The January wildfires ravaged approximately 57,500 acres across Los Angeles County, leaving a devastating impact on communities. With at least 29 lives lost and over 15,467 structures destroyed by the Palisades and Eaton fires — a number expected to rise —homeowners are now facing the long road to recovery.
To help ease the financial burden, the Los Angeles County Assessor’s Office offers property tax relief programs for those affected by natural disasters. You may qualify for assistance if your home was damaged or its market value has dropped due to the fires.
Here’s what you need to know about the available relief options.
If Your Property Was Damaged or Destroyed
You should file two forms if your house was damaged or destroyed by the California wildfires.
Property Damaged or Destroyed by Misfortune or Calamity (Form ADS-820.2)
Form ADS-820 is for severely damaged or destroyed houses. Property owners should use this form to request a property reassessment if a natural disaster damages it and the loss exceeds $10,000 or another property suffered damage of at least 20% of its fair market value due to a calamity or misfortune.
To be eligible, you must file a Form ADS-820.2 to the LA County tax office within 12 months of the damage or destruction date. You can also submit your ADS-820.2 Form online.
We recommended that property owners submit photo evidence of property damage.
Property Tax Installment Deferral Application (Form ADS-820.3)
Note that if your property is reassessed due to damage and you get a refund, you still need to pay your annual property tax bill.
If the damage and repairs happen in the same tax year, you'll get a refund for the time your property was damaged but will also receive a supplemental tax bill once it's repaired.
Property owners who acquired their property after January 1 of the calendar year following the event may also file a Property Tax Installment Deferral Application (ADS-820.3 Form) if they are liable for the property taxes for the following fiscal tax year (July 1 to June 30).
If the wildfires damaged your home or property, we recommend that you file the ADS-820.2 Form. If you need to delay your tax payment, we recommend filing the ADS-820.3 Form.
Decline in-Value Review (Form RP-87)
Suppose the wildfires have not destroyed your home but have partially damaged it, causing your property’s current market value to be less than its January 1st assessed value.
In that case, you can also file a Decline-in-Value Form RP-87.
This is an optional form since the L.A. County Assessor office will automatically determine home values based on the damage by in-person visitations or aerial footage.
The filing period for the annual Decline-in-Value Review is from July 2 through November 30.
Forms if You’re Rebuilding or Moving Within California
Proposition 19 Home Protection Act
On June 3, 1986, California voters approved Proposition 50, Disaster Relief Transfer of Base Value. Proposition 50 allows the transfer of the base year value of real property substantially damaged or destroyed in a disaster to a comparable replacement property located within the same county. However, this applies only if the disaster has been officially declared a state of emergency by the Governor, which Governor Newsom did on January 7, 2025.
In November 2020, Californians passed Proposition 19, essentially expanding Proposition 50.
Proposition 19 allows homeowners 55 or older, severely disabled, or a victim of wildfire or natural disaster to transfer the tax base of their original property to a replacement home, even if the new home is of greater value, to any California county within two years of the sale of the original primary residence.
You should file a BOE-19-V if you plan to rebuild or purchase a new property in LA County or another California county. The claim must be filed within three years from the date of purchase or completion of new construction.
The 120% Stipulation Explained
Your property’s reduced assessed value remains the same until the property is fully restored, repaired, or reconstructed. However, there are some stipulations:
If the cost to rebuild or replace the damaged property is 120% or less of the original property's value, your previous tax base will be restored without any changes.
If the cost exceeds 120%, the full cash value amount above 120% will be added to your original tax base.
For example, if fires destroyed your home and it had a $1-million market value and a 2024 taxable value of $500,000, you’d pay around $5,500 in property taxes.
If you were to rebuild your home or move to a property similar in square footage, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, and has a market value less than 20% of your prior one, then you’d retain your existing $500,000 taxable value and the same tax bill of $5,500.
However, any additional market value in your new home would be added to your taxable value. For example, if you bought a $1.5-million home, the taxable value would be $800,000 with a new tax bill of $7,700.
Other Property Tax Relief Initiatives
California postponed the individual tax filing deadline from January 7, 2025, to October 15, 2025. This extension aligns with the federal extension granted to California’s wildfire victims. This affects the following property and homeowners:
Individuals whose tax returns and payments are usually due on April 15, 2025.
Quarterly estimated tax payments normally due on January 15, April 15, June 15, and September 15, 2025.
Business entities whose corporate or pass-through entity tax returns are generally due on March 15 and April 15, 2025.
Pass-through entity (PTE) elective tax payments often due on March 15 and June 15, 2025.
Tax-exempt organization returns usually due on May 15, 2025.
You can also seek longer deferrals (up to four years) via the Los Angeles County Treasurer and Tax Collector.
Governor Newsom is also protecting firestorm victims from predatory land speculators making unsolicited and aggressive cash offers to purchase victims’ property.
Please visit the Los Angeles County Wildfire Recovery Resources page for more information.
Recovering from the devastation of the January wildfires is an overwhelming challenge, but property tax relief can help ease some of the financial strain. If your home or property was affected, filing the necessary forms promptly can ensure you receive the benefits you’re entitled to.
At Ownwell, we understand how stressful this process can be, so we’re filing necessary forms for free for our customers impacted by the LA County fires.
We aim to support homeowners and property owners during this difficult time and help them easily navigate property tax relief options.
