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California County
Tehama County, California
Red Bluff's Sacramento River rodeo heritage and Corning's olive oil - from the Red Bluff Round-Up (one of California's oldest professional rodeos, held since 1921 and consistently ranked among the top rodeo events in the western United States) to Corning's designation as the Olive City (the Sacramento Valley's largest concentration of olive groves, producing olive oil since the 1890s with the Lucero and other premium producers establishing international reputations) and the Sacramento River's legendary steelhead and salmon runs at Red Bluff, making it one of Northern California's premier anadromous fish fishing destinations.
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Office: Tehama County OES – (530) 529-7900 | tehamacountyca.gov
Alert System: Tehama County Alert; CA Alert; NOAA Weather Radio
Shelter Info: Tehama County Fairgrounds (Red Bluff); school facilities; contact OES
FEMA Region: Region 6 (crosses into Region 9 territory)
Notes: Northern Sacramento Valley county; Red Bluff is county seat; Sacramento River flooding (Sacramento River runs through county; Red Bluff Dam – diversion dam for Tehama-Colusa Canal); wildfire risk (extreme – Mendocino National Forest and foothill interface); earthquake risk; extreme summer heat (Red Bluff is one of California’s hottest inland cities); Shasta-Trinity NF access; Mill Creek (Lassen NP access)
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
County Roads: Tehama County Public Works – (530) 385-1462
Transit: Tehama County Area Transit (TCAT) – (530) 529-2440; very limited service; primarily auto-dependent
Notes: I-5 runs north-south through Red Bluff (major corridor); Hwy 36 runs east-west (to Susanville through the Tehama Range); Hwy 99 (historic highway) parallels I-5 through Corning; Red Bluff is a major I-5 hub for northern California; Redding is 30 miles north; Sacramento about 130 miles south
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Tehama County Planning – (530) 527-2650 | tehamacountyca.gov
Services: County permits; Red Bluff (separate), Corning, Tehama, Los Molinos, Gerber have separate permits
Notes: Agricultural county; almond and olive processing facility construction; Red Bluff regional center development; limited residential development; I-5 commercial development
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Tehama County Veterans Services – (530) 529-7900
VA Medical: VA Redding CBOC (Shasta County – 30 miles north); Sacramento VA (very distant)
Services: Benefits claims, VA healthcare; Redding CBOC most accessible
Notes: Redding VA CBOC is the most accessible facility; very rural county; active American Legion and VFW posts in Red Bluff
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Tehama County Library – (530) 527-0604 | tehamacountylibrary.org
Branches: Red Bluff, Corning, Los Molinos, Gerber, Tehama
Services: Books, public computers, Wi-Fi, children’s programs; Sacramento River heritage materials
Notes: Library system serves a rural agricultural county; Sacramento River history and heritage; Corning (the “Olive City”) heritage; Red Bluff’s Prohibition-era history (the city’s historic Hotel Cone was a hub for bootleggers)
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
State Parks: William B. Ide Adobe State Historic Park (Red Bluff – the home of the president of the Bear Flag Republic, the short-lived republic that preceded California statehood in 1846; beautiful Sacramento River setting); Woodson Bridge State Recreation Area (Corning – Sacramento River; one of the finest accessible salmon viewing areas in California – fall Chinook salmon runs visible from the bridge)
Other: Red Bluff Round-Up (one of California’s oldest and most prestigious professional rodeos – held annually since 1921; draws top-ranked professional cowboys; a California rodeo tradition); Sacramento River (excellent Chinook salmon fishing – one of the finest salmon fishing rivers in California; fall salmon run brings anglers from throughout the state); Mill Creek and Deer Creek (excellent trout fishing; connected to Lassen Volcanic NP watershed); Lassen National Forest access
Notes: Red Bluff Round-Up is one of the West’s premier professional rodeos – it has been held continuously since 1921 and features top Pro Rodeo Cowboys Association competitors; it’s one of California’s great Western cultural traditions; the fall Chinook salmon run on the Sacramento River through Red Bluff is spectacular – Woodson Bridge and other access points allow viewing of the largest salmon in California rivers (some exceeding 40 pounds); Red Bluff Dam (a fish ladder-equipped diversion dam) creates a major salmon migration staging area; Mill Creek and Deer Creek are tributaries of the Sacramento River important for winter-run Chinook salmon (federally endangered) and spring-run Chinook (federally threatened) – these pristine mountain streams are critical conservation areas
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Tehama County GIS – tehamacountyca.gov; CalFire maps; Sacramento River flood maps; salmon habitat maps (CDFW/NOAA)
Notes: County GIS; Sacramento River flood plain mapping; Mill Creek and Deer Creek salmon habitat maps; wildfire hazard zone mapping; Lassen NF and Mendocino NF boundary maps
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Shelter: Tehama County Animal Control – (530) 529-7900; Red Bluff area humane organization
