Chapel of the Pines in Placerville has served families in El Dorado County since 1964 and installed a crematory in 1981. Its chapel seats up to 180 guests, with a family room for 30, and it holds graveside, chapel and off-site services.
What to Do When Someone Dies in El Dorado County, California
How probate works in El Dorado County: the Superior Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
El Dorado County Superior Court
El Dorado County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-3:30 PM
Office
2927 Meder Road, Cameron Park, CA 95682
Website
E-filing
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Self-help forms
E-filing
Required for attorneysMandatory in probate for represented parties and justice partners under Local Rule 7.08.00, through an approved electronic filing service provider; self-represented parties are exempt and may e-file. The court accepts no filings by email or fax. On paper: Original wills and codicils; Bonds and undertakings; Exhibits lodged for hearings or trials; Subpoenaed documents; Copy requests.
Self-represented filing
AllowedProbate handles decedent estates, guardianships, conservatorships, and trusts. The court Self-Help Center does not assist with probate; statewide self-help (selfhelp.courts.ca.gov) referenced.
County forms
- Declaration of American Indian Status (C-40)Mandatory local form listed under probate.
- Due Diligence Statement (P-2)Optional local probate form.
Fax
1-530-672-2413
Departments
- Department 9 (West Slope probate and conservatorships, Cameron Park Branch)1-530-621-5867 · 2927 Meder RoadWest Slope probate and conservatorship filings are made at this branch and assigned to Department 9 for all purposes.
- Department 4 (South Lake Tahoe probate)1-530-573-3075 · 1354 Johnson Boulevard, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150South Lake Tahoe probate filings are made at this branch and assigned to Department 4. Department line: 1-530-573-3044.
- Department 8 (West Slope guardianships, Placerville Building C Branch)1-530-621-7470 · 2850 Fairlane Court, Suite 120, Placerville, CA 95667West Slope guardianships are filed at this branch and assigned to Department 8.
- Main Street Branch (Criminal)1-530-621-6426 · 495 Main Street, Placerville, CA 95667
About the court
- Probate is heard in Departments 4, 8 and 9. Placerville Main Street Branch handles criminal cases.
Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
How Probate Works in El Dorado 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 El Dorado County, probate runs through the Superior Court at 2927 Meder Road, Cameron Park. Probate e-filing in El Dorado County goes through eldorado.courts.ca.gov, which no other California county uses.
The personal representative opens the case, gives notice to heirs and creditors, files an inventory of the estate's assets, settles outstanding debts and taxes, and then distributes the remainder under the will — or under California intestacy law when there is no will.
Most California estates take 12 months to 18 months to move through this process. Creditors have 4 monthsCal. Prob. Code §§ 9050-9054, 9100-9104, 9150, 9153, 9256, 9353, 11420; CCP § 366.2Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present a claim, counted from the opening of the estate.
What Probate Costs in El Dorado County
What probate costs in El Dorado County, California comes down to a handful of line items — the court filing fee, attorney and executor compensation, publication, and sometimes a bond — scaled by the estate's size and whether the will is contested. The case itself runs through the Superior Court at 2927 Meder Road, Cameron Park.
California charges $435Cal. Gov. Code §§ 70650(a), 70602.5, 70602.6Verified Oct 17, 2026View source to open probate, the same in every county. Additional filings during administration — inventory, accounting, the final petition — add to the total.
Estimate the costs for this estate:
California sets attorney fees by statute — a percentage of the estate's gross value. Every attorney charges the same schedule, so the decision to hire one comes down to complexity, not price.
California sets executor compensation by statute — about $13,000 on a $500,000 estate, roughly 2.6%Cal. Prob. Code § 10800Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Family members who are also beneficiaries often waive the fee — executor pay is taxable income while inheritances are not.
California requires publishing notice to creditors in a local newspaper, and the estate pays for it.
A surety bond may be required unless the will waives it or all beneficiaries consent. Premiums run roughly 0.5%Industry surety premium estimate; the bond itself under Cal. Prob. Code §§ 8480 (bond required before letters issued), 8481 (waiver: will provision or all-beneficiary written waiver; court may still require bond for good cause)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value annually.
Probate in California typically runs 12 months to 18 months, and costs accrue throughout that period.
How to File Probate at the Superior Court
Probate cases in El Dorado County, California are filed at the Superior Court.
Beside the filing office, the court lists separate lines for Department 9, Department 4 (South Lake Tahoe probate), Department 8, and Main Street Branch (Criminal).
Can You File Without an Attorney?
In California, informal probate is not availableCal. Prob. Code §§ 8005 (hearing on the petition), 8006 (court admits the will and appoints the personal representative); no registrar or clerk informal probate trackVerified Sep 8, 2026View source, so self-filing means a formal court petition rather than a registrar filing.
For a full cost comparison and filing checklist, see the El Dorado County Self-Filing Assessment.
El Dorado County Filing Requirements
These are specific requirements for filing probate in this county. Following these guidelines will help avoid delays or rejected filings.
