California has no statewide homeowner turf rebate in 2026. The money comes from your water district, and what you can get depends on who sends your water bill. As of September 2026, Metropolitan Water District's SoCal Water$mart program pays a $2 per square foot base across most of Southern California (up to 5,000 sq ft a year), and LADWP customers get $5 per square foot combined. Farther north, the City of Sacramento pays a limited-time $2.50 per square foot, Valley Water pays $2, EBMUD pays $1–$2, and Peninsula agencies in BAWSCA's Lawn Be Gone! program pay $1–$4. Every program requires approval before you remove the lawn.
California turf rebates at a glance (as of September 2026)
| Program | Amount | Cap | Key requirement | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MWD SoCal Water$mart | $2/sq ft base (+$100/tree, up to 5) | 5,000 sq ft/yr residential | Reservation before removal; 3 plants/100 sq ft; stormwater feature | Open |
| LADWP (LA city) | $5/sq ft ($3 LADWP + $2 MWD) | 5,000 sq ft / $25,000 | 250 sq ft min; finish within 6 months | Open |
| SDCWA / City of San Diego | Starts at $2/sq ft (MWD-funded) | MWD's 5,000 sq ft/yr | Apply via SoCal Water$mart | Open |
| County of San Diego (unincorporated) | +$1/sq ft supplement (+$1 for natives) | Up to 5,000 sq ft | Unincorporated addresses only | Supplement paused; MWD $2 still applies |
| City of Sacramento | $2.50/sq ft (limited time); $1/sq ft for dirt or dead lawn | $5,000 single-family | 60% plant cover; pre-inspection | Applications Sept 1, 2026–Feb 28, 2027 |
| Sacramento County Water Agency | Check current amount | — | Staff approval first | On hold |
| Valley Water (Santa Clara County) | $2/sq ft | $3,000 ($6,000 in cost-sharing areas) | 75 sq ft min; finish in 90 days | Funded through June 30, 2027 |
| EBMUD | $1/sq ft standard; $2/sq ft Super Rebate | $2,000 per 2 years | Lawn watered and mowed 3+ years | Open |
| BAWSCA Lawn Be Gone! (Peninsula) | $1–$4/sq ft by agency | Agency caps vary | 200 sq ft min; finish in 4 months | Open at participating agencies |
| SFPUC | Up to $4/sq ft grant | — | 10,000 sq ft minimum (not for typical homes) | Open |
Figures are as published on each program's page, checked September 24, 2026. Several programs say amounts are "subject to change and based on availability," so confirm your rate when you apply.
Southern California: Metropolitan plus your local agency
Metropolitan Water District funds the base Turf Replacement Program for its member agencies from Los Angeles to San Diego. Its current terms are $2.00 per square foot for up to 5,000 sq ft of converted yard per year, plus an optional $100 per tree (up to five). Member agencies can add their own money. You apply once, through SoCal Water$mart, and the site's rebate estimator shows the combined rate for your address.
Los Angeles (LADWP). LADWP adds $3 to Metropolitan's $2, for $5.00 per square foot. Projects run from 250 to 5,000 sq ft, with a maximum rebate of $25,000. You need five photos, the first page of your bill, measurements and a landscape plan. The project must be finished within six months of pre-approval and kept in compliance for five years. See our Los Angeles xeriscaping guide.
San Diego. The San Diego County Water Authority says its turf rebate "starts at $2 per square foot," funded by Metropolitan, and the City of San Diego sends homeowners to the same program. In unincorporated areas, the County has paused applications for its extra $1/sq ft supplement. Homeowners can still get Metropolitan's $2. See our San Diego xeriscaping guide.
Northern California and the Central Valley
Sacramento. The City of Sacramento's Grass Conversion Rebate pays a limited-time $2.50 per square foot for applications received September 1, 2026 through February 28, 2027. It pays $1/sq ft for areas that are dirt or dead lawn. The cap is $5,000 for single-family and duplex properties, and the rebate can't exceed your receipts. You need 60% plant coverage at maturity, drip with a WaterSense smart controller (or hand watering), and a pre-inspection. Sacramento County Water Agency's Cash for Grass is on hold. Elsewhere in the region, the Regional Water Authority's Be Water Smart site lets you look up your supplier. See our Sacramento xeriscaping guide.
