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Seychelles trust law and key features
Seychelles trust law is the Trusts Act 2021 (Act 34 of 2021), amended in 2026, which sets how a trust is created, how long it lasts and who must act as trustee. Below are the governing law, the trustee rules, and the features and limits, each with its source. Take them to your lawyer.
Reviewed by a senior trust administrator, updated
The legal frame at a glance
What the law provides, with the source number for each item.
Key facts
- Trust structure
- A Seychelles trust is of no effect unless made in writing (s. 8)[1]
- Perpetuity period
- A Seychelles trust may continue indefinitely; no perpetuity rule applies (s. 15)[1]
- Foreign law rules
- Questions on a Seychelles trust are decided by Seychelles law (s. 66)[1]
- Trustee requirement
- Every trust must have an approved trustee; co-trustees may live abroad (s. 21)[1]
Numbers in brackets point to the Sources list at the end of this page.
Swipe sideways to see the whole diagram.
- SettlorSets up the structure and transfers assets into it
- states the purpose and transfers assetsTrusteeHolds the assets and manages them under the trust deed
- applies assets toTrust purposeThe stated purpose the trust serves, in place of beneficiaries
- Enforcer can enforce the purposeEnforcerCan hold the trustee to the terms of the trust
- Trustee holds legal titleTrust assetsThe property held in the structure
Roles and notes
| Part of the structure | What it does |
|---|---|
| Settlor | Sets up the structure and transfers assets into it |
| Trustee | Holds the assets and manages them under the trust deed |
| Enforcer | Can hold the trustee to the terms of the trust |
| Trust purpose | The stated purpose the trust serves, in place of beneficiaries |
| Trust assets | The property held in the structure |
- A purpose trust holds assets for a purpose and needs an enforcer to be valid (s. 14).
- The deed may also appoint a protector and set its powers.
- The approved trustee holds title and keeps the records.
- The trust cannot hold land in Seychelles.
- A letter of wishes sits beside the deed and guides, but does not bind, the trustee.
The governing law
Trust law in Seychelles comes mainly from one statute. The Trusts Act 2021 (Act 34 of 2021) sets how a trust is created and run.
A trust is of no effect unless it is made in writing (s. 8). Questions on its validity, administration and powers are decided by Seychelles law (s. 66).
The Trusts (Amendment) Act 2026 (Act 14 of 2026) adds a duty to answer a bank’s anti-money-laundering (AML) disclosure request (source: Official Gazette, Trusts (Amendment) Act 2026).
If your trust was made before 2021, your lawyer confirms which Act applies to it.
The tax and reporting page explains what the trustee files.
Who may act as trustee
Every trust must have an approved trustee, and co-trustees may live outside Seychelles (s. 21).
After the deed is signed, the approved trustee registers a trustee appointment declaration for the trust (s. 11).
We work with a local partner where the work is done in Seychelles; your engagement letter sets out its role.
A co-trustee beside the approved trustee is a practical choice. Think about continuity, record keeping and where the co-trustee lives.
Features the law allows
The Act allows features that families comparing places often ask about.
- No fixed end date. A trust may continue indefinitely, and no perpetuity rule applies (s. 15).
- Reserved powers. A settlor may reserve powers such as revoking or varying the trust without invalidating it (s. 16).
- Purpose trusts. A trust can be made for a purpose without a beneficiary if the deed appoints an enforcer (s. 14).
- Protectors. The deed may appoint a protector and set its powers.
- Own law for trust questions. Questions on a Seychelles trust are decided by Seychelles law (s. 66). Ask your lawyer how a court elsewhere sees it.
None of these features decides an outcome by itself. How they work for your family turns on where you live and where the assets sit.
Limits and requirements
The Act also sets firm limits and duties:
- A trust cannot hold land in Seychelles, or shares in a company owning it (s. 10).
- A trustee must keep accounting records and lodge them in Seychelles (s. 27).
- Under the 2026 amendment, a trustee must answer a bank’s disclosure request for its anti-money-laundering checks (source: Official Gazette, Trusts (Amendment) Act 2026).
How far a deed can narrow the trustee’s other duties turns on its wording, a point your lawyer reviews.
Seychelles also takes part in information exchange, covered in the reporting guide. The cost guide lists who charges for the yearly work.
What this means in practice
The Act gives a settlor room to design the trust. The deed decides how much of that room is used.
Three drafting choices matter most.
First, which powers the settlor reserves, and whether a protector holds them instead. Second, whether the trust is for beneficiaries or for a purpose. Third, which co-trustees serve beside the approved trustee.
Each choice changes who can act and who must be told. We set them out in plain language for you and your lawyer before the draft starts.
Assets are the other half. Because of the land rule, list every asset, and any company that owns property in Seychelles, before drafting begins.
Sources and review dates
The Official Gazette carries the Trusts Act and the 2026 amendment.
We review the facts on this page when the law changes.
The overview of Seychelles puts them in context.
The set-up guide shows where each check happens, and the common questions page answers the practical ones.
Frequently asked questions
Which law governs a trust in Seychelles?
A Seychelles trust is governed by the Trusts Act 2021 (Act 34 of 2021), as amended in 2026. The Act says how a trust is created, how long it may last and what the trustee owes the beneficiaries. Questions on the trust are decided by Seychelles law (s. 66), and a well-drafted deed names that law expressly.
Who may act as trustee in Seychelles?
The Act requires an approved trustee for every trust (s. 21), and co-trustees may live abroad. The deed names an approved trustee, which registers a trustee appointment declaration (s. 11). A family member or adviser abroad can serve beside it as co-trustee, where the deed provides for one.
Can a trust in Seychelles have a protector?
Yes. The deed may appoint a protector and set its powers, for example consent to a distribution or to a change of trustee. The protector is often a person the family trusts or a professional adviser. Your lawyer drafts those powers so they fit with any powers the settlor reserves under s. 16.
How does a Seychelles trust differ from a Seychelles foundation?
In a trust, the trustee holds title under a deed for the beneficiaries. A foundation, as a separate body, holds assets in its own name; your lawyer confirms the Seychelles foundation rules. Which one fits depends on who should run the structure after you and where your heirs live.
Sources
- Official Gazette: Trusts Act 2021 (Act 34 of 2021), read 2026-11-05.
- Official Gazette: Trusts (Amendment) Act 2026 (Act 14 of 2026), read 2026-11-05.