Help paying utility bills in Vermont

Vermont's disconnection rule and what it requires

Vermont Public Utility Commission (PUC) Rule 3.300 governs residential disconnections by the state's regulated utilities. A utility must send written or electronic notice no fewer than 14 and no more than 20 days before the first possible shutoff date. It cannot disconnect over a delinquency under $50, or over a debt that is more than two years old. On-site shutoffs happen only on business days, which the rule defines as Monday through Thursday, not counting Vermont legal holidays. The rule's winter protections apply to electric and gas service. Water and sewer may be run by your town under its own terms, so ask the town office about its policy.

Cold weather limits from November through March

From November 1 through March 31, Vermont adds extra steps before any gas or electric shutoff. The utility must try to reach you by phone within 96 hours before the planned date, with one attempt outside business hours. If it cannot reach you, it must make three more attempts and report to the Department of Public Service. It must also check the National Weather Service forecast for Burlington. No disconnection may happen if temperatures are forecast to drop below 10 degrees Fahrenheit during the 48 hours that start that morning. If someone in the home is 62 or older and you told the utility in writing ahead of time, the limit rises to 32 degrees.

Doctor certificates under Rule 3.300

A certificate from a licensed physician can stop a shutoff for nonpayment when disconnection would create an immediate and serious hazard to the health of you or someone in your household. Each certificate lasts 30 days or the length of the hazard, whichever is shorter. Under PUC guidance, certificates can cover no more than two 30-day periods in a row and no more than three in a calendar year, unless the Commission allows more. If you phone to say a certificate is coming, it must arrive within seven days. If service is already off, the utility must reconnect within 24 hours of getting the certificate. The balance remains due, so use the time to set up a repayment plan.

Repayment plans and help from the Department of Public Service

When a Vermont utility sets a repayment plan, the rule says it must consider your income, payment history, the size of the debt and the reason it built up. A plan to restore service runs at least three months, with one-half of the delinquent bill, or a smaller negotiated amount, paid up front. A utility does not have to offer more than two such plans to one customer in a year. Paying at least 75 percent of each agreed payment counts as keeping the plan. If you cannot agree on terms, contact the Consumer Affairs and Public Information (CAPI) Division of the Vermont Department of Public Service, which can help you negotiate and explain how to bring a dispute to the PUC.

Fuel Assistance and Crisis Fuel from DCF

The Vermont Department for Children and Families (DCF) runs Seasonal Fuel Assistance, funded by the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). It pays part of your home heating bill when gross monthly household income is at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty level, and renters who pay for heat through rent can qualify. Apply through the myBenefits portal, with a paper application or at a district office. Households that got benefits last season receive a review form instead. Active Fuel Assistance households can also get free weatherization services. For an emergency, such as a shutoff notice or an empty tank, contact your regional community action agency about Crisis Fuel Assistance.

Green Mountain Power, Vermont Gas and Burlington Electric discounts

DCF also handles applications for utility discounts. Green Mountain Power (GMP) runs an Energy Assistance Program that takes 25 percent off the monthly electric bill for households at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty level, and new enrollees may have past due balances forgiven. Vermont Gas offers a 20 percent discount on monthly natural gas charges. Customers of several small municipal electric systems in the Vermont Public Power Supply Authority (VPPSA) can get a monthly bill credit. Burlington Electric Department offers a 12.5 percent discount for income eligible households through its own website. For GMP and Vermont Gas, mail the signed application with your latest bill to DCF, and reapply every year.

How Settlemont can sit beside Vermont aid

Settlemont is a for-profit bill payment technology company, and a request there can run alongside a Fuel Assistance or discount application. You post one current Utility bill using six fields and no account number. Before approval, staff confirm the biller, the bill owner and the balance, and look for duplicate or suspicious submissions. People who choose to help see only your first name, Vermont, the category and the verified amount. Their support is applied directly to your utility. They pay a service fee on top of the amount they choose, 7% by card or 5% by bank, and you pay nothing at all. Settlemont cannot promise a bill will be covered before a shutoff date, so keep your repayment plan.

Sources

• Vermont Public Utility Commission: Rule 3.300 Disconnection of Residential Service
• Vermont Public Utility Commission: Guidance on Doctor's Notes to Prevent Disconnection
• Vermont Department for Children and Families: Fuel Assistance
• Vermont Department for Children and Families: Energy Assistance Discounts
• Vermont Department of Public Service: Questions About a Regulated Utility
• Vermont Department for Children and Families: Fuel Program Descriptions

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

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