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California · Silicon Valley · San Francisco Bay Area · #18 Most Populous County in the US
Santa Clara County, California
Government offices, property tax appeals, public records, courts, senior services, and local resources for San Jose and Silicon Valley residents
Affiliate disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you use them, at no extra cost to you. Our editorial recommendations are independent of these relationships.
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Santa Clara County's assessment ratio means effective tax rates are low — but incorrect appraisals still cost money. Ownwell manages the appeal with no upfront cost.
What is the Santa Clara County property tax appeal deadline?
The annual appeal window runs July 2 through September 15 — earlier than Los Angeles (December 1), Orange County (November 30), and most other California counties. Missing this deadline forfeits your right to appeal for that tax year. Before filing formally, request a free informal review with the Assessor's Office at 408-299-5300. Check cob.santaclaracounty.gov for any current filing fee requirements before submitting. Ownwell can manage the process and only charges if you save.
How does Proposition 13 benefit long-term Silicon Valley homeowners?
Prop 13 limits annual assessment increases to 2 percent per year unless the property changes ownership or undergoes new construction. In a market like Silicon Valley where home values have risen dramatically over decades, a homeowner who bought in Mountain View or Cupertino in the 1990s or 2000s may be paying taxes on an assessed value far below current market value — potentially saving tens of thousands of dollars annually compared to a recent buyer.
How does Proposition 19 affect inherited Silicon Valley real estate?
Effective February 2021, Prop 19 significantly limited the parent-child property tax exclusion. A child who inherits a parent's Silicon Valley home and does not use it as their primary residence no longer receives the parent's Prop 13 base-year value — the property is reassessed at current market value. For properties where the Prop 13 value is dramatically below current market value, this can result in a very large tax increase for the inheriting child. Estate planning should account for Prop 19's impact on any high-value real estate that may be left to heirs.
Where is Santa Clara County Probate Court?
The Probate Division is at the Downtown Superior Courthouse, 191 N First St in San Jose. Contact the division at [email protected]. California probate is required when the gross estate exceeds $184,500, and statutory fees are based on gross estate value before debts.
What senior services does Santa Clara County offer?
Sourcewise (408-350-3200 or sourcewise.org) is the primary senior services organization serving residents 60 and older with home-delivered meals, caregiver support, transportation, legal services, and the Long-Term Care Ombudsman program. The organization also maintains a searchable online resource directory. Given Silicon Valley's very high cost of living, families planning for senior care should budget for costs significantly above national averages.
Office: Santa Clara County Office of Emergency Services – (408) 808-7800 | sccgov.org/oes
Alert System: SCC Alert; Wireless Emergency Alerts; NOAA Weather Radio; city alert systems
Shelter Info: Multiple shelter locations; sccgov.org/oes; Santa Clara County Fairgrounds (San Jose); Red Cross Silicon Valley Chapter
FEMA Region: Region 9
Notes: Silicon Valley county; San Jose is county seat and California’s third-largest city; earthquake risk is EXTREME (San Andreas Fault runs through the Santa Cruz Mountains western edge; Hayward Fault runs through the East Bay adjacent to county; Calaveras Fault through the eastern hills; 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake M6.9 caused severe damage including the collapse of I-880 in Alameda County killing 42 people; a M7.0+ on any of these faults would cause catastrophic damage to the Bay Area’s critical tech infrastructure); wildfire risk (Santa Cruz Mountains – CZU Lightning Complex 2020; ongoing extreme risk); flooding (Coyote Creek and Guadalupe River – 2017 Coyote Creek flood in San Jose was the worst urban flood in Silicon Valley history, displacing 14,000 people); reservoirs (Anderson, Lexington, Calero, Stevens Creek – water supply and flood control)
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
County Roads: Santa Clara County Roads Department – (408) 573-2400
