Under California’s Independent Administration of Estates Act (IAEA), full authority generally lets a court-appointed personal representative administer many estate transactions—including selling real property—without first obtaining court confirmation, while limited authority withholds the independent power to sell real property. Both levels remain subject to statutory notice, accounting, fiduciary duties, and transactions that still require court supervision.
The authority is requested in Form DE-111, but checking a box is only a request. The representative does not have IAEA power until the court grants it and the person qualifies and receives Letters reflecting that authority.
What does IAEA change?
Ordinary supervised probate can require a petition and court confirmation before certain transactions. IAEA streamlines administration by allowing the representative to take many actions without advance approval, while preserving safeguards for interested persons. The governing statutes begin at Probate Code section 10400.
Independent does not mean unrestricted. The representative is still a fiduciary, must act for the estate, keep records, give required notices, and account to the court.
What is full authority?
Full authority includes the IAEA power to sell real property without court confirmation, using the statutory Notice of Proposed Action procedure when required. It can also cover many personal-property sales, borrowing, investing, settling claims, and other administrative acts authorized by the statute.
For a real-property sale under full authority, the representative must follow pricing, appraisal, notice, and other statutory requirements. An interested person may object to a proposed action, which can force the representative to seek court instructions or approval.
What is limited authority?
Limited authority grants many IAEA powers but excludes the independent sale of real property. A real-property sale generally proceeds through the court-confirmation process unless another rule applies. Limited authority is not the same as having no IAEA authority at all.
The practical difference is therefore narrower than the labels may suggest: both levels can allow numerous independent administrative actions, but real-estate sale power is the central distinction printed on DE-111 and the order.
Which acts still need special treatment?
IAEA does not override every approval requirement. Transactions involving the representative personally, extraordinary compensation, final distribution, certain family allowances, compromises requiring approval, and other matters specified by statute may still require a petition or court order. Probate Code section 10501 lists actions not authorized without court supervision.
The Notice of Proposed Action process is also important. For acts covered by the notice statutes, the representative gives interested persons advance written notice unless notice has been waived or an exception applies. Silence after proper notice may permit the act; a timely objection prevents relying on that notice for the proposed transaction.
Where does the choice appear on DE-111?
Item 2 of DE-111 asks whether authority under IAEA is requested and whether it is full or limited. The proposed order and Letters must match what the court actually grants. A petition can request full authority and the court can grant limited authority, impose bond or restrictions, or deny independent authority.
The will can also limit powers. Read the will, the signed order, and the Letters together instead of relying on the petition alone.
Requested authority is not current authority
Before appointment, the proposed representative generally has no power to transfer estate property merely because DE-111 has been filed. After the hearing, the appointee may still need to file the acknowledgment of duties, take the oath, post bond, and obtain DE-150 Letters. Third parties commonly ask to see certified Letters.
Questions to review before choosing
- Does the estate include real property that may need to be sold?
- Does the will restrict independent powers?
- Are beneficiaries likely to object to a sale or other transaction?
- Would bond amount or a blocked account affect the requested authority?
- What local forms or proposed-order language does the court require?
Next, use the DE-111 Guide to place the IAEA request alongside bond, property estimates, appointment priority, and the proposed order. Choosing authority can affect real-property procedure, bond, timing, and risk; obtain advice from a California probate lawyer where the estate has a disputed sale, unusual will restriction, or conflicting beneficiary interests.
Sources checked October 7, 2026: California Probate Code sections 10403, 10450, 10501, and 10511; Judicial Council DE-111; California Courts Self-Help; and official county probate administration guidance.