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What to Do When Someone Dies in Napa County, California
How probate works in Napa County: the Superior Court - Civil Division record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Napa County Superior Court - Civil Division
Napa County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:00 PM
Office
825 Brown Street, Napa, CA 94559
Website
E-filing
Filing in person
Walk-ins accepted
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Self-help forms
E-filing
OptionalLocal Rule 2.10: the court accepts electronic filings in probate cases through an electronic filing service provider chosen from the court's list, and e-filing is available 24 hours a day. The filer redacts Social Security numbers, driver's license numbers and other sensitive information before e-filing; the court cannot redact an e-filed document. A courtesy paper copy of any e-filed document over 15 pages, or any color document, is delivered to the clerk by the next court day.
Filing in person
Walk-ins acceptedThe Civil Division at the Historic Courthouse accepts filings in person from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM Monday through Friday, including the noon hour. A drop box for same-day filings and payments is available at court facilities every day until 5:00 PM. The court does not accept direct fax filings; a faxed document goes through a fax filing agency.
Self-represented filing
AllowedProbate questions go to the Civil Division. Guide & File step-by-step interviews cover guardianship of a minor and limited conservatorship and can be e-filed, mailed or filed in person; decedent estates use the statewide Judicial Council forms. Every motion and petition is filed with a proposed order or letters.
Hearing schedule
- Probate is heard with civil law and motion Tuesday through Friday at 8:30 AM in Courtroom A (even-numbered cases) and Courtroom B (odd-numbered cases) of the Historic Courthouse, except days after a court holiday. Probate ex parte applications are presented at 11:30 AM each court day.
Self-help center
- Historic Courthouse, 825 Brown Street, Lower Level, Napa1-707-299-1137 · selfhelp@napa.courts.ca.gov · Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:00 PMThe Self-Help Center is combined with the Family Law Facilitator's Office and helps with divorce, custody, support, restraining orders, the CARE Act and guardianships of the person, with other matters as time permits. It does not handle conservatorship matters. Help is by email, phone, Zoom video, or in person after a customer intake form.
County forms
- GU-1 Order for Court Investigation Regarding Appointment of Relative Guardian(s)Mandatory proposed order for investigation filed with a petition to appoint a relative as guardian of a minor (Local Rule 9.4).
- GU-2 Order for Investigation of Non-Relative Guardian(s) by Health & Human ServicesMandatory proposed order for investigation filed with a petition to appoint a non-relative guardian of a minor (Local Rule 9.4).
Fax
1-707-253-4229
Departments
- Tentative rulings and requests for oral argument1-707-299-1270 · judicialreception2@napa.courts.ca.govTentative rulings are posted by 3:00 PM the court day before the hearing; a party who wants to argue notifies the court and all other parties by 4:00 PM that day.
- Civil Division - Research/Records1-707-299-1140
- General information1-707-299-1100Questions about a remote hearing go to this line, not by email.
- Criminal Courthouse1-707-299-1100 · 1111 Third Street
About the court
- The Civil Division at the Historic Courthouse handles probate, guardianships and conservatorships, and probate hearings are held there.
Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
How Probate Works in Napa 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 Napa, probate runs through the Superior Court - Civil Division at 825 Brown Street, Napa. Probate e-filing in Napa County goes through napa.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 Napa County
What probate costs in Napa 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 - Civil Division at 825 Brown Street, Napa.
Procedures at this court that affect cost: Costs in a probate accounting are itemized, though up to $200 in miscellaneous costs for duplication, telephone calls and the like may be approved without itemizing; A fee of one percent of the market value of trust assets is generally considered reasonable compensation for ordinary trustee services where court approval is needed; extraordinary compensation requires a detailed description of the services.
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 - Civil Division
Probate documents in Napa County can be filed in person at the Superior Court - Civil Division, by mail, or electronically. Most families handling probate themselves prefer paper filing, though e-filing is available.
Beside the filing office, the court lists separate lines for Tentative rulings and requests for oral argument, Civil Division - Research/Records, General information, and Criminal Courthouse.
The Self-Help Center is combined with the Family Law Facilitator's Office and helps with divorce, custody, support, restraining orders, the CARE Act and guardianships of the person, with other matters as time permits. It does not handle conservatorship matters. Help is by email, phone, Zoom video, or in person after a customer intake form.
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 Napa County Self-Filing Assessment.
Napa 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
Probate ex parte applications are presented to a civil division judicial officer at 11:30 AM each court day, after notice to the other side and an appointment made by calling the clerk.
Notice is given no later than 10:00 AM the court day before; guardianship ex partes follow the general ex parte rule.
SourceA petition for preliminary distribution states why the estate cannot yet be closed.
SourceCourt Appearances
Routine unopposed probate matters are generally approved by tentative ruling without an appearance; the court files the order or letters, and a pre-addressed stamped envelope is needed for endorsed copies by mail.
