What to Do After a Death in San Francisco County, California
The first weeks after losing someone involve time-sensitive tasks. Here's what to prioritize and what can wait.
Handling an estate in San Francisco County, California means working through both immediate tasks (securing property, ordering death certificates, stopping benefits) and the formal probate process at the Superior Court - Probate Court at 400 McAllister Street, Department 204, San Francisco.
Probate matters here are routed through Probate Court (Department 204), Probate Department Investigators, Probate Section Clerk's Office Supervisor, and Hall of Justice. Knowing which office handles what saves time during the first few weeks.
San Francisco County has local procedures worth knowing before you start: Conservator petitions must include Judicial Council form GC-325 (Confidential Declaration on Medical Ability to Attend Hearing); Motion rulings generally available by 3:00 PM the court day prior to motion.
1. Order Death Certificates
Find out how many death certificates to order:
2. Estate Settlement Checklist
Track your progress through the probate process:
Once appointed as personal representative, California law requires filing an inventory of estate assets with the Superior Court - Probate Court within 120 daysCal. Prob. Code §§ 8800-8804, 8901-8902Verified May 5, 2026. The inventory identifies and values everything the deceased owned — real estate, bank accounts, investments, vehicles, personal belongings.
California requires publishing a notice to creditors in a local newspaper. Creditors then have 4 monthsCal. Prob. Code § 9100Verified May 5, 2026 to file claims against the estate.
Your first priorities are securing property and stopping automatic payments. Collect mail, lock up valuables, document what's there, and call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 to report the death — this prevents benefit overpayments that the estate would have to repay later.
Contact banks and credit card companies as soon as possible to freeze accounts and prevent unauthorized transactions or recurring charges. Most institutions require a certified death certificate.
When you're ready to start probate, contact the Superior Court - Probate Court at 415-551-3673 to confirm what documents you need. You can file in person or by mail — families handling probate themselves don't need to use e-filing.
File life insurance claims early. Proceeds pass directly to named beneficiaries outside probate and are often available within weeks, which can help cover immediate estate expenses while probate is underway.
An attorney is most worth the cost when the estate involves contested assets, disputes between beneficiaries, will challenges, business interests, or real estate in multiple states. Straightforward estates can often be handled without one.
California sets attorney fees by statute based on estate value — every attorney charges the same schedule, so the decision is whether you need one, not which one is cheapest.
Professional help is especially valuable when the estate is large enough to trigger California's estate tax filing thresholds, involves unusual assets, or creates potential liability for the executor.
Legal Sources
- Cal. Prob. Code § 9100
- Cal. Prob. Code §§ 8800-8804, 8901-8902
Data sourced from California statutes and official state code. How we research.
Frequently Asked Questions
Before anything court-related, handle three things: get the doctor or coroner to sign the death certificate, secure the home and any valuables, and locate the will. Only then does probate planning make sense.
Plan on 8–12 certified copies. Each financial institution, title company, insurer, and the San Francisco County probate court will ask for an original. Ordering too few is the most common delay families run into. Use the California death certificate calculator for a personalized count.
California does not set a strict filing deadline for opening probate, but delay has costs: the creditor claim period is 4 months, assets stay frozen until probate opens, and some banks refuse to act without letters. Most families file within 30–60 days.
Funeral homes typically report the death to Social Security. Bank and brokerage notifications are on the executor — accounts freeze on notification, so timing matters. The California estate settlement checklist walks through the order.
Yes. A revocable living trust keeps the estate out of San Francisco County probate entirely — no filing, no hearings, no public record. Families who plan ahead settle in weeks instead of months. Create a revocable trust online before the next generation has to go through what you're handling now.
What to Expect at Court
Here's what you should know about court appearances in this county.
Court Appearances
Law and Motion Calendar: Wednesday/Thursday afternoons, and Fridays, in Department 204.
Ex parte matters: leave courtesy copy with probate clerk in Room 103. Use blue cover sheet for expedited review if demonstrable urgency.
Superior Court - Probate Court
San Francisco County
400 McAllister Street, Department 204
San Francisco, CA 94102
Phone:
415-551-3673Hours:
Clerk: Monday - Friday, 8:30 AM - 4:00 PM (Closed 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM; dropbox available during lunch)
Paper Filing Available
E-Filing Optional
Notify Banks & Financial Institutions
Each institution has a separate death claim process. Find yours below.
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