Everything you need to know about the $5/sq ft turf removal rebate through LADWP and SoCal Water$mart — who qualifies, how to apply, and how to avoid the mistakes that get applications denied.
TL;DR
Calculate your Los Angeles rebate in 30 seconds.
Open calculator →LADWP's turf replacement rebate is funded through a partnership with the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD). The combined rebate is $5 per square foot for residential customers — $3 from LADWP and $2 from MWD — on up to 5,000 square feet of converted turf.
The math is straightforward: remove 1,000 sq ft of grass and you get a $5,000 check. Convert the maximum 5,000 sq ft and you receive $25,000.
On top of the per-square-foot rebate, you can earn a $100 bonus for each qualifying tree you plant, up to 5 trees ($500 total). Trees must be 15-gallon minimum container size and cannot be palms, Italian cypress, invasive species, or hedges.
Commercial and multi-family properties (5+ units) get even more: $6/sq ft for the first 50,000 sq ft and $4/sq ft after that. Public agencies get $7/sq ft on the first 200,000 sq ft.
The rebate comes as a physical check. Checks of $600 or more require a W-9 and will trigger a 1099 for tax reporting.
Residential rate: $5/sq ft on up to 5,000 sq ft = $25,000 maximum rebate.
You must be a current LADWP water customer with an active account. Renters can apply with written consent from the property owner.
The area you want to convert must be:
You're limited to one application per meter address per fiscal year (July 1 through June 30). The converted area must stay compliant with program requirements for 5 years after completion.
The program is open year-round but funding is limited and subject to change without notice. When funds run out, applications go on a waitlist until the next funding cycle. Apply as early as possible.
Step 1: Plan your project. Measure the area you want to convert, take photos, and sketch a basic landscape plan. LADWP offers free landscape design templates and a low-water-use plant list. You don't need a professional landscape architect — a hand-drawn plan showing where plants, mulch, and irrigation will go is enough.
Step 2: Apply for pre-approval BEFORE removing any grass. This is the most important step. Go to socalwatersmart.com and submit your application with at least 5 photos of the existing grass, the first page of your LADWP bill, project measurements, and your landscape plan. Do not touch the grass until you receive written pre-approval. Starting work early is an automatic disqualification with no exceptions.
Step 3: Complete the conversion within 6 months. After approval, you have 180 days to finish. Remove the grass, install drip or micro-spray irrigation (no overhead sprinklers), add a stormwater retention feature (rain garden, dry river bed, rain barrel, or similar), plant at least 3 plants per 100 sq ft, and cover all bare soil with at least 3 inches of mulch.
Step 4: Submit completion photos and claim your rebate. Upload photos of the finished project to socalwatersmart.com. Your project will be reviewed and may be inspected in person. Once approved, LADWP mails you a rebate check. Checks become void 90 days after issue, so deposit promptly.
The entire process typically takes 3–5 months from application to check.
This is where most people trip up. Your converted landscape must include all of the following:
Irrigation: Drip or micro-spray only. Overhead spray sprinklers in the converted area are an automatic disqualification. You need a proper drip system with pressure regulators and emitters.
Stormwater retention: At least one feature that captures rainwater — a rain garden, dry creek bed, rain barrel, cistern, infiltration trench, or vegetated swale. This is unique to the SoCal Water$mart program and catches a lot of applicants off guard.
Plant coverage: Minimum 3 plants per 100 square feet. Plants must be drought-tolerant, California-friendly species. LADWP publishes a recommended plant list. No artificial plants.
Mulch: All bare soil must be covered with at least 3 inches of organic mulch (bark, wood chips) or inorganic mulch (decomposed granite, gravel). No plastic sheeting as a ground cover.
No impermeable hardscape: You cannot install concrete, mortared pavers, or other impermeable surfaces in the converted area. Permeable pavers with gaps are acceptable.
No artificial turf: Synthetic grass does not qualify. The entire point of the program is to reduce water use with living, drought-tolerant plants.
The stormwater retention feature is the #1 requirement people forget. A simple rain garden or dry creek bed satisfies it.
Based on program terms and community reports, these are the most frequent disqualification reasons:
1. Started work before receiving written pre-approval. This is non-negotiable. If the grass is gone before they inspect it, you get nothing.
2. Replaced turf with artificial grass. Synthetic turf doesn't qualify. Period.
3. Used overhead spray sprinklers. The converted area must use drip or micro-spray irrigation only.
4. Forgot the stormwater retention feature. Many applicants install beautiful drought-tolerant landscapes but skip the rain garden, dry creek bed, or rain barrel. Without at least one stormwater feature, the project doesn't pass.
5. Not enough plants. The 3-plants-per-100-sq-ft minimum is enforced. A yard that's all rock and mulch with a handful of plants won't qualify.
6. Installed impermeable hardscape. Concrete patios, mortared stone, and sealed pavers in the conversion area are disqualifying.
7. Didn't cover bare soil with mulch. All exposed dirt must have at least 3 inches of mulch coverage.
LADWP's $5/sq ft is the highest residential turf rebate rate in California, tied with a few other MWD member agencies. Here's how it stacks up:
LADWP (Los Angeles): $5/sq ft, 5,000 sq ft max, $25,000 max rebate, 250 sq ft minimum San Diego: $2/sq ft through SoCal Water$mart, same MWD partnership EBMUD (East Bay): $1–$2/sq ft depending on project, different program structure Santa Clara Valley: $2/sq ft, separate from MWD Sacramento: $1.50/sq ft through Cash for Grass, $2,000 cap
The key advantage of the LADWP program is the $3/sq ft local supplement on top of MWD's $2 base. Most other Southern California water agencies only add $0–$1 locally, which is why their total rates are lower.
All SoCal Water$mart participants — regardless of city — apply through the same portal at socalwatersmart.com and follow the same general requirements.
Apply in fall or winter. Spring and summer are peak application season, which means longer wait times for pre-approval. October through March is also the best planting window — cooler temps help roots establish before summer heat.
Don't overthink the landscape plan. Your initial plan doesn't have to be perfect. It's a guide for the reviewer, not a contract. You can adjust plant placement during installation.
Budget for the upfront cost. The rebate is paid after completion, not before. A typical 1,000 sq ft conversion costs $3,000–$8,000 depending on materials and whether you hire a contractor. The $5,000 rebate covers most or all of a DIY project.
Take before photos from every angle. More documentation is better. Take photos of the existing grass from multiple angles, include a measuring tape or yard stick for scale, and photograph the irrigation system.
The rain garden doesn't have to be fancy. A shallow depression lined with gravel, 3–4 feet across, with a few plants is enough. It just needs to capture and infiltrate runoff from at least part of the converted area.
Each calculator uses your city's exact rates.
New to turf rebates?
Understand the #1 rule before you touch any grass.
What pre-approval means and why it's mandatory →Worried about getting denied?
The 10 most common reasons turf rebate applications are rejected.
Why turf rebates get denied →