Most states have laws, rules, and regulations in place that determine when an electric, gas, or heating utility company may disconnect a customer’s service. The rules may prevent a shut off during the winter or summer months and there are also protections for people with medical issues. Find a list below of all state regulations that protect consumers from utility disconnections, both year round shut offs and seasonal.

In additional to seasonal protection laws, many states also limit (or make illegal) utility shut offs for people with medical conditions. States will regulate if a utility company can turn off the heat in the cold winter months or laws determine if an energy company can turn off electricity or lights during the hot summer among other scenarios. Many states also help prevent electricity disconnections also help in national emergencies or disasters, such as hurricanes, snowstorms, or flood.

Additional details on the specific state laws when it comes to utility disconnections are below. Do not hesitate to ask a local non-profit community action agency, a pro-bono law firm, or your utility provider for the latest rules and regulations for your state.

After reviewing the laws that your state may have in place to protect customers from illegal heating or utility disconnections, if you think the utility company is not following the regulation, then you can take action. All states have law firms that provide free legal advice on disconnections (heat, water, electricity, etc.), and attorneys can advise you on your rights as well as help you get your power back on. Find free legal advice on dealing with utility and heating service disconnections.
Also, contact your state’s utility regulatory commission for more details or report issues. The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) maintains the definitive, regulator-run directory of every U.S. state (and D.C.) public utility/service commission with links to each commission’s official site. NARUC’s official directory of state regulatory commissions is https://www.naruc.org/about-naruc/our-mission/regulatory-commissions/.

List of state regulations regarding when utility shutoffs are not allowed

Alabama - Residential utility providers (electric and natural gas) must observe certain restrictions on disconnection, particularly when cold weather is forecast. Under the Alabama Administrative Code, no residential gas or electric service may be disconnected when the forecasted temperature is 32°F or below on the day of disconnection. Prior to any termination, utilities are required to provide at least five days’ written notice of intent to disconnect for nonpayment.

Beyond cold-weather protections, Alabama law requires utilities to adopt “reasonable tariff rules” addressing termination when “life or health may be threatened” or where special consideration is warranted due to age or handicap.

Alaska - Utilities must follow their tariffs and the general requirement to be “just and reasonable.” Notably, Alaska statute prohibits charging a separate fee solely for connection or disconnection of service. One important consumer right in Alaska is for tenants: a landlord is prohibited from unilaterally shutting off utilities as a method of eviction or retaliation. A landlord must follow formal legal eviction procedures.

Delay disconnection of heating and utilities for 15 days if household member is age 65 or older, seriously ill, disabled, or dependent on a life support system. Also no disconnection is allowed by state law for seriously ill, disabled, or if the customer has entered into a payment plan.

Arizona - Utility and power companies are advised not to terminate residential utility service when the customer has an inability to pay their bill and where weather will be especially dangerous to health, which is usually considered 32° F or below for winter and triple digits for summer.

For disconnected customers, notice requirements under “with notice” terminations include a minimum of 10 days’ advance written notice before the disconnection date. The notice must state the amount due, the termination rule violated, the date of planned termination, and the customer’s right to dispute.
The utility may only disconnect on or after the date specified, and must accompany the disconnection with a personal visit to the premises (i.e., the disconnection cannot happen remotely without a presence). Arizona utilities are encouraged to avoid termination in extreme weather (e.g. below freezing or triple-digit heat) when disconnection would be dangerous to health. Many utilities also offer medical certificate protections that postpone termination for medically vulnerable customer.

Arkansas - Arkansas maintains a Cold Weather Rule that protects residential electric and natural gas customers from disconnection if the National Weather Service forecasts that the temperature will drop to 32°F or below within the next 24 hours. Additionally, regulated utilities must give at least five days’ written notice before suspending service for nonpayment. If mailed, an extra three “mail delivery” days must be allowed.

Special protections are available for customers age 65 or older or those with disabilities: utilities must identify such customers and make personal contact for delinquency, and they may not shut off service on extremely hot days (≥ 95°F) for those customers.
Many utilities (like Entergy Arkansas) explicitly state a “hot weather rule” forbidding disconnection of elderly or disabled customers when forecast is 95°F or above.
If a customer or household member has a serious medical condition that would worsen with loss of service, a physician may submit a medical certificate, triggering a delay or prohibition of disconnection while verified.

California - A customer who provides a medical certification from a licensed physician and/or surgeon that termination of their utilities will be life threatening and who is unable to pay in normal period shall be permitted to amortize their bills over a period not to exceed 12 months. Regulations ensure that if a payment plan is implemented that service can’t be disconnected. Read more on California utility disconnection laws specifically established for Southern California Edison and Pacific Gas and Electric.

Colorado - Colorado rules give households a strong medical pause. With a medical certificate from a licensed professional, disconnection can be postponed for up to 90 days, typically once in any consecutive 12-month period. Utilities and the Colorado PUC direct customers to request payment arrangements as the medical hold nears its end, or to contact the PUC’s Consumer Affairs unit if they can’t reach agreement. There is no statewide temperature-based moratorium, so the 90-day medical certification is the key statewide protection.

