Foothill Funeral & Cremation is a family-owned cremation and burial provider in Altadena, with its own crematory beside a renovated chapel and service venue. It has served families since 2016, takes arrangements online and over the phone, and offers pre-planning.
What to Do When Someone Dies in Los Angeles County, California
How probate works in Los Angeles County: the Superior Court - Probate Division record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Los Angeles County Superior Court - Probate Division
Los Angeles County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM
Office
111 North Hill Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Website
E-filing
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Self-help forms
E-filing
Required for attorneysMandatory for represented parties through an approved e-filing service provider under the General Order and LASC Local Rule 4.7. Self-represented litigants are exempt and may e-file voluntarily. Exempt documents are filed at the Probate Clerk's Office or by mail. On paper: Peremptory challenges or challenges for cause of a judicial officer; Wills and codicils; Letters; Original trust documents; Bonds and undertakings; Trial and hearing exhibits; Lodged documents.
Self-represented filing
AllowedSelf-represented litigants are exempt from mandatory e-filing but may e-file if they choose. The court publishes a Decedent Estate Forms Packet (LASC PRO 089).
Self-help center
- Stanley Mosk Courthouse, 4th Floor, Room 426F, 111 North Hill Street, Los Angeles, CA 900121-213-830-0845 · Monday-Thursday 8:30 AM-noon and 1:00 PM-4:00 PM; Friday 8:30 AM-noonIn-person services cover protective restraining orders, family law, eviction answers and CARE petitions; wills, estates and trusts information is online. Self-Help Call Center Mon-Fri 08:00-16:30.
County forms
- Probate Case Cover Sheet and Certificate of Grounds for Assignment to District (LASC PRO 010)Mandatory with the first paper filed by the petitioner (Local Rule 4.5).
- Decedent Estate Forms Packet (LASC PRO 089)Forms packet for decedent estate proceedings.
- Request to Continue Petition Hearing and Order (Probate) (LASC PRO 080)Request to continue a petition hearing date, filed at least five court days before the hearing.
- Request to Continue Petition Hearing Information (Probate) (LASC PRO 081)Information sheet for form PRO 080.
- Application and Order Appointing Probate Referee (LASC PRO 001)Mandatory application for appointment of a probate referee.
- Supplement to Petition for Probate re Heirs and Next of Kin (LASC PRO 032)Supplement listing heirs and next of kin for a petition for probate.
- Ex Parte Petition for Court Order to Release Remains of a Decedent (LASC PRO 017)Mandatory petition for release of a decedent's remains; order on LASC PRO 018.
Departments
- Probate Clerk's Office (Stanley Mosk)1-213-830-0800 · 4th Floor, Room 429Probate filing window, ex parte filings and probate operations. Phone hours Mon-Fri 08:30-16:30.
- Probate Courtrooms (Stanley Mosk)Departments 217, 236, 240, 244, 246, 308, 418, 600, 610, 614, 615B and 629 (formerly 4, 5, 29, 9, 11, 18, 44, 62, 79, 67, 99 and 2D), under the courthouse renumbering that began May 4, 2026.
- Probate Investigator1-213-830-0855
- Wills1-213-830-0850 · 1st Floor, Room 118
- Probate Records and Certifications1-213-830-0803 · 111 North Hill Street, Room 112Certified copies of Letters in person; phone hours Mon-Fri 08:30-16:30.
- Probate Clerk's Office (Michael Antonovich Antelope Valley Courthouse)1-661-483-5790 · 42011 4th Street West, 1st Floor, Lancaster, CA 93534North District probate filings. Probate attorney, 3rd Floor: 1-661-483-5514.
About the court
- Stanley Mosk Courthouse. Building open 07:30-16:30; Clerk's Office Mon-Fri 08:30-16:30. Probate is also filed at the Antelope Valley Courthouse in Lancaster for the North District.
Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
How Probate Works in Los Angeles 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 Los Angeles, probate runs through the Superior Court - Probate Division at 111 North Hill Street, Los Angeles. Los Angeles County runs probate e-filing through lacourt.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 Los Angeles County
What probate costs in Los Angeles 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 111 North Hill Street, Los Angeles.
Procedures at this court that affect cost: Interim accounts in estate and trust proceedings attach a bank statement for the account end date; a blocked account is shown by proof from the institution that no funds may be withdrawn without a court order.
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 Los Angeles County, California are filed at the Superior Court - Probate Division.
