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Sacramento County, CA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Category | Current rules |
|---|---|
| Court | Superior Court of California, County of Sacramento — Probate Division |
| Courthouse | William R. Ridgeway Family Relations Courthouse, 3341 Power Inn Road, Sacramento, CA 95826 (Probate Unit: Room 214, second floor) |
| Mailing address | 3341 Power Inn Road, Sacramento, CA 95826 — probate filings and record requests go to this courthouse, not the downtown courthouse |
| Drop box | First floor of the Ridgeway courthouse, available 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM Mon–Fri (building hours) |
| Phone | (916) 875-3400 (select option 2 for probate records assistance) |
| [email protected] (Probate Division case questions) | |
| Clerk's office hours | Mon–Fri 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM (excluding court holidays); building open 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
| Probate department | Department 129, second floor (probate calendar notes are posted in the Room 214/Department 129 lobby on the hearing day) |
| Filing fee (petition for probate) | $435 — statewide fee, no Sacramento County surcharge (Cal. Gov. Code § 70650(a)) |
| Local probate forms | Yes — the PR-E-LP series plus PR-E-CT-209, but none is required to open a standard decedent's estate |
| E-filing | Voluntary since January 16, 2024 for attorneys and self-represented filers, through the court's approved e-filing service providers; original wills, codicils, and bonds stay on paper |
| Online case search | Public Portal (free account required) — probate documents, calendar notes, and minute orders for estate cases initiated after February 5, 2007 |
| Remote appearance | Zoom (Local Rule 4.06) — file form RA-010 at least 3 court days before a non-evidentiary hearing, 10 court days before an evidentiary one |
| Website | https://www.saccourt.ca.gov/probate/probate.aspx |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Sacramento's calendar-notes system rewards preparation. Court probate attorneys screen every petition and publish deficiency notes 10 to 12 court days before the hearing; deficiencies not cleared at least five court days out get the matter continued or dismissed without prejudice (Local Rule 4.01). A petition filed before the family understands what is in the estate is a petition that draws notes — and loses weeks.
Before filing anything, identify every bank account, brokerage, retirement plan, life insurance policy, and parcel of real property, and every debt. Only then can you choose the right path — small-estate affidavit, succession petition, spousal petition, or full probate — and file a petition the probate attorneys will mark Recommended for Approval. Sunset's asset-discovery work, searching more than 2,300 financial institutions, exists for this step.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Probate Division hears every probate matter in Sacramento County — decedents' estates, succession and spousal petitions, trusts, conservatorships, and guardianships — at the William R. Ridgeway Family Relations Courthouse, 3341 Power Inn Road, in Sacramento. The downtown courthouses handle civil and criminal cases, not probate. Families everywhere in the county file here: the cities of Sacramento, Elk Grove, Citrus Heights, Folsom, Rancho Cordova, Galt, and Isleton, plus the unincorporated communities from Carmichael and Fair Oaks to Rio Linda.
Venue is proper in Sacramento County when the decedent was domiciled here at death (Cal. Prob. Code § 7051), or owned Sacramento County property as a non-resident. Sacramento is an examiner county in practice: the court's probate attorneys review every petition and publish probate calendar notes before each hearing, and matters marked Recommended for Approval are granted without an appearance (Local Rule 4.07).
The jurisdiction process
- Prepare the statewide Judicial Council DE-series forms for your path. Sacramento requires no local cover sheet or local form to open a decedent's estate. If a will exists, it must be lodged with the court within 30 days of death — original wills and codicils are always filed on paper.
- File the petition: e-file through one of the court's approved e-filing service providers (voluntary since January 16, 2024), file in person at the Probate Unit, Room 214, William R. Ridgeway Family Relations Courthouse, 3341 Power Inn Road (window hours 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM), mail to the same address, or use the first-floor drop box (8:00 AM – 5:00 PM).
- Pay the $435 filing fee (Cal. Gov. Code § 70650(a); no Sacramento surcharge). Cash, check, money order, or credit card at no extra processing fee; mail and drop-box filers can pay by card using the court's Credit Card Authorization Form. Fee waivers use Judicial Council forms FW-001/FW-003.
- Create an account on the court's Public Portal and subscribe to your case — Local Rule 4.01(A) directs attorneys and parties to subscribe, and it is where the probate calendar notes will appear.
