Official fee
R250
The prescribed Master's fee payable when a new inter vivos trust instrument is lodged. This is the one universal setup amount supported by the current official fee notice and payment form.
Trust fees without the hidden layers
How Much Does It Cost to Set Up a Trust in South Africa?
The official Master's fee for lodging a new inter vivos trust instrument is currently R250. That is not the total price of creating, funding and running a useful trust.
A responsible quote separates professional setup work, transfers of property or other assets, and recurring administration. Use this guide and calculator to compare like with like.
Wills & Trust provides intake and referral support. It does not itself draft trust instruments, register trusts, transfer assets, act as trustee or provide legal, tax, accounting, investment or fiduciary advice.
The short answer
What Does It Cost to Set Up a Trust?
Professional work
Quote required
Advice, drafting, applications, compliance setup and onboarding depend on scope, credentials, complexity and what the provider will actually do.
Funding the trust
Asset-specific
Property, shares, cash, loans and business interests can create different conveyancing, valuation, tax, lender and administrative costs.
Running the trust
Annual cost
Trustees, records, accounts, tax returns, beneficial ownership, banking and investments can continue long after registration.
There is no reliable universal market price for professional setup or annual administration. This page does not invent one. Ask each provider for a written, VAT-clear quote using the same scope.
Compare the full lifecycle
The Four Cost Layers in One Quote
| Layer | Ask the quote to identify | Often omitted |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Master and official payments | The R250 new inter vivos trust fee and any other disbursements paid to third parties | Proof of payment and whether disbursements are included or reimbursed later |
| 2. Professional setup | Consultation, suitability review, drafting, amendments, Master application, beneficial ownership and SARS registration scope | Requisitions, later amendments, certified copies, tax advice and trustee onboarding |
| 3. Asset funding and transfer | What will move, when, at what value, through which legal route and with which tax review | Transfer duty, conveyancing, bond consent, valuation, capital gains tax, donations tax and section 7C analysis |
| 4. Recurring administration | Trustee charging basis, bookkeeping, financial statements, tax return, IT3(t), beneficial ownership, banking and investment fees | Minimum fees, hourly work, distribution charges, meetings, dormant years and termination work |
The official amount
The R250 Master's Fee
The prescribed fee is R250 when a new inter vivos trust instrument is lodged with the Master. The current DOJ payment form still states R250. Paying it does not mean the Master has accepted the application or authorised the trustees.
A trustee may not act merely because the documents and fee have been submitted. Written authority from the Master is required. The DOJ guidance also says there is no Master's registration fee for a testamentary trust and no fee for an amendment to an existing trust, although a professional may still charge for drafting and lodging that work.
Keep the official fee separate on the quote. A bundled professional invoice should not imply that the full bundle is a government charge.
Scope drives price
Professional Setup Fees
Suitability and tax review
A trust should be tested against its real purpose, family circumstances, asset values, tax position, risks and simpler options. A document-only price may exclude this work.
Trust instrument and resolutions
Drafting quality, amendment rounds, trustee powers, beneficiary classes, deadlock rules, remuneration and special clauses all affect scope.
Master application
Confirm whether forms, certified documents, filing, requisitions, security issues and Letters of Authority follow-up are included.
Compliance onboarding
Beneficial ownership records, SARS registration, initial tax details, record systems and trustee policies may be separate work.
Independent or professional trustee
An independent trustee is not a universal statutory requirement for every trust. The Master may require one in relevant circumstances, and a family may choose one for governance. Ask how onboarding and ongoing time are charged.
VAT and disbursements
The quote should say whether VAT applies and whether courier, certification, filing and third-party costs are included. VAT depends on the provider's registration and the service supplied.
Registration does not move an asset
The Cost of Transferring Assets
Property
A conveyancer must confirm the legal route, transaction value, VAT or transfer-duty treatment, title conditions, bond or lender requirements, deeds costs and timing. A donation or sale can also have income-tax and donations-tax consequences.
Cash, investments and shares
Account opening, investment-platform rules, valuations, securities registers, contracts and tax may add cost. Moving an asset is not the same as recording a loan to the trust.