Before You File
West Slope probate and conservatorship cases are filed at the Cameron Park Branch and assigned to Department 9; West Slope guardianships are filed at the Placerville Building C Branch and assigned to Department 8; South Lake Tahoe probate is filed at the South Lake Tahoe Branch and assigned to Department 4.
SourceObjections to a probate calendar matter are made at the hearing or filed and served by mail on the petitioner's attorney five days before the hearing.
Local Rule 10.00.02.
SourceAbsent formal objections, the petitioner may request a continuance in writing by 1:00 PM the day before the hearing.
Local Rule 10.00.03.
SourceCourt Appearances
Probate tentative rulings are posted on the court's website after 2:00 PM on the court day before the hearing; where no appearance is required, the tentative ruling becomes the order unless oral argument is requested.
Local Rule 10.00.01.
SourceAppearances are required on applications to appoint a guardian or conservator, terminations of a guardianship or conservatorship, confirmations of sale, contested matters, and matters the court calls for.
Local Rule 10.00.04.
SourceOther Requirements
What to Bring
Filed with the opening petition at the Superior Court: Certified copy of the death certificate (required by some counties with the petition; not a statewide DE-111 attachment); Original will and any codicils (lodged with the court) (Cal. Prob. Code § 8200); Notice of Petition to Administer Estate (DE-121) with proof of publication and mailed notice (§§ 8100, 8120); Duties and Liabilities of Personal Representative (DE-147); Confidential Supplement to Duties and Liabilities of Personal Representative (DE-147S), where the court requires it by local rule; Proposed Order for Probate (DE-140)Cal. Prob. Code §§ 8000-8577 (appointment & letters); §§ 8002, 10450 (petition contents)Verified Aug 24, 2026View source.
Death Certificates and the Coroner in El Dorado County
In California a death is registered locally, and in El Dorado County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Public Health Office of Vital Statistics, El Dorado County as well as by California Department of Public Health - Vital Records.
Vital Records Office Record
Local Health Department
El Dorado County · Public Health Office of Vital Statistics
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-noon and 1:00 PM-4:00 PM
Office
931 Spring Street, Placerville, CA 95667
Website
Also issued by
The county recorder
Fax
1-530-295-2715
Local rule
- The office issues certificates for deaths in the current or immediate past year. The Recorder-Clerk issues older ones, in person by appointment, by mail or online.
Burial and cremation permits
- Issued byPublic Health Office of Vital Statistics, El Dorado County
- After-hours permit line1-800-901-5789
Certified copy fees
| First certified copy | $26 |
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
Sheriff-Coroner
El Dorado County · Sheriff's Office Coroner's Unit
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Funeral Homes in El Dorado County
5 funeral homes and crematories in El Dorado County, each listed with the services it offers, the faiths it serves, the languages its staff speak, its address and its phone.
In Placerville, this funeral home near Historic Downtown serves families across the surrounding El Dorado County area with burial, cremation and pre-need planning. Established in 2017, it offers identification and private viewings on site, and cremations take place at company-owned facilities in the Sacramento area. It has no on-site crematory, chapel or reception space.
Foothill Cremation is a cremation provider in Placerville, one of three cremation locations with offices in Folsom and South Lake Tahoe. It takes cremation arrangements online and offers advance planning with its pre-planning advisors.
In Rescue, Green Valley Mortuary & Cemetery arranges funerals, memorial services and cremation, from personalized ceremonies to simple cremation. Its cemetery offers burial plots, mausoleums, niches and scattering gardens, and complimentary advance planning consultations are available.
This mortuary on Emerald Bay Road in South Lake Tahoe serves El Dorado County with funeral and memorial services, viewings, receptions and cremation. It can livestream and record funeral services, and families can record arrangements ahead of time through an online advance planning form.
Funeral homes by city: Placerville, Rescue, South Lake Tahoe
Cremation Services in El Dorado County
4 listings
Pre-Need Funeral Plans in El Dorado County
4 listings
Burial Services in El Dorado County
2 listings
Listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any funeral home or crematory.
Transferring Property in El Dorado County
Clearing title to real estate after a death, whether by a personal representative’s deed, an affidavit of survivorship, or a court order, happens at the County Recorder-Clerk.
Deeds and other real property documents for El Dorado County are recorded with the County Recorder-Clerk at 360 Fair Lane, Placerville, CA 95667. Phone: 1-530-621-5490. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM.
The County Recorder-Clerk charges $14 for the first page plus $3 for each additional page.
El Dorado County accepts electronic recording.
Recording Office Record
County Recorder-Clerk
El Dorado County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Office
360 Fair Lane, Placerville, CA 95667
Website
E-recording
Fax
1-530-621-2147
Recording fees
| Base fee (first page) | $14 |
| Each additional page | $3 |
| GC 27388.1 Building Homes and Jobs Act Fee (SB 2)Applies to a TOD deed | $75 |
| Transfer tax on a TOD deed | TOD deeds are exempt from transfer tax |
Cal. Gov. Code 27361; Cal. Gov. Code 27388; Cal. Gov. Code 27388.1; Cal. Gov. Code 27388.2; Cal. Rev. & Tax. Code 11911; Cal. Rev. & Tax. Code 11930
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
Forms that put a death on the title
- Free forms: Affidavit of Death Form
Probate Attorneys Serving El Dorado County
California allows independent administrationCal. Prob. Code §§ 10400 (Independent Administration of Estates Act), 10500(a) (administer without court supervision), 10501 (actions still requiring court supervision)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, so the personal representative manages, pays and distributes the estate without returning to the court for approval at each step. A probate attorney earns the fee when the estate is contested, includes a business or out-of-state real estate, has unclear or insolvent debts, or when beneficiaries disagree.
