The turf replacement rebate in the Temecula area pays $2 per square foot for existing irrigated grass swapped for climate-appropriate landscape, effective March 1, 2026, administered through the Metropolitan Water District/SoCal Water$mart program [1]. Do not touch the lawn until your funds are reserved.
What homeowners need to know:
- Rebate: $2 per square foot, up to 5,000 sq ft per year, plus $100 per tree (max $500 for five trees).
- Reserve funds BEFORE removing any turf, or the project is ineligible.
- Minimum removal: 250 square feet of living grass.
- Contractor license required on jobs over $1,000; written contract required over $500.
- Down payments capped at the lesser of 10% or $1,000.
The Rebate: $2 a Square Foot, Up to 5,000 Square Feet
The MWD Turf Replacement Program pays $2.00 per square foot for converted yard, up to 5,000 square feet per year [1]. Since March 4, 2024, applicants can also claim $100 per tree installed, capped at $500 for five trees, in addition to the turf incentive [1]. For Rancho California Water District customers, the program is administered by MWD through SoCal Water$mart [1][2]. The replacement has to be climate-appropriate landscape, not artificial turf or paved-over hardscape. If you're weighing this against other big home upgrades, it's worth running the honest math on another big home-services decision the same way.
Reserve Funds Before You Touch the Grass
This is the rule that costs people thousands: apply for and receive a reservation of funds before removing any turf. Begin or finish the project first and it is ineligible. The minimum removal is 250 square feet [1]. Rancho Water's In Bloom Garden Designs program likewise requires an active residential account in good standing and at least 250 square feet of living grass, with no artificial turf or impermeable surfaces in the conversion area [2].
On the contractor side, California's AB 2622 raised the license threshold from $500 to $1,000 as of January 1, 2025, so anyone billing more than that needs a license [3]. Any job over $500 needs a written contract, and down payments are capped at the lesser of 10% or $1,000 [3]. Temecula also exempts fences under 7 feet and retaining walls under 3 feet from a building permit, useful if your new low-water yard includes a planter wall, and a permit trigger to track if you're already weighing what you can build and what your HOA can't block.
