By Michael Shemtoub, trial attorney, Beverly Law. Updated November 2026.
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Why the right agency matters
A claim against a local entity must be delivered or mailed to that entity’s clerk, secretary or auditor, or to its governing body at its principal office, or filed electronically where the entity allows it by ordinance or resolution (Gov. Code § 915). A claim sent somewhere else counts only if one of those designated recipients actually receives it in time. In DiCampli-Mintz v. County of Santa Clara, a letter addressed to a county hospital’s risk management department and hand-delivered to a hospital office never reached the clerk or the board, and the California Supreme Court held it was not a valid claim, even though the hospital knew about it (DiCampli-Mintz).
The deadline is the same for every entity in the table below: six months for injury, death or damage to personal property, and one year for other claims, counted from when the claim accrues (Gov. Code § 911.2). A claim filed with the wrong agency does not stop that clock for the right one.
Where to file: Los Angeles public entities
Addresses, filing methods and phone numbers as each entity lists them as of November 2026.
| Entity | Covers | Where to file | How | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Los Angeles | City departments and bureaus, including LAPD, LAFD, LADOT (including DASH), StreetsLA, LA Sanitation and Recreation and Parks | Office of the City Clerk, 200 N. Spring St., Room 395, Los Angeles, CA 90012 | Online at claims.lacity.org, by mail, or in person Mon to Fri, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. No email or fax (City Clerk) | (213) 978-1133 |
| LADWP | Water and power lines, mains, LADWP trucks | LADWP Claims Section, 221 N. Figueroa St., Suite 1640, Los Angeles, CA 90012-2660, and (our advice) also the City Clerk | Mail, or LADWP’s online e-sign form (LADWP) | (213) 367-4600 |
| County of Los Angeles | All County departments, including the Sheriff (LASD), County roads in unincorporated areas and County hospitals | Executive Officer, Board of Supervisors, Attention: Claims, 500 W. Temple St., Room 383, Los Angeles, CA 90012 | In person or U.S. Mail; one form per claimant (Board of Supervisors) | (213) 974-1440 |
| LA Metro (LACMTA) | Metro buses, trains, stations and stops | LACMTA, Legal Services, One Gateway Plaza, Mail Stop 99-PL-4, Los Angeles, CA 90012-2952 | In person or by mail (USPS, FedEx, UPS). Emailed claims are rejected (Metro) | (213) 922-7644 |
| Caltrans, $12,500 or less | State highways and freeways | Caltrans District 7 Claims Office, 100 S. Main St., 13th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90012 | Mail form DOTLD-0274; no filing fee (Caltrans) | (213) 897-0816 |
| State of California (DGS) | Caltrans claims over $12,500, CHP and other State agencies | DGS Government Claims Program, P.O. Box 989052, MS 414, West Sacramento, CA 95798-9052; in person at 707 3rd St., 1st Floor, West Sacramento | Online, mail or in person; form DGS ORIM 006; $25 fee or fee waiver (DGS) | (800) 955-0045 |
| LAUSD | Schools, school buses, District employees | Executive Officer of the Board of Education, 333 S. Beaudry Ave., 24th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90017 | Mail only; staff cannot accept hand-delivered claims (LAUSD) | (213) 241-3139 (Risk Management) |
Each entity has its own page with forms and details: City of Los Angeles, LA County, LA Metro, Caltrans and the State, LADWP, LAPD and LAUSD.
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City of Los Angeles departments
The City Attorney says all claims for money damages against the City must be filed with the City Clerk, and that no other city, county or federal office, including the City Attorney’s own office, can receive them (City Attorney). The Los Angeles Administrative Code says the same for claims against the City “or any officer, board or department thereof” (LAAC § 5.169). So a claim about an LAPD officer, a StreetsLA pothole, a LA Sanitation truck or a DASH bus goes to Room 395 at City Hall, not to the department.
The City form asks you to name the City department or bureau responsible “if known” (claim form). Name it if you can. You can file in Spanish through spanish.claims.lacity.org.
LADWP: two answers, so file with both
LADWP is a City department, but its own claims page and claim form tell people to file with the LADWP Claims Section at 221 N. Figueroa St. and do not mention the City Clerk (LADWP; LADWP claim form). The City Attorney says all damage claims against the City go to the City Clerk, without an exception for LADWP (City Attorney). No official source we found reconciles the two.
Our practical advice: when LADWP may be responsible, file the same claim with the LADWP Claims Section and with the City Clerk, and keep proof of both. LADWP says it aims to decide claims in 30 to 45 days. More on LADWP claims.
County, Metro, State and LAUSD
LA County. All County claims, including claims about the Sheriff’s Department and County jails, go to the Board of Supervisors’ Executive Office. The Sheriff’s own manual says completed claim forms “must be mailed or delivered to the Executive Officer, Board of Supervisors” (LASD manual). The County’s risk management guide says claims are received by the Board’s Executive Office and forwarded to County Counsel (County Risk Management).
LA Metro. Metro buses and trains are not City vehicles. File with Metro on its form (English, Spanish). Metro says to allow two to three weeks for a response on next steps (Metro).
