With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
Thanks, Storms! Tax Day For Most Californians Is Now Oct. 16

If you live in California and haven’t done your taxes yet, you may be able to breathe a sigh of relief.
Most of California's counties — including Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties — do not have to file by the April 18 deadline. That's because our winter storms, which included flooding, landslides and mudslides were were severe enough to be federally declared disasters dozens of the states' 58 counties.
What’s the new deadline?
October 16. The relief is offered automatically to anyone with addresses on file with the IRS in a designated disaster area. This includes individual income tax returns, various business returns and returns of tax-exempt organizations.
How do I know if I’m included?
You can check out the areas on this IRS relief list. Whenever the Federal Emergency Management Agency declares a disaster, those places are entitled to a longer filing and payment window.
And here's a list of the 51 California counties included, according to Gov. Gavin Newsom's office:
- Alameda
- Alpine
- Amador
- Butte
- Calaveras
- Colusa
- Contra Costa
- Del Norte
- El Dorado
- Fresno
- Glenn
- Humboldt
- Inyo
- Kings
- Lake
- Los Angeles
- Madera
- Marin
- Mariposa
- Mendocino
- Merced
- Mono
- Monterey
- Napa
- Nevada
- Orange
- Placer
- Riverside
- Sacramento
- San Benito
- San Bernardino
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Joaquin
- San Luis Obispo
- San Mateo
- Santa Barbara
- Santa Clara
- Santa Cruz
- Siskiyou
- Solano
- Sonoma
- Stanislaus
- Sutter
- Tehama
- Trinity
- Tulare
- Tuolumne
- Ventura
- Yolo
- Yuba
What if I live outside one of these areas?
If you live elsewhere, you may still get a delayed deadline if you meet certain conditions. For example, if your tax records are inside the declared area, or your tax preparer is and they can’t file for you. You’ll have to call the IRS Disaster Hotline at 866-562-5227 and explain your situation. Make sure to have the correct FEMA Disaster Number for the area on hand.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.

-
Doctors say administrator directives allow immigration agents to interfere in medical decisions and compromise medical care.
-
The Palisades Fire erupted on Jan. 7 and went on to kill 12 people and destroy more than 6,800 homes and buildings.
-
People moving to Los Angeles are regularly baffled by the region’s refrigerator-less apartments. They’ll soon be a thing of the past.
-
Experts say students shouldn't readily forgo federal aid. But a California-only program may be a good alternative in some cases.
-
Distrito Catorce’s Guillermo Piñon says the team no longer reflects his community. A new mural will honor local leaders instead.
-
The program is for customers in communities that may not be able to afford turf removal or water-saving upgrades.