California propane, regional benchmark
California propane prices: $3.42 a gallon
Latest EIA residential survey, week ending 30 March 2026, the final release of the 2025-26 heating season. Weekly updates resume in October; the wholesale benchmark below is live.
EIA does not survey California and publishes no West Coast regional series. The figure here is our own estimate for California, kept in line with the regional surveys we track; the chart below shows the US series for direction only.
Outside the natural-gas grid, propane heats the Sierra foothills, the far north, the high desert and Central Valley farms. There is no state dealer licence to look up here, and almost every gallon arrives by long-haul rail or truck from Gulf Coast and Rocky Mountain producers.
Latest EIA residential propane price
Source: EIA State Heating Oil and Propane Program, regional residential series. Refreshed automatically every Tuesday in season; wholesale daily.
California at a glance
Benchmark$3.42/gal
vs US ($2.67)28% above
500-gal fill (400 usable)$1368
Week by week, 2025-26 season
US average, the nearest published series to California
Every point is an EIA survey week. This season the series ran from a low of $2.42 (6 Oct) to a high of $2.68 (23 Mar). Against the same week a year earlier it is -1%.
$2.42
Season low
6 October 2025
$2.68
Season high
23 March 2026
$2.69
Same week last year
31 March 2025, now -1%
$0.85
Wholesale today
Mont Belvieu spot, 15 September 2026, +17c vs a month ago
Source: EIA State Heating Oil and Propane Program, residential propane, full-service delivery, published October to March. Wholesale is the Mont Belvieu, TX spot price; retail usually follows it by four to eight weeks, which makes it the best off-season signal of where California prices are heading.
What a fill costs in California at $3.42
Tanks fill to 80% of their stated size to leave room for expansion, so a 500-gallon tank takes about 400 gallons. The right-hand column is the difference against the same fill at the US average.
| Tank | Usable gallons | Fill at $3.42 | vs US ($2.67) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 gal | 80 gal | $274 | +$60 |
| 250 gal | 200 gal | $684 | +$149 |
| 500 gal | 400 gal | $1368 | +$298 |
| 1000 gal | 800 gal | $2736 | +$597 |
A California home heating on propane through a typical winter burns 1,000 to 1,500 gallons, so fuel alone runs about $3420 to $5130 at this price, before tank rent or a service plan. The average is a benchmark, not a quote: enter your ZIP to ask up to three local dealers what they would charge you.
California against its West neighbours
Hawaii and Alaska top the West as import-only and remote-supply markets. California is the priciest of the contiguous Western states, driven by long PADD 5 supply chains, no in-state production of scale, and wildfire-season generator demand. The interior-West states closer to Rocky Mountain and Conway-hub supply run cheaper.
| State | Price/gal | 500-gal fill | vs US ($2.67) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montana | $2.12 | $848 | -21% |
| Wyoming (regional est.) | $2.27 | $906 | -15% |
| Colorado | $2.30 | $921 | -14% |
| Utah | $2.34 | $935 | -13% |
| Idaho | $2.40 | $959 | -10% |
| Arizona (regional est.) | $2.72 | $1088 | +2% |
| New Mexico (regional est.) | $2.93 | $1172 | +10% |
| Nevada (regional est.) | $2.95 | $1180 | +10% |
| Oregon (regional est.) | $2.98 | $1192 | +11% |
| Washington (regional est.) | $3.02 | $1208 | +13% |
| California (regional est.) | $3.42 | $1368 | +28% |
| Alaska (regional est.) | $3.85 | $1540 | +44% |
| Hawaii (regional est.) | $4.15 | $1660 | +55% |
| West average | $2.88 | $1152 | +8% |
States marked regional est. are not surveyed individually by EIA and carry their PADD regional figure. Full table on prices by state.
Why California runs 28% over the national average
California is the most expensive contiguous-Western propane market, behind only the island and remote-supply markets of Hawaii and Alaska. The reasons are structural, tied to where propane is made and how it reaches the West Coast, not to any one winter.
No in-state production of scale.
Roughly 90% of US propane is a byproduct of natural-gas processing in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and the Appalachian shale. California refineries yield only minor LPG, so almost every gallon delivered here arrives by long-haul rail or truck from Gulf Coast and Rocky Mountain producers. Each handoff is a margin layer.
Thin West Coast storage and terminals.
California cannot draw on the pipeline-fed terminal density that East Coast and Midwest markets enjoy. Working storage is small relative to peak winter and wildfire-season demand, which leaves retail pricing exposed to wholesale spikes and rail-logistics disruptions.
Wildfire-season generator demand.
PSPS events in PG&E and SCE territory have driven propane standby generators into mainstream rural and wildland-urban interface use across Sonoma, Napa, Lake, Mendocino, El Dorado, Placer and Tuolumne counties. A 22 kW standby unit burns around 3.6 gallons an hour under load, pulling extra demand into August through November on top of heating-season buildup.
A small, dispersed residential base.