Applications for appointment of a conservator, terminations of conservatorship other than by death, contested matters and matters the court names require an appearance.
SourceAn objected-to or opposed probate petition does not go to an evidentiary hearing on its first date; the parties appear prepared to discuss further opposition, submission on verified pleadings, discovery and alternative dispute resolution.
A party wanting an evidentiary hearing asks as early as practicable and gives a time estimate.
SourceRemote appearances by Zoom are at the judicial officer's discretion; the courtroom Zoom links are on the Courtroom Remote Appearances page, and Courtrooms A and B take video only.
SourceOther Requirements
The court's Probate Investigator is automatically appointed in every conservatorship needing an investigation report, and conservatorship and guardianship hearings are generally set no sooner than 45 days after filing.
SourceThe court does not provide a court reporter in probate, guardianship or conservatorship proceedings.
SourceWhat to Bring
Filed with the opening petition at the Superior Court - Civil 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 Napa County
In California a death is registered locally, and in Napa County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Health and Human Services Office of Vital Statistics, Napa County as well as by California Department of Public Health - Vital Records.
Vital Records Office Record
Local Health Department
Napa County · Health and Human Services Office of Vital Statistics
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-11:30 AM and 1:00 PM-4:00 PM
Office
2751 Napa Valley Corporate Drive, Building B, 1st Floor, Napa, CA 94558
Website
Certified copies
By appointment
Also issued by
The county recorder
Fax
1-707-226-6442
Local rule
- The office issues certificates for deaths in the last 12 months, in person by appointment only. Older deaths are held by the County Recorder.
Burial and cremation permits
- Issued byHealth and Human Services Office of Vital Statistics, Napa County
Certified copy fees
| First certified copy | $26 |
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
Sheriff-Coroner
Napa County · Sheriff's Office Coroner's Office
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Office
1535 Airport Boulevard, Napa, CA 94559
Website
Release of remains
1-707-253-4451 · Non-business hours
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Funeral Homes in Napa County
1 funeral home or crematory in Napa County, each listed with the services it offers, the faiths it serves, the languages its staff speak, its address and its phone.
Funeral homes by city: Napa
Listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any funeral home or crematory.
Transferring Property in Napa 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 Napa County are recorded with the County Recorder at 1127 First Street, Suite A, Napa, CA 94559. Phone: 1-707-253-4105. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-3:00 PM (recording).
Documents submitted by mail go to P.O. Box 298, Napa, CA 94559-0298.
The County Recorder charges $15 for the first page plus $3 for each additional page.
Recording Office Record
County Recorder
Napa County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-3:00 PM (recording)
Office
1127 First Street, Suite A, Napa, CA 94559
Website
P.O. Box 298
Napa, CA 94559-0298
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 |
| 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 Napa 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 Napa County attorney charges the same schedule. Price isn't the variable — experience with the Superior Court - Civil Division and responsiveness are.
A probate attorney files the petition with the Superior Court - Civil 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 Solano County from Fairfield, taking estates through the county's probate court. Works with executors on probate administration and the duties and personal liability that come with the role, and with successor trustees on trust administration after a death; also handles conservatorships and guardianships. Meetings are available in person or by video.
Napa estate planning and elder law practice led by Anthony Celaya, with offices across California from Santa Rosa and Sacramento to Los Angeles and San Diego. Handles probate and estate administration and Medi-Cal planning alongside trusts, wills, and incapacity planning. Clients are served in person or through virtual consultations, and the initial consultation is free.
Bay Area trusts and estates practice serving San Francisco and the North Bay from offices in San Francisco and Sonoma. Attorney Amy Harrington handles trust and probate administration, conservatorships, and will and trust contests, and is frequently appointed to serve as administrator, trustee, partition referee, and receiver.
Petaluma solo practice serving Sonoma, Marin, and Napa Counties with probate representation, trust administration, and estate planning, alongside bankruptcy and tax debt work. Andrew Kern has over 30 years of California legal experience, quotes a flat fee after a free initial consultation, and answers his own phone.
Serves Merced, Mariposa, and Stanislaus counties from Merced, with offices in San Jose, Modesto, and Mariposa. Represents trustees and executors on full and summary probate, sub-trust funding, fiduciary accountings, estate tax returns, and post-death tax planning, and handles probate, trust, and estate litigation. One of the few firms with a Mariposa County office.
Corona-headquartered firm with offices in San Diego, Newport Beach, Glendale, and San Francisco, plus satellite offices in Riverside, Temecula, Vista, and Roseville. Through its Sandoval Legacy Group division it handles probate and trust administration, conservatorships, will contests and fiduciary disputes, elder law, and special needs planning. Offers a free phone consultation.
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
- Napa Superior Court - Civil Division, official page
- Napa County Recorder, official page
- Napa 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
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