- Complete notice: mail DE-121 notice to heirs and beneficiaries at least 15 days before the hearing, and publish in a newspaper of general circulation in the CITY where the decedent resided (Cal. Prob. Code § 8120) — Sacramento accepts only newspapers on its approved list, and the Sacramento Bee and other McClatchy papers are not accepted. The court requires the newspaper's original affidavit of publication (§ 8121(a)).
- Check the probate calendar notes on the Public Portal 10 to 12 court days before the hearing. Clear every deficiency at least 5 court days before the hearing by filing a verified Response to Calendar Notes (local form PR-E-LP-022); updated notes post 4 court days out. Uncleared notes mean the matter is continued or dismissed without prejudice (Local Rule 4.01).
- Attend the hearing in Department 129, in person or by Zoom — file Judicial Council form RA-010 at least 3 court days before a non-evidentiary hearing (10 for evidentiary). Matters marked Recommended for Approval on the calendar notes are granted without an appearance (Local Rule 4.07).
- Receive Letters (DE-150). Each personal representative must first file DE-147 with the confidential supplement giving a driver's license number and date of birth (Local Rule 4.61); a personal representative who lives outside California must post bond unless it is properly waived (Local Rule 4.58).
- Administer and close the estate under the statewide process: creditor notice, the 4-month claim period, Inventory and Appraisal (DE-160), and the petition for final distribution. Lodge proposed orders 5 court days before the hearing in person, or 8 court days by mail (Local Rule 4.16).
Executor duties
The statewide personal-representative duties (creditor notice, the 4-month Inventory and Appraisal, DHCS notice, Notice of Proposed Action under IAEA) apply in Sacramento exactly as described on the California page. Sacramento adds these local obligations:
| Sacramento-specific duty | Timing |
|---|---|
| Subscribe to the case on the court's Public Portal (Local Rule 4.01(A)) | At the start of the case |
| Monitor probate calendar notes on the Public Portal | Notes post 10–12 court days before each hearing; updated notes 4 court days out |
| Clear calendar-note deficiencies with a verified Response to Calendar Notes (PR-E-LP-022) | At least 5 court days before the hearing |
| Publish notice in a court-approved newspaper for the decedent's city — not the Sacramento Bee — and file the original affidavit of publication | Before the hearing on the petition |
| Caption every pleading with the hearing date, time, and department under the case number (Local Rule 4.00(C)) | Every filing tied to a hearing |
| Provide driver's license number and date of birth in the confidential supplement to DE-147 (Local Rule 4.61); co-representatives must each comply before Letters issue (Rule 4.62) | Before Letters are issued |
| Lodge proposed formal orders with the Probate Court (Local Rule 4.16) | 5 court days before the hearing in person; 8 court days by mail |
| Use local form PR-E-CT-209 for a stipulated drop or continuance (Local Rule 4.05) | At least 10 business days before the hearing |
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Sacramento County
Sacramento uses the statewide Judicial Council DE-series (DE-111 Petition for Probate, DE-121 Notice, DE-140 Order, DE-147 Duties and Liabilities, DE-150 Letters, DE-160 Inventory and Appraisal, and the rest). The court publishes a set of local PR-E-LP forms, but none is required to open a standard decedent's estate — they cover specific procedural moments:
| Form | Name | When used |
|---|---|---|
| PR-E-LP-022 | Response to Calendar Notes | To clear deficiencies identified in the probate calendar notes, filed at least 5 court days before the hearing (Local Rule 4.01) |
| PR-E-CT-209 | Request to Drop or Continue Hearing, Long Cause Hearing or Trial by Stipulation | Stipulated continuances in decedent's-estate matters, at least 10 business days before the hearing (adopted January 2024) |
| PR-E-LP-036 / PR-E-LP-043 | Declaration of Notice of Ex Parte Application and Attachment | Required with every probate ex parte application, including drop-box small-estate and bond-increase requests |
| PR-E-LP-053 | Probate Case Participant Enrollment Form | To get party-level remote access to confidential case documents on the Public Portal (filed with a copy of government ID) |
| PR-LP/E-052 | Request for Copies of Probate Records | Mail or drop-box copy requests to the Probate Records Clerk |
| PR-E-LP-010 | Declaration of Diligent Search and Request to Dispense with Notice | When an heir or beneficiary cannot be located |
| PR-E-LP-037 | Property Tax Certification | Certifying property-tax status on estates holding real property |
Probate forms are not handed out at the Ridgeway courthouse — download local forms from the court's forms page at saccourt.ca.gov and the DE-series from the Judicial Council.