Connecticut - Connecticut maintains one of the country’s clearest winter moratoria. Low-income customers with a “hardship” designation are protected from shutoff each year from November 1 through May 1. Enrollment is via the utility or a Community Action Agency and must be renewed annually.

Separately, and crucially, service must be provided year-round if loss of power would be life-threatening, regardless of arrears, and customers can avoid termination by entering and honoring a payment arrangement. These protections are administered by PURA and reflected in utility customer materials.

Delaware - Delaware’s Title 26 Administrative Code §3002 imposes weather-based limits. During the heating season, a utility may not terminate for nonpayment on any day when the 8:00 a.m. temperature is 32°F or below (measured within 50 miles of the residence).

During the cooling season, no termination is allowed when the 8:00 a.m. National Weather Service forecast indicates a Heat Index of 105°F or higher for that day. Consumers should still expect standard disconnection-notice procedures and can raise complaints with the PSC if a termination violates these temperature protections.

District of Columbia - The District uses both temperature and medical safeguards. By statute, a utility cannot disconnect residential electric service on the day before and the day of a forecast of extreme temperature - defined as 95°F or above or 32°F or below, and similar limits apply around weekends and holidays that coincide with those forecasts.

Beyond weather, the PSC’s Consumer Bill of Rights requires at least 15 days’ notice before shutoff. Critically, if a customer provides a physician’s certificate stating that disconnection would be detrimental to health or safety, the utility must postpone disconnection for up to 21 days, and the postponement can be renewed once for an additional up to 21 days if the certificate is renewed and a payment plan is in place.

Florida - Florida has no statewide temperature-based moratorium on disconnections. However, there are statutory protections for “medically essential service” customers: before any scheduled nonpayment shutoff, the utility must attempt telephone contact no later than 24 hours beforehand, and utilities administer medically essential programs that typically provide a short payment-extension (often ~30 days) upon doctor certification, with annual recertification.

Georgia - Georgia sets both time-since-billing and weather/medical limits at the state level. The PSC states that residential electric service may be disconnected only after a bill is at least 45 days old and after proper notice. Weather rules bar electric shutoffs when the forecasted local low (for the 24-hour period beginning 8:00 a.m. on the disconnection date) is below 32°F during the winter window, and no disconnections are allowed when the National Weather Service has a Heat Advisory or Excessive Heat Warning in effect (or forecast before 8:00 a.m.) for the county of the meter.

Georgia also codifies a medical/serious-illness postponement: with timely physician certification (and a payment plan), a utility shall not discontinue service because the illness would be aggravated by loss of power. The PSC reiterates each summer that the heat-advisory rule is a temporary prohibition that lifts once the advisory ends, so customers should use that time to secure payment arrangements or aid.

Hawaii - Hawaii does not have a statewide cold- or heat-weather shutoff rule. Regulated utilities follow their filed tariffs and the Public Utilities Commission’s consumer-protection procedures, which require advance notice and allow customers to dispute terminations.

Idaho - Idaho has robust winter rules in its Utility Customer Relations Rules (IDAPA 31.21.01). If a household includes children under 18, anyone age 62 or older, or an infirm person, and the customer declares an inability to pay, the utility must offer a Winter Payment Plan. When the plan is in place by November 1, the utility cannot terminate service November through March for nonpayment so long as the customer complies with that plan. After winter ends, the remaining balance must be paid or placed on a new arrangement.

Idaho also limits repeated enrollment by requiring that, to participate again, the arrearage on November 1 be no more than $75 or the previous 30-day bill, whichever is greater. Separately, Idaho law provides a 30-day medical postponement upon a doctor’s or public health official’s certification that termination would create a serious illness or medical emergency; the certificate can be renewed as set in the rule.

Illinois - Illinois enforces both winter and extreme-heat protections statewide. Under 83 Ill. Adm. Code §280.135, utilities may not disconnect residential electric or gas where the service is used for primary space heating from December 1 through March 31, subject to the rule’s notice and eligibility conditions. Separate “temperature prohibitions” operate year-round: as of January 1, 2024, utilities may not shut off service on days forecast at 90°F or above or when the National Weather Service issues an Excessive Heat Watch/Advisory/Warning (the longstanding 95°F trigger was updated by statute).

Illinois also provides medical certification protection: upon receipt of a valid certificate under §280.160, a utility shall not disconnect for 60 days, and the customer is placed into a medical payment arrangement schedule (timed under the code). Utilities must offer deferred payment arrangements consistent with Part 280, and consumers who qualify for hardship programs or LIHEAP should enroll to layer protections.

Indiana - Indiana’s winter shutoff protection is seasonal and income-linked. By statute, electric and natural gas utilities may not disconnect service December 1 - March 15 if the household receives or qualifies for Energy Assistance Program (EAP/LIHEAP) benefits and has provided the utility proof. That moratorium ends March 15 each year.

