DE-172 states the total amount a creditor claims from the estate of a person who has died, who the claimant is, and the facts supporting the claim. The claimant signs under penalty of perjury. The form cites Probate Code sections 9000 and following and 9153.
When it is used
Filed with the court and sent to the representative
The form says the claim must be filed with the court clerk before the later of four months after letters were first issued to the personal representative, or sixty days after a Notice of Administration was given under Probate Code section 9051. A copy must also be mailed or delivered to the personal representative and their attorney.
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 claim
Deadline and warning
The filing deadline, and the warning that a claim will in most instances be invalid if it is not completed, filed and copied properly.
1–4 · Amount and claimant
Total amount, who the claimant is, the claimant’s address, and whether the claimant is the creditor or acts for the creditor.
5–6 · Representative and declaration
Whether the claimant is the personal representative or their attorney, and the statement that payments and offsets have been credited.
Instructions A–G
Itemizing, debts after death, written instruments and security, filing, copies and claims by the personal representative.
Page 2 · Facts and proof
Facts supporting the claim
Date, item and amount for each part of the claim, with a total.
Proof of mailing or personal delivery
Who sent the copy to the personal representative, how, when and where.
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 claim is filed after the later of the two deadlines printed on the form.
No copy is mailed or delivered to the personal representative and their attorney, or the proof on page 2 is incomplete.
The claim is not itemized, or it includes debts incurred after the date of death other than funeral claims (instruction B).
A claim secured by a note or other written instrument has no original or copy attached (instruction D).
E-file it
How to e-file DE-172 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.
Instruction F says the personal representative or their attorney will notify the claimant when the claim is allowed or rejected.
Can I mail the claim to the court?
Instruction E says to mail or take the original to the court clerk’s office and, if mailed, to use certified mail with return receipt requested. A copy goes to the personal representative and their attorney.
Does the personal representative use this form for their own claim?
The form says claims by the personal representative or their attorney must be filed within the claim period in Probate Code section 9100.
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.
