Start or Stop Electricity Service

Please have the following information available to start service online or by phone:

• The legal name of the property renter or owner
• Address of the home or business where you need to start service
• The date you want your service started or stopped
• Billing address and contact information including contact name, phone number and email address

Get Started

Please have the following information available to stop service online or by phone:

• The name on the account
• Address of the home or business where you need to stop service
• The date you wish to stop service
• Forwarding address

Get Started

The below information and other important disclosures are available for download in our Electric Billing Practices and Procedures and other disclosures.

Deposits: City Light does not require a deposit when establishing service.

Rates & Charges: If you are interested in better understanding your bill and the City Light rate structure, please see our Residential Rates and Business Rates pages.

Additional charges can be found in the following City Light Department Policies and Procedures (DPP):

• Account Service Charges DPP
• Credit and Collection DPP
• Advanced Metering Opt-out DPP
• Service Installations DPP
• Public Electric Vehicle Charging Stations DPP

Setting of Rates & Notices of Public Hearings: Rates are established by the Seattle City Council, whereby rates are generally reviewed and approved every two years. To receive notices of City Council public hearings including public meetings where electric utility rates are considered and approved, sign up to receive agendas. You may also view City Council’s calendar, subscribe to receive calendar updates, watch live coverage of their regularly scheduled meetings, and submit public comments.

Bill Responsibility: City Light holds customers named on the account, co-applicants, and adults receiving electric services in a household (e.g., spouse, domestic partner, roommates) as financially responsible parties for electric bills. It is the customer’s responsibility to ensure that the meter billed is the meter serving their home. For more detailed explanations and authorities relating to landlord-tenant responsibilities, select the "When can landlords be held responsible for tenant's bills?" section of our Billing and Account FAQs page.

Paying Your Bill: We offer several convenient ways to pay your City Light bill including in-person, phone, mail, electronic/automatic withdrawal and online. For further details on these options, visit our Billing Information page.

Payment Arrangements: If you receive a bill and do not think you'll be able to pay it on time, please contact us immediately. We can work with you to make payment arrangements. For details, please visit our Short Term Payment Plan section.

Budget Billing: You may request a payment plan that lets you spread your utility payments evenly over an entire year by paying the same amount every month, based on your last 12 months of usage. At the end of the plan year, charges will be adjusted to align with actual usage and a new payment amount will be set for the upcoming year. For additional program information, please visit our Average Monthly Billing Plan section.

Late Payment Fee: A late payment charge of 1% will be applied to delinquent balances that are more than 15 calendar days past due.

Bill Disputes: If you believe your bill is not correct, please contact us right away at (206) 684-3000. If we can't resolve the issue to your satisfaction through our progressive dispute resolution process, you have the right to request a hearing. For further specifics, visit our Dispute a Bill section.

Disconnection: Electric service may be terminated for the following reasons:

1. Failure to pay a current or previous bill or make satisfactory payment arrangements with us.
2. Failure to comply with terms of a payment arrangement.
3. Unauthorized use of service. If your service has been disconnected, it is illegal for you to reconnect it. All unauthorized users will be prosecuted, and reconnection fees may be assessed.
4. Additional situations described under "What situations prompt service disconnection?" on our Billing and Account FAQs page.

Meter Testing Process: All electric meters used by City Light for billing purposes are manufacturer certified to meet American National Standards Institute (ANSI) accuracy standards. The City Light meter department also performs full-lot testing or statistical sampling of all incoming meters to verify accuracy. City Light maintains a calibration laboratory that keeps its test equipment calibrated and is traceable to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). City Light only purchases and uses ANSI accuracy metering devices, such as current and voltage transformers. All metering devices are accuracy tested by City Light before release for installation. All three-phase meters are accuracy tested before being released for installation. Meters removed in the course of high bill complaint resolution, or during any kind of investigation for tampering, electricity theft, etc. are fully tested when removed. Upon request, City Light will test the accuracy of a customer's meter. If the meter's accuracy is found to be out of legal tolerance, City Light will repair or replace the meter and adjust the customer's bill. Learn more about meter testing under "Can I request a meter test?" on our Billing and Account FAQs page.

Estimated Bills: If we cannot access your meter to get a reading, we will estimate your bill. Typically, our estimate is based on your usage during the same period in the previous year. Once we are able to access your meter, we will make adjustments on your next bill if your estimate was too high or too low. Please help us get an accurate reading by keeping your meter area clear and accessible. See more about estimated bills on our Billing and Account FAQs page.

Energy Assistance Programs: City Light offers several energy assistance programs to help customers in need. Please review our Payment Assistance Programs page.

Discontinuing Service: Property owners and tenants are equally responsible for letting us know within 10 business days of any changes in occupancy and/or ownership.

Conditions that must be met by the utility prior to discontinuing service: Before we disconnect any electric service, we will provide notification of the delinquency 10-days prior to potential disconnection and, again, 24-hours prior to potential disconnection of service. Notices are delivered by first class mail or in person. Failure to receive mail or notice of delinquency is not a valid reason for failure to pay bills when due.

Public Information Disclosures: We follow federal and state laws about information disclosure whenever we work with outside governmental agencies and in answering Public Disclosure Requests (PDRs). Business partners and contracted vendors who receive or collect personal information from us or for us to deliver City services must agree to our privacy requirements. If you need additional information, please visit our Sharing Information with Third Parties section of our Privacy Policy page.

Privacy Policy: City Light values your privacy and will make every reasonable effort to protect the information we hold about you. However, under certain circumstances customer information may be shared to third parties in accordance with applicable laws. Learn more by visiting our Privacy Policy page.

Annual Report: City Light's latest annual report can be accessed on our Publications page.