Indiana also has a medical postponement rule: if disconnection would pose a serious and immediate threat to the health or safety of someone in the household, providing a physician or public health official’s statement postpones shutoff for 10 days, and a second statement can extend it another 10 days (utilities may grant more time at their discretion, especially for gas). Customers should arrange payment plans during the postponement; utilities may resume normal collection if the plan is breached after the hold

Iowa - Iowa combines a LIHEAP winter moratorium with specific cold-weather and medical rules. LIHEAP certified residential customers are protected from disconnection November 1 through April 1 each year. Outside of that moratorium, if electricity is the only source of space heating (or powers the only heating equipment), a shutoff may not occur when the actual temperature or 24-hour forecast is 20°F or colder.

For health-related situations, Iowa requires a 30-day postponement upon verification from a physician or public health official that shutoff would pose an “especial danger to health”; if the service was already disconnected within 14 days prior to verification, the utility must reconnect and then honor the 30-day delay. Customers notified as seeking winter energy assistance also receive a 30-day stay during the November-to-April period to secure agency payments.

Kansas - Kansas enforces a statewide Cold Weather Rule each year from November 1 through March 31. During that period a utility may not disconnect if the 48-hour forecast includes temperatures below 35°F. To avoid shutoff when it is 35°F or warmer, or to be reconnected regardless of temperature, customers must contact their utility and enter a payment arrangement.

The standard plan spreads what’s owed over up to 12 months, and customers are also expected to apply for any energy-assistance funds for which they’re eligible. Utilities must give at least 10 days’ written notice before disconnecting and attempt a phone or in-person contact the day before.

Kentucky - Kentucky’s regulations prohibit termination when a valid medical certification shows that shutoff would aggravate a serious illness or prevent the use of life-support equipment; that certification blocks termination for 30 days and can be extended if paired with a partial-payment plan.

From November 1 through March 31, eligible low-income households can have disconnected electric or gas service reconnected under the Winter Hardship Reconnection provisions by obtaining a certificate of need, paying the lesser of one-third of the arrearage or $200, and agreeing to a repayment schedule that runs no later than October 15. Service may not be terminated if a payment agreement is in effect and the customer is meeting its terms.

Louisiana - Louisiana’s Public Service Commission bars electric and, in certain cases, gas disconnections during extreme weather. Disconnections are prohibited in any parish on days following a prior day’s high that did not exceed 32°F when the next 24 hours are also forecast at or below that level.

In summer, electric utilities may not disconnect when the National Weather Service issues a heat advisory in the parish; gas utilities are not subject to that summer prohibition unless a customer uses natural gas for cooling. Separately, utilities administer medical-emergency postponements; for example, Entergy Louisiana’s certified medical-emergency program allows up to a 30-day postponement of disconnection so the customer and utility can make payment arrangements.

Maine - Maine’s consumer protection rules require utilities to offer “Special Payment Arrangements” during the Winter Disconnection Period, which runs November 1 through March 15. These arrangements can allow customers to pay less than their full current bill during winter as part of a structured plan that avoids disconnection; contact attempts and outreach are required in early November to set them up.

Maine also has clear medical-emergency protections: service may not be disconnected when a physician certifies that lack of service poses a serious risk; the protection lasts for the certified period or 30 days, whichever is shorter, and it may be renewed up to two additional times in a 12-month period. As an added safeguard, a utility generally may not begin disconnection procedures unless the undisputed overdue amount is more than $50, except in limited cases such as very old balances or infrequent billing.

Maryland - Maryland blocks termination for 30 days when a licensed physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant certifies that shutoff would aggravate a serious illness or prevent the use of life-support equipment; customers must promptly work out payment of past-due and current charges to keep service beyond that period.

The state’s Office of Home Energy Programs can place a 55-day hold on an account that has received a termination notice once an energy-assistance application is filed, pausing shutoff while eligibility is determined. In addition, the Utility Service Protection Program protects MEAP eligible households from heating-season turn-offs when they enroll and comply with year-round budget billing and payment terms.

Massachusetts - Massachusetts protects households facing financial hardship from heat-related shutoffs during the core winter period. Under 220 CMR 25.03, a utility may not terminate service that provides or powers a home’s heat between November 15 and March 15 if the customer certifies financial hardship; the regulation also covers homes with a seriously ill household member or an infant under 12 months when hardship is certified.

The Department of Public Utilities details these protections and confirms additional circumstances, including households where all adults are 65+ and a minor child resides in the home. For households in which all residents are 65 or older, a company cannot terminate service without the DPU’s written approval following an investigation and the residents’ notice and right to a hearing. This elderly-household safeguard is a separate, standing rule under 220 CMR 25.05. The DPU regulations also define “financial hardship” (aligned with LIHEAP criteria) and lay out notice and certification procedures that utilities must follow.

Michigan - Michigan’s Winter Protection Plan (WPP) runs November 1 March 31 for seniors 65+ and qualifying low-income customers of MPSC-regulated utilities. Enrolled customers make reduced winter payments under a set formula and settle remaining balances on a post-winter plan, with program details administered through the MPSC and utilities. If a utility does not collect the state LIEAF funding factor, Michigan law separately bars shutoffs November 1 - April 15 for any residential customer.

