California runs LIHEAP through the Department of Community Services and Development (CSD), but you do not apply to CSD. You apply through the local service provider that covers your city or county, and each one takes applications a little differently. For 2026, the income cutoff is 60% of State Median Income, which works out to $3,331.66 per month for a one-person household and $6,407.16 per month for a household of four. California received $236.7 million in annual LIHEAP funding for Federal Fiscal Year 2026. Here is how the program is structured and how to get an application in.
The Three Parts of California LIHEAP
California does not run one single energy assistance benefit. It runs several distinct services under the LIHEAP umbrella, and which one you want changes where you call and how fast you get an answer.
Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) is the standard benefit. It provides one-time financial assistance to help balance an eligible household's utility bill. The payment goes to your energy provider and is credited to your account, not mailed to you.
Energy Crisis Intervention Program (ECIP) is California's crisis component. CSD describes it as assistance for households in a crisis situation, with two typical examples: a household that received a 24 to 48 hour disconnect notice or has already had service terminated, and a household facing an energy-related situation that could be life threatening, such as a combustible appliance. ECIP also covers wood, propane, and oil deliveries for households that heat with those fuels. Some ECIP benefits are determined by the local provider but processed centrally by CSD.
LIHEAP Weatherization provides free energy efficiency upgrades to lower your monthly bills while improving the health and safety of the home. Think attic insulation, air sealing, duct work, and in some cases furnace or water heater repair or replacement. It uses the same 60% SMI income standard as the bill assistance side.
Local providers also deliver basic energy efficiency education, instruction on maintaining installed weatherization measures, and energy budget counseling.
California LIHEAP Income Limits 2026
CSD publishes the 2026 limits as monthly figures. The eligibility level is 60% of State Median Income and it applies to heating, cooling, crisis, and weatherization alike.
| Household Size | Monthly Income Limit | Approximate Annual Equivalent |
|---|
| 1 | $3,331.66 | $39,980 |
| 2 | $4,356.83 | $52,282 |
| 3 | $5,382.00 | $64,584 |
| 4 | $6,407.16 | $76,886 |
| 5 | $7,432.25 | $89,187 |
| 6 | $8,457.41 | $101,489 |
| 7 | $8,649.66 | $103,796 |
| 8 | $8,841.83 | $106,102 |
| 9 | $9,034.08 | $108,409 |
| 10 | $9,226.25 | $110,715 |
For households larger than 10, add $192.21 per additional person. The annual column is the monthly figure multiplied by 12, provided for comparison only. CSD states the limits monthly, and that is the number your provider will work from.
Two things about this table catch people off guard. California's limits are far higher than most states' LIHEAP limits, because 60% SMI in a high-income state is a much larger number than the 150% of Federal Poverty Level standard many states use. A four-person household earning $76,000 is over the line in most states and under it in California. And the increments flatten sharply after six people: the jump from six to seven is only about $192 per month.
CSD also notes that eligibility may vary depending on sources of income and other factors. Your provider makes the determination, not a calculator.
What You Can Actually Receive
Benefit amounts for Federal Fiscal Year 2026, as reported for California:
| Component | Minimum | Maximum |
|---|
| Heating assistance | $94 | $1,500 |
| Cooling assistance | $283 | $932 |
| Crisis (ECIP) | varies | $1,500 |
Where you land inside those ranges depends on your income, household size, fuel type, the size and type of your home, and the balance on your bill. Nobody can quote you a figure before your application is reviewed.
There is a harder truth on CSD's own program page that is worth reading before you build a budget around this. Federal funding for LIHEAP is limited, and local providers prioritize benefits for particularly vulnerable households. CSD says plainly that some households eligible for LIHEAP may not qualify for a benefit, specifically so that assistance can be directed to households with the greatest need. Meeting the income limit is the gate, not the guarantee.
For scale, in FFY 2024 California served roughly 69,000 households with heating assistance, 28,000 with cooling, 82,000 with crisis assistance, and about 4,800 with weatherization. Crisis was the largest category.
