Sewer Line Repair Los Angeles: $1,500 to $5,000+ (Angi 2026)

Angi's rows are Los Angeles figures; the rest are national. Length, depth and whether the line runs under the street drive the price.

Do this now: signs of a broken sewer line in Los Angeles

1. Sewage coming into the house: stop using water everywhere and keep people and pets away.
2. A strong rotten egg smell: go outside and call the fire department. The Virginia Department of Health gives that advice for heavy sewer gas.
3. Sewage spilling from a manhole or the street: call LA Sanitation's 24-hour Customer Care at 1-800-773-2489.
4. Photograph any damage inside and call your insurer before cleanup; sewage cleanup covers the safe way to handle it.
5. Ask for a camera inspection before agreeing to dig. It shows where the break is and whether a trenchless repair will work.

Is it an emergency? Sewer backup signs in LA

A sewer line is an emergency when sewage is coming up into a tub, shower or floor drain, and Angi's 2026 national figures put an after-hours main sewer clog at $1,325 to $5,000. Several drains gurgling at once is a same-day call. A damp, sunken or extra-green strip of lawn over the line can be booked for a weekday camera inspection, which HomeGuide prices at $125 to $500.

Who pays for a sewer line in Los Angeles

The homeowner pays for the whole lateral in Los Angeles, including the part under the street. LA Sanitation says property owners are responsible for the maintenance and repair of their entire lateral, from the house to the middle of the street where it meets the City main. That is a longer pipe than in many cities, and the street section is the expensive part to dig.

The repair itself is an express permit: LADBS lists sewer alteration, repair or replacement among the permits it issues without plan check. Angi's LA guide puts City sewer and waste permit items at $10 to $158. Work in the street can involve more than the house permit, so ask the contractor which permits it will pull and whether they are in the quote.

LA Sanitation's $300 camera rebate: get the video first

LA Sanitation will rebate up to $300 of a sewer lateral camera inspection. The rules: a licensed, bonded sewer contractor does the televising, you pay the City sewer service charge, the video is no more than six months old when you apply, and you apply through MyLA311. Funds go first come, first served. The video also settles the next question: whether the pipe needs a spot repair, a liner or replacement.

Trenchless or dig: sewer line repair methods and prices

Trenchless repair costs $60 to $250 per foot in HomeGuide's and This Old House's guides, and it relines or replaces the pipe through small access holes instead of a full trench. Open-trench replacement runs $50 to $250 per foot, This Old House and HomeGuide say, and This Old House puts the national average replacement at $3,320. Which one fits depends on what the camera shows: a pipe that has collapsed or sagged may need digging. The national sewer line repair guide compares pipe bursting, lining and spot repairs.

City of Los Angeles rules, programs and contacts from official city, utility, state, Census and NOAA pages. Other LA County cities set their own permit rules.

What to ask an LA sewer contractor

1. Can I keep the camera video, and will it qualify for the LA Sanitation rebate?
2. Where exactly is the break: on the lot or under the street?
3. Is trenchless possible here, and what would digging cost instead?
4. Which permits will you pull, and are the fees in the quote?
5. What is your CSLB license number, and can I see proof of insurance?

More Los Angeles plumbing help

Clogs that are not breaks: drain cleaning in Los Angeles. Every plumbing topic: plumber in Los Angeles. Water damage from a backup: water damage restoration in Los Angeles. Other cities: sewer line repair in San Diego and sewer line repair in Las Vegas. Costs for every trade: home repair costs. Calls go to an independent company that serves your area and takes this kind of job (how calls work).