports reach you in the form of an asset report and minutes. Your letter of wishes stays open to revision whenever your circumstances change.
Once a year the trustee also collects self-certification forms, which feed tax information exchange. The tax and reporting guide sets out how that works.
If a trust already exists, 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.
Check the features the law allows before fixing the structure, or turn to the common questions for fast answers. When you are ready, ask for a quote.
Frequently asked questions
How long does set-up take in Jersey?
Mostly it depends on three outside parties: the law firm, the Jersey partner and the bank. Tidy documents and quick identity checks help, while moving assets often finishes last. Dates are never promised, but you can see where each stage stands at any time.
Which documents do I need for a trust in Jersey?
Have ready a passport and proof of address, evidence of the origin of your funds and wealth, beneficiary details, and incorporation papers for any company that will join the trust. The table on this page lists every item and the reason for it.
Can I set up a trust in Jersey from abroad?
Yes. Identity checks and signing can both be done remotely. If we cannot meet in person, we add a safeguard, such as a second set of identity papers or a first payment made from an account in your own name, so we can be sure of who you are.
Sources
- Jersey Law Website: Trusts (Jersey) Law 1984, read 2026-11-05.
- Government of Jersey: Common Reporting Standard (CRS), read 2026-11-05.