Year-round, Michigan provides strong medical protections. By rule and statute, a utility must restore or postpone shutoff for up to 21 days upon receipt of a commission-approved medical certification, and it must extend in additional increments up to a maximum of 63 days in any 12-month period per household member (with an overall household cap). Utilities publish the standard medical form and procedures.
Beyond WPP and medical holds, many Michigan utilities offer a Shutoff Protection Plan that combines arrears with future usage into a structured monthly budget payment; enrollment terms (including any initial down payment) are utility-specific and are not a statewide 10% rule. Customers should check the active plan terms with their provider. Michigan’s customer-standards rules also guarantee at least 21 days from bill issuance to the due date.

Minnesota - Minnesota’s Cold Weather Rule protects residential customers whose primary heat would be affected by shutoff from October 1 through April 30. For public utilities, Minn. Stat. § 216B.096 requires reconnection or continued service when the customer enters and keeps a payment agreement based on the household’s resources; parallel protections apply to municipal and co-op utilities under § 216B.097. Minnesota also forbids disconnections on certain days and requires robust notice, referrals, and affordable arrangements as part of the winter process.

In hot weather, Minnesota’s Extreme Heat Law bars any involuntary disconnection of residential electric service in affected counties whenever the National Weather Service issues an excessive heat watch, heat advisory, or excessive heat warning. State consumer guidance reiterates that protection. The Attorney General also highlights medical-need protections and practical limits on the days/times shutoffs may occur.

Mississippi - Mississippi’s Ratepayers’ Bill of Rights sets clear, active protections. A licensed physician’s certification triggers a 60-day medical hold on disconnection for nonpayment. During the “mid-winter rule” (December 1–April 1), customers enrolled under the PSC’s rule are protected from disconnection.

Weather safeguards add that a utility may not disconnect if as of 8:00 a.m. on the scheduled day there is a National Weather Service freeze warning (electric or gas) or an Excessive Heat Warning (electric) for the county. The PSC also mandates standard notice periods and allows negotiated payment plans to avoid shutoff.

Missouri - Missouri’s Cold Weather Rule runs each year from November 1 through March 31. During that period, an investor-owned utility may not disconnect heat-related service on any day when the forecast for the following 24 hours includes temperatures below 32°F. The rule also requires mailed notice with an in-person attempt before shutoff, offers 12-month budget plans, and allows past-due balances from winter months to be spread over time. Municipal utilities and rural cooperatives are not under the Public Service Commission’s jurisdiction, so customers of those providers should check local policies.

If service has been disconnected, gas utilities must restore service during the Cold Weather Rule period when the customer pays the lesser of 50% of the arrearage or $500 up front and agrees to a 12-month payment plan for the balance. Electric utilities apply their own reconnection formulas approved by the Commission.
The rule includes targeted help for registered low-income elderly or disabled customers, defined as households under 150% of the federal poverty level that have registered with the utility, who may qualify for more flexible payment terms while still being required to pay at least half of the current bill during winter. Utilities must also inform customers about available financial assistance such as LIHEAP.
Separately, medical needs can delay a shutoff. Missouri-approved utility tariffs require a postponement of up to 21 days if disconnection would aggravate an existing medical emergency for someone in the home, with reasonable proof if requested.

Montana - Montana has a statewide winter termination protection rule that limits disconnections between November 1 and April 1. A utility generally may not terminate service during that winter period when at 8:00 a.m. the temperature is below 32°F or freezing temperatures are forecast within 24 hours; when the customer is unable to pay; or when the residence includes a person 62 or older, someone who is handicapped, or the household receives public assistance benefits. Any winter disconnection requires approval from the Public Service Commission.

Montana also provides a separate medical-exception safeguard: from November 1 through March 31, utilities may not terminate service to an account with a current medical exception, and outside of that window must still follow medical-exception procedures before any shutoff. Details including certification and renewal requirements, are set in the Commission’s medical exception rule.

Nebraska - Nebraska’s Cold Weather Rule applies to jurisdictional natural gas utilities (for example, Black Hills Energy). From November 1 to March 31, residential customers get an automatic 30-day extension beyond the due date before disconnection for nonpayment. During that same period, customers certified as eligible for energy assistance (such as LIHEAP) may not be disconnected for nonpayment.

If service is off or a shutoff is pending during the Cold Weather Rule period, the utility must restore or maintain service when the customer pays one-fourth of the total arrearage plus the most recent bill and enters a payment arrangement for the remainder over at least three months (or another mutually agreed term). These standards are codified in Title 291, Chapter 9 of the Nebraska Administrative Code.
Medical needs are also protected: upon a physician’s certification that disconnection would be especially dangerous to someone in the household, the utility must postpone shutoff for 30 days and may grant additional postponements with renewed certification. Note that Nebraska’s Cold Weather Rule is specific to natural gas utilities under the state commission. Electric service policies may differ depending on the provider and local governance.

