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Published trust registration and licence fees

Published government charges connect to trust registration, licensing and certain trust deeds. These are separate fee items, not a typical family's total cost.

Registration and renewal charges

Nevis regulations list separate fees for registering an International Exempt Trust and its certificate. The listed US$220 trust registration fee sits alongside a US$5 Certificate of Registration fee, so they are distinct charges.[3]

The same schedule lists a US$220 annual fee and a US$5 Certificate of Renewal fee. It separately names charges for late renewal, voluntary filing and termination, which do not form part of the basic registration and annual items.[3]

For a Cayman registered private trust company, the published initial CIMA registration fee is CI$3,500, and published annual fee figures range from CI$4,000 to CI$4,057.37.

Cayman law also distinguishes registration from licensing. A registered PTC is exempt from holding a trust licence when the registration and connected-business conditions are met.

Trust business licence charges

Singapore's Monetary Authority of Singapore FAQ lists an S$1,000 application fee for a trust business licence and an S$4,000 licence fee for a licensed trust company for one year. The first item concerns the application; the second is the one-year licence charge.[6]

Trust business covers activities such as acting as trustee for an express trust, arranging for a trustee, and providing trust administration. Some persons are exempt from holding a trust business licence, so the charges apply to a licence application or a licensed trust company, not automatically to every trust deed or family trust.[6]

Duties attached to trust deeds

The BVI charges a US$200 trust duty on a deed establishing a BVI trust, or on a deed changing an existing trust's governing law to BVI. The duty is paid by affixing stamps to the deed.[4]

Cayman charges CI$40 stamp duty on a deed of settlement and declaration of trust. These deed duties are separate from company registration and trust business licence fees because they attach to specified instruments.[4]

In Bermuda, stamp duty can arise on instruments involving Bermuda property, or on instruments that do not have the specified local trustee or international business as a proper party. The duty depends on these conditions, so there is no single general fee amount for every trust.[1]

How to read the published amounts

A registration fee, an annual renewal charge, an application fee, a licence fee and deed duty refer to different events or documents.

Questions and answers

What charges are listed for registering a Nevis International Exempt Trust?

Nevis charges US$220 for the trust registration and US$5 for its Certificate of Registration. There is also an annual fee of US$220 and a Certificate of Renewal fee of US$5.[3]

What does the Singapore trust business licence cost?

The Monetary Authority of Singapore FAQ lists an S$1,000 licence application fee. It lists an S$4,000 licence fee for a licensed trust company for a one-year period.[6]

Do Cayman registered private trust companies pay a trust licence fee?

A registered PTC is exempt from the requirement to obtain a trust licence when the stated conditions apply. That arrangement carries its own initial registration fee and annual registration fee.[2][9]

Are these published charges a family's total trust cost?

No. They are distinct government or regulatory items, such as registration, renewal, licensing or duty on a specified deed. Recurring costs extend beyond government renewals, so these listed amounts are not a typical family's total cost.[3][8]

Sources and data notes
  1. careyolsen.com, The application of Bermuda stamp duty to trust structures | Carey Olsen. https://www.careyolsen.com/insights/briefings/application-bermuda-stamp-duty-trust-structures. Retrieved .
  2. mourant.com, Cayman Islands: Private Trust Companies, Mourant. https://www.mourant.com/guides/cayman-islands-private-trust-companies/. Retrieved .
  3. nevisfsrc.com, Nevis International Exempt Trust Ordinance, Cap. 7.03 (N). https://www.nevisfsrc.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Ch-07.03N-Nevis-International-Exempt-Trust-Ord.pdf. Retrieved .
  4. harneys.com, Comparison of key trust features for the British Virgin Islands and the Cayman Islands. https://www.harneys.com/insights/comparison-of-key-trust-features-for-the-british-virgin-islands-and-the-cayman-islands/. Retrieved .
  5. cima.ky, Cayman Islands Monetary Authority Fee Schedule (updated 1 January 2026). https://www.cima.ky/upimages/commonfiles/WebsiteFeeSchedule1January2026Update_1770328410.pdf. Retrieved .
  6. mas.gov.sg, Trust Companies Act 2005 and Trust Companies Regulations: Frequently Asked Questions (amended January 2024). https://www.mas.gov.sg/-/media/mas-media-library/regulation/faqs/cmi/faqs-on-trust-companies-act-and-trust-companies-regulations/faqs-on-trust-companies-act-and-trust-companies-regulations---amended-january-2024.pdf. Retrieved .
  7. pierrolaw.com, Trustco Bank, Estate, Trust and Investment Services handout (January 2022). https://www.pierrolaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Trustco-Bank-Handouts-January-2022.pdf. Retrieved .
  8. blakeharrislaw.com, Nevis Trust: How It Works and What It Costs. https://blakeharrislaw.com/blog/nevis-trust-cost. Retrieved .
  9. collascrill.com, Cayman Islands private trust companies | Collas Crill. https://www.collascrill.com/articles/cayman-islands-private-trust-companies/. Retrieved .

Dates in this block record when each source was read for this page.