Plumber Los Angeles: $193 to $600 + $300 CCTV Rebate (2026)

Published Los Angeles prices from Angi city guides, plus national figures where marked.

Do this now: plumbing emergency in Los Angeles

1. Smell gas? Leave first, then call 911 or the gas utility from outside. The Kansas Corporation Commission says not to use light switches, phones or garage door openers on the way out, and not to look for the leak.
2. Stay out of standing water near outlets, cords or appliances. The Red Cross warns not to touch electrical equipment if it is wet or if you are standing in water.
3. Shut off the main water valve to stop a leak or burst pipe, and leave a faucet open.
4. Sewer backing up? Call LA Sanitation's Customer Care line, 1-800-773-2489, to report it; the lateral from your house to the middle of the street is yours to repair.
5. Water service trouble: LADWP's line is 1-800-DIAL-DWP (1-800-342-5397).
6. Photograph the damage before you clean up, then call your insurer. FEMA says to take photos before cleanup begins. Do not sign your claim over to a contractor.
7. Call the plumber line and ask for the service call fee before anyone is sent.

Is it an emergency? When to call a Los Angeles plumber tonight

Emergency plumbing in Los Angeles costs $300 to $1,800 in Angi's 2026 emergency plumber figures, so call after hours when water is running and you cannot stop it, sewage is backing up, or you smell gas.

• Call now: burst pipes, sewage backups, gas leaks, major leaks, a main water line break or a water heater flooding the area, all on HomeGuide's emergency list.
• Call now: the only toilet in the house is fully clogged, or pipes are frozen and at risk of bursting (HomeGuide).
• Can wait for business hours: a dripping faucet, a running toilet or one slow drain.
• LA Sanitation attributes over 50% of sewer backups to roots and fats, oils and grease, and says owners must hire a licensed plumber to clear roots from private lines.
• Generic questions about rates and fees are on the national emergency plumber page.

Your sewer lateral is yours: LA Sanitation's rule

In Los Angeles, the homeowner owns the whole sewer lateral, all the way to the City main. LA Sanitation says property owners are responsible for the maintenance and repair of their entire lateral, including the stretch from the property line to the middle of the street. It attributes over 50% of backups to roots and to fats, oils and grease, and says property owners must hire a licensed plumber to clear roots from private lines.

The City helps pay to look. LA Sanitation's Sewer Lateral CCTV Rebate pays up to $300 when a licensed, bonded sewer contractor televises your lateral, for owners who pay the City sewer service charge. The video must be no more than six months old when you apply through MyLA311, and funds go first come, first served. Call 1-800-773-2489 with questions. See sewer line repair for what the fix costs.

Water heater replacement in LA: permit and earthquake straps

Replacing a water heater in Los Angeles takes an LADBS permit, but an express one: LADBS lists replacing water heaters on its express permit list, issued without plan check, along with sewer alteration, repair or replacement. California Health and Safety Code 19211 requires all new and replacement water heaters to be braced, anchored or strapped to resist earthquake motion, and a seller must certify that in writing to a buyer.

Angi's LA guide lists a City permit fee of $28 for a water heater, $10 per gas outlet, and $10 to $158 for sewer and waste items. More in water heater repair.

LA water hardness depends on your neighborhood

Average hardness in LADWP water ranged from 103 mg/L to 279 mg/L in 2022, depending on which source feeds your area. LADWP's monitoring tables show water from the Los Angeles Aqueduct Filtration Plant averaging 103 mg/L, groundwater from the Northern and Southern Combined Wells averaging 230 mg/L, and Metropolitan Water District water from the Weymouth and Diemer plants, which serves the Eastern LA and Harbor areas, averaging 279 and 278 mg/L.

Hiring a plumber in LA: the CSLB license rule

California's minor work exemption rose from $500 to $1,000 on January 1, 2025, CSLB says, and it never covers work that needs a permit. CSLB licenses contractors in 45 classifications and suggests hiring a plumbing specialist for plumbing-only work. Check any license online or at (800) 321-CSLB (2752). LADBS lets an owner-builder pull a plumbing permit only if the owner has lived in the home 12 months before the work is done and holds owner-builder permits on no more than two structures in three years.

LADWP leak adjustment: underground leaks only

LADWP may adjust a bill after you repair an underground leak on your property, but leaks from sprinklers, water heaters, faucets or toilets do not qualify. Request it within 12 months with repair receipts; allow two to four weeks. Water trouble at any hour: 1-800-DIAL-DWP (1-800-342-5397). Hidden leak under the slab? Angi's LA guide notes slab foundations make plumbing access more labor intensive; see slab leak repair.

Permit, license and water utility facts for Los Angeles, from the official pages listed under Sources.

Where to complain about an LA plumber

CSLB takes complaints against licensed and unlicensed contractors for up to four years from the act. If water has already damaged walls or floors, see water damage restoration in Los Angeles and call your insurer too. For heating and AC, see HVAC repair in Los Angeles. Nearby: plumbers in San Diego and plumbers in Las Vegas. Solar owners can see solar service in Los Angeles. Prices for every trade are in home repair costs, and the plumber guide covers what to ask.

Plumbing pages for Los Angeles

• Emergency plumber in Los Angeles: after-hours rates, the City's 24-hour lines and what to do first
• Water heater repair in Los Angeles: repair and replacement prices, the express permit, SoCalGas and LADWP rebates
• Drain cleaning in Los Angeles: roots, grease and who clears the lateral
• Sewer line repair in Los Angeles: Angi's LA replacement prices, trenchless options and the camera rebate
• Slab leak repair and leak detection in Los Angeles: detection cost, reroutes and the LADWP leak credit