Public Transit: VTA (Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority) – (408) 321-2300 | vta.org; light rail (extensive network through San Jose, Santa Clara, Mountain View, Sunnyvale, Milpitas, Berryessa); bus network; BART extension to San Jose (Berryessa to downtown San Jose extension ongoing); Caltrain (Peninsula rail connection to SF and San Jose); ACE (Altamont Corridor Express – to Stockton); Amtrak Capitol Corridor; Greyhound
Airport: San Jose International Airport (SJC – major Bay Area airport; multiple carriers); Mineta San Jose International; Moffett Federal Airfield (NASA/Google-leased – Sunnyvale); Palo Alto Airport (general aviation)
Notes: US-101 (the Silicon Valley spine running from SF through San Jose to LA – lined with tech company campuses); I-280 (the “Junipero Serra Freeway” – runs through the Santa Cruz Mountain foothills; one of California’s most scenic freeways); I-880 (east of downtown San Jose); I-85 and SR-87 connect San Jose’s urban core; SR-17 (the Los Gatos creek corridor to Santa Cruz – extremely dangerous mountain highway with frequent accidents); the county’s freeway network serves the densest concentration of tech company headquarters and campuses in the world; Apple Park (Cupertino), Google (Mountain View), Meta (Menlo Park – actually San Mateo County), Yahoo, LinkedIn, and hundreds more generate enormous commuter traffic
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Santa Clara County Planning Department – (408) 299-5770 | sccgov.org/planning
Services: Unincorporated county permits; 15 cities (San Jose – one of the most active permit offices in California; Santa Clara; Sunnyvale; Cupertino; Mountain View; Milpitas; Palo Alto; Gilroy; Morgan Hill; Los Gatos; Saratoga; Los Altos; Los Altos Hills; Monte Sereno; Campbell) have separate permits
Notes: Santa Clara County is one of California’s most active building markets; San Jose’s downtown redevelopment; transit-oriented development near BART/VTA stations; tech campus construction (Apple Park’s $5 billion circular “spaceship” campus was one of the largest recent building projects in California); housing crisis driving multi-family construction; Google downtown San Jose campus development (North Bayshore plan)
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Santa Clara County Veterans Services Office – (408) 573-2500 | sccgov.org/veterans
VA Medical: VA Palo Alto Health Care System – 3801 Miranda Ave, Palo Alto | (650) 493-5000 (one of the nation’s finest VA medical centers; affiliated with Stanford University; comprehensive services including spinal cord injury, Parkinson’s research, and advanced prosthetics programs); multiple CBOCs throughout Silicon Valley
Services: Full range; VA Palo Alto is a prestigious VA affiliated with Stanford; CalVet coordination; tech industry veteran entrepreneurship programs; Silicon Valley Veterans (nonprofit)
Notes: VA Palo Alto’s affiliation with Stanford University makes it one of the most clinically advanced VA facilities in the US; Silicon Valley’s tech culture has spawned significant veteran entrepreneurship programs; the region’s wealth creates a strong philanthropic support network for veteran services; Veterans Transition Center; significant veteran tech workforce
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Santa Clara County Library District – (408) 293-2326 | sccl.org; 9 branches serving unincorporated areas and contract cities; San Jose Public Library (separate – one of California’s finest public library systems with 24 branches and the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Main Library co-located with San Jose State University); Mountain View Public Library; Sunnyvale Public Library; Palo Alto City Library; Santa Clara City Library; multiple other city systems
Services: Books, e-books, public computers, Wi-Fi, genealogy, tech industry collections, maker spaces, 3D printers, recording studios, children’s programs; multilingual in Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese, Tagalog; SJSU Dr. MLK Jr. Library (co-located county/SJSU library)
Notes: The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library (San Jose Public Library and SJSU joint – one of the finest university-public library partnerships in the US; the shared building opened 2003 is architecturally stunning and functionally excellent) is a national model; tech industry connections drive exceptional maker space equipment in libraries; the county’s extraordinary diversity (significant Vietnamese-American community in San Jose’s “Little Saigon,” large Chinese-American community, Mexican-American community, South Asian community) drives excellent multilingual services; Silicon Valley’s wealth enables excellent library funding