Nevada - Nevada restricts shutoffs during extreme weather. For most residential customers, electric or gas service may not be terminated when the National Weather Service forecasts temperatures at or above 105°F, or at or below 15°F, during the next 24 hours. For customers identified under Nevada’s elderly/disabled protections, those thresholds are tightened, service may not be terminated when the forecast is 95°F or hotter, or 20°F or colder. Utilities also must give special notice and attempt personal or telephone contact at least 48 hours prior to disconnecting service for covered elderly or disabled customers.

A documented medical emergency postpones a shutoff for 30 days and can be renewed once with updated certification. Nevada also requires standard written notice periods before disconnection and provides defined deferred-payment options in regulation and utility tariffs. The general rule for deferred payment allows customers up to 90 days to retire arrears in installments while also keeping current bills paid on time.
Nevada’s consumer protections include an additional safeguard for small balances: certain rules bar termination when the past-due amount is below specified dollar thresholds, and they set out exact notice steps and documentation utilities must follow before a shutoff.

New Hampshire - New Hampshire’s “winter period” is defined in regulation from November 15 through March 31. During that time, utilities must meet stricter standards before disconnecting residential electric or gas service. Arrearages must exceed specific thresholds for a winter shutoff notice to be sent: at least $125 for non-heating gas accounts, $225 for non-heating electric accounts, and $450 for heating (gas or electric) accounts.

Extra protections apply to older residents. During the winter period, a utility must seek approval from the Department of Energy before disconnecting service to a residence known to include someone aged 65 or older. Customers cannot be disconnected during winter for nonpayment of a deposit. Winter-period notice also requires live contact by phone or in person two to eight business days before the proposed shutoff, in addition to the standard written notice.
Payment arrangements are mandatory when a customer cannot pay in full. The general payment-arrangement rule requires utilities to continue service if the customer agrees to a reasonable plan covering a portion of the arrearage in installments while keeping current bills paid. For winter reconnection of customers who were shut off in the summer or fall, the rules specify that paying 10% of the outstanding balance is sufficient to restore service upon a showing of financial hardship, with further monthly payments negotiated under the winter-period standards. The Department’s consumer guidance notes that winter payment plans can extend up to 12 months.
Medical-emergency protections are robust and recently updated. A valid medical emergency certification, issued by a licensed physician or other authorized practitioner, must last at least 90 days and up to one year, and there is no limit on renewals if the condition persists. A utility may not disconnect a customer who has a current medical certification and is complying with a payment arrangement; if the customer refuses or fails to enter an arrangement, the utility must request permission from the Department before any shutoff.

New Jersey - New Jersey’s Winter Termination Program (WTP) blocks shutoffs for eligible residential customers from November 15 through March 15. Eligibility includes households receiving Lifeline, HEAP/LIHEAP, TANF, SSI, PAAD, GA, Universal Service Fund, Low-Income Household Water Assistance (and similar local/utility aid), or those unable to pay due to circumstances beyond their control such as unemployment, illness, medical expenses, or a recent death in the family.

During the WTP period, utilities must place eligible customers on budget billing, accept good-faith payments based on ability to pay, and may not require security deposits. If electric or gas service was already off as of November 15, the utility may reconnect on a down payment of up to 25% of the outstanding balance while the customer enters a plan. These protections apply to electric, gas, water, and wastewater utilities.
Outside of WTP eligibility, New Jersey also has temperature-based limits: utilities may not disconnect if the next 24 hours’ high is forecast at 32°F or colder anywhere in their territory, and they may not disconnect when any time in the next 48 hours is forecast at 90°F or hotter. In addition, a utility can only move forward on nonpayment shutoffs if a customer owes more than $200 or is over three months in arrears and all notice steps have been followed.
There is a robust medical-emergency rule: service discontinuance is prohibited for 90 days when a licensed medical professional certifies the shutoff would aggravate a medical emergency; Board staff can extend that period on request with updated documentation. Utilities must also allow time to submit medical certification when service is newly established or an unknown account is discovered at a medically vulnerable home.

New Mexico - New Mexico’s winter moratorium runs every year from November 15 through March 15. Customers who qualify for LIHEAP can stop disconnection any time during the heating season by providing the utility with proof of LIHEAP eligibility and either paying what was due as of November 15 or entering - and keeping - a settlement/installment agreement for those past-due amounts.

The state also requires clear disconnection procedures and timelines, including at least 15 days’ notice after a bill becomes delinquent; field collectors can accept payment and cancel the shutoff at the door; and utilities must follow specific steps before discontinuance. If a customer defaults on an installment agreement, the utility must give at least seven days’ notice before disconnection.
For medical need, New Mexico uses a dual certification process: a medical certification from a health professional plus a financial-need certification. The medical certification is currently valid for 90 days per the Commission’s form and rule, and, when provided before the scheduled termination date, requires continuation or restoration of service, with rapid timelines for reestablishing power where both forms are received.

New York - New York’s Home Energy Fair Practices Act (HEFPA) is one of the strongest consumer protection regimes in the country. Before disconnection for nonpayment, a utility must offer and negotiate a deferred payment agreement tailored to the customer’s financial circumstances and give proper notice (no final termination notice can be sent until at least 20 days after the bill’s due date, and disconnections may only occur Monday Thursday, 8 a.m.–4 p.m., when the following day is not a holiday or office-closed day).