Services: Basic animal control; livestock management; wildlife (black bears, mountain lions, deer, pronghorn in eastern county, tule elk near Sacramento River)
Notes: Significant livestock management (cattle ranching in the valley and foothills); tule elk management (a small population has been reestablished on private lands in the Sacramento River floodplain); pronghorn antelope in the eastern hills; black bear management in foothill communities; CDFW manages all wildlife
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Solid Waste: Tehama County Public Works – (530) 385-1462; Red Bluff sanitation
Environmental: California SWRCB; Central Valley RWQCB; Bureau of Reclamation (Red Bluff Diversion Dam – Tehama-Colusa Canal); NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service – winter-run and spring-run Chinook salmon); USFS (Shasta-Trinity and Lassen National Forests; Mendocino NF); CDFW; DWR (Sacramento River management)
Notes: Red Bluff Diversion Dam (a fish-ladder-equipped diversion structure on the Sacramento River at Red Bluff) is one of the most significant salmon management facilities in California; the dam diverts water into the Tehama-Colusa Canal for agricultural irrigation but also blocks salmon migration; NMFS has required significant modifications to operations to reduce salmon mortality; the Sacramento River’s winter-run Chinook salmon (federally endangered – approximately 1,000-3,000 fish remaining) depends on cold water released from Shasta Dam and passes through Tehama County; Mill Creek and Deer Creek are among the last free-flowing Sacramento River tributaries that provide salmon spawning habitat; their protection (both creeks have conservation easements and USFS buffer zones) is critical for salmon recovery; climate change is warming the Sacramento River and reducing the cold-water pool behind Shasta Dam, threatening winter-run salmon survival; Tehama County’s agriculture (almonds, olives, grains, cattle) creates water management and chemical monitoring needs regulated by the Central Valley RWQCB
About Tehama County
Tehama County is a Sacramento Valley agricultural and ranching county between the larger metropolitan areas of Redding (Shasta County) to the north and Chico (Butte County) to the south.
Red Bluff (the county seat, population ~14,000) is positioned at the head of navigation on the Sacramento River – historically the northern limit of river steamboat commerce from San Francisco. The city’s position on the river made it a cattle and agricultural shipping point, and the Red Bluff Round-Up rodeo (established 1921) remains the defining annual event for the regional ranching community. The Sacramento River here supports one of California’s most significant winter steelhead fisheries.
Corning (population ~7,000) has been California’s olive oil capital since Italian immigrants planted groves in the 1890s. The volcanic red soils of the upper Sacramento Valley provide exceptional growing conditions, and Tehama County olive oil has gained increasing recognition from food critics and culinary buyers. The Lucero Olive Oil Company and several other producers have established premium brands.
Tehama County is also a significant walnut, almond, and cattle production county – the broad Sacramento Valley floor supporting diverse agricultural production.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
The Tehama County Assessor at 444 Oak Street, Room B, Red Bluff, CA 96080, phone 530-527-4420, assesses under Proposition 13 rules. No CA estate tax.
Courts & Legal
Tehama County Superior Court at 633 Washington Street, Red Bluff, CA 96080, phone 530-527-3350, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
CLERK-RECORDER (Deeds, Marriage Licenses)
633 Washington St., Red Bluff, CA 96080
(530) 527-3350
County Clerk
(530) 527-3350
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Tehama County Superior Court (marriage licenses, will and estate case files – see Probate section above)
Local societies
Tehama County Genealogical and Historical Society, Red Bluff, 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
Tehama County Superior Court 1740 Walnut Street, Red Bluff, CA 96080 (530) 527-3563 Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 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 Tehama 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.
Free parking is available in the lots in front of and around the courthouse.
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
22840 Antelope Blvd., Red Bluff, CA 96080
(530) 529-7900
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
(530) 527-1911
Medi-Cal
(800) 300-1506
Tribal Health
Nomlaki Tribe; Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians; Pit River Tribe (nearby)
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Tehama County Department of Education and Health Services – (530) 527-6824
Hospital: St. Elizabeth Community Hospital (Red Bluff) – (530) 529-8000; small community hospital
Notes: Small community hospital; Redding hospitals for major care; extreme heat is a significant public health challenge in Red Bluff (one of California’s hottest cities); farmworker health (almonds, olives, and grains); behavioral health challenges
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Red Bluff
Population: 65,000
Area: 2,951 sq mi
Established: 1856
Tier: 3
Public Records
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