State guide
California
California formal probate requires newspaper publication of the petition for probate, but creditor claims are primarily driven by issuance of letters and the Notice of Administration to Creditors. California’s small-estate alternatives are highly value-sensitive and were updated effective April 28, 2025 on Judicial Council form DE-300.
Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- Publishing the notice
- Publication is required for the probate petition; the petitioner arranges it, it must run once a week for 2 successive weeks, and the paper must be a newspaper of general circulation, typically one adjudicated by the superior court under Gov. Code § 6000 et seq.
- Creditor claim deadline
- 4 months after letters issue, with mailed creditors receiving the later of that period or 60 days after notice
- Law
- Prob. Code §§ 9050-9054, 9100, 9150; Gov. Code §§ 6000 et seq., 6066
- Small-estate limit
- $208,850 for the § 13100 affidavit procedure for deaths on or after April 1, 2025; $750,000 for the primary-residence petition under §§ 13151-13154; $69,625 for the § 13200 real-property affidavit
Official resources in California
Official overview of formal probate, including publication of the petition and notice to creditors.
Official creditor-notice form telling creditors how and when to make a claim.
Official statewide form listing current small-estate thresholds and related probate shortcuts.
Official code text for creditor-claim filing rules, including service of claims on the personal representative.
Official statute stating publication once a week for two successive weeks.
Key facts for California
- California Courts says you must arrange publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the city where the decedent lived. (California Courts self-help)
- Gov. Code § 6066 says publication is once a week for 2 successive weeks. (California Legislature)
- California Courts says the personal representative must provide formal notice to creditors using DE-157. (California Courts formal probate)
- Prob. Code § 9150 requires the creditor to file the claim with the court and serve a copy on the personal representative. (California Legislature)
- DE-300 lists the § 13100 small-estate personal-property limit as $208,850 for deaths on or after April 1, 2025. (Judicial Council DE-300)
- DE-300 lists a $750,000 primary-residence succession procedure for deaths on or after April 1, 2025. (Judicial Council DE-300)
What to do next
- Use the county superior court’s adjudicated-newspaper list for the county where the probate is filed, because California qualifying newspapers are county-specific.
- After appointment, send DE-157 promptly to creditors you know about and calendar the claims period from the letters date.
- Before opening a full probate, compare the estate to DE-300 because a small-estate affidavit or primary-residence petition may be available.
Helpful guides
- What is a notice to creditors in probate?
- How to publish a probate notice in a newspaper
- How much does it cost to publish a probate notice?
- What counts as a legal newspaper for probate notices
Creditor deadline calculator →