During the winter period, providers must make special efforts to determine whether ending heat-related service would seriously impair health or safety. HEFPA also imposes a holiday moratorium: no shutoffs during the two-week period that encompasses Christmas and New Year’s Day.
Medical and life-support protections are strict. Service cannot be terminated, or must be restored, when a medical emergency is certified. An initial medical certificate generally holds for 30 days, with 30-day renewals; for chronic conditions, renewals run 60 days and may extend longer with Commission approval. HEFPA also details “special procedures” for households with elderly, blind, or disabled occupants.

North Dakota - North Dakota requires utilities to give at least 10 days’ written notice before shutoff and bars disconnections on weekends, Fridays, state holidays, the day before a holiday, or after noon on any day. Customers must be offered a reasonable monthly payment plan on delinquent amounts, and a shutoff can be postponed for up to 30 days if, within the notice period, the customer informs the utility of a dangerous health condition in the household or that someone is age 65+ or has a disability. Municipal utilities and co-ops are not bound by PSC rules but often have similar policies. The PSC makes clear there is no blanket “winter ban”; rather, these protections and procedures govern year-round.

Ohio - Ohio’s annual Winter Reconnect Order lets residential customers of PUCO-regulated utilities prevent or end a shutoff once per heating season by paying $175 plus any reconnection fee capped at $36, and by entering an extended payment plan for the remaining balance. PUCO has continued this order each season; the current and last season’s orders both fixed the same $175 and $36 limits.

Customers enrolled in PIPP Plus who stay current on their PIPP payments are protected from disconnection and may not be refused reconnection or transfer of service based solely on arrears accrued while on PIPP.
Ohio’s medical-certification rule pauses a disconnection - or triggers reconnection if the shutoff occurred within the prior 21 days - for 30 days per certification, with up to two additional 30-day renewals in any rolling 12 months (maximum 90 days total). The certification must come from an eligible medical professional; if used to avoid shutoff, the customer must enter an extended payment plan before the certification period ends.

Oklahoma - Oklahoma regulates shutoffs around extreme heat and cold. For electric service used for cooling, regulated utilities must suspend disconnections on any day when the National Weather Service forecasts - or the observed reading hits - a heat index of 101°F or higher in the next 24 hours. The Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) reiterates this threshold each summer and applies it to OCC-jurisdictional utilities.

For cold weather, OCC practice is to suspend disconnections used for heating at or below the freezing point; utilities publish their specific triggers. For example, OG&E pauses disconnections when the predicted daytime high or the overnight low is 32°F or below on the disconnection day; that policy also tracks OCC guidance and public messaging on cold-weather suspensions.
Customers facing a life-threatening medical condition can trigger a formal postponement. If the customer notifies the utility and returns the OCC medical certificate, disconnection is suspended for 30 days, with a one-time 30-day extension available when the condition continues. These protections are set out in OAC 165:35-21-10 and the OCC’s medical certificate appendix.
The OCC also holds explicit authority to order a temporary statewide ban on shutoffs during exceptionally severe weather or when disconnection would be dangerous to life, health, or property. Standard notice and payment-arrangement rules continue to apply year-round.

Oregon - Oregon’s consumer protections live in OAR Chapter 860, Division 21. If a residential customer enters and complies with a time-payment agreement, utilities must refrain from disconnecting for the covered arrears; disconnection for nonpayment becomes permissible only if the customer fails to abide by the agreement and the utility issues the required notice. The details are in OAR 860-021-0415 and the Division 21 notice rules.

The state offers robust medical-certificate protections. With a qualifying certificate, disconnection is barred for the period the health risk exists, up to six months for non-chronic conditions and up to twelve months for chronic conditions, subject to renewal rules and the customer maintaining the associated time-payment plan for arrears accrued during the disability. See OAR 860-021-0410 and companion guidance.
Division 21 also codifies door-contact/notice steps and empowers utility reps to accept reasonable partial payments during field visits and delay disconnection to allow the customer to finalize arrangements, procedures the Commission continues to maintain and update.

Pennsylvania - Pennsylvania’s winter termination rules (HEFPA-style consumer protections) apply December 1 through March 31. During that period, electric and natural gas utilities may not terminate customers with household income at or below 250% of the Federal Poverty Level, except as specifically permitted in regulation (e.g., theft, tampering). City gas utilities have limited additional authority after January 1 for certain incomes, subject to strict conditions. These provisions are set in 52 Pa. Code §56.100.

Utilities must perform pre-December 1 outreach to premises previously terminated for heat-related service to attempt good-faith payment arrangements and restoration before winter.
Pennsylvania also provides a medical-certificate hold: a valid certificate postpones termination for up to 30 days, and it may be renewed. When customers haven’t kept up with required payments under §56.356, renewals are limited to two additional 30-day periods for the same arrears (maximum 90 days) within the rule’s framework.

