How To Get Property Tax Relief If Your House Burned In The Fires

Screenshot 2025-02-02 at 11.46.34 AM

If your home or business has been damaged or destroyed by the recent wildfires in Los Angeles, you may be eligible for substantial property tax relief. There are concrete steps you can take right now to reduce your property tax burden—both immediately and in the future—whether you decide to rebuild or move.

Immediate Steps for Property Tax Relief

For any property owner with at least $10,000 in damage, the first step is to file the “Property Damaged or Destroyed by Misfortune or Calamity” form (ADS-820) with the Los Angeles County Assessor’s Office. You have until January 2026 (one year from the date of the disaster) to submit this form. Once approved, the assessor will reassess your property’s taxable value. If your home or business has been destroyed, the new taxable value will be based solely on the land until repairs, restoration, or reconstruction are completed.

Additionally, an executive order signed by Governor Gavin Newsom allows affected property owners to delay filing this year’s property taxes until April 2026 without penalty. There is also the option to apply to the Los Angeles County Treasurer and Tax Collector for deferrals of up to four years. This means you can reduce your immediate tax liability and potentially preserve your prior taxable value—critical for keeping your tax bill lower than it would be on a new assessment.

Rebuilding Your Home

If you decide to rebuild your home as it was, or even up to 20% larger, you can retain your pre-fire taxable value. Under California’s unique property tax system, established by Proposition 13, the taxable value of your home is largely frozen at the purchase price (with limited annual increases) regardless of market value fluctuations. For example, suppose your home, destroyed by the fire, had a market value of $1 million and a taxable value of $600,000. If you rebuild with similar specifications, you will maintain the $600,000 taxable value and therefore pay roughly the same property tax—around 1% of that value, plus any voter-approved bond obligations (about $6,600 annually in our example). This benefit applies even if you upgrade your home to meet modern fire codes and safety standards.

If you decide to expand beyond a 20% increase in size or change the property’s use (for example, by adding an accessory dwelling unit), the additions will be assessed at market value, and your tax bill will increase accordingly. Thus, staying within that 20% threshold is key to preserving your previous tax rate.

Transferring Your Taxable Value When Moving

For homeowners who opt not to rebuild but instead move to a new property, several options allow you to retain your prior property tax benefits:

  • Within Los Angeles County:
    You can transfer your taxable value to a new home, provided that the new property’s market value is not more than 20% higher than your previous home. Using our earlier example, if your destroyed home had a market value of $1 million and a taxable value of $600,000, you could buy a home worth up to $1.2 million and still maintain the $600,000 taxable value. If the new home is valued at $1.3 million, the taxable value would be adjusted upward by the excess, resulting in a new taxable value of approximately $700,000.
  • Elsewhere in California:
    If you move out of Los Angeles County, you might be able to transfer your taxable value to a home with a similar market value. For instance, purchasing a $1 million home in another county, such as Santa Barbara, would allow you to retain your original taxable value of $600,000. For more expensive properties, taxable values are blended; for example, a $1.3 million home in Santa Barbara might result in a taxable value of about $900,000. This represents significant tax savings compared to the higher tax bill you’d incur with a new assessment.

Some California counties—including Orange, San Diego, and Ventura—have opted into related property tax relief programs, potentially offering even more generous benefits for disaster-affected homeowners. It is important to note, however, that you can only receive a tax benefit for either rebuilding or moving, not both.

Where to Get Help

Navigating these options can be complex, so it’s crucial to connect with the Los Angeles County Assessor’s Office for personalized guidance. They are operating disaster centers on both the Westside (located at UCLA Research Park West, 10850 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles) and the Eastside (at Pasadena City College Community Education Center, 3035 E. Foothill Blvd., Pasadena). Assessor Jeff Prang encourages affected homeowners to promptly file the ADS-820 form, ensuring that all qualified property owners receive immediate relief. He also warns against scams from third parties promising extra property tax relief for a fee—there’s no cost to file these forms yourself.

For additional information, resources are available on the websites of the Los Angeles County Assessor and the state Board of Equalization.

Final Thoughts

California’s property tax relief measures offer a lifeline to homeowners and business owners affected by the wildfires. By preserving the pre-fire taxable value—whether through rebuilding or transferring it when moving—affected residents can maintain lower property tax bills even as they face the challenges of recovery. It’s essential to act promptly and utilize all available resources to secure these benefits.


Contact Abdo Pierre Faissal for more information.
📞 310-620-1038 | ✉️ [email protected]