Texas

TXWeak

Days notice (electric)

Business days' notice (gas)

Winter moratorium

Yes

Medical exemption

What to do today

If you have a shutoff notice, the date on it is the one that matters. These steps work best in this order.

Call your utility before the date on your notice
Ask for a payment plan or a deferred payment arrangement. Most states require your utility to offer one, and asking before the date is what keeps your service on. The number is on your bill.
Apply for energy assistance
LIHEAP helps with utility bills and does not have to be paid back. Call the national referral line on 1-866-674-6327 weekdays 9am to 7pm Eastern, or visit energyhelp.us.
Dial 211 for local help
211 is free and connects you to local funds for utilities, rent and food. Some local agencies can pay a utility directly to stop a shutoff.
Ask about medical certification
Texas recognises medical protections. If anyone in your home has a serious illness or relies on powered medical equipment, a note from a doctor can delay a shutoff. Ask your utility for the form today, because it usually has to be back within days.
Contact the regulator if your utility will not work with you
puc.texas.gov handles complaints against regulated utilities in Texas. Filing one can pause a disconnection while it is looked at.

Read the full guide: what to do when you get a shutoff notice

Electric Gas Water Medical Low Income Regulator

Electric shutoff rules

Regulatory notice required10 days

Reconnection feeVaries by REP

Seasonal and weather protections: No statewide winter moratorium (Texas deregulated electricity market). Disconnection date must be 10 days from notice issuance and may not fall on a holiday or weekend unless the REP has staff available and can reconnect service. February 2021 Winter Storm Uri resulted in catastrophic failures that spurred legislation but did not establish a statewide moratorium.

Major utilities

Oncor Elec Delive…CenterPoint Energ…AEP Texas Central…AEP Texas North (…Texas-New Mexico …

Oncor Electric Delivery (TDU territory — REP rules apply)

North/Central Texas including Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, approximately 13 million customers across 400+ cities

10-day notice

Disconnection is prohibited on holidays, weekends, or the day immediately preceding them (unless REP staff are available for payments and reconnections), and during declared extreme weather emergencies (temperatures ≤32°F or active NWS heat advisories)

Critical Care residential customers must receive 21-day advance notice and are eligible for a 63-day medical protection period

Show 5 more rules

Texas has a deregulated electricity market

Oncor is the TDU (wires owner) but does not bill residential customers

Retail Electric Providers (REPs) handle billing and initiate disconnections under PUCT Substantive Rule 25.483

REPs must provide written disconnection notice at least 10 days after the notice is issued

Reconnection must be completed within 48 hours after payment

Reconnection fee:TDU pass-through per Oncor tariff (approx. $0.35 for standard meter reconnect; REP may pass to customer)

Assistance programs

CEAP (Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program), LIHEAP, Texas Utility Help; energy assistance provider pledges prevent disconnection under PUCT R.25.483

"16 Tex. Admin. Code § 25.483 - Disconnection of Service." law.cornell.edu. Retrieved 16 May 2026.

CenterPoint Energy Houston Electric (TDU territory — REP rules apply)

Greater Houston area and surrounding counties in Southeast Texas

10-day notice

Disconnection is prohibited on holidays, weekends, or the immediately preceding day unless REP staff are available, and is suspended during extreme weather emergencies (≤32°F or NWS heat advisory)

Critical Care customers require 21-day advance notice and a 63-day medical protection period

Show 4 more rules

CenterPoint Energy Houston Electric is the TDU for the Houston area but does not bill residential customers directly

REPs operate under PUCT Rule 25.483

REPs must provide a minimum 10-day written disconnection notice

Reconnection must occur within 48 hours of payment

Reconnection fee:TDU pass-through per CenterPoint Houston Electric tariff (contact REP for current amount)

Assistance programs

CEAP, LIHEAP, Texas Utility Help; energy assistance provider pledges prevent disconnection under PUCT R.25.483

"16 Tex. Admin. Code § 25.483 - Disconnection of Service." law.cornell.edu. Retrieved 16 May 2026.

AEP Texas Central (TDU territory — REP rules apply)

South and West Texas including Corpus Christi, Laredo, and surrounding areas

10-day notice

Critical Care residential customers receive 21-day advance notice and a 63-day medical protection period

Show 5 more rules

AEP Texas Central is the TDU for South/West Texas but does not bill residential customers

REPs operate under PUCT Rule 25.483

A minimum 10-day written disconnection notice is required

Disconnection is prohibited on holidays, weekends, or the day immediately preceding them, and during extreme weather emergencies

Reconnection must be completed within 48 hours of payment

Reconnection fee:TDU pass-through per AEP Texas Central tariff (contact REP for current amount)

Assistance programs

CEAP, LIHEAP, Texas Utility Help; energy assistance provider pledges prevent disconnection under PUCT R.25.483

"16 Tex. Admin. Code § 25.483 - Disconnection of Service." law.cornell.edu. Retrieved 16 May 2026.

