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California · San Joaquin Valley · Sierra Nevada Gateway · #409 Most Populous County in the US
Madera County, California
California's gateway to Yosemite - from the San Joaquin Valley floor's vineyards, dairies, and almond orchards to Oakhurst's Sierra Nevada foothills communities, the magnificent sequoias of the Madera Grove, and the southern approach to Yosemite National Park that draws millions of visitors through this agricultural and resort county. Property tax, courts, public records, and senior services for Madera County residents.
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Madera County's assessment ratio means effective tax rates are low — but incorrect appraisals still cost money. Ownwell manages the appeal with no upfront cost.
Office: Madera County OES – (559) 675-7823 | madera-county.com
Alert System: Madera County Alert; CA Alert; NOAA Weather Radio
Shelter Info: Madera County Fairgrounds; school facilities; contact OES
FEMA Region: Region 9
Notes: Central San Joaquin Valley and Sierra Nevada county; Madera is county seat; wildfire risk (Sierra Nevada foothills – 2020 Creek Fire; 2013 Rim Fire started near county); earthquake risk; extreme heat in the valley floor; Valley Fever risk; flooding (San Joaquin River); Madera Ranchos, North Fork, and other foothill communities in high fire risk zones
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
County Roads: Madera County Public Works – (559) 675-7721
Airport: Madera Municipal Airport (general aviation); Fresno Yosemite International (FAT) is the regional commercial airport (35 miles south)
Notes: Hwy 99 runs north-south through Madera; Hwy 41 runs north from Fresno through Madera County to Yosemite National Park (the main Yosemite gateway route from the Valley – Highway 41 through Oakhurst is extremely congested in summer); Hwy 49 (Gold Rush highway) runs through Oakhurst area; Oakhurst is the “Gateway to Yosemite” – the last major town before entering the park on Hwy 41; California High-Speed Rail runs through Madera County (Madera Station planned)
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Madera County Planning and Building – (559) 675-7821 | madera-county.com
Services: County permits; Madera (separate), Chowchilla, Madera Ranchos (unincorporated), Oakhurst (unincorporated) have separate or county-administered permits
Notes: Yosemite gateway tourism driving development in Oakhurst and North Fork; high-speed rail station development potential; agricultural processing; growing residential market as Fresno exurb; post-Creek Fire rebuilding in some foothill areas
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Madera County Veterans Services – (559) 675-7823
VA Medical: VA Central California (Fresno) – approximately 35 miles south; accessible
Services: Benefits claims, VA healthcare enrollment; accessible via Hwy 99
Notes: Fresno VA is the primary facility; Madera has a significant veteran community; commute to Fresno VA is relatively manageable; agricultural community includes many veteran farmers
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Madera County Library – (559) 675-7871 | maderacountylibrary.com
Branches: Madera, Chowchilla, Oakhurst, North Fork, South Fork
Services: Books, e-books, public computers, Wi-Fi, Spanish-language collections, children’s programs; Yosemite heritage materials at Oakhurst branch
Notes: Library system spans from valley floor to foothills; Oakhurst branch serves Yosemite gateway community; bilingual Spanish materials essential; North Fork serves a community with Mono tribal cultural connections; Chowchilla branch serves the Valley town
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Yosemite National Park (accessible via Hwy 41 from Oakhurst – South Entrance; Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias; Wawona area; Valley is accessible via Hwy 41 through the tunnel); Bass Lake (County’s most popular water recreation area – boating, water skiing, fishing; busy summer destination in the pines); Sierra National Forest (extensive Sierra Nevada backcountry – hiking, fishing, camping; Ansel Adams Wilderness); Millerton Lake State Recreation Area (San Joaquin River reservoir – boating; fishing; camping); Courthouse Museum (Madera – Central Valley agricultural history)
Notes: Madera County’s primary tourism identity is as a Yosemite gateway; the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias (at the South Entrance to Yosemite) is one of the most accessible sequoia groves in the world – a beautifully restored grove (a restoration project removed roads and restored habitat) that offers intimate encounters with 3,000-year-old trees; Bass Lake is beloved by generations of Central Valley families for summer recreation; Sierra National Forest’s Ansel Adams Wilderness takes its name from the photographer whose images of Yosemite and the Sierra shaped America’s conservation movement
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Madera County GIS – madera-county.com; CalFire fire hazard maps; NPS Yosemite maps; USFS Sierra NF maps
Notes: County GIS; wildfire hazard zone mapping important for foothill communities; Yosemite NP digital trail and permit systems; California High-Speed Rail alignment mapping
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Shelter: Madera County Animal Services – (559) 675-7891
Notes: Black bear encounters in Oakhurst and foothill communities are common; mountain lion management through CDFW; agricultural county with livestock management needs; Yosemite gateway area wildlife conflicts
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Solid Waste: Madera County Public Works – (559) 675-7721
Environmental: California SWRCB; San Joaquin RWQCB; USBR (Friant Dam – Millerton Lake; San Joaquin River Restoration Program); SJVAPCD; Sierra National Forest (USFS); Valley Fever distribution
Notes: The San Joaquin River Restoration Program (mandated by a 2006 federal court settlement) is restoring salmon runs to the San Joaquin River above Friant Dam after a 60-year absence – Friant Dam operations are being modified to allow spring salmon runs; Millerton Lake (Friant Dam) is a critical water supply for the Friant division of the Central Valley Project; groundwater overdraft and SGMA implementation are transforming agricultural water management in the valley floor portion; wildfire management in the Sierra foothills requires active prescribed burn programs; Yosemite gateway area development pressure must be balanced with watershed and scenic protection
About Madera County
Madera County is a central California county and the 409th most populous in the United States, covering 2,137 square miles from the San Joaquin Valley floor east to the Sierra Nevada crest at elevations exceeding 13,000 feet.
