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Ventura County, CA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Category | Current rules |
|---|---|
| Court | Superior Court of California, County of Ventura — Probate Division |
| Courthouse | Juvenile and Probate Courthouse, 4353 E. Vineyard Avenue, Oxnard, CA 93036 (all probate for the county; Courtroom J6) |
| Mailing address | Superior Court of California, County of Ventura, 4353 E. Vineyard Avenue, Oxnard, CA 93036 |
| Phone | (805) 289-8820 (probate division) |
| Clerk's office hours | Mon–Fri 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM, except court holidays; drop box outside the courthouse front doors during business hours |
| Probate calendar | Wills, estates, and trusts: motions Wednesdays and Thursdays at 9:00 AM; new probate estate petitions Thursdays at 10:30 AM (calendar limits apply) |
| Filing fee (petition for probate) | $435 — statewide fee, no Ventura County surcharge (Cal. Gov. Code § 70650(a); Statewide Civil Fee Schedule effective January 1, 2026) |
| Local probate forms | VN084 Request and Order Appointing Probate Referee; VN135 fax request for continuance; proposed order required with every new petition (Local Rule 10.00.D.1) |
| E-filing | Mandatory for attorneys in probate since May 5, 2025 (available since December 9, 2024); self-represented filers exempt but may e-file |
| Probate Notes (tentative rulings) | Published online by hearing date at www2.ventura.courts.ca.gov/CaseInquiry/TentativeRulings |
| Online case search | Ventura Public Access portal (ventura.ecourt.com/public-portal) — free account required; probate documents processed after March 20, 2023 viewable except estate and trust accountings |
| Remote appearance | Zoom available in Courtroom J6 for Tuesday–Friday hearings (comply with Cal. Rules of Court, rule 3.672); in-person always allowed |
| Website | https://ventura.courts.ca.gov/divisions/probate |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before filing anything at the Oxnard courthouse, know exactly what is in the estate. The right path — small-estate affidavit, Petition to Determine Succession to Real Property, Spousal Property Petition, or full probate — depends entirely on the value and type of the assets, and Ventura's requirement that a proposed order accompany every new petition means you must know what you are asking the court to order before you file. New probate estate petitions get one setting a week, on the Thursday 10:30 AM calendar with calendar limits, so a petition filed on the wrong path costs real time.
Identify every bank account, retirement plan, brokerage account, life insurance policy, business interest, and parcel of real property — and every debt — before choosing the path. Sunset's asset-discovery work, searching more than 2,300 financial institutions, exists for this step.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Superior Court of California, County of Ventura hears every probate matter in the county — decedents' estates, succession and spousal petitions, conservatorships, guardianships, and trust matters — at the Juvenile and Probate Courthouse, 4353 E. Vineyard Avenue, Oxnard, in Courtroom J6. The Hall of Justice in Ventura and the East County Courthouse in Simi Valley handle no probate; families everywhere in the county — Ventura, Oxnard, Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, Camarillo, Moorpark, Santa Paula, Fillmore, Ojai, and Port Hueneme — file in Oxnard.
Venue in Ventura County is proper when the decedent was domiciled in the county at death (Cal. Prob. Code § 7051), or owned Ventura County real property as a non-resident (ancillary administration). The court reviews each petition before the hearing and publishes the result as a Probate Note — Ventura's name for its tentative rulings — which you must check and clear before your hearing date.
The jurisdiction process
- Prepare the statewide Judicial Council DE-series forms for your path, plus a proposed order for everything the petition requests. Under Local Rule 10.00.D.1 the clerk rejects any new petition filed without a proposed order.
- If the decedent left a will, lodge the original with the clerk at the Oxnard courthouse ($50 lodging fee).
- Include local form VN084 (Request and Order Appointing Probate Referee) so the court can designate the referee who will appraise the estate's non-cash assets.
- File the petition. Attorneys must e-file through an approved electronic filing service provider (mandatory since May 5, 2025). Self-represented filers may e-file or file on paper: in person at the clerk's window (Mon–Fri 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM), by mail to 4353 E. Vineyard Avenue, Oxnard, CA 93036, or in the drop box outside the courthouse front doors during business hours.