SoCalGas and PG&E natural gas cover most cities, leaving propane the dominant fuel only in rural mountain and off-grid communities. Suppliers serve scattered customers on long routes, so per-gallon overhead is higher than in dense propane markets, and California's 2025 Title 24 code steers new construction toward heat pumps, constraining future residential growth.
Buying propane well in California: four moves that change the bill
A good supplier is step one. In a state where propane routes are long and there is no licence to fall back on, the gap between a careless account and a well-run one is usually several hundred dollars a year.
01
Vet without a licence lookup
California has no per-dealer propane licence to search, so do the checks the state does not do for you: ask for proof of liability insurance and bonding, confirm the operator follows the NFPA 58 LP-Gas Code, and ask when its delivery meters were last sealed by the county Sealer of Weights and Measures. Then read reviews and its BBB record.
02
Fill before fire season, not during
Wholesale is near its seasonal low in late spring and early summer, before PSPS-driven generator demand arrives. In a Tier 2 or Tier 3 Fire Threat District, top up to 80% by late July. By late August, fire-zone routes crowd and lead times stretch, and premiums over the statewide estimate become common during active PSPS weeks.
03
Quote the tiers, mind the tank
California has national carriers and multi-generation regionals and family operators. In rural counties the spread between the cheapest local and the priciest national quote can reach $0.40 to $0.60 a gallon, so pull one written quote from each. If you own your tank, say so up front: it removes the switching penalty that leased-tank customers face.
04
Check LIHEAP eligibility
California runs federal LIHEAP through the Department of Community Services and Development for households at or below 60% of State Median Income (about $6,407 a month for a family of four in the 2026 program year). It can pay toward propane. Apply through your local service provider at csd.ca.gov. CARE and FERA are utility-bill discounts and do not cover propane.
Rated by customers
California propane dealers worth calling first
A short, hand-checked list with strong public review scores, spread across the state. Ratings were read from the platforms named in August 2026 and move over time; a high score is where to start, not a guarantee. Get three written quotes whoever you call.
Central Coast & Southern California
Delta Liquid Energy
Paso Robles, California
4.261 reviews, Yelp
Family-owned since 1936, nine bulk plants across the Central Coast and Southern California, with a rail terminal and storage at Paso Robles. Residential delivery, agricultural and RV service.
See the reviews ›Verified on the state registry
5 of the 5 California dealers on the WPGA register
| Dealer | City | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Interstate Oil Company | (916) 494-3973 | |
| North Valley Battery | (916) 798-1190 | |
| PetroGas | (619) 920-9313 | |
| TRIARC Tanks | (916) 740-5273 | |
| World Energy | (171) 320-5278 |
Source: Western Propane Gas Association member list, captured 30 August 2026. A registry listing is a licence record, not an endorsement.
California propane, the questions people ask
How much does propane cost per gallon in California?
California residential propane is roughly $3.42/gal in 2026, 28% above the $2.67 national average, against a $2.88 West regional average. One important caveat: the EIA State Heating Oil and Propane Program (SHOPP) does not publish a residential propane series for California, because there is no PADD 5 SHOPP survey. The $3.42/gal figure is a modeled retail estimate benchmarked against regional data, not a live EIA weekly value for California. Real quotes vary widely: rural Sierra Nevada, Trinity and eastern-Sierra routes can run $0.60 to $1.20/gal above this estimate, while denser Central Valley and coastal-suburban routes often quote closer to it. Always get two or three written quotes.
Does California license propane dealers, and how do I check one?
California does not license or register propane retail dealers, and there is no public per-dealer propane licence you can look up, unlike states such as North Carolina or Florida that publish a searchable dealer registry. Propane (LP-Gas) is regulated as a fire-safety and a weights-and-measures matter, not through a retailer licence. LP-Gas storage, piping and delivery follow the California Fire Code and the state-adopted NFPA 58 LP-Gas Code, enforced by the Office of the State Fire Marshal and your local fire authority; the CDFA Division of Measurement Standards and your county Sealer of Weights and Measures test and seal the meters on every delivery truck and bulk plant. So there is no is-this-dealer-licensed search. Vet a California dealer instead on proof of liability insurance and bonding, NFPA 58 compliance, a current county meter seal, public reviews, its BBB record, and at least three written quotes.
Where does propane matter in California, and how do I build a shortlist?
Propane is a rural, off-grid product here, so many good local operators carry only a handful of public reviews and there is no big, review-rich directory to rank. Five regions carry most of the demand. The Sierra foothills and Gold Country (El Dorado, Placer, Nevada, Amador, Calaveras, Tuolumne) run off-grid and semi-rural homes above the gas mains, with long winding routes where local density matters. Far northern California (Shasta, Trinity, Siskiyou, Tehama, Lassen, Modoc) is supplied out of Redding across a thinly populated region where winter routes are the deciding cost factor, so ask how far you are from the nearest bulk plant. The Central Valley (San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, Fresno, Tulare, Kern) is one of the largest agricultural propane markets in the country, and residential customers on high-volume ag routes can get competitive rates. The high desert and eastern Sierra (Inyo, Mono, eastern Kern, San Bernardino high desert) sit far from West Coast terminals, so pre-book fills before winter and confirm minimum-delivery terms. The Central Coast (San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, inland Monterey) mixes rural residential, ranch and vineyard demand outside the SoCalGas footprint, and is where we found the most public review depth. To vet any operator: read its Yelp and Google reviews, confirm liability insurance and bonding, ask when its delivery meters were last sealed by the county Sealer of Weights and Measures, check its BBB record, and get at least three written quotes.