Timeline
- File the petition; the clerk assigns the hearing date at filing based on the Probate Code notice periods and calendar availability.
- Complete the 15-day mailed notice (DE-121) and city-specific newspaper publication before the hearing.
- Probate calendar notes post to the Public Portal 10–12 court days before the hearing; clear all deficiencies at least 5 court days out (PR-E-LP-022); updated notes post 4 court days out.
- Hearing in Department 129: matters marked Recommended for Approval are granted without an appearance; petitions with uncleared notes are continued or dismissed without prejudice.
- The court's own guidance: appointing an executor or administrator typically takes four to six weeks from the decedent's death for a promptly filed, clean petition.
- Creditor claim period and Inventory and Appraisal deadline: 4 months from Letters (statewide).
- Final distribution: lodge the proposed order 5 court days before the hearing (8 by mail); even routine estates cannot close before the 4-month creditor period runs.
Local nuance
Sacramento County-specific considerations
Probate lives at the family courthouse. Decedents' estates are filed and heard at the William R. Ridgeway Family Relations Courthouse on Power Inn Road — about 8 miles southeast of downtown — not at the downtown civil courthouse. Mail, drop-box items, and record requests all go to 3341 Power Inn Road.
Calendar notes run the case. Court probate attorneys review every petition and post calendar notes to the Public Portal 10–12 court days before the hearing (and in the Room 214/Department 129 lobby on hearing day). Clear every deficiency at least 5 court days out with a verified Response to Calendar Notes (PR-E-LP-022) — uncleared notes mean continuance or dismissal without prejudice, and Recommended-for-Approval matters are granted with no appearance at all (Local Rules 4.01, 4.07).
The Sacramento Bee does not work for probate publication. Notice must be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the city where the decedent resided (Cal. Prob. Code § 8120) — there are 7 cities in Sacramento County — and the court accepts only newspapers on its published approved list. The Sacramento Bee and other McClatchy papers are expressly not accepted, and the court requires the newspaper's original affidavit of publication.
New portal, new account. Sacramento moved Probate to a new case management system on April 24, 2023. Case documents, probate notes, and minute orders live on the new Public Portal — old Public Case Access accounts do not carry over, so create a fresh account. For probate records help, call (916) 875-3400 and select option 2, or use the free kiosks in Room 214.
E-filing is optional, and some papers must stay paper. Probate e-filing launched January 16, 2024 and is voluntary for attorneys and self-represented filers alike. Original wills and codicils, surety bonds, exhibits, ex parte requests, sealed documents, and the Affidavit re Real Property of Small Value must be filed in paper form.
Out-of-state personal representatives post bond. Local Rule 4.58: a personal representative who is not a California resident must post bond unless the beneficiaries waive it, or the will waives it and shows the testator knew the nominee lived out of state. Out-of-state families should plan for the bond premium or line up waivers before filing.
Routine ex parte requests go through the drop box. Small-estate orders under Probate Code § 7660, bond increases, and similar non-urgent ex parte applications are submitted through the first-floor drop box (8:00 AM – 5:00 PM), accompanied by local forms PR-E-LP-036 and PR-E-LP-043. The court rules on the papers Monday–Friday at 8:30 AM; parties must stay reachable from 8:30 AM to noon that day.
Small-estate Alternatives
The statewide small-estate paths apply in Sacramento with no local dollar changes. Two Sacramento quirks: the Affidavit re Real Property of Small Value (Cal. Prob. Code § 13200; up to $69,625 for deaths on or after April 1, 2025) is on the court's list of documents that cannot be e-filed, so it goes in on paper — in person, by mail, or through the drop box at 3341 Power Inn Road. And the § 13100 affidavit for personal property (up to $208,850 for deaths on or after April 1, 2025) never touches the court at all — the court itself directs families to the Sacramento County Public Law Library for the affidavit form.