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
County/Regional Parks: Santa Clara County Parks – (408) 355-2200 | sccgov.org/parks; 50,000+ acres; Alum Rock Park (San Jose – “Little Yosemite” – mineral springs; creek canyon; one of the oldest municipal parks on the West Coast); Anderson Lake County Park; Calero County Park; Coyote Lake – Harvey Bear Ranch; Lexington Reservoir; Mount Umunhum (Santa Cruz Mountains summit; recently opened after decades of restricted access due to Cold War radar station; spectacular Bay views; preserved radar dome)
Open Space: Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (shared with San Mateo County); Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve (San Jose – Monte Bello area)
State Parks: Henry W. Coe State Park (southeast Santa Clara County – California’s second-largest state park after Anza-Borrego; 87,000 acres; spectacular rolling hills; wildflowers; mountain biking; primitive backpacking; golden eagles; tule elk; one of California’s most undervisited parks given its proximity to the Bay Area); Castle Rock State Park (Boulder Creek area – spectacular rock formations; best view of the Pacific from the coast range)
City Parks: San Jose’s Japantown (cultural heritage district; national historic landmark district under review); History San Jose; Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum (San Jose – one of the finest Egyptian art and artifact collections in the Americas); Tech Interactive (science museum); SAP Center (Sharks NHL arena); PayPal Park (Earthquakes MLS soccer); Great America amusement park; Intel Museum; Apple Park (Steve Jobs Theater – public plaza area); Castro Street (Mountain View – vibrant pedestrian street lined with tech company offices and restaurants)
Notable: Stanford University campus (one of the world’s great university campuses – sandstone Spanish Colonial Revival architecture; the Main Quad; Hoover Tower; the Rodin Sculpture Garden; Stanford Memorial Church; Stanford Linear Accelerator Center – SLAC – where the quark was discovered; the Stanford AI Lab; Leland and Jane Stanford Junior Museum is the Cantor Arts Center; the campus is 8,180 acres and essentially a remarkable small city)
Notes: Santa Clara County is the heart of Silicon Valley – the geographical, economic, and cultural center of the global technology industry; Stanford University’s research and entrepreneurship has produced more world-changing companies and technologies than any other academic institution; Apple, Google, Intel, Cisco, Netflix, HP, and hundreds of other globally significant tech companies were founded here; the county’s wealth (highest median household income of any large California county) is extraordinary; Henry W. Coe State Park is California’s great undiscovered treasure – 87,000 acres of rolling oak woodland, serpentine grasslands, and pristine streams just 30 miles from downtown San Jose, yet very rarely visited; Mount Umunhum’s Cold War radar dome (now preserved as a “ruinscape”) provides extraordinary views and a fascinating piece of Cold War history from one of the highest accessible points in the Santa Cruz Mountains
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Santa Clara County GIS – sccgov.org/gis; open data at data.sccgov.org; USGS earthquake hazard maps; VTA transit GIS; ABAG regional planning; SCVWD watershed mapping; Stanford GIS (one of the world’s leading GIS research programs)
Notes: World-class GIS infrastructure befitting Silicon Valley; Stanford’s GIS research is globally significant; earthquake liquefaction zone mapping; Coyote Creek flood plain mapping (updated after 2017 flood); tech campus mapping; BART extension progress mapping; semiconductor contamination plume tracking (dozens of Superfund sites in the county)
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Shelter: Silicon Valley Animal Control (SVAC) – serves multiple cities; Humane Society Silicon Valley (Milpitas – (408) 262-2133 | hssv.org – one of California’s largest and most innovative humane societies); San Jose Animal Care Center – (408) 794-7297; Mountain View and other city shelters
Services: Stray intake, adoptions, owner surrenders, spay/neuter, microchipping; wildlife management (mountain lions from Santa Cruz Mountains and Diablo Range increasingly documented in suburban areas; coyotes throughout; California condors occasionally range into county from coastal mountains)