Does LIHEAP help pay for propane in California?
Yes. California runs the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) through the California Department of Community Services and Development (CSD) at csd.ca.gov, delivered locally by a network of community-based Local Service Providers, typically Community Action Agencies. Eligibility is gross household income at or below 60% of the California State Median Income; for the 2026 program year that is about $3,332 a month for a one-person household and about $6,407 a month for a four-person household. The program can pay a benefit toward home energy costs including propane, and households whose propane, wood or oil supply is exhausted are treated as a priority. Apply through your local service provider, which you can find at csd.ca.gov. Note that CARE and FERA are separate: those are percentage discounts on regulated PG&E, SoCalGas, SCE and SDG&E utility bills and do not apply to propane, which is not a regulated utility.
Why is California propane more expensive than most of the West?
Structural supply reasons, not a seasonal blip. There is no in-state propane production of any scale on the West Coast: roughly 90% of US propane is a byproduct of natural-gas processing in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and the Appalachian shale, and California refineries yield only minor LPG. Almost every gallon delivered here arrives by long-haul rail or truck from Gulf Coast and Rocky Mountain producers, and West Coast rail and terminal storage density is well below the interior of the country. California also has a small, dispersed residential propane base (SoCalGas and PG&E natural gas cover most cities), so suppliers serve scattered rural customers with weaker route economies. Add California's generally high fuel and labor costs and wildfire-season generator demand, and California lands at $3.42/gal against a $2.88 West average, behind only Hawaii and Alaska in the region.
How does wildfire season and PSPS affect California propane demand?
Significantly, in PG&E and SCE territory. Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) events, preemptive grid de-energizations during high-wind, high-fire-risk weather, have made propane standby generators close to a default purchase for rural and wildland-urban interface homes across Sonoma, Napa, Lake, Mendocino, Trinity, El Dorado, Placer, Nevada, Tuolumne and Tehama counties. Generators burn propane fast: a 22 kW residential standby unit uses roughly 3.6 gal/hour under load, so a 48-hour outage can drain around 170 gallons, close to a full 250-gallon tank's usable capacity. That pulls demand into August through November on top of normal heating-season buildup, and stretches supplier schedules in fire-zone counties. If you are in a CPUC-mapped Tier 2 or Tier 3 Fire Threat District, fill to 80% by late July and confirm your supplier prioritises generator customers during widespread outages.
What about agricultural propane in California: frost protection, dairy, crop drying?
California is one of the largest agricultural propane markets in the country, and that demand shapes residential pricing. Citrus and stone-fruit growers in the southern San Joaquin Valley (Tulare, Kern, Fresno) and along the Central Coast run propane-fired wind machines and orchard heaters for frost protection; a single hard-frost night across a district can pull well over 100,000 gallons in a few hours. Central Valley dairies use propane for barn heating, wash-down hot water and standby power, and almond, walnut and tomato growers use it for crop drying. This agricultural baseline keeps West Coast retail margins firmer than the residential customer base alone would, and is why early-spring residential pricing in California can move independently of the national winter cycle.
How does California's Title 24 energy code affect propane?
California's 2025 Building Energy Efficiency Standards (Title 24, effective for permits applied for on or after 1 January 2026) push new construction toward heat pumps as the default for space and water heating. Gas and propane appliances are not banned outright, but a new home using them has to close the energy-budget gap with extra insulation, better glazing or other measures, and gas- or propane-heated new homes must be electric-ready (pre-wired and pre-plumbed for a future heat-pump retrofit). The practical effect for propane is that new-build residential demand will trend down over the coming decade in regulated jurisdictions. Title 24 does not touch existing homes, off-grid properties, or rural counties without natural-gas distribution, where propane will remain the dominant heating fuel.
Where do the California suppliers on this page come from?
California has no public propane-dealer registry, so the entries we hold come from the Western Propane Gas Association member list, captured 30 August 2026. It is a membership roster, not a licence list, it is only a partial view of the state, and a couple of entries are equipment or fuel-supply members or are head-officed outside California. Treat it as a starting point, then use the review-verified operator and the region guide above.
Keep reading
All California dealers
The complete verified directory of 5 California propane dealers, by city and ZIP.
Dealers near you
Enter a ZIP to see the closest dealers and ask up to three for a price.
Propane prices today
The daily wholesale benchmark and the live state summer surveys.
Prices by state
All 50 states side by side, with regional context.
What a fill costs
Tank sizes, the 80% rule and the national refill guide.
How to pay less
Pre-buy timing, switching, owned versus leased tanks.
Run the cost calculator
Apply California pricing to your home, climate and usage profile.
Propane vs natural gas
Per-BTU economics for homes inside versus outside the gas-main grid.