By Corcoran Smith Law Corp. · Published · Updated
Probate in San Bernardino County, California
Probate for a San Bernardino County resident is filed with the Superior Court of California, County of San Bernardino, seated at San Bernardino. Under Probate Code section 7051 the proper county is where the decedent was domiciled, regardless of where they actually died.
Find the case and prepare for the next hearing
Probate e-filing is mandatory for attorneys from June 16, 2025; self-represented parties may choose it. Some original documents still need separate delivery, including wills and codicils. Check the court’s exception list before assuming an uploaded copy satisfies the original-document requirement. The e-filing FAQ also explains rejection and resubmission issues.
Official court resources checked . Confirm current filing and appearance requirements with the court. If a record is unavailable online, ask the clerk about access and copies.
A resident’s estate normally belongs in the county of domicile under section 7051. For a person domiciled outside California, section 7052 supplies a different property-based rule. Check the nonresident process before filing. Appointment and issued letters are needed before acting as personal representative; see opening an estate.
Sources: Probate Code s.7051 - Proper county is the county of domicile · Probate Code s.7052 - Venue where the decedent was not domiciled in California · Probate Code s.8000 - Petition commencing administration · Probate Code s.8400 - No power to administer until letters issue · Verified 2026-08-20.
The court that will hear it
| Detail | For San Bernardino County |
|---|---|
| Court | Superior Court of California, County of San Bernardino |
| County seat | San Bernardino |
| Court website | Filing information and local rules |
| Venue rule | Domicile of the decedent — Prob. Code §7051 |
| Inventory deadline | Four months from letters — §8800 |
| Creditor window | Later of four months after first letters to a general personal representative or 60 days after notice is mailed or personally delivered — §9100 |
Details not verified here: Probate department, Filing, E-filing, Self-help. Check the official court website above; an omitted detail does not mean the service is unavailable.
Departments, filing windows and local forms are set by the court itself and change. Confirm current requirements on the court’s own site before filing.
Estate fees and filing costs
The ordinary compensation schedule is statewide. It applies separately to the representative and attorney, on gross probate value before mortgages. Court filing charges, extraordinary work and other expenses are additional; check the court’s current fee schedule for the actual petition. Compare city home-value examples or use the fee calculator for your own estimate.
What an estate here actually faces
The statute is statewide; the arithmetic is not. Sections 10800 and 10810 run on gross value, so what probate costs in San Bernardino County is decided by what homes here are worth. Across the 12 San Bernardino County cities this site covers, the median owner-occupied home runs from $385,600 to $874,900, with a midpoint of $597,200.
The second question is whether the estate can avoid full administration at all. Probate Code section 13151 caps the petition to determine succession to a primary residence at $750,000 for deaths on or after 1 April 2025. 11 of the 12 San Bernardino County cities on this site sit under that ceiling and 1 clears it, so which route is open depends on where in the county the home is.
| In San Bernardino County | Median home | Statutory fees | §13151 residence petition |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Bernardino | $422,300 | $22,892 | Open |
| Fontana | $586,800 | $29,472 | Open |
| Ontario | $607,600 | $30,304 | Open |
| Rancho Cucamonga | $740,200 | $35,608 | Appraisal decides |
| Victorville | $385,600 | $21,424 | Open |
| Rialto | $487,900 | $25,516 | Open |
| Hesperia | $409,000 | $22,360 | Open |
| Chino | $683,400 | $33,336 | Open |
| Upland | $739,400 | $35,576 | Appraisal decides |
| Chino Hills | $874,900 | $40,996 | Over the limit |
| Apple Valley | $407,400 | $22,296 | Open |
| Redlands | $618,900 | $30,756 | Open |
Median owner-occupied home values are U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2024 5-year estimates. The fee column is the personal representative’s and the attorney’s statutory compensation combined, on gross value, before any mortgage is deducted. A specific estate is decided by its appraisal, not by a median.
Estate disputes and trust proceedings
Check the existing San Bernardino County estate docket for a will contest or an objection to the representative’s account. A trust proceeding has separate venue rules under Probate Code section 17005; it does not automatically follow the estate’s court. Confirm the trust’s principal place of administration and the applicable venue rule with counsel.
Related: how probate disputes are litigated, what it takes to contest a will, the administration process end to end, opening the estate, how long it takes, and whether you can avoid probate altogether.
The Probate Code sections behind this page
Each section links to its official text at the California Legislature’s own site. The full index of sections covers the rest of the Code.
Also cited above, explained elsewhere on this site
- Probate Code section 7051
- Proper county is the county of domicile. Where section 7051 is explained
- Probate Code section 7052
- Venue where the decedent was not domiciled in California. Where section 7052 is explained
- Probate Code section 8800
- Inventory and appraisal, four-month deadline. Where section 8800 is explained
- Probate Code section 13151
- Petition to determine succession to a primary residence. Where section 13151 is explained
Before you call: What probate costs · How long it takes · Which court hears it