Notes: Humane Society Silicon Valley is nationally recognized for innovation and progressive programs; HSSV’s animal care and adoption programs are models for the nation; mountain lion management is growing concern as lions from the Santa Cruz Mountains and Diablo Range range into suburban areas; the Santa Cruz Mountains mountain lion population (isolated from other populations by freeways and development) is studied extensively by Felidae Conservation Fund; coyote management throughout the county; burrowing owl protection at Moffett Field
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Solid Waste: Santa Clara County Solid Waste Division – (408) 299-7300; individual city collection programs; Zanker Road Resource Management (major MRF); Zero Waste Silicon Valley initiative
Recycling: Silicon Valley has excellent recycling and composting programs; CalRecycle compliance; SB 1383 organics implementation; many cities have reached 75%+ diversion; tech companies’ sustainability commitments drive corporate waste reduction
Air Quality: Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) – (415) 771-6000; San Jose’s air quality is affected by ozone from vehicle emissions and particulates from various sources; generally better than Central Valley but still challenges
Environmental: California SWRCB; SF Bay RWQCB; SCVWD (Santa Clara Valley Water District – manages 10 reservoirs, groundwater basin, and flood protection for the county; major environmental regulator); EPA Region 9 (numerous Superfund sites); USGS (groundwater monitoring); Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC) environmental management (radioactive contamination from Stanford’s particle accelerator research)
Notes: Santa Clara County has more EPA National Priorities List (Superfund) sites than any other US county – the legacy of the semiconductor industry’s decades of using volatile organic compounds (TCE, PCE, and other solvents) which contaminated groundwater beneath numerous cities including Mountain View (the Middlefield-Ellis-Whisman Superfund study area – plume of contamination under much of Mountain View requiring decades of remediation), Sunnyvale, San Jose, and Santa Clara; the semiconductor industry’s evolution to less toxic processes has reduced new contamination but legacy cleanup continues; SCVWD’s groundwater management is critical – Santa Clara Valley’s groundwater basin provides significant water supply and SCVWD manages both recharge (through percolation ponds) and extraction; SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory’s decades of physics research have created radioactive tritium contamination in groundwater that requires ongoing SLAC and DOE remediation; San Francisco Bay restoration (South Bay salt pond restoration project in Santa Clara County) is transforming former industrial salt ponds back to tidal marsh; the 2017 Coyote Creek flood (caused by controlled releases from Anderson Dam that overwhelmed the creek) displaced 14,000 San Jose residents – the event highlighted the complex relationship between reservoir operations, flood control, and urban flooding in Silicon Valley; SCVWD is conducting seismic retrofit of Anderson Dam (the dam was found to need major retrofit after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake raised concerns; the reservoir has been kept partially empty during the retrofit – creating water supply challenges)
About Santa Clara County
Santa Clara County is California’s sixth most populous county and the eighteenth most populous in the United States, home to San Jose – California’s third largest city – and 14 other incorporated cities including Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Cupertino, Milpitas, and Gilroy across 1,316 square miles of the South San Francisco Bay Area. It is the economic engine of Silicon Valley, home to Apple, Google, Meta, NVIDIA, Intel, Cisco, Adobe, and hundreds of other technology companies whose growth has driven some of the highest property values in the nation. County government is structured around a five-member Board of Supervisors, with independently elected offices including the Assessor, Recorder, Controller-Treasurer, Sheriff, and District Attorney. Understanding the property tax system here – and the appeal window that closes earlier than most California counties – is especially important given the county’s high assessed values.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Santa Clara County property taxes operate under California’s Proposition 13, which limits assessed value increases to 2 percent per year unless a property changes ownership or undergoes new construction. The county’s property tax system reflects Silicon Valley’s extreme real estate market – median home values in many communities exceed $1.5 million, making even a 1 percent effective tax rate a substantial annual obligation.