Loans to a trust need tax advice
Low-interest or interest-free loans by connected natural persons can engage section 7C of the Income Tax Act. The tax result depends on current law, interest, relationships, use of funds and exemptions. Do not choose a funding method from a generic calculator.
Use your real written quotes
Trust Setup and Property Transfer-Duty Calculator
Enter amounts supplied by your professionals. The only amount this tool calculates from law is indicative transfer duty using the SARS bands effective from 1 April 2026. It does not decide whether transfer duty, VAT, an exemption or a different transaction value applies.
Budget beyond year one
Annual Trust Administration Costs
Trustee work
Meetings, resolutions, distributions, investment decisions, conflicts, records and professional responsibility. Ask whether the basis is fixed, hourly, percentage-based or mixed.
Accounts and records
Bookkeeping, supporting documents and financial statements may be required for sound administration and tax. Do not assume every trust needs a statutory audit; ask what standard of work is actually quoted.
Tax compliance
SARS requires an annual ITR12T for every registered trust, including a dormant trust. Provisional tax, IT3(t), supporting schedules and queries can add work where applicable.
Beneficial ownership
Trustees must keep the prescribed register and lodge current beneficial ownership information with the Master. Changes can trigger additional administration.
Bank and investments
Account charges, platform costs, adviser fees, asset-management fees and transaction charges belong in the annual comparison, even if another provider invoices them.
Change and termination
New trustees, amendments, asset sales, distributions, disputes and eventual termination are not ordinary annual costs. Ask how unplanned work will be approved and charged.
A different cost timeline
Testamentary Trust Costs Are Different
A testamentary trust is created by a valid will and begins after death. The DOJ guidance says the will is the trust document and no Master's registration fee is charged for this kind of trust.
There is no lifetime trust bank account, annual tax return or trustee administration before death because the trust does not yet exist. That does not make the plan free. Professional will drafting may carry a fee, and registration, trustee, tax, accounting, banking and investment costs can begin after death.
Compare the future administration with the amount likely to reach the trust and the period it may run. For a child's inheritance, see the trust for minor children guide.
Cost is part of suitability
When the Trust Costs More Than It Solves
Warning signs
- The purpose can be met by a suitable will, contract, beneficiary nomination or simpler ownership arrangement.
- The planned assets are modest, heavily bonded or unlikely to reach the trust.
- The family is unwilling to keep trust assets, records and decisions genuinely separate.
- The annual cost would consume too much of the expected income or capital.
A useful decision test
Write down the problem, assets, intended funding, beneficiaries, expected duration and governance need. Then compare the after-tax, after-cost position with realistic alternatives. A cheap document is poor value if the structure is unnecessary. A higher professional fee may still be poor value if the scope is unclear.
No verified client result or testimonial is presented on this draft page. Suitability must rest on your facts and the professional advice you receive.
Make providers quote the same job
What a Written Trust Quote Should Include
Deliverables
Advice, draft, revisions, forms, filing, requisitions, authority follow-up and handover.
Exclusions
Tax opinions, transfers, valuations, certification, banking, investments and later amendments.
People and credentials
Who advises, drafts, files, handles tax, acts as trustee and remains accountable.
Charging basis
Fixed, hourly, percentage, minimum, transaction or blended fees, with approval rules.
VAT and disbursements
Inclusive or exclusive amounts and every third-party payment.
Annual and exit cost
A realistic year-one estimate, dormant-year basis and amendment or termination rates.
Check the person, not only the brand
Who Performs the Work and Which Credentials to Check
Legal work
Ask who gives the legal advice and drafts the instrument. If an attorney is named, verify admission and current standing through the Legal Practice Council's channels.
Tax work
A person who gives tax advice or completes returns for reward must meet the applicable SARS tax-practitioner requirements. Use the SARS practitioner search to verify registration.
Trustee and accounting work
Ask for the individual's experience, professional body where relevant, insurance, conflicts, charging basis and who performs or reviews the records and statements.