AEP Texas North (TDU territory — REP rules apply)

Northwest Texas including Abilene, Lubbock area, and surrounding rural counties

10-day notice

Critical Care residential customers receive 21-day advance notice and a 63-day medical protection period

Show 5 more rules

AEP Texas North is the TDU for Northwest Texas but does not bill residential customers

REPs operate under PUCT Rule 25.483

A minimum 10-day written disconnection notice is required

Disconnection is prohibited on holidays, weekends, or the day immediately preceding them, and during extreme weather emergencies

Reconnection must be completed within 48 hours of payment

Reconnection fee:TDU pass-through per AEP Texas North tariff (contact REP for current amount)

Assistance programs

CEAP, LIHEAP, Texas Utility Help; energy assistance provider pledges prevent disconnection under PUCT R.25.483

"16 Tex. Admin. Code § 25.483 - Disconnection of Service." law.cornell.edu. Retrieved 16 May 2026.

Texas-New Mexico Power (TNMP) (TDU territory — REP rules apply)

Parts of Southeast Texas, West Texas, and the Texas Panhandle

10-day notice

Critical Care residential customers receive 21-day advance notice and a 63-day medical protection period

Show 5 more rules

TNMP is the TDU for its service area but does not bill residential customers

REPs operate under PUCT Rule 25.483

A minimum 10-day written disconnection notice is required

Disconnection is prohibited on holidays, weekends, or the day immediately preceding them, and during extreme weather emergencies

Reconnection must be completed within 48 hours of payment

Reconnection fee:TDU pass-through per TNMP tariff (contact REP for current amount)

Assistance programs

CEAP, LIHEAP, Texas Utility Help; energy assistance provider pledges prevent disconnection under PUCT R.25.483

"16 Tex. Admin. Code § 25.483 - Disconnection of Service." law.cornell.edu. Retrieved 16 May 2026.

Gas shutoff rules

Regulatory notice required5 business days

Reconnection fee$25 to $65 standard, at 3 of 3 utilities below

Major utilities

Atmos Energy Corp CenterPoint Energ…Texas Gas Service…

Atmos Energy Corporation

Texas statewide including Dallas–Fort Worth, West Texas, and other regions; largest natural gas distributor in Texas

Business days: weekends and holidays don't count toward the 5.

5 business days' notice

Show 8 shutoff rules

Governed by Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) under 16 TAC 7.45

Written termination notice must be provided at least 5 working days prior to the stated disconnection date, prominently labeled 'Termination Notice' in English and Spanish as needed (confirmed in the current rule text at law.cornell.edu's mirror of 16 Tex

Admin

Code 7.45(4)(C))

Disconnection is prohibited on weekends unless personnel are available to take payments and reconnect service, and during extreme weather emergencies under 16 TAC 7.460

Atmos's Mid-Tex division tariff (the division covering Dallas-Fort Worth) sets a $65.00 Connection Charge for reconnecting gas service after disconnection for nonpayment during business hours, and $97.00 after hours

the $40 figure previously shown here does not appear in this tariff and has been corrected

Accounts more than 21 days past due are subject to disconnection

Reconnection fee:$65.00 during business hours; $97.00 after hours (Mid-Tex division rate; may vary by division)

Assistance programs

LIHEAP, local energy assistance agencies (searchable via atmosenergy.com)

"Atmos Energy Mid-Tex Division Tariffs, Rate Schedule M (Miscellaneous Charges), effective March 1, 2026." atmosenergy.com. Retrieved 21 Sep 2026.

CenterPoint Energy Resources (Houston Gas Division)

Greater Houston area and parts of South Texas for natural gas distribution

5-day notice

Show 8 shutoff rules

Governed by Railroad Commission of Texas under 16 TAC 7.45

Written termination notice must be provided at least 5 working days prior to the stated disconnection date per RRC rules (16 Tex

Admin

Code 7.45(4)(C))

Disconnection is prohibited on weekends unless personnel are available to receive payments and reconnect

Extreme weather disconnection suspension applies under 16 TAC 7.460

The Houston Division's filed miscellaneous service charge schedule sets the charge to restore gas service after termination for nonpayment at $40.00, plus a $47.00 after-hours surcharge

The previously shown $3 remote-reconnect figure belongs to CenterPoint's Houston electric service, not gas, and has been corrected

Reconnection fee:$40.00 during business hours; $47.00 after-hours surcharge

Assistance programs

CEAP, LIHEAP; call 800-227-1376 for payment arrangements

"CenterPoint Energy Resources Corp. d/b/a CenterPoint Energy Entex, Houston Division, Schedule of Miscellaneous Service Charges (Rate Schedule No. MISC-9), RRC GUD No. 9902 exhibit." portalvhdskzlfb8q9lqr9.blob.core.windows.net. Retrieved 21 Sep 2026.