The formal appeal window in Santa Clara County runs July 2 through September 15 – a shorter window than Los Angeles (December 1), Orange County (November 30), and most other California counties. Property owners who miss the September 15 deadline forfeit their right to appeal for that tax year. Before filing formally, the Assessor’s Office offers free informal assessment reviews – contact 408-299-5300 to request one.
Santa Clara County has three Assessment Appeals Boards and several hearing officers to handle the county’s case volume. Note: county leaders have been considering proposal fees for formal appeals (approximately $290 for residential and $675 for commercial properties) to address rising case volume – check with the Clerk of the Board at cob.santaclaracounty.gov for current filing requirements before submitting.
The high-value nature of Silicon Valley properties means the gap between longtime owners’ Proposition 13-protected assessed values and current market values is often enormous. A homeowner who bought in Cupertino in 2000 may be paying taxes on an assessed value far below $2 million even as the same property now sells for $3 million or more. This Prop 13 benefit is one of the most significant financial advantages long-term Silicon Valley homeowners carry.
OWNWELL CTA: Are you overpaying Santa Clara County property tax? The appeal window closes September 15 – earlier than most California counties. Ownwell analyzes your assessment and handles the appeal. You only pay if you save.
LINK CLUSTER: How to appeal your Santa Clara County assessment, Proposition 13 explained, Prop 8 decline-in-value claim, Supplemental assessment appeal, Homeowner’s exemption, Disabled veterans exemption, Pay Santa Clara County property taxes, Search your assessed value, Assessment Appeals Board Santa Clara County
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Are you overpaying Santa Clara County property tax? The appeal window closes September 15 - earlier than most California counties. Ownwell analyzes your assessment and handles the appeal. You only pay if you save.
Public Records
California’s Public Records Act gives residents access to government records held by Santa Clara County agencies. The Recorder’s Office maintains all recorded property documents – deeds, mortgages, liens, easements, and official records – for the entire county. Records are searchable online. The Superior Court maintains civil, criminal, family, and probate court records accessible through the court’s online public portal at portal.scscourt.org. Arrest records are maintained by the Santa Clara County Sheriff for unincorporated county areas and by city police departments within incorporated cities.
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Courts & Legal
Courts & Legal
The Santa Clara County Superior Court operates multiple courthouse facilities in the San Jose area and in Palo Alto and Morgan Hill to serve the county’s geographically spread population. Civil and probate matters are heard at the Downtown Superior Courthouse at 191 N First St in San Jose. Criminal matters are at the Hall of Justice at 190 W Hedding St. Family matters and juvenile dependency are at 201 N First St. The Palo Alto Courthouse at 270 Grant Ave serves criminal matters for the north county communities including Palo Alto, Mountain View, Sunnyvale, and Los Altos.
Courts Directory
Court
Type
Phone
Address
Downtown Superior Court
Civil, probate, small claims
408-882-2100
191 N First St, San Jose
Hall of Justice
Criminal district courts
408-808-6600
190 W Hedding St, San Jose
Family Court
Family law, juvenile dependency, drug court
408-882-2100
201 N First St, San Jose
Old Courthouse
Additional civil departments
408-882-2100
161 N First St, San Jose
Palo Alto Courthouse
Criminal — north county
650-462-3800
270 Grant Ave, Palo Alto
South County Courthouse
Criminal, traffic — south county
408-695-5000
301 Diana Ave, Morgan Hill
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Senior Services
Senior services in Santa Clara County are coordinated through Sourcewise (formerly Council on Aging Silicon Valley), which serves as a key partner of the Area Agency on Aging for the county. Sourcewise administers home-delivered meals, caregiver support, transportation, information and referral, legal services, and the Long-Term Care Ombudsman program. The Sourcewise main line is 408-350-3200. The organization also operates a searchable online resource directory for county residents at sourcewise.org.