Beside the filing office, the court lists separate lines for Probate Clerk's Office (Stanley Mosk), Probate Courtrooms (Stanley Mosk), Probate Investigator, and Wills.
In-person services cover protective restraining orders, family law, eviction answers and CARE petitions; wills, estates and trusts information is online. Self-Help Call Center Mon-Fri 08:00-16:30.
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 Los Angeles County Self-Filing Assessment.
Los Angeles 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
Except for the North District (Antelope Valley Courthouse), all probate matters are filed and heard in the Central District at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse.
LASC Local Rule 4.3(a). The Governor George Deukmejian Courthouse in Long Beach does not hear probate.
SourceEx parte applications are decided on the papers without appearance; they are filed and served by 10:00 AM on the court day before the ruling date, with notice to all parties by the same time.
Opposition is due by 8:30 AM on the ruling date. Drop-off ex parte applications are marked "drop-off review only" (Local Rule 4.12).
SourceDocument Requirements
When a petition for probate of a will is e-filed, the original will or codicil is delivered to the Probate Clerk's Office for safekeeping within one court day; on a paper filing it is delivered with the petition.
Local Rule 4.55. A self-represented party attaches a clerk-stamped copy of the will to the proof of subscribing witness and may not complete the attorney certification (Local Rule 4.53).
SourceCourt Appearances
Probate Notes, prepared by the court's probate attorneys and examiners, are posted on the court's website, typically two weeks before the hearing, and list "Matters To Clear".
Matters To Clear are cleared by filing supplements or other documents by the third court day before the hearing; otherwise the court may continue the hearing, take it off calendar or deny it without prejudice (Local Rule 4.4).
SourceA continuance may be arranged by email to the probate attorney or examiner named in the notes at least two court days before the hearing, copying all parties, or by filing LASC PRO 080 at least five court days before.
SourceOther Requirements
Where bond is not waived in the will, or the proposed personal representative lives out of state, a bond waiver request is supported by a declaration on creditors, solvency, tax and contingent liabilities, and the court may require an appearance.
Local Rule 4.41.
SourceWhat to Bring
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 Medical Examiner in Los Angeles County
In California a death is registered locally, and in Los Angeles County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Department of Public Health Vital Records Office, Los Angeles County as well as by California Department of Public Health - Vital Records.
Vital Records Office Record
Local Health Department
Los Angeles County · Department of Public Health Vital Records Office
Phone
Office
313 North Figueroa Street, Lobby-1, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Website
Certified copies
At the counter
Order online
Also issued by
The county recorder
Local rule
- The office issues death certificates for deaths in the current and previous year outside Pasadena and Long Beach, from ten days after the certificate is registered. Older records come from the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, which issues copies for deaths from 1995 on the same day.
Burial and cremation permits
- Issued byDepartment of Public Health Vital Records Office, Los Angeles County
Certified copy fees
| First certified copy | $26 |
Verified November 1, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
Medical Examiner
Los Angeles County · Department of Medical Examiner
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Office
1104 North Mission Road, Los Angeles, CA 90033
Website
Release of remains
1-323-343-0714 · After business hours
Verified November 1, 2026 · Source
Funeral Homes in Los Angeles County
137 funeral homes and crematories in Los Angeles County, each listed with the services it offers, the faiths it serves, the languages its staff speak, its address and its phone.
In Arcadia, this Forest Lawn location is one of its Advance Planning Centers, serving the San Gabriel Valley. Visitors meet a Planning Advisor to plan ahead and learn about memorial property and services.
In Avalon, this mortuary began in 1952 and serves the Catalina Island community with burials, cremations, graveside and traditional funeral services. It arranges domestic and international transportation of remains; embalming and cremation take place at an associate facility on the mainland.
In Bell, this funeral home has handled funeral and cremation arrangements for more than 60 years, now in a Spanish-style building on East Gage Avenue built in 2021. Its bilingual team plans services in Hispanic traditions, arranges funerals in advance and can transfer a loved one to another country.
In Bell Gardens, this family-owned provider specializes solely in cremation, with options from simple direct cremations to memorial services. It serves families across the Los Angeles area and arranges the transfer of remains to other states and Latin America.
In Bellflower, this Dignity Memorial funeral home provides funeral and cremation services to families in Bellflower and surrounding Los Angeles County communities. One of the newer funeral homes in the area, it has a spacious chapel, family rooms and a reception room for catered events.