Is the Application Window Open Right Now?
California does not run the tight seasonal windows that states like Louisiana and Missouri use. Heating, cooling, crisis, and weatherization are all reported as year-round program components in California. In practice, availability is set by your local provider's remaining funding allocation, and that can run out mid-year or reopen when a new federal allocation arrives.
Do not plan around a date you read anywhere, including here. Check availability two ways:
- Look up your provider on the CSD Find Services In Your Area page and call the number listed for it.
- Call CSD public inquiries at 1-866-675-6623, generally staffed 8:00 to 11:50 a.m. and 1:00 to 4:50 p.m. Monday through Friday.
If you have a shutoff notice in hand, do not wait for a window at all. Crisis assistance is the component designed for that and it operates year-round.
How to Apply for LIHEAP in California: Step by Step
Step 1: Find the provider for your city or county
This is the step most people get wrong. There is no single statewide LIHEAP office that processes applications. CSD funds a network of local service providers, mostly community action agencies and nonprofits, and each one covers specific counties or cities. Go to csd.ca.gov, open Find Services In Your Area, enter your ZIP code or city, and select the Energy Bill Assistance and Weatherization Provider category. That gives you the agency name, phone number, and service area.
Step 2: Check whether you can apply online
California operates an online application portal at caliheapapply.com. Not every local provider participates, so the portal includes a search tool to confirm whether a participating provider serves your address. If yours is in the system, you can register an account and submit from home. If it is not, go back to Step 1 and apply through the provider directly.
Step 3: Gather and scan your documents
The online portal is explicit that applications submitted without the required PDF uploads will not be processed. Have these ready, scanned or photographed clearly:
- Recent utility bills from every energy provider serving your home. If you have separate electric and gas companies, you need both.
- Any shutoff or disconnect notice you have received.
- Income documentation covering the last 30 days for every adult in the household. Pay stubs, Social Security or SSI award letters, pension statements, unemployment records, self-employment records.
- Photo ID for the applicant.
Providers taking paper applications generally ask for the same set, plus proof of residency such as a lease or recent mail, and Social Security numbers for household members. If an adult in the household has no income, expect to sign a zero-income declaration.
Step 4: Submit, and say the word "crisis" if it applies
When you call or submit, state plainly whether you have a disconnect notice, have already lost service, or have a dangerous appliance. That is what routes your file to ECIP instead of the regular HEAP queue. Federal LIHEAP rules require states to resolve an eligible energy crisis within 48 hours, and within 18 hours when the situation is life threatening. Your provider cannot apply that timeline to a file that was never flagged as a crisis.
Step 5: Follow up with the provider, not with CSD
Your application lives with the local agency, so that is who can tell you its status. Keep the reference number or intake paperwork you were given. If weeks pass with no answer, call the agency and ask specifically whether anything is missing from your file, which is the most common cause of a stall.
Step 6: Watch your utility account, not your mailbox
An approved HEAP or ECIP benefit is paid to your energy provider and appears as a credit on your account. If you are expecting a check, you will think nothing happened.
CARE and FERA Are Not LIHEAP
A large share of Californians searching for energy bill help end up applying to the wrong program, because the state has two well-known utility discount programs that are separate from LIHEAP entirely.
| LIHEAP (HEAP/ECIP) | CARE | FERA |
|---|
| Who runs it | CSD, federally funded | Your utility, under CPUC rules | Your utility, under CPUC rules |
| What you get | One-time payment toward your bill | Roughly 30% to 35% off electric, 20% off gas | 18% off electric |
| How often | Once per component, as funds allow | Ongoing monthly discount | Ongoing monthly discount |
| Household size rule | Any size | Any size | Households of 3 or more only |
| Income standard | 60% State Median Income | CPUC income guidelines, updated annually | Slightly above CARE limits |
| Where to apply | Local CSD service provider | Directly with your utility | Directly with your utility |
CARE income limits for the period running June 1, 2026 through May 31, 2027 start at $43,280 for a one or two person household, $54,640 for three, and $66,000 for four, with $11,360 added per additional person. Enrollment in Medi-Cal, SNAP/CalFresh, or SSI can qualify you automatically. FERA limits sit above CARE's, starting around $54,100 for one or two people and $82,500 for four, and FERA is restricted to households of three or more.
