Columbia County Certificate of Trust Form (Florida)

All Columbia County specific forms and documents listed below are included in your immediate download package:

Certificate of Trust Form

Columbia County Certificate of Trust Form

Fill in the blank Certificate of Trust form formatted to comply with all Florida recording and content requirements.
Included Columbia County compliant document last validated/updated 11/5/2024

Certificate of Trust Guide

Columbia County Certificate of Trust Guide

Line by line guide explaining every blank on the Certificate of Trust form.
Included Columbia County compliant document last validated/updated 10/2/2024

Completed Example of the Certificate of Trust Document

Columbia County Completed Example of the Certificate of Trust Document

Example of a properly completed Florida Certificate of Trust document for reference.
Included Columbia County compliant document last validated/updated 11/19/2024

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

Clerk of Court - County Courthouse

173 NE Hernando Ave / PO Box 2069, Lake City, Florida 32055 / 32056-2069

Hours: 8:00am - 5:00pm M-F

Phone: (386) 758-1053 and 719-7580

Local jurisdictions located in Columbia County include:

  • Fort White
  • Lake City
  • Lulu

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 Columbia County 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 Columbia County using our eRecording service.
Are these forms guaranteed to be recordable in Columbia County?

Yes. Our form blanks are guaranteed to meet or exceed all formatting requirements set forth by Columbia County 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 Columbia County that you need to transfer you would only need to order our forms once for all of your properties in Columbia County.

What are supplemental forms?

Often when a deed is recorded, additional documents are required by Florida or Columbia County. 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 Columbia County 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.

Governed by the Florida Trust Code under Fla. Stat. 736.1017, any trustee may execute and sign a certification of trust in lieu of furnishing a trust instrument (Fla. Stat. 736.1017(2)). The document is proof of a trust's existence, as well as the trustee's authority to act on behalf of the trust.

Lending institutions or other parties might ask for a certification of trust before processing a request, such as opening an account in the trust's name or transferring assets into or out of the trust. The certification contains only the information about the trust needed for the specific pending transaction, and the identities of those having a beneficial interest in the trust remain confidential; trust documents are usually unrecorded and therefore not a matter of public record.

A recipient can request excerpts of the trust instrument concerning the appointment of the trustee and the trustee's powers, as well as excerpts of relevant amendments, but may rely upon information presented in the certificate as fact.

The requirements for a valid certification of trust include the trust's name and date of the trust instrument; the settlor's name; the acting trustee's name; and the trustee's powers relevant to the situation. In addition, the certificate states whether the trust is irrevocable or revocable, and who has the power to revoke the trust in the case of the latter. If the transaction involves real estate, include the legal description of the subject property or properties.

If the trust has more than one acting trustee, the certificate shows who is authorized to sign documents relating to the trust, and how many are required to sign. The certificate also confirms the name by which the trustee, as representative of the trust, is to take title to trust assets.

Finally, the certificate requires a statement that the trust has not been modified in any way that would invalidate any information presented within.

The executing trustee signs the certificate in the presence of a notary public and two witnesses, as per Fla. Stat. 117.05. If the document is being recorded, submit it in the county in which the subject real property is located.

(Florida Certificate of Trust Package includes form, guidelines, and completed example)

Contact a lawyer with any questions regarding certifications of trust or trust law in the State of Florida, as each situation is unique.

Our Promise

The documents you receive here will meet, or exceed, the Columbia 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 Columbia 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.

4.8 out of 5 - ( 4434 Reviews )

James S.

November 21st, 2024

Forms used, created quitclaim deed that the county accepted without a second look (turns out they see deeds.com forms regularly via erecording and in person). Will be back for any real estate related forms I need and they carry. Will always be my first stop. Also, will use erecording next time, mad I didn't see it this time.

Reply from Staff

Thanks for the kind words James, glad we could help. Look forward to seeing you again.

Thomas G.

November 21st, 2024

Wasn’t what I expected

Reply from Staff

Sorry to hear that your expectations were missed. Your order has been canceled. We do hope that you find something more suitable to your expectations elsewhere. Do keep in mind that purchasing legal forms should not be an exploratory endeavor.

Jimmy P.

November 20th, 2024

They sent me everything I would need to do this. Easy purchase -Easy download. Great!! I'll be back here for all my document needs.

Reply from Staff

We appreciate your business and value your feedback. Thank you. Have a wonderful day!

Lisa C.

December 5th, 2023

Thank you. Very easy!

Reply from Staff

We are delighted to have been of service. Thank you for the positive review!

Scott H.

April 14th, 2021

Very helpful

Reply from Staff

Thank you!

Michele S.

February 10th, 2019

This is a great service if you know what youre looking for. Unfortunately it just wasnt right for me and my situation.

Reply from Staff

Thank you!

Dave W.

November 7th, 2023

Very handy when clueless about filling out a form. Saved hours of research.

Reply from Staff

Your appreciative words mean the world to us. Thank you and we look forward to serving you again!

RICHARD MANUEL F.

January 26th, 2023

I never could even think to solve an important issue involving even overseas individuals without even a lawyer within 24 h. This service works for real and I'll keep using it from now for any future needs, referring to and proposing it as a legitimate, trusted real Optimus service. I'm extremely satisfied and being a Public Official myself I got to say that these guys have really impressed me!

Reply from Staff

Thank you!

Debra R.

August 17th, 2021

So easy to follow when preparing a deed. The example places given helped to know how to correctly fill out the form! Very easy! I will use deeds.com again!

Thank you!

Reply from Staff

Thank you!

Joshua A.

May 13th, 2020

It was fast, secure, and reliable, and for the cost it saved me time, and driving four hours to the courthouse and back. It really saved me. Thank You.

Reply from Staff

Thank you Joshua, glad we could help.

cosmin B.

March 19th, 2021

It's all good!!!!

Reply from Staff

Thank you!

Melody P.

May 13th, 2021

Thank you for getting our docs recorded so quickly and efficiently! Great and dependable service, as always!

Reply from Staff

We appreciate your business and value your feedback. Thank you. Have a wonderful day!

LEON S.

November 16th, 2019

recorded deed space to small for corrective deed requirement

Reply from Staff

Thank you for your feedback. We really appreciate it. Have a great day!

john m.

June 17th, 2020

its a bit confusing for a novice computer user. I would prefer to print out the forms, fill them out on paper, then attach them to an email to discuss the accuracy of the forms with a friend, and then take the completed forms to the County office to be recorded

Reply from Staff

Thank you for your feedback. We really appreciate it. Have a great day!

Tony R.

July 23rd, 2021

As advertised. Thanks.

Reply from Staff

We appreciate your business and value your feedback. Thank you. Have a wonderful day!