Rhode Island - Rhode Island maintains a seasonal termination moratorium and targeted protections. In 2024, the General Assembly extended the statutory winter moratorium period so that the utility termination moratorium now runs from November 1 through May 1 each year, with the Commission directed to align its termination rules accordingly.

Within the moratorium, the Commission’s rules bar shutoffs for protected customers and set arrears thresholds for when termination could proceed even during winter, historically >$500 if electric/gas is the primary heat source, or >$200 if it is not the primary heat source. These protections (and who qualifies as “Protected Status,” including unemployed, seriously ill, elderly, handicapped, or LIHEAP recipients) are in 810-RICR-10-00-1.
Rhode Island also recognizes extreme heat protections. The Commission adopted an excessive-heat shutoff moratorium tied to National Weather Service advisories/warnings. This policy established by Commission order and still referenced for summer operations.
Medical and household-status protections are significant. By statute, utilities may not terminate gas or electric service where a child under age two resides and the household meets the hardship criteria; other sections protect households that are disabled or seriously ill with proper certification. Utilities also publish consumer notices confirming that a physician’s certificate pauses termination for 21 days, with longer protection when the doctor certifies the illness will last beyond 21 days.
Finally, Rhode Island requires clear notice and payment-plan options; the termination rules direct utilities to offer and honor reasonable arrangements, and protected customers have structured, down-payment plans to restore or maintain service.

South Carolina - South Carolina suspends residential electric disconnections during extreme cold when the average forecasted temperature is 32°F or below for a 45-hour period. The state also provides medical protections each winter: if a licensed physician certifies that cutting power would be “especially dangerous” to the health of someone in the household, a customer can defer disconnection for 31 days, and that medical certificate may be renewed up to three times during the December - March protection window.

Customers also have a right to request a deferred payment plan before a scheduled shutoff. The Office of Regulatory Staff further requires utilities to publish extreme heat/cold termination procedures and to give written notice before cutoffs.

South Dakota - South Dakota’s winter rule bars utilities from disconnecting between November 1 and March 31 without first adding an extra 30 days to the standard notice/timing requirements, effectively a winter moratorium with a built-in extension.

On top of that, if a physician, public health or social services official certifies a medical emergency, the utility must postpone disconnection for 30 days. Where a customer has a valid payment agreement and is honoring it, disconnection is not permitted for failure to comply, only a failure to comply is grounds. Utilities must also provide specific written notices and contact attempts before shutoff.

Tennessee - Tennessee rules require a 30-day medical postponement of a residential disconnection when a licensed medical professional certifies that termination would be especially dangerous to the health of a household member. This protection applies statewide under the Tennessee Public Utility Commission’s consumer rules.

The same rule framework requires clear disconnection notices and gives customers an opportunity to enter a “service continuation agreement” (payment arrangement) in order to avoid termination where available; utilities’ termination notices must include contact information for arranging such plans and a final disconnection date that is at least ten days from the notice.

Texas - Texas law prevents electric utilities and retail electric providers from disconnecting residential customers during an “extreme weather emergency.” By rule, that includes any day when the previous day’s high did not exceed 32°F and the next 24 hours are forecast to remain at or below 32°F, and any day a National Weather Service heat advisory is in effect (also covering the two preceding days in practice across many providers).

In addition, Critical Care Residential Customers (life-support dependent) receive a 63-day prohibition on disconnection per episode when a physician verifies the condition and the customer enters a deferred payment plan. Texas rules also require REPs to offer deferred payment plans under specified circumstances and to follow strict notice procedures before terminating service. Similar extreme-cold protections and payment-schedule rights now apply to water/sewer utilities under §24.173(d).

Utah - Utah operates a formal winter moratorium for customers of Public Service Commission-regulated utilities from November 15 through March 15. To qualify, the customer must have a termination notice, must apply for HEAT (LIHEAP) assistance, and, for seniors/disabled households or those with a disabled child, apply for Red Cross utility assistance as well. Customers must enter and adhere to a payment plan during the moratorium.

Separately, utilities must delay termination at least 30 days after receiving a HEAT payment or verification on the customer’s behalf, and Utah’s rules provide strong protections where life-supporting equipment is used at the residence - utilities cannot terminate such service without Commission approval and must offer or allow deferred payment agreements before seeking that approval. Utah’s rules also codify notices (10-day written plus 48-hour contacts in winter) and consumer rights, including payment arrangements.

Vermont - Vermont’s residential disconnection rules are set out in Public Utility Commission Rule 3.300 and remain among the most detailed in the country. In winter, an electric or gas utility must confirm that forecasted temperatures will not drop below 10°F during the 48 hours starting between 7:00 - 10:00 a.m. on the planned shut-off date; if the forecast falls under that threshold, the disconnection may not proceed. Households with any resident aged 62 or older get an additional weather safeguard: no winter disconnection if the forecast shows temperatures below 32°F in the same 48-hour window and the household has notified the utility of the age qualification in advance.

