North Dakota Century Code Title 59. Trusts § 59-12-02. Requirements for creation

1. A trust is created only if the settlor has capacity to create a trust, the settlor indicates an intention to create the trust, the trust has a definite beneficiary or is a charitable trust, a trust for the care of an animal, as provided in section 59-12-08, or a trust for a noncharitable purpose, as provided in section 59-12-09;  the trustee has duties to perform;  and the same person is not the sole trustee and sole beneficiary.

2. A beneficiary is definite if the beneficiary can be ascertained now or in the future, subject to any applicable rule against perpetuities.

3. A power in a trustee to select a beneficiary from an indefinite class is valid.  If the power is not exercised within a reasonable time, the power fails and the property subject to the power passes to the persons who would have taken the property had the power not been conferred.