Recent updates
| Date | Change | Source |
|---|---|---|
| July 1, 2025 | New Local Rule 4.02.01 created a Probate Law and Motion calendar with tentative rulings; all probate motions now set there, while non-motion matters stay on probate calendar notes | Sacramento Superior Court Local Rules, Chapter 4 |
| January 1, 2025 | Local Rule 4.01 revised: probate calendar notes post to the Public Portal 10–12 court days before the hearing, deficiencies must be cleared 5 court days out, and attorneys and parties are directed to subscribe to their case on the portal | Sacramento Superior Court Local Rules, Chapter 4 |
| September 16, 2024 | Probate remote-appearance procedures updated: RA-010 due 3 court days before non-evidentiary hearings (10 for evidentiary), with the Department 129 Zoom link published | Probate Remote Appearance Information (saccourt.ca.gov) |
| January 16, 2024 | Voluntary probate e-filing launched for attorneys and self-represented filers through approved e-filing service providers; original wills, codicils, and bonds remain paper-only | Public Notice, Sacramento Superior Court Probate Division |
| January 2, 2024 | New local form PR-E-CT-209 adopted for stipulated requests to drop or continue probate hearings and trials | Sacramento Superior Court local forms page |
| April 24, 2023 | Probate moved to a new case management system; the new Public Portal replaced the old Public Case Access system for probate case search, documents, and calendar notes | New Portal Information (saccourt.ca.gov) |
Page last reviewed: July 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely path in Sacramento County | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse, co-owned home | Spousal/Domestic Partner Property Petition filed at the Ridgeway courthouse and heard in Department 129, often by Zoom. Watch the calendar notes on the Public Portal and clear any deficiency 5 court days out. The court signs DE-226; record it with the Sacramento County Clerk/Recorder to complete the title transfer. | Asset discovery to confirm community vs. separate property. Packet generation for DE-221, DE-226, MC-025. Title-transfer guidance. |
| Out-of-state adult child, small estate | Small Estate Affidavit under Cal. Prob. Code § 13100 (personal property up to $208,850 for deaths on or after April 1, 2025) goes directly to the banks — no Sacramento filing. Real property up to $69,625 uses the § 13200 affidavit, filed on paper by mail or drop box; a primary residence up to $750,000 uses the §§ 13150–13157 succession petition, heard in Department 129 with Zoom appearance. For a full probate, remember Local Rule 4.58: an out-of-state personal representative posts bond unless it is properly waived. | Asset discovery to confirm the estate fits the caps. Packet generation. Online notarization so the child does not need to travel to Sacramento. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | Full probate at the Ridgeway courthouse with DE-111 requesting IAEA full authority. Publish in an approved newspaper for the child's city (not the Sacramento Bee), clear the calendar notes, and appear in Department 129 or by Zoom. The personal representative sells the home under IAEA authority with a Notice of Proposed Action (DE-165). | Asset discovery for the child's assets. Packet generation for DE-111 with IAEA full authority requested. Help responding to probate calendar notes. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | What it offers |
|---|---|
| Sacramento County Public Law Library (saclaw.org) | Probate practice guides, form templates, and research help — the court itself points § 13100 small-estate affidavit users here |
| Court Self-Help Center at the Ridgeway courthouse | Family-law focused (Family Law Facilitator); it does not staff a decedent's-estate clinic, so probate filers rely on the resources on this list |
| California Courts Self-Help Guide — Probate (selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/probate) | The Judicial Council's official plain-language guide to every California probate path |
| Capital Pro Bono — (916) 551-2102 | Volunteer attorneys and paralegals serving low-income Sacramento residents; on the court's probate legal-services referral list |
| Sacramento County Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service — (916) 564-6707 | Attorney referrals for consultation or representation; the referral the court's own decedents'-estates page provides |
| LawHelpCA (lawhelpca.org) | Statewide directory of free and low-cost legal aid programs |
When to hire an attorney
Many cooperative-family Sacramento probates — spousal petitions, small-estate paths, and uncontested administration — are completed without an attorney, especially since the calendar notes tell you exactly what the court wants fixed. Consider counsel when the estate exceeds $1 million, a will contest or heir dispute is likely, the estate holds business interests or out-of-state property, calendar notes recur and the family cannot clear them, or ancillary administration is needed for a non-resident who owned Sacramento County property. Because the court's Self-Help Center does not cover decedents' estates, self-represented families here lean on the law library and the court's published rules. Sunset can connect families to a vetted Sacramento probate attorney when the situation requires counsel.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches more than 2,300 financial institutions and Sacramento County public records to surface bank accounts, retirement plans, brokerage holdings, life insurance, real estate (with community-property characterization), and unclaimed property.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset assembles the Judicial Council DE-series forms for your estate settlement path, ready for e-filing or paper filing at the Ridgeway courthouse, plus the local Sacramento forms the case needs, like the Response to Calendar Notes when deficiencies appear.
