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DE-121Mandatory

Notice of Petition to Administer Estate

California · Judicial Council of California · Effective January 1, 2013

This form is a notice that tells interested people that a request to start the process of managing a deceased person's property has been filed with the court. It informs people about the hearing date and what they can do if they disagree with the request.

The court describes it as: If you file a Petition for Probate (a request to start the process for distributing a deceased person’s property, paying debts owed by the deceased person, and settling the financial affairs of the deceased person), tell all interested persons that the petition has been filed and about the date, time, and place of a hearing on the petition. Also explains what a person receiving the notice should do if they do not agree with the petition.

Open the official PDFfrom Judicial Council of California

Where this fits in a case

Start a case

Stage: Start a case

This form is used when someone files a Petition for Probate, which starts the process for handling a deceased person's property, paying their debts, and settling their finances.

Either party may file.

Official instructions

How-to guides published by the court for this form.

Common questions

What is this form for?
This form is a notice that tells everyone interested that a Petition for Probate has been filed with the court. It also gives details about the hearing for that petition.
Who needs to fill this out?
The form is used when a Petition for Probate is filed, and it requires information from the petitioner and the court.

Revision history

No changes recorded since we started tracking this form on October 9, 2026. The current version took effect January 1, 2013.

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