Madera (the county seat, population ~67,000) is the valley floor’s commercial center – a city rooted in agriculture, timber, and winemaking. The surrounding San Joaquin Valley produces grapes (the Madera wine appellation includes significant table wine production), almonds, dairy, and poultry. Fairmead and other unincorporated communities reflect the agricultural workforce that sustains this production, with significant farmworker populations.
Chowchilla (population ~19,000) is the county’s second city – a valley community notable for the 1976 Chowchilla kidnapping, in which 26 schoolchildren and their bus driver were abducted and buried in a quarry in one of the most extraordinary criminal cases in California history. All victims survived.
Oakhurst (unincorporated, population ~15,000) is Madera County’s Sierra foothills hub – positioned at the junction of State Highway 41 (the primary approach to Yosemite from Fresno and the south), Oakhurst serves as the last major commercial center before Yosemite National Park’s south entrance. Hotels, restaurants, and services oriented toward Yosemite tourism anchor the local economy.
Bass Lake is a private community around a reservoir in the Sierra foothills west of Oakhurst – a second-home and vacation community with strong recreational appeal that has seen extraordinary appreciation, particularly since 2020 as remote work enabled permanent relocation to vacation communities.
Yosemite National Park – approximately 95% of which lies within Madera and Tuolumne counties, with the Valley itself in Mariposa County – draws over 4 million visitors annually. The Madera Grove of Giant Sequoias (the largest Giant Sequoia grove in the world by number of trees) lies within Yosemite in Madera County.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
California’s Proposition 13 caps annual assessed value increases at 2% until a change of ownership triggers reassessment.
The appeal process: File with the Madera County Assessment Appeals Board at 200 W. 4th Street, Madera, CA 93637, phone 559-675-7703. General filing period: July 2 through November 30 (or within 60 days of reassessment notice). California has no estate tax.
OWNWELL CTA: Madera County Assessment Appeals Board: July 2–November 30. Oakhurst and Bass Lake Yosemite-proximity second-home market strong appreciation. Agricultural land Williamson Act consideration. No CA estate tax. Ownwell manages the appeal with no upfront cost.
Recommended
Madera County Assessment Appeals Board: July 2–November 30. Oakhurst and Bass Lake Yosemite-proximity second-home market strong appreciation. Agricultural land Williamson Act consideration. No CA estate tax. Ownwell manages the appeal with no upfront cost.
Courts & Legal
Courts & Legal
Superior Court (Probate): The Madera County Superior Court at 200 W. 4th Street, Madera, CA 93637, phone 559-675-7720, handles probate, estate administration, guardianships, and all civil and criminal matters.
County Clerk-Recorder: The Madera County Clerk-Recorder at 200 W. 4th Street maintains real property records and vital records. Land records searchable online.
Senior Services
The Madera County Department of Social Services, Aging Services at 200 W. 4th Street, Madera, CA 93637, phone 559-675-7876, serves the county’s senior population with in-home services, caregiver support, nutrition programs, and transportation. Madera Community Hospital and Valley Children’s Hospital (for pediatric services) provide regional healthcare.