Bay Area. Valley Water pays $2 per square foot, capped at $3,000 by default, with only a 75 sq ft minimum. EBMUD pays $1 per square foot, or $2 for its "Super Rebate" (sheet mulching without herbicides, mostly California natives, planted September through February), capped at $2,000 every two years. Participating BAWSCA agencies on the Peninsula pay $1–$4 per square foot. SFPUC's landscape grant starts at 10,000 sq ft, so it's for large properties, not typical homes. More detail is in our upcoming Bay Area xeriscaping guide.
State programs. DWR's drought-relief turf money (a $75 million allocation from the Budget Act of 2021) went to local agencies as grants in 2023. It is not a rebate you can apply for, and DWR's own guidance tells residents to check with their local water supplier.
The rules nearly every California program shares
Metropolitan's requirements are the template most Southern California agencies follow, and Northern California programs are similar:
- Reservation before removal. Metropolitan says projects "started or completed before reservation are ineligible."
- Existing lawn. Dead turf and bare dirt don't qualify for Metropolitan's rate. Sacramento pays a reduced $1/sq ft for them.
- Plant density. At least 3 plants per 100 sq ft (Metropolitan), or 50–60% coverage at maturity (Valley Water, EBMUD, Sacramento).
- A stormwater feature. Metropolitan requires a rain garden, dry riverbed, swale, berm or rain barrel.
- Permeable surfaces only, with mulch around plants and no bare soil.
- No synthetic turf, and no overhead spray in the converted area.
These rules come from experience. Bare-gravel conversions baked and ran off, so the programs pay for real gardens (xeriscape vs. zeroscape).
The laws: HOAs, nonfunctional turf and watering days
Your HOA can't block it. Civil Code §4735 voids any HOA rule that "prohibits, or includes conditions that have the effect of prohibiting, the use of low water-using plants as a group or as a replacement of existing turf." The same applies to artificial turf. HOAs can still apply landscaping rules that comply with that section. During a declared drought emergency, they can't fine owners for watering less.
AB 1572 targets nonfunctional turf, not your front yard. Water Code §10608.14 bans potable irrigation of nonfunctional turf on commercial, industrial and institutional properties and HOA common areas. The deadlines are phased: 2027 for state and local government properties, 2028 for commercial, industrial and institutional properties, 2029 for HOA common areas, and 2031 for public properties in disadvantaged communities. Single-family yards aren't covered. Our guide to nonfunctional turf bans compares California's law with Nevada's and Colorado's.
Watering days still apply. LADWP is in Phase 2 of its conservation ordinance: odd addresses water Monday, Wednesday and Friday, even addresses Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday, and all outdoor watering is prohibited from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (LADWP).
Step by step
- Find your water provider on your bill. In Southern California, start at SoCal Water$mart.
- Photograph the living lawn, measure it, and submit your plan.
- Wait for your reservation or Notice to Proceed, then remove the lawn.
- Build to spec: plant density, mulch, drip and a stormwater feature.
- Pass the inspection, submit documents and get paid.
Our cost guide covers the rest of the budget, and cheap xeriscaping ideas shows how to make a $2–$5/sq ft rebate cover most of a DIY project. Every program is also listed on our California rebates page and in the national directory.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the California turf rebate per square foot?
It depends on your district. As of September 2026, Metropolitan pays $2/sq ft across Southern California, LADWP customers get $5/sq ft combined, the City of Sacramento pays $2.50/sq ft through February 2027, Valley Water pays $2, EBMUD pays $1–$2, and BAWSCA agencies pay $1–$4.
Is there a statewide California lawn rebate?
No. The state funded turf replacement through grants to local agencies in 2023, and DWR tells residents to check with their local water supplier. Apply through your district.
Does artificial turf qualify for a California rebate?
No. Metropolitan, LADWP, Valley Water, EBMUD and BAWSCA all exclude synthetic turf from their rebates. Civil Code §4735 does stop HOAs from banning it, but no rebate pays for it.
Can I get the rebate if my lawn is already dead?
Usually not at the full rate. Metropolitan requires existing turf and excludes dead or dying grass. The City of Sacramento is an exception: it pays $1/sq ft for dirt or dead lawn.
Does AB 1572 make me remove my lawn?
No. AB 1572 applies to nonfunctional turf on commercial, industrial, institutional and government properties and HOA common areas, with deadlines from 2027 to 2031. It doesn't cover single-family residential yards.
