Required for attorneysLocal Rule 10.27 makes e-filing through an approved electronic filing service provider mandatory from May 11, 2020, except for self-represented litigants and government entities; the court lists probate among its civil e-filing case types. E-filed documents are text-searchable PDFs, bookmarked from 15 pages, and a printed courtesy copy is delivered the same day for any submission over 50 pages. Provider fees are waived for a filer with a fee waiver. On paper: Bonds and undertakings; Affidavit re Real Property of Small Value; Original wills and codicils; Financial documents lodged with a probate account under Local Rule 80.1.8; Orders bearing an original judicial officer's signature; Documents submitted conditionally under seal; Any paper document the court orders filed in the clerk's office.
Filing in person
Walk-ins acceptedProbate papers are filed at the clerk's office in the Gibson Courthouse in Roseville or at the Historic Courthouse in Auburn, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM Monday through Friday; the Tahoe courthouse does not accept probate papers. Filings left in an after-hours drop box by 4:00 PM are filed that day, and later ones the next court day.
Self-represented filing
AllowedThe Probate Division page sends decedent estate filers to the statewide self-help guide and Judicial Council forms, and carries a glossary of common probate terms. Odyssey Guide & File interviews cover guardianships and limited conservatorships.
Hearing schedule
Probate calendar at 8:30 AM in Department 2, Historic Courthouse, Auburn: Mondays through October 2026, then Tuesdays beginning the week of November 2, 2026; the clerk moves already scheduled hearings and notifies petitioners.
Self-help center
Howard G. Gibson Courthouse, 10820 Justice Center Drive, Roseville (first-floor windows 21 and 22)1-916-408-6446 · cic@placer.courts.ca.gov · Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 8:00 AM-noon and 1:00 PM-4:00 PM; Friday 8:00 AM-11:00 AMFree help with forms and procedure for self-represented litigants with a case in or living in Placer County, mostly family law, child support, evictions, small claims, guardianships and restraining orders. Limited 20-minute walk-in appointments run Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 8:00 to 10:00 AM by kiosk ticket, with phone, video and in-person appointments booked online and live chat on weekday afternoons except Tuesday. Emailed questions carry "ATTN: Self-Help" in the subject line.
Historic Courthouse (Auburn) - probate hearings and clerk1-916-408-6000 · 101 Maple Street, Auburn, CA 95603Probate, conservatorship and guardianship calendars are heard in Department 2.
Office of Legal Research (probate calendar notes)1-916-408-6119Messages on probate calendar notes; staff do not give legal advice.
Tahoe Courthouse1-530-584-3460 · 2501 North Lake Boulevard, Tahoe City, CA 96145Does not accept probate papers.
About the court
Decedents' estates, trusts, guardianships and conservatorships are filed and heard in the Civil Division; probate hearings are held at the Historic Courthouse in Auburn.
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 Placer County, probate runs through the Superior Court - Civil Division at 10820 Justice Center Drive, Roseville. Placer County runs probate e-filing through placer.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 Placer County
What probate costs in Placer 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 10820 Justice Center Drive, Roseville.
Procedures at this court that affect cost: Financial statements for an account under Probate Code 2620 may be lodged with the court with a postage-paid return envelope, and are returned once the account is approved; Notice of hearing on each conservatorship account, with a copy of the account, goes to the probate court investigator at least 15 days before the hearing.
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 cases in Placer County, California are filed at the Superior Court - Civil Division.
Beside the filing office, the court lists separate lines for Historic Courthouse (Auburn) - probate hearings and clerk, Office of Legal Research (probate calendar notes), and Tahoe Courthouse.
Free help with forms and procedure for self-represented litigants with a case in or living in Placer County, mostly family law, child support, evictions, small claims, guardianships and restraining orders. Limited 20-minute walk-in appointments run Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 8:00 to 10:00 AM by kiosk ticket, with phone, video and in-person appointments booked online and live chat on weekday afternoons except Tuesday. Emailed questions carry "ATTN: Self-Help" in the subject line.
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
The petitioner may ask the probate clerk to continue an initial hearing; a request made at least 15 calendar days ahead may be approved by the clerk, with an amended notice served at least ten days before the original date.
Later requests, and every continuance of a subsequent hearing, go to the court and are ordinarily ordered in open court.
Remote appearances are generally available on the probate calendar through the court's Remote Appearance System, at a $13 remote appearance fee plus a card fee for parties assessed a filing fee.
The fee is paid by eCheck or Visa or Mastercard credit card; probate court trials need written notice under Local Rule 10.24(G).
When a probate calendar is heard by a commissioner, a party who does not stipulate files written notice at least five court days before the hearing; silence is a stipulation for all purposes except trial.
When a will distributes to an inter vivos trust, notice of the petition goes to all trustees, successor trustees and beneficiaries, and the petition carries an authenticated copy of the trust or a declaration identifying them.
Probate calendar notes are posted on the court's Tentative Rulings and Calendar Notes page about five days before the hearing and show procedural defects and whether an appearance is required.
The notes are not a tentative ruling on the merits; if no appearance is required but someone appears to oppose, the court ordinarily continues the hearing for written opposition.
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 Placer County
In California a death is registered locally, and in Placer County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Health and Human Services Vital Statistics Office, Placer County as well as by California Department of Public Health - Vital Records.
Vital Records Office Record
Local Health Department
Placer County · Health and Human Services Vital Statistics Office
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 Clerk-Recorder.
Deeds and other real property documents for Placer County are recorded with the County Clerk-Recorder at 3715 Atherton Road, Rocklin, CA 95765. Phone: 1-530-886-5600. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:00 PM.
The County Clerk-Recorder charges $14 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 Placer 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.
Elk Grove and Sacramento trust and estate practice representing executors, trustees, and beneficiaries through probate and trust administration and in probate litigation, trust and will contests, and financial elder abuse claims. Founder Jonathan Huber has been a State Bar of California certified specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law since 2013. No-cost initial consultation.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 3 more
Office
9401 E Stockton Blvd., Ste. 210Elk Grove, CA 95624
Sacramento firm with additional offices in Folsom and Roseville, covering estate planning, trust administration, probate, conservatorships, and trust and estate litigation. Founder Daniel Hunt is a State Bar of California Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law. Offers no-cost initial consultations by phone, video, or in person.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 2 more
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.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder Lawand 4 more
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 handling probate and decedent estate administration, including ancillary probate, plus trust administration, conservatorships, and litigation in those areas — will contests and beneficiary disputes. Marlene Sanborn, a retired Air Force flight engineer, opened the firm in 2006 and has practiced law in California since 1998.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 3 more
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.
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.
$
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.