Discount percentages vary by utility. Smaller utilities with under 100,000 accounts generally offer 20% on CARE rather than the 30% to 35% the large investor-owned utilities provide, and SCE's FERA discount has been listed at 12% rather than 18%. Confirm with your own utility.
The practical point: these stack. A LIHEAP payment clears an overdue balance once. CARE or FERA lowers every bill going forward. Applying for one does not enroll you in the other.
Other California Energy Help Worth Knowing
- Medical Baseline Allowance. If someone in the household uses life-support equipment or has a qualifying medical condition, PG&E, SCE, SDG&E, SoCalGas and others provide a larger allowance of energy billed at the lowest rate. A doctor signs the form.
- SCE Energy Assistance Fund provides one-time assistance of $100 within a one-year period.
- LADWP EZ-SAVE is the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power's own low-income discount.
- 2-1-1. Dial 2-1-1 anywhere in California for local emergency utility and rental assistance referrals.
For a broader look at what else your household may qualify for, see the California benefits page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do I apply for LIHEAP in California?
Through the local service provider that covers your city or county, found on the CSD Find Services In Your Area page under Energy Bill Assistance and Weatherization Provider. Some providers also accept applications through the state portal at caliheapapply.com. There is no single statewide application office.
What is the income limit for LIHEAP in California in 2026?
60% of State Median Income. That is $3,331.66 per month for one person, $4,356.83 for two, $5,382.00 for three, and $6,407.16 for four, with $192.21 added per person above ten.
Is California LIHEAP open year-round?
California's heating, cooling, crisis, and weatherization components are all reported as year-round rather than seasonal. Funding at the local level can still run short, so confirm current availability with your provider or by calling CSD at 1-866-675-6623.
How much will I get?
For FFY 2026, heating assistance runs from $94 to $1,500, cooling from $283 to $932, and crisis assistance up to $1,500. Your amount depends on income, household size, fuel type, home size, and your bill. CSD does not publish a fixed benefit schedule.
My power is being shut off tomorrow. What do I do?
Call your local LIHEAP provider immediately and say you have a disconnect notice or have lost service. That routes you to the Energy Crisis Intervention Program, which must resolve an eligible crisis within 48 hours, or 18 hours if the situation is life threatening. Call your utility the same day about a payment arrangement, since a pending LIHEAP application does not by itself stop a disconnection.
Can renters apply?
Yes, if you are responsible for your home's energy costs. That generally means the utility account is in your name. If energy is included in your rent, ask your provider how your situation is treated, because the rules differ by component and by agency.
Is there an asset test?
California's published LIHEAP eligibility standard is income based at 60% SMI. Savings and property are not part of that calculation, though your provider will ask about all sources of income.
Can I get LIHEAP and CARE at the same time?
Yes. LIHEAP is a federally funded one-time payment administered by CSD. CARE is an ongoing monthly rate discount administered by your utility under CPUC rules. They are different programs with different applications, and households often qualify for both.
Do I need to be a U.S. citizen?
LIHEAP does not impose a citizenship test on the household in the way some other benefit programs do. Document requirements vary by provider, so discuss your specific situation with your local agency.
How often can I receive a benefit?
Generally once per component per program year, with crisis assistance treated separately from regular HEAP. Because funding is limited and providers prioritize the most vulnerable households, a second benefit in the same year is uncommon.
What if I am denied?
Ask the provider for the reason in writing and for its appeal process and deadline. The most frequent cause of denial is incomplete documentation rather than income, and that is often fixed by resubmitting with the missing paperwork.
Who do I call about the whole program?
CSD public inquiries at 1-866-675-6623, generally 8:00 to 11:50 a.m. and 1:00 to 4:50 p.m. Monday through Friday. For anything about your own application, call the local agency that took it.
