Estate Planning & Probate in Alameda County, California
Alameda County estate questions split two ways—planning so your family skips probate, or settling an estate that is already in it. This page points you to the right path—planning ahead, or settling an estate at the Superior Court - Probate Division.
Someone died — settling an estate
Filing probate at the Superior Court - Probate Division, what it costs, transferring property, and local attorneys.
What to do when someone dies in Alameda County→Planning ahead as a property owner
Keep a Alameda County home out of probate with a transfer-on-death deed or a living trust.
Estate planning in Alameda County→The Probate Process in Alameda County
Probate is the court-supervised process of settling someone's estate after they die — validating the will, paying debts and taxes, and transferring what's left to the heirs. In Alameda County, probate runs through the Superior Court - Probate Division at 2120 Martin Luther King, Jr. Way, Berkeley.
Full Alameda Countyprobate guide: cost, how to file & attorneys →Probate Court Record
Superior Court - Probate Division
Alameda County
Address
Phone
Hours
Recording Deeds & Property Documents
Recording Office Record
County Clerk-Recorder
Alameda County · Auditor-Controller/Clerk-Recorder · Melissa Wilk
Address
Phone
Hours
E-recording
$14 for the first page plus $3 for each additional page; a 2-page TOD deed records for $92; TOD deeds are exempt from transfer tax.
Full recording details →Verified September 4, 2026 · Source
Local Procedures at the Superior Court - Probate Division
All probate documents must be filed at the Clerk's Office at Berkeley Courthouse only. Documents must be filed no later than two court days prior to the hearing date.
California Estate Planning Articles
Articles about estate planning, probate, and trusts relevant to families in Alameda County.
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