Trust Deed Format (Public Charitable Trust)
Draft the deed that creates a charitable or religious trust, with its objects, trustees, corpus and rules of management.
What it is
A trust deed is the document by which a settlor transfers property, the initial corpus, to trustees to hold for stated objects. Public charitable and religious trusts are governed by the deed, general law and, in some States, a Public Trusts Act; private trusts fall under the Indian Trusts Act, 1882. The deed is the first document the Income-tax Department looks at when a trust applies for registration and approval for donors' deduction, so the objects and the clause on application of income need care.
When it is used
- Setting up an NGO for education, medical relief, relief of the poor or other charitable purposes.
- Creating a religious or religious-cum-charitable trust.
- Before applying for PAN, a bank account and income-tax registration of the trust.
What the template covers
- Name, registered office and type of trust
- Settlor and initial corpus
- Objects of the trust
- Trustees, their tenure, appointment and removal
- Powers of trustees and meetings
- Accounts, audit and application of income
- Amendment, dissolution and transfer of surplus to a similar trust
Details you will need
The generator asks for the following. Fields marked with an asterisk in the form are required; the rest can be left blank and filled in later in Word.
Deed
Deed Date; Place of Execution; Stamp Paper Value (₹)
Trust
Name of the Trust; Trust Type; Registered Office; Main Object; Detailed Object Clauses
Settlor (Author)
Settlor Name; S/o, D/o or W/o; Address; PAN; Initial Corpus (₹)
Trustees
Trustees (min 2): Trustee Name, PAN, Address, Designation
Governance
Trustee Tenure (years); Board Meeting Frequency
Stamp duty, registration and filing
The deed is executed on stamp paper; duty depends on the State and the property settled, so check the current rate with the Sub-Registrar or on the State revenue portal before execution. A trust of immovable property must be created by a registered instrument, and registering the deed is advisable in every case because banks and the Income-tax Department ask for it. Registration under the income-tax law is applied for in Form 104 (formerly Form 10A) from 1 April 2026, followed by regular registration and 80G approval; check the current forms and validity periods on incometax.gov.in.
Generate the Trust Deed (Public Charitable Trust)
Fill in the form and download the draft as a Word file. It is a general template, not legal or professional advice; have it reviewed for your facts before you sign or rely on it.
Need this checked against your facts, or the registration or filing that follows? Contact SKAG and Associates
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Frequently asked questions
How many trustees does a trust need?
The law does not fix a number, but at least two trustees is usual, and many trusts have three or more to manage decisions and continuity.
Can the settlor also be a trustee?
Yes. The settlor is often one of the first trustees.
Is the trust deed registered with the Income-tax Department?
No. The deed is registered with the Sub-Registrar; the trust then applies separately to the Income-tax Department for registration and 80G approval.
Can the objects be changed later?
Only as the deed allows, and any change must be reported to the Income-tax Department because it can affect the registration.
This page gives general information for reference only. Laws, stamp duty rates and filing requirements change and differ between States, so confirm the current position for your case. Related: all document templates · free tax calculators · compliance calendar and guides.