Probate attorney fees in California are set by statute as a percentage of the estate's value, so every El Dorado County attorney charges the same schedule. Price isn't the variable — experience with the Superior Court and responsiveness are.
A probate attorney files the petition with the Superior Court, publishes the required creditor notices, prepares the inventory and accounting, handles creditor claims and tax filings, and guides the final distribution. They represent the personal representative — not the beneficiaries — a distinction that matters if a dispute develops.
Sacramento and Roseville firm serving Sacramento, Placer, El Dorado, Yolo, Nevada, and Yuba-Sutter Counties with trust administration, probate, Medi-Cal planning, and long-term care planning since 1987. Founder Timothy Murphy is accredited by the Department of Veterans Affairs to assist veterans with benefits claims. Offers a free initial telephone call.
Davis firm serving Yolo, Sacramento, Solano, Placer, Colusa, El Dorado, and Yuba Counties with probate administration and conservatorships alongside estate planning and special needs planning. Keith Banks was previously probate clerk and attorney-unit research assistant at the Yolo Superior Court. Formed in 2019 by the merger of two Yolo County firms.
Roseville firm serving Sacramento, Placer, and El Dorado Counties with probate, trust administration, and estate administration for executors, personal representatives, and beneficiaries. David D. Wade founded the firm in 2010, and its attorneys are licensed in California and Washington. Free initial consultation, in person or remotely.
Amador City firm serving Amador County and the surrounding Gold Country. Handles probate and estate administration and trust and estate litigation, alongside wills, trusts, powers of attorney, health care directives, elder law, and real estate work. Notary services are available at the office.
South Lake Tahoe firm serving El Dorado County and the Tahoe basin, with attorneys admitted in both California and Nevada. Partner Tara Christian handles probate and trust administration, conservatorships and guardianships, and estate planning, alongside the firm's real estate and land use practice. The first consultation is free.
South Lake Tahoe office serving El Dorado County and the Bay Area with trust and probate administration, trust and probate litigation, and wealth succession planning alongside estate planning. Attorney Jean-Claude Mallein is a dual Certified Specialist in Taxation Law and in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law, certified by the California Board of Legal Specialization.
Firm listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any specific firm or attorney. Contact firms directly to verify their current practice areas and availability.
Legal Sources
(10)·
- Cal. Gov. Code §§ 70650(a), 70602.5, 70602.6
- Cal. Prob. Code § 10800
- Cal. Prob. Code §§ 10400 (Independent Administration of Estates Act), 10500(a) (administer without court supervision), 10501 (actions still requiring court supervision)
- Cal. Prob. Code §§ 8000-8577 (appointment & letters); §§ 8002, 10450 (petition contents)
- Cal. Prob. Code §§ 8005 (hearing on the petition), 8006 (court admits the will and appoints the personal representative); no registrar or clerk informal probate track
- Cal. Prob. Code §§ 9050-9054, 9100-9104, 9150, 9153, 9256, 9353, 11420; CCP § 366.2
- Cal. Gov. Code 27361; Cal. Gov. Code 27388; Cal. Gov. Code 27388.1; Cal. Gov. Code 27388.2; Cal. Rev. & Tax. Code 11911; Cal. Rev. & Tax. Code 11930
- El Dorado County Superior Court, official page
- El Dorado County Recorder-Clerk, official page
- El Dorado County vital records and death investigation offices, official page
Data sourced from California statutes and official state code. Fee percentages are modeled estimates; each figure's note says how. How we research.
Tools for Settling an Estate in California
Free tools for settling an estate in California: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines and taxes. Run each tool.
How Do I Settle an Estate?
Settling an estate in California: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 120 daysCal. Prob. Code §§ 8800-8804, 8900-8903Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 4 monthsCal. Prob. Code §§ 9050-9054, 9100-9104, 9150, 9153, 9256, 9353, 11420; CCP § 366.2Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 9 months to 12 months.
See the Steps
How Do I Settle a Trust?
Settling a trust in California happens outside court: the trustee acts under the state's trust statuteCal. Prob. Code § 15000 et seq.Verified Oct 17, 2026View source, notifies the beneficiaries within 60 daysCal. Prob. Code §§ 16061.7, 16061.8, 16064, 16460Verified Sep 15, 2026View source, then pays the debts and distributes under the trust's terms.
See the Steps
Can I Self-File Probate?
In California, informal probate is not availableCal. Prob. Code §§ 8005 (hearing on the petition), 8006 (court admits the will and appoints the personal representative); no registrar or clerk informal probate trackVerified Sep 8, 2026View source, so self-filing means a formal court petition rather than a registrar filing.
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