Find a local probate attorney. When the situation calls for counsel, Sunset connects families to a vetted Sacramento probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Revenue comes from bank partners that pay Sunset while estate funds sit in an FDIC-insured estate account ($3M coverage).
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file a probate case in Sacramento County?
At the William R. Ridgeway Family Relations Courthouse, 3341 Power Inn Road, Sacramento, CA 95826 — not the downtown courthouse. The Probate Unit is in Room 214 on the second floor (window hours 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM, Monday–Friday). You can also file by mail to the same address, through the first-floor drop box (8:00 AM – 5:00 PM), or by e-filing.
Can I e-file probate documents in Sacramento County?
Yes, and it is voluntary — since January 16, 2024, both attorneys and self-represented filers may e-file through one of the court's approved e-filing service providers. Original wills and codicils, surety bonds, exhibits, ex parte requests, sealed documents, and the Affidavit re Real Property of Small Value must still be filed on paper.
How do I look up a Sacramento County probate case online?
Create a free account on the court's Public Portal, linked from saccourt.ca.gov (the old Public Case Access system was retired for probate in April 2023, and old accounts do not carry over). You can view documents in decedent's-estate and trust cases initiated after February 5, 2007, plus probate calendar notes and minute orders. For help, call (916) 875-3400 and select option 2.
What are Sacramento probate calendar notes?
The court's probate attorneys review every petition and publish notes itemizing any legal deficiencies. Notes post to the Public Portal 10–12 court days before the hearing and are updated 4 court days out. Clear every deficiency at least 5 court days before the hearing with a verified Response to Calendar Notes (local form PR-E-LP-022) — matters with uncleared notes are continued or dismissed without prejudice, and matters marked Recommended for Approval are granted without any appearance (Local Rules 4.01, 4.07).
Can I appear at a Sacramento probate hearing by Zoom?
Yes. The court conducts remote probate proceedings by Zoom (Local Rule 4.06). File Judicial Council form RA-010 (Notice of Remote Appearance) at least 3 court days before a non-evidentiary hearing, or 10 court days before an evidentiary hearing or trial, by mail or the courthouse drop box. Probate hearings are held in Department 129, which has a published Zoom link and a toll-free call-in line.
Does Sacramento County have local probate forms?
Yes — the PR-E-LP series and PR-E-CT-209 — but none is required to open a standard decedent's estate; the DE-series petition is filed without any local cover sheet. The local forms you are most likely to need are PR-E-LP-022 (Response to Calendar Notes), PR-E-CT-209 (stipulated drop or continuance), and PR-E-LP-036/043 (ex parte notice declarations). Forms are download-only; the courthouse does not stock paper copies.
How much does it cost to file for probate in Sacramento County?
$435 for the first petition (Cal. Gov. Code § 70650(a); the court's Statewide Civil Fee Schedule). Sacramento adds no county surcharge. The court takes cash, check, money order, or credit card with no extra processing fee, and fee waivers are available on Judicial Council forms FW-001/FW-003.
Which newspaper do I use to publish the probate notice in Sacramento County?
One on the court's approved list for the city where the decedent resided — Probate Code § 8120 requires publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the decedent's CITY, and Sacramento County has 7 cities. The Sacramento Bee and other McClatchy newspapers are not accepted. The court's decedents'-estates page publishes the approved-newspaper list, and the newspaper must supply its original affidavit of publication.
Do I have to travel to Sacramento to settle an estate there?
Usually not. Petitions can be e-filed or mailed, hearings can be attended by Zoom with form RA-010, matters marked Recommended for Approval are granted with no appearance at all, and the § 13100 small-estate affidavit (up to $208,850 for deaths on or after April 1, 2025) never touches the court. One caveat for full probate: a personal representative living outside California must post bond unless it is properly waived (Local Rule 4.58).
When was the will supposed to be filed with the Sacramento court?
Within 30 days of death. California law requires whoever holds the decedent's will to lodge it with the superior court of the county where the decedent lived — for Sacramento County residents, that is the Ridgeway courthouse at 3341 Power Inn Road, and the original will must be delivered on paper.
Shaped by the families we've helped
Thank you to the thousands of families who have trusted Sunset to help settle their loved ones' estates. This page is shaped by the questions they actually asked and the obstacles they actually hit — and that hard-won experience is what keeps it accurate, current, and genuinely useful to the families who come next.