Required for attorneysDocuments filed by represented parties in all civil, family law, and probate actions must be filed electronically unless the Court excuses them. Effective July 1, 2025 (CCP §1010.6), represented parties who have appeared must also accept electronic service. Self-represented parties are not required to e-file but are encouraged to; may request exemption via form EFS-007. Probate e-filing questions: probate.efile@fresno.courts.ca.gov.
Self-represented filing
AllowedThe Probate Forms page lists estate, guardianship and conservatorship forms by petition type. The Self-Help Service Center has English and Spanish instruction packets for guardianship, not for decedent estates.
Accepted payment
At the counterCash, Check, Money order, Credit card.Counter accepts cash, personal, cashier's and certified checks, money orders and credit cards for probate matters. Checks payable to Fresno County Superior Court.
Self-help center
1130 O Street, First Floor, Fresno, CA 937211-559-457-2143 · selfhelpfamilylaw@fresno.courts.ca.gov · Monday 9:00 AM-2:00 PM; Tuesday-Wednesday 9:00 AM-1:00 PM (walk-in) · Assistance in Spanish, Hmong in addition to EnglishSelf-Help Service Center (Centro de Recursos Legales). Phone and email help Thursday and Friday 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Probate help covers guardianship packets and clinics.
Probate Examinersprobateexam2@fresno.courts.ca.govEach examiner has an address (probateexam2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 @fresno.courts.ca.gov); the reviewing examiner's initials appear under "Reviewed by" on the Examiner Notes.
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 Fresno, probate runs through the Superior Court - Probate Division at 1130 O Street, 3rd Floor, Fresno. Fresno County runs probate e-filing through fresno.courts.ca.gov, the only California county on that system.
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 Fresno County
What probate costs in Fresno 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 - Probate Division at 1130 O Street, 3rd Floor, Fresno.
Procedures at this court that affect cost: Hardcopy estate forms are sold at the Probate Clerk's Office, Room 300 (for example $1.10 for a Petition for Probate set); the same forms are free online.
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 Division
Probate cases in Fresno County, California are filed at the Superior Court - Probate Division.
Beside the filing office, the court lists separate lines for Probate Clerk's Office (B.F. Sisk Courthouse), Probate Examiners, Probate Zoom Coordinator, and M Street Courthouse.
Self-Help Service Center (Centro de Recursos Legales). Phone and email help Thursday and Friday 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Probate help covers guardianship packets and clinics.
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.
These are specific requirements for filing probate in this county. Following these guidelines will help avoid delays or rejected filings.
Before You File
Probate Examiners review every matter before the hearing; Examiner Notes for non-confidential matters are posted on the court's case portal and state whether a matter is recommended for approval, in which case appearance is optional.
Local Rule 7.3. Emails and faxes to examiners do not cure deficiencies; a declaration, amendment or supplement is filed.
The Probate Clerk's Office may grant up to two continuances on the petitioner's request made by close of business two days before the hearing; further continuances are made by the judge at the hearing.
A proposed order accompanies every pleading requesting relief; if it is not in the Probate Filing Clerk's Office ten days before the hearing, a continuance may be required.
Local Rule 7.1.1(D). The Probate Code section authorizing the relief appears below the pleading title.
The Notice of Petition to Administer Estate is published in a newspaper keyed to the decedent's city (for example the Fresno Bee or Fresno Business Journal for Fresno and Clovis); outside the listed cities it is published in the Fresno Bee or Fresno Business Journal.
Filed with the opening petition at the Superior Court - Probate Division: 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 Fresno County
In California a death is registered locally, and in Fresno County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Department of Public Health, Vital Statistics, Fresno County as well as by California Department of Public Health - Vital Records.
Vital Records Office Record
Local Health Department
Fresno County · Department of Public Health, Vital Statistics
The office keeps death records for two years from the date of death; older Fresno County deaths are held by the County Recorder. In person, bring a picture ID and sign the sworn statement at the counter.
Burial and cremation permits
Issued byDepartment of Public Health, Vital Statistics, Fresno 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.
Deeds and other real property documents for Fresno County are recorded with the County Recorder at 1250 Van Ness Avenue, Fresno, CA 93721. Phone: 1-559-600-3471. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM.
Documents submitted by mail go to P.O. Box 1146, Fresno, CA 93715-1146.
The County Recorder charges $19 for the first page plus $3 for each additional page.
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 Fresno County attorney charges the same schedule. Price isn't the variable — experience with the Superior Court - Probate Division and responsiveness are.
A probate attorney files the petition with the Superior Court - Probate Division, 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.
Serves Fresno and the surrounding Central Valley from Fresno, practicing since 1903 with roughly 40 attorneys. The trusts and estates group handles trust and estate administration, trust and estate contests, litigation and appeals, and represents fiduciaries and beneficiaries in estate and gift tax audits and disputes.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 2 more
Fresno firm serving Fresno County and the Central Valley with probate and trust administration alongside estate planning. Guides executors and trustees through inventories, tax returns, and distribution, and handles conservatorships, tax planning, and asset protection. Runs free Fundamentals of Estate Planning workshops.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateTax Planningand 2 more
Fresno firm serving the central San Joaquin Valley and Central Coast from offices in Fresno, Modesto, Visalia, and San Luis Obispo. Its trusts and estates group administers testate and intestate estates and trusts, and represents beneficiaries, fiduciaries, and creditors in probate and trust litigation, will and trust contests, and fiduciary surcharge and removal proceedings.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 3 more
Fresno boutique serving Fresno County and central California with probate administration, trust administration, small estate transfers, and conservatorships alongside estate planning. Harry Pascuzzi, Susan Pascuzzi, and Steven Stoker advise families on the probate process and probate avoidance. Founded in 1990; Spanish spoken.
Estate planning and tax law firm in Fresno serving the San Joaquin and Central Valley since 2004. Drafts wills, codicils, trusts, and powers of attorney and handles trust planning and asset protection alongside tax controversy and business law; the site advertises no probate work. Frank Huerta Jr. brings nearly 18 years as a tax attorney, and consultations are free.
Fresno solo practice that guides personal representatives through California probate, validating the will, confirming the personal representative, settling debts, and overseeing distribution of estate assets, and handles trust administration for surviving families. Philip M. Flanigan has represented Fresno-area clients since 1998 and also takes conservatorship, Medi-Cal, and elder-law matters.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder Lawand 4 more
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.
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.
Enter the estate value to see California attorney fees, executor fees, court costs and the timeline.
Examples:
General information about probate costs, not legal or financial advice. Fee bases vary by state and may use gross estate, personal property, inventory value or net property after debts. Actual costs vary by county, attorney and estate complexity. Consult a licensed attorney for legal questions.
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See whether you can file probate yourself
Enter the estate value to see whether California lets a self-represented person open probate, what the court requires, and what each route costs.
General information about filing probate without a lawyer, not legal advice. Both routes are priced by the probate cost estimator on the same estate; the attorney fee is the one line that differs. Actual costs vary by county, attorney and estate complexity. Consult a licensed attorney for legal questions.
