Look, Rockstar Games loves a good scavenger hunt. We've seen it with hidden packages, stunt jumps, and those annoying pigeon collectibles that took forever to track down in Liberty City. But when it comes to the Los Santos Summer Special update for GTA Online, the "Los Santos Tag" daily activity actually feels worth the effort because it isn't just a one-and-done trophy. It's a way to keep your bank account ticking over.
Finding GTA 5 spray paint locations isn't about looking for a permanent collectible like a letter scrap or a spaceship part. It’s a rotating daily challenge. Every single day, at 07:00 UTC, the game resets. It chooses five specific locations from a massive pool of possible spots across the map. You go there, you find the rival gang's tag, and you spray your own over it. Simple, right? Well, sort of.
The problem is that Los Santos is huge. If you're flying around in an Oppressor Mk II just hoping to spot a tiny bit of graffiti on a wall, you're going to have a bad time. You need to know exactly where the game logic places these things. They aren't just random; they follow a very specific pattern of back alleys, skate parks, and forgotten corners of the city.
Why You Actually Care About These Tags
Money. Honestly, that's the bottom line. Each tag you successfully spray earns you $15,000 and 500 RP. If you hit all five in a single day, you get an extra $25,000 bonus. That's a total of $100,000 for maybe ten minutes of work if you know the route. In the world of GTA Online, where everything costs three million dollars, $100k for five minutes of "work" is actually a solid return on investment.
Also, there's the outfit. If you manage to spray all five tags in a single day, you unlock "The Street Artist" outfit. It’s a cosmetic thing, sure, but in a game where style is half the battle, it’s a nice little flex to show you actually put in the legwork.
The Logistics of the Spray Can
Before you head out, you need the tool. You don't buy the spray can from Ammu-Nation. You pick it up. Every day, the spray can spawns at the very first location you visit. Once you’ve grabbed it, it stays in your inventory for the rest of the day. You don't have to go hunting for ammo or worry about running out of paint.
📖 Related: Zant Zelda Twilight Princess: Why This Weirdo Villain Still Creeps Us Out
You'll know you're close to a location because the game gives you a purple circle on your minimap. It’s like a search area. Inside that circle, there’s a piece of graffiti that belongs to one of the rival gangs—usually the Ballas, the Vagos, or the Families. You just walk up to it, hit the prompt, and watch your character do their thing.
Northern Los Santos and Paleto Bay Hotspots
Most people think the tags are only in the city. Nope. Rockstar likes to make you drive. You’ll often find spots way up in Paleto Bay or around Sandy Shores.
In Paleto Bay, keep an eye on the walls behind the Hen House or the local Rex’s Diner. These spots are usually tucked away near the dumpsters. In Sandy Shores, the locations are almost always centered around the abandoned motels or the side of the general store. If you're out in the desert, look for surfaces that feel "abandoned." A pristine wall in the middle of a rich neighborhood usually won't have a tag. A crumbling brick wall behind a meth lab? That's your gold mine.
How to Handle the Daily Reset
Since the locations change every 24 hours, you can't rely on a static map from 2023. You've gotta use the community tools. The GTA Online community is basically a hive mind at this point. Sites like GTAWeb.eu or the various interactive map projects update within minutes of the 07:00 UTC reset.
Don't try to be a hero and find them yourself. It's a waste of time. Open an interactive map on your phone, set your waypoints in-game, and knock them out. It's basically a grocery run for cash.
The Most Common "Tricky" Spots
Some locations are genuinely annoying. There’s one near the Vespucci Canals that’s hidden under a bridge walkway. You can stand right on top of the purple circle and not see it because it’s on a lower level.
- Vespucci Beach: Check the skate park walls. It’s almost always on the interior curve of one of the bowls.
- Textile City: The narrow alleys are a nightmare. You’ll often find the tag high up on a wall that requires you to climb a dumpster or a ladder to reach.
- Strawberry: This is Ballas territory. The tags are usually on the back of the apartment complexes or near the freeway underpasses.
The Strategy for Efficiency
If you’re serious about making this part of your daily routine, start your session by spawning at your furthest northern property. If you have a bunker or a facility in Paleto, start there. Work your way down the map toward the city.
Why? Because most of the locations (about 70%) are clustered in the southern half of the map. By starting north, you finish your "commute" early and can then quickly hit the remaining four spots in the city where everything is closer together.
Myths and Misconceptions
People keep asking if you can do this in a private lobby. Yes. Thank god, yes. You don't need to worry about a 12-year-old in a jet ruining your street art career. Jump into a "Friends Only" or "Invite Only" session. It makes the whole process stress-free.
Another big misconception is that you need a certain rank. You don't. As long as you can access GTA Online, you can find the GTA 5 spray paint locations. It’s one of the few ways low-level players can actually make decent money without needing to own a high-end apartment or a CEO office.
Breaking Down the Visual Cues
The rival tags aren't always bright neon. Sometimes they're faded. They look like actual street art—tags like "LS" or specific gang symbols. When you get close, the "Press [Button] to Spray" prompt is your best friend. If you don't see the prompt, you're not looking at the right wall.
The Five-Spot Rotation
The game selects from 30 possible locations. It’s not infinite. After a week of doing this, you’ll start to recognize the spots. "Oh, it's the one behind the liquor store again." It becomes muscle memory.
- Downtown: Look for construction sites and parking garages.
- La Mesa: Industrial buildings are the go-to here.
- Chumash: Check the back of the small shopping strip near the ocean.
Your Daily Checklist for Success
To make sure you don't miss out on the bonus cash, follow this exact flow:
- Check a live interactive map for the current day's spots.
- Start in an Invite Only session to avoid griefers.
- Go to the first location to trigger the spray can spawn.
- Use a fast vehicle (Buzzard, Sparrow, or Oppressor) to hop between the remaining four.
- Double-check your interaction menu or bank balance to ensure the $25,000 bonus hit after the fifth tag.
The Reality of the Grind
Is this going to make you a billionaire? No. But if you do this every day for a month, that’s $3 million. That’s a free car or a major business upgrade just for five minutes of flying around. In a game that usually demands hours of heist setups for that kind of money, the Los Santos Tags are a gift.
📖 Related: Why Assassin's Creed Origins on PC is still the best way to see Egypt
Get your waypoints set. Grab the can. Go tag some walls.
The next step is simple: jump into Los Santos right now and head toward the nearest purple circle on your map. If you don't see one, you haven't triggered the event yet—just drive toward a known hotspot like the Vespucci Beach skate park or the alleys in Strawberry to get the daily cycle started in your session. Once that first tag is sprayed, the rest of the day's locations will trigger, and you can finish the set for that easy $100k. Don't leave the session until you see the "Street Artist Outfit Unlocked" notification if it's your first time completing the set, as this confirms the game has saved your progress.