Help paying utility bills in Florida

What Florida's shutoff rule does and does not cover

The Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) sets customer rules for electric public utilities in Chapter 25-6 of the Florida Administrative Code, and the key shutoff rule is 25-6.105. Unlike rules in many other states, Rule 25-6.105 contains no shutoff ban tied to cold weather, summer heat or calendar dates. That makes its notice and timing limits, and your own early action, more important. Many Floridians get power from a city utility or an electric cooperative, and water and sewer service is often run by cities and counties. Those providers may have their own policies, so check the name on your bill and ask for the written rules that apply to your account before any notice arrives.

Five working days and a separate notice

Under Rule 25-6.105, an electric utility can disconnect for nonpayment only after a diligent attempt to have the customer pay and at least five working days of written notice. That notice must be separate from your regular bill, and a working day means a day the business office is open and the U.S. Mail is delivered. You can name a third party in the service area to receive a copy of any delinquency notice, which helps if you travel, work odd hours or rely on a relative to manage mail. When the notice arrives, call right away and ask what amount stops the disconnection and whether the company will extend the due date or set up installments.

No shutoffs over weekends or holiday eves

Florida's rule protects the stretch when offices are closed. A utility may not disconnect a non-commercial customer from 12 noon Friday until 8 a.m. Monday, or from noon on the day before a holiday until 8 a.m. on the next working day. The rule lists New Year's Day, Memorial Day, July 4, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Exceptions apply if you ask for the disconnection, or if there is a hazardous condition, meter tampering or unauthorized use. After a disconnection, service must be restored once the cause is satisfactorily adjusted, and the utility may charge a reconnection fee only if that fee is in its filed tariff. Ask for the fee amount before you pay.

Medically essential service and debts that cannot cause a shutoff

Rule 25-6.105 requires each electric utility to file a tariff describing how it handles disconnection for customers whose service is medically essential. If anyone in your home depends on powered medical equipment, ask the utility for its medically essential service program and the forms it requires, and enroll before there is a problem. The rule also lists debts that are not grounds for cutting your electric service. They include a previous occupant's unpaid bill, unless you lived there when it built up and that person still lives with you, plus unpaid merchandise bought from the utility, unpaid non-regulated services, unpaid gas or water service, a bill you guaranteed for someone else and dishonored check charges.

Disputing a bill with the Florida PSC

If you and the utility cannot agree, contact the PSC's Office of Consumer Assistance and Outreach, which takes complaints orally or in writing. Give the name of the company, the name of the customer of record and the service address. Rule 25-22.032 says a company may not discontinue service because of an unpaid disputed amount until PSC staff close the complaint. You still have to pay the part of the bill that is not in dispute, and if you and the company disagree on that split, staff will set an interim disputed amount. If you do not pay the undisputed portion, the company may disconnect under PSC rules. Companies generally must respond within 15 working days after staff send them the complaint.

Finding bill help in Florida

FloridaCommerce, the state's commerce agency, administers the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and sends the money to community action agencies around the state. You can apply online through the state's LIHEAP portal, which its own FAQ calls the fastest route, or apply by mail or in person with your local provider. A regular home energy benefit can be paid once a year. A crisis award, for a household that is already disconnected or holds a shutoff warning, covers what it takes to resolve the crisis, up to $1,000 across the year, and that limit resets each October 1. LIHEAP does not pay water, sewer, internet or phone bills. Ask your electric company about hardship funds and payment extensions, and get any arrangement in writing. Because Rule 25-6.105 has no weather moratorium, apply as soon as a bill looks unmanageable.

Where Settlemont fits for Florida bills

Settlemont is a for-profit company that provides bill payment technology, and it can sit beside the steps above for a verified Utility bill. You start with a short private submission: first name, email, state, bill category, amount and due date. No statement upload or account number is needed on that form. A one-time private access code follows, then you name your utility in a separate private step and staff verify the utility, your identity and the current balance. The approved page shows only your first name, Florida, the category and the verified amount. When a supporter chooses your bill, Settlemont confirms the balance and the support goes directly to the utility. You never pay a fee, and approval does not promise payment before the due date.

Sources

• Florida Administrative Code Rule 25-6.105: Refusal or Discontinuance of Service by Utility (rule text)
• Florida Administrative Code Rule 25-22.032: Customer Complaints (rule text)
• Florida Administrative Code Chapter 25-6, Part VI: Customer Relations (rule list)
• LIHEAP Clearinghouse: State Disconnect Policies
• Florida LIHEAP portal: Frequently asked questions (program administered by FloridaCommerce)

Facts checked November 2026. Rules change, so confirm with the agency or utility before relying on a protection.

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