Santa Clara County’s tech economy creates a distinctive senior care landscape. The county has one of the highest costs of living in the United States, and assisted living and memory care costs in the San Jose metro area are among the most expensive in California. Seniors on fixed incomes face significant housing pressure in a region where median rents far exceed national norms. Families planning for long-term care should factor in significantly higher-than-average costs when modeling future needs.
The Homeowner’s Exemption ($7,000 off assessed value) and the Proposition 19 senior transfer are available to Santa Clara County residents. Proposition 19 allows homeowners 55 or older to transfer their Prop 13 base-year value to a replacement home anywhere in California up to three times in their lifetime – particularly valuable for Silicon Valley homeowners with years of accumulated Prop 13 protection who want to downsize.
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Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
CLERK-RECORDER (Deeds, Marriage Licenses)
70 W. Hedding St., East Wing 1st Floor, San Jose, CA 95110
(408) 299-5688
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Santa Clara County Superior Court, Probate Division (marriage licenses, will and estate case files – see Probate section above). The County Recorder holds birth and death records from 1873, marriage records from 1850, land records from 1846, and military records from 1920. The County Clerk holds divorce, probate, and naturalization records.
Local societies
Santa Clara County Historical and Genealogical Society, San Jose, 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
Santa Clara County Superior Court – Probate Division, Downtown Superior Court 191 North First Street, San Jose, CA 95113
(408) 882-2654 (Probate Division – a distinct line from the Civil Division’s number, which some older resources mistakenly list for probate) Email: [email protected] Building Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Probate Clerk Phone Hours: Monday–Thursday, 8:30 a.m.–3:00 p.m.; Friday, 8:30 a.m.–12:00 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) – given Silicon Valley property values, this newer, higher threshold is especially relevant for many Santa Clara County families. 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) at the Downtown Superior Court, Probate Division.
A probate referee appraises the property – referees are assigned individually per case rather than through a shared department line; 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. The court’s Self-Help Center and legal aid organizations like Bay Area Legal Aid offer free or low-cost assistance to those who qualify.
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
55 W. Younger Ave., San Jose, CA 95110
(408) 299-2311
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
County Registrar
(408) 299-8683
CA Voter Registration
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health Dept
(408) 885-4214
Social Services
(408) 441-5500
Medi-Cal
(800) 300-1506
Safety Net
Santa Clara Valley Medical Center; Stanford Health Care
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Santa Clara County Public Health Department – (408) 792-5040 | sccphd.org
Services: Comprehensive county health department; immunizations; WIC; STI/HIV testing; behavioral health; environmental health; restaurant inspections; epidemiology; refugee health; tech worker occupational health (semiconductor industry chemical exposures)
Hospital: Santa Clara Valley Medical Center (county public hospital – Level I trauma; San Jose) – (408) 885-5000; Stanford Health Care (multiple – Palo Alto, San Jose – one of the world’s top academic medical centers); El Camino Health (Mountain View, Los Gatos); Kaiser Permanente (multiple locations); O’Connor Hospital (San Jose – Dignity Health); Good Samaritan Hospital; Children’s Hospital (San Jose)
Notes: Santa Clara County has exceptional healthcare; Stanford Health Care is consistently ranked among the top 10 hospitals in the US; Stanford Children’s Hospital (Lucile Packard) is nationally ranked in multiple pediatric specialties; Santa Clara Valley Medical Center is an excellent safety-net hospital; the semiconductor industry has created unique occupational health considerations – tech workers at fabs (foundries) use hazardous chemicals; historically the Silicon Valley had numerous contaminated groundwater sites from semiconductor industry chemical waste (Superfund sites in Sunnyvale, Mountain View, San Jose); behavioral health demand is significant; the tech industry’s mental health challenges (burnout, anxiety, competitive pressure) are a growing public health topic
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.
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