- Pay the $435 filing fee (Cal. Gov. Code § 70650(a); fee waivers available on Judicial Council forms FW-001/FW-003).
- The clerk sets the hearing on the Thursday 10:30 AM new-petition calendar, subject to calendar limits.
- Complete notice: publish in an adjudicated Ventura County newspaper (the court posts a list of adjudicated newspapers with cost and timing information) and mail DE-121 notice to heirs and beneficiaries at least 15 days before the hearing.
- Check the Probate Notes for your hearing date at www2.ventura.courts.ca.gov/CaseInquiry/TentativeRulings and resolve any defects the probate staff flag before the hearing.
- Attend the hearing in Courtroom J6 — in person or by Zoom (comply with Cal. Rules of Court, rule 3.672). The judge admits the will, appoints the personal representative, and issues Letters (DE-150). Orders signed at a hearing are processed the same day.
- Administer and close the estate under the statewide process: creditor notice, the 4-month claim period, Inventory and Appraisal (DE-160) with the appointed probate referee, and the petition for final distribution.
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 Ventura County exactly as described on the California page. Ventura adds these local obligations:
| Ventura-specific duty | Timing |
|---|---|
| Lodge a proposed order with every new petition (Local Rule 10.00.D.1) — the clerk rejects petitions without one | At filing (care plans, status reports, and Inventory and Appraisals excepted) |
| E-file all documents if represented by counsel | Throughout the case (mandatory since May 5, 2025) |
| Submit VN084 to have the probate referee appointed | With the petition, so the referee is in place for the Inventory and Appraisal |
| Check the Probate Notes for each hearing and cure flagged defects | Notes post to the Tentative Rulings page by hearing date |
| Publish notice in an adjudicated Ventura County newspaper | Before the hearing (DE-121; at least 15 days' mailed notice) |
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Ventura County
Ventura County 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) plus a short list of local forms for decedents' estates:
| Form | Name | When used |
|---|---|---|
| VN084 | Request and Order Appointing Probate Referee | Filed with the petition so the court can appoint the probate referee who appraises non-cash assets for the Inventory and Appraisal |
| VN135 | Probate / Parental Rights; Fax for Continuance | Requesting a continuance of a probate hearing by fax |
Ventura's most important local requirement is not a form at all: Local Rule 10.00.D.1 requires a formal proposed order lodged at the time of filing any new petition, and the clerk's office has been instructed to reject new petitions of any type that arrive without one (care plans, status reports, and Inventory and Appraisals excepted). Local forms are downloadable from the court's Local Forms page at ventura.courts.ca.gov.
Timeline
- File the petition with the proposed order and VN084; lodge the original will ($50).
- The clerk sets the hearing on a Thursday 10:30 AM new-petition calendar consistent with the 15-day notice period — subject to the calendar limits the court imposes on most probate calendars, which can push a setting to a later week.
- Probate Notes post to the Tentative Rulings page for your hearing date; cure any flagged defects before the hearing or expect a continuance.
- Hearing to Letters (DE-150): orders signed at the hearing are processed the same day; include a self-addressed stamped envelope, copies, and a check for certified copies for the fastest turnaround.
- Creditor claim period and Inventory and Appraisal deadline: 4 months from Letters (statewide), with the appraisal done by the probate referee appointed on VN084.
- Petition for final distribution: set on the same Wednesday/Thursday probate calendars.
Local nuance
Ventura County-specific considerations
One probate courthouse, and it is not the main one. All Ventura County probate is filed and heard at the Juvenile and Probate Courthouse in Oxnard, Courtroom J6 — not the Hall of Justice in Ventura or the East County Courthouse in Simi Valley. Mail, the front-door drop box, and e-filing all route there.
No proposed order, no filing. Under Local Rule 10.00.D.1, a formal proposed order must be lodged when any new petition is filed, whether or not you can predict the outcome of the hearing. The clerk's office rejects new petitions without one. Care plans, status reports, and Inventory and Appraisals are the only exceptions.
