LIHEAP in California: Income Limits, Programs, and How to Apply

California LIHEAP pays up to $1,500 toward your heating bill, $932 toward cooling, and $1,500 for an energy crisis such as a shutoff, with the money going straight to your utility as a credit on your account.¹²³ You apply through the agency assigned to your area, not to the state directly.

Income Limits for the 2026 Program Year

California uses 60 percent of the State Median Income as the ceiling, and the same figure applies whether you’re seeking heating, cooling, or crisis help.⁴ The number the agency looks at is gross monthly income for the whole household, before taxes or deductions. The 2026 monthly limits are:⁵

1 person: $3,331.66
2 people: $4,356.83
3 people: $5,382.00
4 people: $6,407.16
5 people: $7,432.25
6 people: $8,457.41
7 people: $8,649.66
8 people: $8,841.83
9 people: $9,034.08
10 people: $9,226.25

For households of more than ten, add $192.21 per additional member.⁵

Automatic Qualification Through Other Benefits

You can also qualify without meeting those income figures if someone in your household already receives Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), SNAP/CalFresh, or certain veterans’ pension payments.⁶ Enrollment in one of these programs means your finances have already been vetted, so the local agency can usually verify eligibility quickly.

Who Gets Served First

Funding is finite, and federal law directs the largest benefits to households with the lowest incomes and the highest energy costs relative to income.⁶ The statute also requires outreach to households with elderly members or people with disabilities. When agencies are working through a backlog, these households tend to move up the queue.

The Three Kinds of Help

California splits LIHEAP into three components, and you can receive help from more than one if you qualify.³

HEAP: A Credit on Your Bill

The Home Energy Assistance Program is the core benefit and covers most applicants. The payment goes directly to your electric or gas utility and shows up as a credit on your account, not as a check to you. For 2026, the maximum HEAP payment is $1,500 for heating and $932 for cooling.¹ The exact amount is based on your income, household size, and energy costs.

ECIP: Shutoffs and Emergencies

The Energy Crisis Intervention Program is for households facing an active shutoff, a disconnection notice, or a health and safety risk from lack of heat or cooling. ECIP pays up to $1,500 on an expedited basis.¹ California treats a life-threatening crisis as a household without heating, cooling, or utility service during extreme weather, as determined by the local agency.⁷ Some providers can process a crisis application the same day if you submit a complete file by their afternoon cutoff. If you’re facing an active shutoff, call your local provider. Don’t mail paperwork.

Weatherization: Free Home Upgrades

Weatherization doesn’t pay a bill. It reduces the bill by upgrading your home, at no cost to you. Services can include attic insulation, energy-efficient refrigerators and furnaces, weatherstripping, caulking, LED bulbs, low-flow showerheads, water heater blankets, and repairs to doors and building envelopes that reduce air leaks.³ The program also provides carbon monoxide detectors, smoke alarms, and energy budget counseling. Renters can participate, but the landlord has to sign an energy services agreement before work can start.

How to Apply

Applications don’t go to the state. You apply through the local service provider assigned to your city or county, and CSD offers a search tool on its website to identify your provider.³ That agency is your one point of contact for the whole process.

Most local providers accept applications online through their own portals, by mail, or in person. If you mail yours, use a method that gives you delivery confirmation. The California program runs from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026, so there’s no single application window.² Funds are limited, though, and agencies work on a first-come, first-served basis within their priority framework. Applying early in the program year improves your odds, especially for HEAP.

You’ll get written notice of approval, denial, or missing documents. Processing times swing with the season. Heat waves and cold snaps produce application surges that slow everything down, so stay in touch with your caseworker if you need a status update.

Documents to Gather Before You Apply

Every application uses the CSD 43 Energy Intake Form, available from your local provider.⁸ Along with it, plan to bring:

A valid California state ID or other U.S.-issued ID for the applicant
A valid Social Security card with no restrictions for the applicant
Copies of all pages of your current electric and gas bills, even if you don’t use electricity for heating
Income verification for every adult 18 and over: pay stubs, Social Security award letters, unemployment statements, disability paperwork, pension documents, child support records, or a current Notice of Action showing CalWorks or other benefits
For CalFresh recipients: a copy of your EBT card or current Notice of Action showing your benefit amount
Housing documentation: a current rent receipt or lease, Section 8 certificate, or mortgage statement with your current address
Receipts for alternative fuels if you heat with wood, propane, or oil

If you can’t document income, the agency will have you fill out a self-declaration form (CSD 43B). Incomplete applications are typically denied 30 days after the application date, so submit everything at once rather than filing partial paperwork and trying to catch up.

If You’re Denied

Denial isn’t final. California uses a two-step appeal. Start by filing a written appeal with the local service provider that denied you, or that failed to act on your application in a reasonable time. The provider has 15 days to review the appeal and issue a decision.⁹

If you disagree with that decision, you can appeal in writing to CSD under Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations, Section 100805. Send the appeal to:⁹

California Department of Community Services and Development
Utility and LIHEAP Assistance
2389 Gateway Oaks Drive #100
Sacramento, CA 95833

Federal law requires every state to offer a fair administrative hearing when a LIHEAP claim is denied or not acted on with reasonable promptness.⁶ The most common reasons for denial are income over the threshold, missing documents, or an incomplete application. Before appealing, check whether resubmitting with corrected paperwork gets you there faster.

Pair LIHEAP With CARE for Ongoing Savings

The California Alternate Rates for Energy program gives eligible customers a monthly discount of 30 to 35 percent on electric bills and 20 percent on natural gas bills.¹⁰ If you’re enrolled in LIHEAP, you automatically qualify for CARE without a separate income review. Enrollment in Medi-Cal, CalFresh, SSI, or WIC also qualifies you. LIHEAP knocks down your current balance; CARE reduces what you owe on every bill going forward.

1
LIHEAP Clearinghouse. LIHEAP Benefit Levels for Heating, Cooling, and Crisis: States and Territories
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LIHEAP Clearinghouse. State and Territory LIHEAP Program Duration: Heating, Cooling, and Crisis
3
California Department of Community Services and Development. Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
4
LIHEAP Clearinghouse. LIHEAP Income Eligibility for States and Territories
5
California Department of Community Services and Development. LIHEAP Income Eligibility
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Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 42 USC 8624 – Applications and Requirements
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LIHEAP Clearinghouse. LIHEAP Crisis: States and Territories
8
Community Action Partnership of Kern. 2026 Energy Utility Assistance Application
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California Department of Community Services and Development. Filing an Appeal
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California Public Utilities Commission. California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE)