Probate papers.
Served in person or by mail.
Many probate notices are mailed rather than personally served, but some papers have to be handed to the person. A California registered process server can serve those in person or mail your prepared notices, then complete the proof of service for you to file.
Probate service packet
To be served
- Your filed petition and attachments
- The Notice of Hearing or Citation
- Who gets served in person or by mail
- Served by
- California registered process server
- Returned to you
- Proof of personal service or service by mail
Your court’s instructions decide the forms and deadlines. Affid serves the papers you’ve prepared.
How serving probate papers works.
What official California court sources say about serving these papers, with a link to each source. It explains the practical workflow; it isn’t legal advice.
You can’t serve the papers yourself. The server must be 18 or older and not someone who signed the petition.
California Courts: Serve guardianship papers in personIn a conservatorship, the citation and a copy of the petition must be served on the proposed conservatee at least 15 days before the hearing.
California Legislative Information: Probate Code § 1824For a limited conservatorship, the court’s instructions say to hand those papers to the adult. The server signs the proof of service on page 3 of the Citation (GC-320).
California Courts: Serve limited conservatorship papers in personIn a guardianship, the child’s parents, the child if 12 or older, and some others must be served in person at least 15 days before the hearing. Proof goes on form GC-020(P).
California Courts: Serve guardianship papers in personOther family members can be served by mail at least 15 days before the hearing, or earlier if they live in another county, state or country.
California Courts: Serve guardianship papers by mailTo open a probate estate, notice of the hearing must be delivered at least 15 days before it to each heir who is known or can reasonably be found, and to each person named in the will as a beneficiary or executor.
California Legislative Information: Probate Code § 8110What to prepare.
- Your filed petition and notice or citation, with a copy for each person
- Your hearing date, so the deadline can be counted back
- Who must be served in person and who by mail, with addresses
- A photo or description of anyone to be served in person
What you receive.
- A record of each in-person attempt and its outcome
- The completed proof of personal service or mail service for you to file
Questions people ask.
All questionsDo all probate notices need a process server?
No. Many are mailed by an adult who isn’t a party, such as notice of a hearing to open an estate. Personal service matters for papers that must be handed to someone, like a limited conservatorship citation or guardianship papers for a child’s parents.
Can Affid publish the newspaper notice?
No. The court explains that notice of a petition to open probate is also published in a newspaper where the person who died lived, and the newspaper charges for it. Affid serves and mails the papers you’ve prepared.
Can Affid tell me who needs notice?
No. Affid doesn’t give legal advice. Your petition and the court’s instructions list who must be notified, and your court’s self-help center or a lawyer can help.
Official sources
- California Courts: Serve guardianship papers in person
- California Courts: Serve guardianship papers by mail
- California Courts: Serve limited conservatorship papers in person
- California Courts: If you need formal probate
- California Legislative Information: Probate Code § 1824
- California Legislative Information: Probate Code § 8110
Get your probate papers served.
Share the prepared papers, the address and your deadline. Scope and fees are confirmed before work begins.
Our team confirms scope and fees with you before work begins.