Better inputs produce a better quote
Documents and Information Needed for a Cost Estimate
- The trust's purpose, intended duration and the alternatives already considered
- Founder, proposed trustees, beneficiaries and any non-resident person
- Asset list, ownership, current values, acquisition details, debt and expected income
- Property deeds, municipal information, bonds, lender conditions and intended transfer route
- Existing trust deed, Letters of Authority, amendments and beneficial ownership details if amending
- Tax numbers, relevant returns, loan accounts and the proposed funding method
No invented turnaround promise
Timing and Payment Milestones
1. Advice and scope
The provider reviews the purpose, people, assets and tax questions, then confirms deliverables, exclusions and deposit.
2. Draft and application
Drafting, approval, signatures, supporting records and lodgement follow. Payment milestones should match completed work.
3. Authority and onboarding
The timing depends on complete information, professional capacity, Master's processing and any requisitions. Asset transfers begin only through the correct later process.
Ask what happens if the Master raises a requisition, a trustee changes, a signature is delayed or the proposed transfer proves unsuitable. A fixed setup date cannot responsibly be promised before those dependencies are known.
Clear answers before you pay
Trust Cost Questions
Is R250 the total cost of a trust?
No. It is the current official fee for lodging a new inter vivos trust instrument. Professional work, transfers and annual administration are separate.
Does an amendment cost R250?
The DOJ guidance says no Master's fee is charged for an amendment to an existing trust. A legal, tax or administration provider may charge for its work.
Is a testamentary trust free?
There is no Master's registration fee and no lifetime administration before death, but will drafting may cost money and post-death trustee, tax, accounting, banking and investment work can be substantial.
Does the calculator show what SARS will charge?
It applies current transfer-duty bands to the number you enter. It cannot determine the correct transaction value, whether VAT or transfer duty applies, or whether an exemption is available.
Is a trust automatically tax-efficient?
No. Ordinary trusts are currently taxed at a flat 45% rate on taxable income retained in the trust, subject to the tax rules and any valid treatment of amounts vested in beneficiaries. Funding can also create capital gains, donations-tax or section 7C consequences.
Must a dormant trust file a return?
SARS states that all registered trusts, including dormant trusts, must submit an annual ITR12T.
Start with scope, not a sales number
Get My Written Trust Cost Estimate
Share the stage, purpose and assets. A representative can use that context to discuss the next assessment step and what must be quoted separately.
This request is not legal or tax advice, a fixed price, acceptance of an instruction, a promise that a trust is suitable, or consent to unrelated marketing.
Scope and limits
This guide explains current public fees, quote structure and common cost categories. It cannot determine whether a trust is appropriate, classify a trust for tax, value an asset, calculate a specific transaction's tax, interpret a deed or replace legal, tax, conveyancing, accounting, investment or fiduciary advice. Cross-border persons, disability planning, insolvency risk, business interests, divorce, maintenance disputes, Shari'ah planning and litigation require tailored review.
Editorial and professional record
- Author
- Muhammad Khan
Director and Information Officer, K2023120042 (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd t/a willandtrust.co.za. Business and editorial role only; no legal, tax, fiduciary, accounting or investment credential is claimed. - Professional reviewers
- Not yet assigned
A South African trust-law reviewer and registered tax practitioner must add their names, credentials, professional bodies, registration or admission status and review dates. - Research date
- Official sources checked 3 August 2026.
- Publication status
- Noindex professional-review draft. Not approved for publication.
Primary Sources Checked on 3 August 2026
- DOJ Master: trust registration, amendments, testamentary trusts, trustee authority and beneficial ownership
- Government Notice 1162 of 2017: prescribed R250 fee
- DOJ Master current prescribed-fee payment form
- Trust Property Control Act 57 of 1988, consolidated DOJ text
- SARS: registering a trust for income tax
- SARS trust FAQs: annual ITR12T, IT3(t) and tax rate
- SARS transfer-duty rates effective from 1 April 2026
- SARS income-tax rates for ordinary trusts
- SARS donations-tax guidance
- SARS tax-practitioner requirements and verification