Quick answer: California's probate filing fee is about $435 to open the case (a petition for probate), set statewide, plus a second ~$435 for some later petitions. On top, the probate referee charges 0.1% of the appraised asset value (Prob. Code § 8961). These out-of-pocket costs are small next to the statutory attorney and executor fees.
The court & referee costs
California probate is filed with the Superior Court of the county where the person lived — Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Santa Clara and the other counties. Unlike the statutory fees, these are flat out-of-pocket amounts:
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Petition for Probate filing fee | ~$435 |
| Probate referee appraisal (§ 8961) | 0.1% of appraised assets |
| Publication of notice | ~$200–$1,000 (by newspaper) |
| Certified Letters | a few dollars each |
| Probate bond (if required) | ~0.5% of estate/yr |
Filing fee ~$435 statewide (may change); publication cost varies widely by county and newspaper. Confirm current amounts with the Superior Court.
The probate referee — a California specific
California requires a court-appointed probate referee to appraise the non-cash assets of the estate. The referee is paid 0.1% (one-tenth of one percent) of the value of the assets appraised, under Prob. Code § 8961. On a $1 million estate that's about $1,000 — modest, but another reason the gross value drives the total.
The real cost is the statutory fees
For California, the filing and referee fees are a rounding error next to the statutory attorney and executor fees — about $46,000 combined on a $1 million estate. See the California probate cost breakdown for the schedule, learn about attorney fees, or estimate your total with the California probate cost calculator.