DE-157 identifies the personal representative, the estate, the court and the case number, and tells creditors how and when to file a claim. It cites Probate Code sections 9050 and 9052.
When it is used
The claim deadline
Item 3 says the claim must be filed with the court clerk, and a copy mailed or delivered to the personal representative, before the later of four months after letters were first issued to a general personal representative or 60 days after this notice was mailed or personally delivered.
Section by section
What each part asks
Use the current official form and its instructions. The descriptions below identify the questions without choosing answers for your situation.
Page 1 · The notice
1–2 · Representative and court
The personal representative’s name, address and telephone, the decedent, the court and the case number.
3 · Claim deadline
The date letters were first issued and the date this notice was mailed or delivered.
4 · Late claims
A petition under Probate Code section 9103 to file late, which not every claim is eligible for.
Claim form and mailing
Where to get DE-172, that a letter to the court is not enough, and certified mail with return receipt for mailed claims.
Page 2 · Proof of service by mail (optional)
1–4 · The mailing
Who mailed the notice and a blank Creditor’s Claim, how, when and where.
Persons mailed
Name and address of each person; POS-030(P) can list more. Personal delivery uses POS-020 and POS-020(P) instead.
Before you file
Common filing problems to check
These checks come from the official form and instructions. They are not a ranking of rejection reasons; the court decides whether a filing meets its requirements.
The dates in item 3 are left blank, so the creditor cannot tell the deadline.
No blank DE-172 is sent with the notice, although the form’s note asks for one.
Page 2 is used to show personal delivery; the form says to use POS-020 and POS-020(P) for that.
The case number or court address in item 2 is missing or different from the case.
E-file it
How to e-file DE-157 with Legal Hub Group
Legal Hub Group is a certified e-filing service provider for California courts. Availability depends on the live court, case type, document type and whether the case is new or existing.
1
Confirm the court
Check the current court and case-type list. A court must support the particular filing; this guide does not make every form available in every county.
2
Upload and check
Upload the finished papers and their attachments. Lexary checks them for common filing problems. Review the documents and the results before continuing.
3
Review the filing and fees
Confirm the case, document types and payment choice. Review every fee shown before submitting.
4
Submit and track the answer
The court reviews the filing. Keep the court’s acceptance and returned copy, or read its rejection notice before deciding what to do next.
$14.99 Legal Hub Group fee per e-filing, plus applicable court and court-system fees. Each fee is shown before submitting.
E-service is included free where available. No subscription. E-filing and service of opening papers are separate requirements.
Not legal advice. This page explains public filing information. It does not tell you what to put in your own case. Legal Hub Group is a certified e-filing service provider for California courts, not a law firm.
Information checked as of October 2026. Rules, form revisions and provider prices can change. The court decides whether to accept a filing.
