Taxes per person · your version
Your Los Angeles tax receipt
Enter your spending for a typical month. The receipt estimates the taxes and fees paid to each government and what each one funds. Entries are not sent anywhere.
Current prices
Household prices, fall 2026
Gas · LA County average
Down 13.5¢ from a week ago and 32.7¢ from a month ago, but $1.44 higher than a year ago. The record is $6.493 (Oct 5, 2022).
Why gas prices are high
The Iran war began February 28, 2026 and disrupted tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which carried about 17% of California's crude oil. Prices eased after a June ceasefire, then rose again when fighting resumed in July. California has no pipelines bringing gasoline in from other states, so it depends on tankers and its own refineries.
On September 28 the Governor allowed winter-blend gas, which is cheaper to make, to be sold early. The state gas tax also rose 2.2 cents on July 1, as it does every year under SB 1.
- SB 1, Road Repair and Accountability Act (2017): Raised the state gasoline excise tax to pay for road and bridge repair and tied it to inflation, so it rises automatically every July 1. It reached 63.4 cents a gallon on July 1, 2026.
Source: LA, Orange County gas prices coming down (Oct 27, 2026; AAA and OPIS data)
LADWP electricity · Tier 1
Up about 23% from 22¢ in January 2025, per the LA Times as cited by Our Weekly.
LADWP's own figure for a 750 kWh month: $217 (June 2026, before the summer heat).
Why LADWP bills are high
LADWP raised electric rates about 7% from last year. Several severe heat waves this summer pushed power use near record levels, so many customers saw much larger bills. Trash and sewer fees on the same bill also rose.
On October 21 Mayor Bass asked the LADWP board to pause shutoffs through the end of the year and urged customers to use Level Pay, Lifeline or EZ-SAVE. The City Controller has begun an investigation into the high bills.
- LA City Charter Section 344 (LADWP transfers) (2000): Lets the Board of Water and Power Commissioners send surplus money from the power system to the City, with Council approval. This 'power revenue transfer' helps pay for City services, so part of what customers pay for electricity goes to the City budget.
Source: LADWP bills draw concern from residents (Oct 21, 2026)
Other monthly bills
Up 54% from $36.32; scheduled to reach $65.93 by FY 2029-30.
In Edison territory outside the City, SCE's average 500 kWh bill is $187.40 (June 2026).
Extra fuel costs to Californians since the Iran war began: $6.6B, about $500 per household.
Source of the estimate
Estimate from Brown University's Iran War Energy Cost Tracker, reported by KALW and CapRadio. Economists note other factors, like attacks on Russian refineries, also push prices up.
Source: Californians paying billions in rising fuel costs from Iran war (Oct 19, 2026)
Total by government
How this is calculated
Sales tax: spending on taxable items, times the City of LA rate (10.25% since October 1, 2026, when Measure ER took effect), divided the way state law divides it. Groceries, prescriptions and most services are not taxed.
Gasoline: monthly gas spending divided by the current LA County average price gives gallons. Each gallon carries the 63.4-cent state excise tax, the 18.4-cent federal tax and a reduced sales tax. Climate program costs included in the price are shown for context and are not counted as taxes.
Utilities and phone: City users taxes are already included in the bill total, so the receipt subtracts them from the total instead of adding them.
Property: 1% of assessed value, divided the way the County Assessor reports property tax dollars are divided countywide. A parcel's exact split depends on its tax rate area, and voter-approved bond charges are extra.
Cars: for a car bought this year, sales tax is on the price, whether paid in cash or with a loan. Loan interest is not taxed. For a lease, the tax is on each lease payment.
Entries are not sent anywhere. The calculation runs in the browser.
- 2010 fuel tax swap (2010): Removed the state's general sales tax from gasoline and replaced it with a higher excise tax. Local and public-safety sales tax shares still apply to gasoline, which is why gas has a lower sales tax rate than other purchases.
- Bradley-Burns Uniform Local Sales and Use Tax Law (1955): Gives every city and county the same local share of the sales tax, collected by the state and sent back. In the City of LA, 1% goes to the City and 0.25% to County transportation.
- Measure ER (2026) (2026): A countywide half-cent general sales tax approved by voters in June 2026 to help keep County health care and safety-net services running after federal and state cuts. It took effect October 1, 2026 and ends after five years. Because it is a general tax, the money goes into the County's General Fund. The Board's spending plan puts health care first. A lawsuit challenges the state law that allowed the County to exceed the usual sales tax cap, so the money is held in escrow until the case is decided.
- Proposition 13 (1978): Caps the basic property tax at 1% of a property's assessed value. The assessed value is set when the property is bought and can rise by no more than 2% a year until it sells again. Voter-approved bonds can add to the rate.
- Sales tax on car loans and leases (CDTFA Regulations 1641 and 1660): Sales tax on a purchased car is charged on its price. If the car is financed, interest and finance charges are not taxed as long as the contract lists them separately from the price. For a lease, the tax is charged on the lease payments.
Why fees are listed separately
A tax pays for government in general. Creating or raising one requires voter approval: a majority for general taxes, and usually two-thirds for a tax dedicated to one purpose.
A fee pays for one service, such as trash pickup or sewers, and can only cover what that service costs. Under Proposition 218, property owners receive notice before a fee goes up and can block it with a majority written protest.
The receipt shows fees separately from taxes.
- Proposition 218 (1996): Requires that property-related fees, such as trash and sewer charges, cover only the cost of the service. Owners must be notified before rates rise, and a majority written protest can stop an increase.