State and Caltrans. Caltrans handles damage claims of $12,500 or less through its district office, with no fee. Larger claims, and claims against other State agencies, go to the Department of General Services with a $25 fee unless you get a fee waiver (Caltrans; DGS).
LAUSD. Mail the original to the Board of Education’s Executive Officer on the 24th Floor at 333 S. Beaudry Ave. Do not try to hand-deliver it. LAUSD has a Spanish form (Reclamo por daños) and says to allow 7 to 10 business days for processing after the Board Secretariat receives it (LAUSD).
How to tell who owns the road or sidewalk
Potholes, broken sidewalks and dangerous intersections are the hardest cases to route, because a single street can change owners from block to block. Start here:
- City of Los Angeles. City Planning’s ZIMAS map shows zoning information for properties located in Los Angeles. Look up an address next to where you fell or crashed to see whether it is inside the City.
- Unincorporated LA County. More than 60% of the County’s land is unincorporated, about 120 to 125 areas with over 1 million residents (LA County). County Public Works maintains roads in those areas, and its Find Unincorporated Areas map shows whether a location is one of them.
- State highways. Caltrans has a Postmile Query Tool for the State Highway system and a Caltrans Near Me district map. Some ordinary-looking streets are State routes. Caltrans says Lincoln Boulevard is also designated State Route 1, including a stretch between Jefferson Boulevard and Fiji Way in the City of Los Angeles (Caltrans).
- Other cities. Santa Monica, Culver City, Beverly Hills, Long Beach and the County’s other cities each take their own claims. Check the city limits the same way.
The police report, a 311 service request number, or a work crew’s truck markings can also point to the owner. When the answer is still unclear, file with every entity that might be responsible before the deadline. That is the safe course, and it is what we do.
Related pages
- Claim against the City of Los Angeles
- City of LA claim deadline
- How to file a claim against the City
- City vehicle accident claims
- Sidewalk trip and fall claims
- Pothole damage claims
- Late claims
- Claim against LA County
- LA Metro bus accident claim
- Caltrans claim
- LADWP claim
- LAUSD injury claim
- Pothole or dangerous road crash: can you sue?
- How to file a claim after a public bus accident
Common questions
Who do I file a claim with against the City of Los Angeles?
The Office of the City Clerk, 200 N. Spring St., Room 395, Los Angeles, CA 90012. You can file online at claims.lacity.org, by mail or in person. The City Attorney says no other office, including its own, can receive a damages claim against the City. Emailed and faxed claims are not accepted.
Where do I file a claim against LAPD?
With the Los Angeles City Clerk, like any claim against a City department. LAPD is part of the City, and the City Attorney says all damage claims against the City go to the City Clerk. Do not send the claim only to the police station.
Where do I file a claim against the LA County Sheriff?
With the Executive Officer, Board of Supervisors, Attention: Claims, 500 W. Temple St., Room 383, Los Angeles, CA 90012, in person or by U.S. Mail. The Sheriff’s own policy manual sends claim forms to that office.
Do I file an LADWP claim with LADWP or the City Clerk?
LADWP’s claims page says to file with its Claims Section at 221 N. Figueroa St., Suite 1640. The City Attorney says all damage claims against the City go to the City Clerk. Because the sources conflict, our advice is to file the same claim with both and keep proof.
What happens if I file with the wrong agency?
The claim may not count. The California Supreme Court held in DiCampli-Mintz v. County of Santa Clara (2012) that a claim must actually reach the entity’s clerk, secretary, auditor or governing body. A claim sent to the wrong office or agency does not stop the six-month deadline for the right one.
How do I know if a road belongs to the City, the County or Caltrans?
Check the location in City Planning’s ZIMAS map, the County Public Works Find Unincorporated Areas map, and the Caltrans Postmile Query Tool. Some surface streets are State highways; Lincoln Boulevard, for example, is State Route 1. If you still can’t tell, file with every possible owner before the deadline.
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Sources
- Cal. Gov. Code § 911.2
- Cal. Gov. Code § 915
- DiCampli-Mintz v. County of Santa Clara (2012) 55 Cal.4th 983
- Los Angeles City Clerk, Claim for Damage
- Los Angeles City Attorney, Claims
- Los Angeles Administrative Code § 5.169
- City of Los Angeles claim form, Form Cont. 100-A
- City of LA claims portal (Spanish)
- LADWP Claims
- LADWP claim form (Sept. 2026)
- LA County Board of Supervisors, Claims for Damages
- LASD policy manual 4-06/025.00
- LA County Risk Management, Liability Claims User Guide (2017)
- LA Metro Legal Services
- Caltrans, Submit a Damage Claim
- DGS Government Claims Program
- DGS fee waiver form
- LAUSD Liability Claims
- LAUSD Spanish claim form
- LA City Planning, ZIMAS
- LA County, unincorporated areas
- LA County Public Works, Find Unincorporated Areas
- Caltrans Postmile Query Tool
- Caltrans Near Me
- Caltrans, SR-1 (Lincoln Blvd) project
Important: This page is general information, not legal or medical advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is different; talk to a lawyer about yours. Texas cases are handled by the firm’s Texas-licensed attorneys, Joyce Ondich and John Efstathiou. Last reviewed: November 6, 2026.