Probate Notes are Ventura's tentative rulings. The court's probate staff review each matter and publish a Probate Note by hearing date at www2.ventura.courts.ca.gov/CaseInquiry/TentativeRulings. Search by your hearing date, read the note, and cure any defects before the hearing.
Calendar limits. The court caps the number of matters on most probate calendars. New probate estate petitions are set only on Thursdays at 10:30 AM, so a full calendar pushes your first hearing to a later week — file complete and early.
Zoom without drama. Courtroom J6 allows Zoom appearance (video or audio) for Tuesday through Friday hearings, and the court itself notes that almost nothing short of trial requires a personal appearance. Comply with California Rules of Court, rule 3.672; the Courtroom J6 instructions on the probate page carry the current meeting link and dial-in numbers.
Disputed cases go to mediation. The court's stated policy is to order mediation in all disputed probate matters. It maintains a list of volunteer settlement officers — probate attorneys with at least 10 years' experience who donate up to two hours for smaller cases where private mediation is otherwise impossible.
Recent updates
| Date | Change | Source |
|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2026 | Statewide Civil Fee Schedule reissued; the probate first-paper fee is unchanged at $435 and Ventura adds no county surcharge | Ventura Superior Court Fee & Bail Schedules page |
| May 5, 2025 | E-filing became mandatory for attorneys in probate, unlimited civil, and limited civil cases (Administrative Order 25.03); self-represented filers remain exempt | Ventura Superior Court mandatory eFiling notice |
| December 9, 2024 | E-filing opened for probate, civil, and small claims cases through approved electronic filing service providers | ventura.courts.ca.gov eFiling page |
| March 20, 2023 | Non-confidential probate documents processed on or after this date became viewable through the Ventura Public Access portal (estate and trust accountings excluded) | Ventura Public Access portal (ventura.ecourt.com) |
Page last reviewed: July 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely path in Ventura County | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse, co-owned home | Spousal/Domestic Partner Property Petition filed at the Oxnard courthouse with a proposed DE-226 attached (Local Rule 10.00.D.1), heard in Courtroom J6, often by Zoom. Record the signed DE-226 with the Ventura County Recorder to complete the title transfer. | Asset discovery to confirm community vs. separate property. Packet generation for DE-221, DE-226, MC-025, and the proposed order. 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 Ventura filing at all. A primary residence up to $750,000 uses the §§ 13150–13157 succession petition in Courtroom J6, with Zoom appearance so nobody flies in. | Asset discovery to confirm the estate fits the caps. Packet generation. Online notarization so the child does not need to travel to Oxnard. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | Full IAEA probate at the Oxnard courthouse: DE-111 requesting full authority, proposed order and VN084 attached, hearing on the Thursday 10:30 AM calendar. Clear the Probate Notes before the hearing. The personal representative sells the home under IAEA with a Notice of Proposed Action (DE-165). | Asset discovery for the child's assets. Packet generation for DE-111 with IAEA full authority, the proposed order, and VN084. Help responding to Probate Notes. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | What it offers |
|---|---|
| Civil Self-Help Center — Room 206 at the Juvenile and Probate Courthouse (4353 E. Vineyard Avenue, Oxnard) and Room 106 at the Hall of Justice (800 S. Victoria Avenue, Ventura) | The court's self-help attorneys and staff, by appointment or scheduled walk-in; assists with guardianship and conservatorship and general procedure, but cannot help anyone represented by an attorney |
| Courtroom J6 instructions and Probate Notes (ventura.courts.ca.gov/divisions/probate) | The probate division's own instructions: Probate Notes lookup, adjudicated newspaper list for publication, Zoom appearance details, and the volunteer settlement officer 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 |
| Ventura County Law Library (800 S. Victoria Avenue, Ventura) | Practice guides and legal research help, referenced by the court's self-help pages |
| LawHelpCA (lawhelpca.org) | Directory of free and low-cost legal aid programs serving Ventura County |
When to hire an attorney
A Ventura County attorney is advisable when the estate exceeds $1 million, when a will contest or heir dispute is likely — Ventura orders mediation in all disputed probate matters — when the estate holds business interests or out-of-state property, when ancillary administration is needed for a non-resident decedent, or when Probate Notes keep flagging defects the family cannot cure. The proposed-order requirement also raises the drafting bar: every new petition must arrive with a formal order the judge could sign. Sunset can connect families to a vetted Ventura County probate attorney when the situation requires counsel.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches more than 2,300 financial institutions and Ventura County public records to surface bank accounts, retirement plans, brokerage holdings, life insurance, real estate (with community-property characterization), business interests, and unclaimed property.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset assembles the full Ventura filing packet for estate settlement: the Judicial Council DE-series forms for your path, the proposed order Local Rule 10.00.D.1 requires with every new petition, and the VN084 probate referee request.