The rule also requires enhanced winter notice and outreach steps before any shut-off, and it recognizes repayment plans: if a customer substantially complies with a negotiated repayment plan, the utility may not disconnect for the covered arrears. When service has been disconnected, the company must restore service within 24 hours once the cause is removed or a reasonable agreement is reached; restoration is also required if the customer pays one-half of the delinquent bill (or a lesser negotiated amount) and enters a plan to pay the balance over at least three months.
Medical protections are explicit. A physician’s certification postpones disconnection for 30 days (or the certified duration, if shorter). That certification may be used for no more than two consecutive 30-day periods and no more than three 30-day periods in a calendar year unless the Commission orders otherwise. Vermont’s rule also bars shut-off for a de minimis arrearage: utilities may not disconnect if the overdue amount is under $50, and this protection may be used for no more than two billing cycles per calendar year.

Virginia - Virginia adopted uniform, statewide shut-off suspensions tied to temperature in 2024. Electric utilities may not disconnect a residential customer for nonpayment if, within 24 hours after the scheduled shut-off, the local forecast low is at or below 32°F or the forecast high is at or above 92°F. Gas utilities may not disconnect when the forecast low is at or below 32°F in that 24-hour window. Water and wastewater utilities may not disconnect when the forecast high is at or above 92°F. Utilities are also prohibited from disconnecting on Fridays, weekends, state holidays, or the day before a state holiday. These protections are in statute and apply to investor-owned utilities regulated by the State Corporation Commission.

For municipally owned utilities, Virginia law further requires at least 45 days of arrears before a residential shut-off for nonpayment and mandates notice and outreach about payment plans and assistance. The statute also caps certain deposits tied to restoration when a customer has received state HEAP assistance in the past year.

Washington - Washington’s “Winter Low-Income Payment Program” protects eligible households using electric service for space heat between November 15 and March 15. If the customer notifies the utility of an inability to pay, applies for energy assistance and weatherization if available, and agrees to an extended payment plan, the utility may not disconnect during the winter period. Critically, the winter plan limits the required monthly payment: a utility may not require more than seven percent of the customer’s monthly household income during the protected months, plus one-twelfth of any new charges that accrue after application. If the customer keeps the arrangement, service cannot be involuntarily shut off during the winter season.

Washington also has robust medical-emergency protections. After the utility receives notice of a qualifying medical condition, it must postpone a disconnection or restore service for five business days while the customer submits a certification from a qualified medical professional. During that grace period, the utility may require payment of at least 10% of the delinquent balance and an agreement to pay the remainder within 120 days, but it cannot proceed with shut-off if the customer meets those terms. General disconnection rules also require multiple notices and restrict shut-offs to certain hours.

West Virginia - West Virginia’s Public Service Commission rules create both winter and medical safeguards within the statewide disconnection process. A “Seasonal Time Period” runs from November 1 through March 31; during that period utilities must meet additional personal-contact and notice steps before any shut-off, and they must make an on-site visit or equivalent outreach if the date falls in the winter window or if a medical condition is certified. Separate from the seasonal process, a utility may not discontinue service on a day when the National Weather Service predicts the temperature will be 32°F or colder at or near the customer’s service location; it also may not disconnect on Fridays, weekends, or legal holidays.

Medical protections are defined in rule. A licensed physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant may certify that termination would be dangerous to a household member’s health. That certification must reach the utility within 10 days of the customer’s notice and is renewed every 30 days unless the provider certifies the condition is permanent, in which case renewal is not required. The rules also spell out repayment-plan rights, including the ability to negotiate a non-standard plan based on financial circumstances, and set reconnection standards once the customer pays required amounts and enters a deferred payment agreement.

Wisconsin - Wisconsin has one of the clearest seasonal protections in the country. Every year from November 1 through April 15, utilities may not disconnect residential service that provides or affects a home’s primary heat for nonpayment. The Public Service Commission (PSC) reminds customers annually that this winter moratorium is statewide and that anyone behind on bills should set up a payment plan before April 15 to avoid spring shutoffs.

During a National Weather Service heat advisory, heat warning, or heat emergency, an electric utility may not disconnect service to an occupied dwelling, and it must make reasonable attempts to reconnect if someone in the home reports a health or life risk from the combination of heat and loss of service. The utility may ask for a brief doctor’s note or confirmation from a public health, social-service, or law-enforcement official, but the prohibition on disconnection lasts for the duration of the advisory.
If cutting service would aggravate a medical or protective-services emergency, for example, a serious illness, an infant or frail elder in the home, or an acute safety crisis, the company must delay a shutoff for up to 21 days, and it can require simple documentation from a medical or protective-services professional. This medical-emergency hold is a live, year-round consumer right.
Wisconsin also requires utilities to work with customers on deferred payment agreements. For residential accounts, the utility must offer a plan that spreads arrears over time; as long as the customer enters the plan and keeps the installments and current bills up to date, a nonpayment disconnection for those covered charges may not proceed.

Examples of state regulations - Get more information on what protections customers have in place as well as when it may be illegal to disconnect a customers utility or heating service. While the rules and regulations will vary by state, there are many common characteristics. Find some common examples of consumer rights for utility disconnections.

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By Jon McNamara

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