Funeral homes by city: Altadena, Arcadia, Avalon, Bell, Bell Gardens, Bellflower, Burbank, Canoga Park, Carson, Commerce, Covina, Culver City, Downey, El Monte, El Segundo, Gardena, Glendale, Granada Hills, Hawthorne, Hollywood, Huntington Park, Inglewood, La Crescenta, Lancaster, Lomita, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Lynwood, Mission Hills, Monrovia, Montebello, Newhall, North Hollywood, Northridge, Norwalk, Palmdale, Panorama City, Paramount, Pasadena, Pico Rivera, Redondo Beach, San Dimas, San Fernando, San Pedro, Santa Monica, South Gate, Torrance, Van Nuys, Venice, West Covina, Whittier, Wilmington
Cremation Services in Los Angeles County
100 listings
Pre-Need Funeral Plans in Los Angeles County
50 listings
Burial Services in Los Angeles County
74 listings
Veterans Funeral Services in Los Angeles County
17 listings
Funeral Transport in Los Angeles County
37 listings
Spanish-Speaking Funeral Homes in Los Angeles County
23 listings
Green Burial in Los Angeles County
8 listings
Jewish Funeral Homes in Los Angeles County
7 listings
Catholic Funeral Homes in Los Angeles County
4 listings
Water Cremation in Los Angeles County
2 listings
Muslim Funeral Homes in Los Angeles County
6 listings
Listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any funeral home or crematory.
Transferring Property in Los Angeles 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 Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk.
Deeds and other real property documents for Los Angeles County are recorded with the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk at 12400 Imperial Highway, Norwalk, CA 90650. Phone: 1-800-201-8999. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM.
Documents submitted by mail go to Attn: Document Analysis and Recording Section, P.O. Box 1250, Norwalk, CA 90651-1250.
The Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk charges $15 for the first page plus $3 for each additional page.
Los Angeles County accepts electronic recording through Simplifile.
Recording Office Record
Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk
Los Angeles County
Phone
1-800-201-8999 (option 2)
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Office
12400 Imperial Highway, Norwalk, CA 90650
Website
E-recording
available via Simplifile
Attn: Document Analysis and Recording Section
P.O. Box 1250
Norwalk, CA 90651-1250
Recording fees
| Base fee (first page) | $15 |
| Each additional page | $3 |
| GC 27388.1 Building Homes and Jobs Act Fee (SB 2)Applies to a TOD deed | $75 |
| GC 27388 Real Estate Fraud Prosecution FeeApplies to a TOD deed | $10 |
| GC 27388.2 Restrictive Covenant Modification Fee (AB 1466)Applies to a TOD deed | $2 |
| 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 Los Angeles 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 Los Angeles 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.
Pasadena firm handling probate and post-death trust administration. Guides trustees through required notices, asset transfers, trust accountings, and distribution, and takes estates through court-supervised probate when assets were left outside a trust. Also drafts revocable living trusts and business succession plans, and offers a free consultation.
Encino firm serving Los Angeles County in probate and trust administration and in trust and estate litigation. Advises executors and administrators on notice, creditor claims, accountings, and distribution, advises heirs and beneficiaries on their rights, and handles conservatorship and guardianship administration. The consultation is free.
Serves Los Angeles County from Santa Monica. Handles estate, trust, and living trust administration, helping trustees with the filings, notices, claims, and disputes that follow a death, alongside tax-driven estate planning and business and real estate work. Founder Marc A. Bronstein started the firm in 1997, is a Certified Public Accountant, and holds a master's degree in taxation.
Serves Pasadena and Los Angeles County from East Colorado Boulevard. Handles probate and estate administration, conservatorships, and guardianships alongside estate planning, and offers a free initial consultation on estate matters. Attorney Joseph H. Lee now leads the practice; founding partner Grace Lea Chang has died.
Serves Torrance, the South Bay, and Los Angeles County from Hawthorne Boulevard. Handles probate, trust administration, conservatorships, and Medi-Cal planning alongside estate planning and special needs trusts. Three attorneys practice here, led by Cynthia R. Cox; the firm reports 30 years of experience with estates up to $28 million.
Family-run Manhattan Beach firm founded in 1933 and now in its third generation, serving Southern California. It guides successor trustees through trust administration, gets executors and administrators appointed and through the local probate court, files conservatorships, and litigates disputes over a will's terms or an executor's handling. Home visits and a free consultation are offered.
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
- Los Angeles Superior Court - Probate Division, official page
- Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, official page
- Los Angeles 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.
Get the Answer
Hire a California Probate Attorney
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