Find a local probate attorney. When the situation calls for counsel, Sunset connects families to a vetted Ventura County 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 Ventura County?
At the Juvenile and Probate Courthouse, 4353 E. Vineyard Avenue, Oxnard, CA 93036 — all probate for the entire county is filed and heard there, in Courtroom J6. The Hall of Justice in Ventura and the East County Courthouse in Simi Valley handle no probate. File in person (Mon–Fri 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM), by mail, via the drop box outside the front doors, or by e-filing.
Do I have to e-file probate documents in Ventura County?
Attorneys do — e-filing through an approved electronic filing service provider has been mandatory for attorneys in probate since May 5, 2025. Self-represented filers are exempt and may file on paper at the counter, by mail, or in the drop box, though they may e-file voluntarily.
Why did the Ventura clerk reject my probate petition?
Most often because no proposed order was attached. Local Rule 10.00.D.1 requires a formal proposed order lodged at the time of filing any new petition, and the clerk's office rejects new petitions of any type without one. Care plans, status reports, and Inventory and Appraisals are the only exceptions.
When are probate hearings held in Ventura County?
In Courtroom J6 at the Oxnard courthouse. For wills, estates, and trusts: motions and miscellaneous petitions Wednesdays and Thursdays at 9:00 AM; new probate estate petitions Thursdays at 10:30 AM. Most calendars carry limits on the number of matters set.
What are Probate Notes in Ventura County and how do I check them?
Probate Notes are Ventura's version of tentative rulings — the probate staff's pre-hearing review of your petition. Go to www2.ventura.courts.ca.gov/CaseInquiry/TentativeRulings, enter your hearing date, and select your case from the list. Cure any flagged defects before the hearing or the matter is likely to be continued.
Can I appear at a Ventura County probate hearing by Zoom?
Yes. Courtroom J6 allows Zoom appearance, by video or audio, for Tuesday through Friday hearings, and the court notes that almost nothing short of trial requires appearing in person. Follow California Rules of Court, rule 3.672, and use the meeting link and dial-in numbers in the Courtroom J6 instructions on the court's probate page.
Can I check my Ventura County probate case online?
Yes. The Ventura Public Access portal at ventura.ecourt.com/public-portal covers probate cases; a free online account is required. You can search by name or case number, view the register of actions, and view non-confidential probate documents processed after March 20, 2023 (estate and trust accountings excluded).
Does Ventura County have local probate forms?
Two for decedents' estates: VN084 (Request and Order Appointing Probate Referee), filed so the court can appoint the referee who appraises the estate's non-cash assets, and VN135 (fax request for a continuance). The bigger local requirement is the proposed order that Local Rule 10.00.D.1 demands with every new petition.
How much does it cost to file for probate in Ventura County?
$435 for the first petition (Cal. Gov. Code § 70650(a); Statewide Civil Fee Schedule effective January 1, 2026). Ventura adds no county surcharge. Lodging the original will costs $50. Fee waivers are available on Judicial Council forms FW-001/FW-003.
Do I have to travel to Oxnard to settle an estate in Ventura County?
Usually not. Petitions can be filed by mail or e-filing, hearings in Courtroom J6 can be attended by Zoom, and the small-estate affidavit under Cal. Prob. Code § 13100 never touches the court at all — it is presented directly to banks and asset holders.
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.