Texas Gas Service (a division of ONE Gas)

Central Texas, Rio Grande Valley, and other parts of Texas (approximately 640,000 customers)

5-day notice

Show 9 shutoff rules

Governed by Railroad Commission of Texas under 16 TAC 7.45

Written termination notice must be provided at least 5 working days prior to the stated disconnection date

Disconnection is prohibited before 7:00 a.m. or after 7:00 p.m. on any day, or on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, a holiday, or the day before a holiday, unless company personnel are available the following day to reconnect service

Extreme weather disconnection suspension applies under 16 TAC 7.460

The Central Texas (Austin) service area tariff sets the Reconnect Fee at $25.00, the same as the Standard Initiation Fee for new service

the fee may be charged again for each additional call if the condition causing disconnection was not properly corrected, and no fee applies when reconnection follows a company-caused disconnection

The company's own FAQ page renders as a client-side shell with none of this content

re-sourced to the filed tariff

If service has been disconnected for nonpayment, customers must call 800-700-2443 to arrange reconnection

Reconnection fee:$25.00 (Central Texas/Austin service area tariff; the fee equals the Standard Initiation Fee and may vary by service area)

Assistance programs

LIHEAP, Share The Warmth program

"Texas Gas Service Company, a Division of ONE Gas, Inc., Central Texas Service Area Gas Tariff, Sections 19.1-19.3 and 22.1." services.austintexas.gov. Retrieved 21 Sep 2026.

Water shutoff rules

Regulatory notice required10 days

Major utilities

Dallas Water Util…San Antonio Water…Austin Water (Cit…

Dallas Water Utilities (DWU)

City of Dallas, Texas and some surrounding areas

10-day notice

Show 7 shutoff rules

Dallas Water Utilities sends written notification when an account is past due

customers have 10 business days from receipt of the disconnection notice to pay the past-due balance or establish a payment plan to avoid disconnection

DWU's own utility-bill and rates pages do not state a reconnection fee

Dallas City Code Sec

49-7 reportedly sets restoration charges by same-day or next-day timing, but the city's code library (codelibrary.amlegal.com) blocks automated access, so no dollar figure is confirmed here

Customers with past-due balances over 60 days can email [email protected] to establish up to a six-month payment plan

DWU resumed routine disconnections in September 2024 after pandemic-era suspensions

Assistance programs

Operation WaterShare (DWU hardship program), Texas Utility Help (texasutilityhelp.com), CEAP

"Water Utilities — Understanding your Utility Bill | Dallas City Hall." dallascityhall.com. Retrieved 21 Sep 2026.

San Antonio Water System (SAWS)

City of San Antonio and Bexar County, Texas

Show 5 shutoff rules

SAWS sends disconnection notices to past-due accounts via phone calls and mail, including a final notice before disconnection

Full payment of the past-due balance is required before reconnection

Same-day service restoration after non-payment disconnection costs $35 for standard customers or $18 for customers enrolled in a SAWS Uplift Affordability Program

A meter trip fee of $12 ($6 for Uplift customers) applies to service visits

SAWS offers 14 different assistance programs through its SAWS Uplift initiative for income-qualified customers

Reconnection fee:$35 (same-day restoration); $18 for Uplift program customers

Assistance programs

SAWS Uplift (14 programs, uplift.saws.org, 210-233-CARE)

"Special Services Fees — San Antonio Water System." saws.org. Retrieved 16 May 2026.

Austin Water (City of Austin)

City of Austin, Texas

Business days: weekends and holidays don't count toward the 10.

10 business days' notice

A Medically Vulnerable Registry (MVR) is available for residents with life-sustaining equipment or serious medical conditions

Show 4 more rules

Austin Water mails a written disconnection notice when an account is past due

customers have at least 10 business days from delivery of the disconnection notice before a disconnect order is issued

Reconnection requires payment of the full past-due balance plus a $25 reconnection fee charged on the next utility bill

Payment extensions and arrangements are available by calling 512-494-9400

Reconnection fee:$25

Assistance programs

Medically Vulnerable Registry (MVR), CEAP, LIHEAP, payment extensions and arrangements

"Collection FAQs — City of Austin Utilities." coautilities.com. Retrieved 16 May 2026.

Medical & vulnerable household exemptions

Life support customers have a postponement period — utilities must delay disconnection when the account holder provides a medical certification that a household member is dependent on life support equipment. REPs must maintain life support customer lists.

Low-income protections

PUCT requires REPs to offer LITE-UP Texas discount rates to income-qualified customers. LIHEAP available through Texas HHSC. Deferred Payment Plans are required for customers with financial hardship.

Your state regulator

File a complaint or get help from Texas's utility regulator

Data last verified: 2026-09-21. Rules may change — verify with your state regulator.