Recommended
Assisted living, memory care, and independent living across Madera County - from Madera and Chowchilla to Oakhurst, Bass Lake, and the Yosemite foothills communities.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
CLERK-RECORDER (Deeds, Marriage Licenses)
209 W. Yosemite Ave., Madera, CA 93637
(559) 675-7713
County Clerk
(559) 675-7720
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Madera County Superior Court (marriage licenses, will and estate case files – see Probate section above)
Local societies
Madera County Historical Society, Madera, CA
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
Madera County Superior Court 200 South G Street, Madera, CA 93637 (559) 416-5599 Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
California recently increased its small-estate thresholds substantially, so check this first – more estates now qualify to skip full probate than in past years.
Small Estate Affidavit (personal property) – for estates with personal property valued at $208,850 or less (for deaths on or after April 1, 2025; holds through March 31, 2028). No court filing needed – present the signed affidavit directly to the bank or institution holding the property. Must wait at least 40 days after the death, and no probate proceeding can already be pending.
Petition to Determine Succession to Real Property, Primary Residence – for a decedent’s primary California residence valued at $750,000 or less (Judicial Council Form DE-310). Requires a 40-day wait, notice to heirs, and a probate referee appraisal.
Affidavit for Real Property of Small Value – for other (non-primary-residence) California real property valued at $69,625 or less (Form DE-305). Requires a 6-month wait.
Formal Probate – required when the estate exceeds these thresholds. California typically uses the Independent Administration of Estates Act (IAEA), letting the personal representative handle most matters without a court hearing for each step.
California is a community property state – a surviving spouse already owns their half of community property, and can often use a simplified Spousal Property Petition (Form DE-221) instead.
If using the small estate affidavit (personal property)
Wait at least 40 days after the death.
Confirm total qualifying California personal property (excluding trust assets, joint tenancy, POD/TOD accounts, and beneficiary-designated accounts) is $208,850 or less, using date-of-death values.
Complete the affidavit under Probate Code § 13100.
Present it with a certified death certificate directly to the bank or institution – no court filing required. Collecting property this way makes you personally liable for the decedent’s unsecured debts up to the value received (Prob. Code § 13109).
IF USING THE PRIMARY RESIDENCE PETITION OR SMALL REAL PROPERTY AFFIDAVIT
Confirm the property qualifies and the applicable waiting period has passed (40 days for the primary-residence petition; 6 months for the small real property affidavit).
File the petition (Form DE-310) or affidavit (Form DE-305) with the Madera County Superior Court.
A probate referee appraises the property; heirs receive notice.
Once approved, the property transfers without full probate administration.
If formal probate is required
Deliver the original will (if any) to the court clerk within 30 days of learning of the death (Prob. Code § 8200).
File a Petition for Probate (Form DE-111) to admit the will and request appointment as personal representative.
The court issues Letters Testamentary (Form DE-150) or Letters of Administration.
If Independent Administration authority is granted, the personal representative can act on most matters without separate court hearings.
Notice to creditors and an inventory/appraisal (with a probate referee) follow, along with payment of debts and taxes.
The estate closes with a final petition for distribution.
What it costs
Small estate affidavit / real property affidavits: no court filing fee for the personal-property affidavit; filing fees apply to the DE-310 primary-residence petition and DE-305 small real property affidavit.
Formal probate filing fee: several hundred dollars, varying somewhat by county.
Personal representative and attorney compensation: statutory fee schedule based on estate size (Prob. Code §§ 10800–10810) – a percentage that declines as the estate grows.
No California state estate tax or inheritance tax.
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
14143 Rd. 28, Madera, CA 93638
(559) 675-7770
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
CA Voter Registration
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health Dept
(559) 675-7893
Medi-Cal
(800) 300-1506
Tribal Health
North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Madera County Department of Public Health – (559) 675-7893
Services: Immunizations, WIC, STI testing, environmental health, vital records, restaurant inspections; Valley Fever surveillance; farmworker health
Hospital: Children’s Hospital Central California (Madera) – (559) 353-3000 (one of the largest children’s hospitals in the Central Valley; affiliated with UCSF Fresno); Adventist Health Madera – (559) 675-5555; Madera Community Hospital
Notes: Children’s Hospital Central California is Madera County’s most significant healthcare institution – serving pediatric patients from throughout the Central Valley; Madera has multiple hospital options; Valley Fever is a significant concern; farmworker health (large agricultural workforce); significant Latino/Hispanic population creates bilingual health service needs
Editorial independence: CountyOffices maintains strict editorial independence from our affiliate partners. Our content is researched from official government sources. Affiliate relationships do not influence our recommendations or the information we publish.
Recommended for California
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