Got a Utility Shutoff Notice? The First 72 Hours, Step by Step
A disconnection notice starts a clock, but it rarely means the lights go out tomorrow. What you do in the next three days, in the right order, decides how much leverage you keep.
AT A GLANCE
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Shutoff notices are written to make you pay now. Most people do one of two things: scrape together whatever they can and hope it's enough, or set the letter aside because the total feels impossible.
Neither is the best move. A notice is the start of a process with rules, and those rules often give you more room than the letter suggests. Weather protections, medical holds, payment plans and emergency energy assistance all depend on you asking for them, usually before the shutoff date.
This guide lays out the first 72 hours as a timeline, using the federal LIHEAP law and the LIHEAP Clearinghouse summary of state disconnection policies. Use it alongside your state's specific rules and your utility's own policies.
Hour 0 to 4: Read the notice like a contract
Before you call anyone, pull out the notice and find these details. Write them on the envelope or in your phone.
The date the notice was sent and the earliest date service can be shut off
The past-due amount and whether it's separate from your current bill
The account number and the name on the account
Which service is at risk: electric, gas, water or more than one
Any phone number or web page listed for payment arrangements, assistance or disputes
Then figure out what kind of utility you have. The LIHEAP Clearinghouse notes that state disconnection rules generally apply to regulated utilities. Municipal utilities, rural electric cooperatives and delivered-fuel providers are generally not regulated by the state commission, although some choose to follow the rules. If your provider is a city utility or a co-op, ask it directly which protections it follows.
Day 1: The three calls that matter
Your first day has one goal: get a request on record with every party who can stop or delay the shutoff.
Call 1: The utility
Ask for the customer service or credit department and say plainly that you received a disconnection notice and want to avoid a shutoff. Then ask:
"What payment arrangement can you offer me?" Ask for the down payment and monthly amounts, and whether the plan stops the shutoff.
"Do you have a medical certificate process?" Many states let a doctor's certification delay disconnection when someone's health is at risk.
"Will a pending energy assistance application hold the disconnection?" Some programs and states tie protections to applying.
"Can you note my account that I'm applying for help?"
Write down the name of the person you talked to, the date and time, and exactly what they agreed to.
Call 2: Your LIHEAP or energy crisis office
LIHEAP, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, is federally funded and run by states, tribes and territories. The federal Administration for Children and Families says it helps with home energy bills, energy crises, weatherization and minor energy-related repairs. ACF points people looking for help to Energyhelp.us and publishes a state-by-state contact list for LIHEAP coordinators.
When you call, use the words "I have a disconnection notice" and ask about crisis assistance specifically. Under federal law (42 U.S.C. 8623), the crisis part of the program must:
Provide some form of assistance that resolves the crisis within 48 hours after an eligible household applies
Do it within 18 hours if the household is eligible and in a life-threatening situation
Accept applications at sites that are geographically accessible
Those clocks start when you apply, which is why waiting a few days to see if you can cover the bill yourself can backfire.
Call 3: Your doctor, if health is at stake
If anyone in your home has a serious illness, uses medical equipment that needs power, or would be endangered by losing heat or cooling, call that person's doctor's office. Ask whether it can complete a medical certificate for the utility, and how fast. Many states protect households with a certified medical need, but the forms and time limits differ.
Weather protections, medical holds and payment plans all depend on one thing: asking for them before the shutoff date.
Day 2: Lock in protections and paperwork
On day two, follow up on what you started.
Send the medical certificate if your doctor completed one, and confirm the utility received it.
Finish the assistance application. Upload or deliver any documents the office asked for, and get a confirmation number.
Call the utility back to report that you've applied, and ask them to note the account.
Check the weather. If your state has temperature-based protections, a forecast freeze or heat wave may block a shutoff on certain days.
Winter protections in selected states
These are summaries from the LIHEAP Clearinghouse disconnect policies page (last updated in 2026). Many protections apply only to certain households or require a payment plan, and the protections don't erase what you owe.
State | Winter protection summary |
|---|---|
Illinois | December 1 to March 31, plus temperature protection at 32°F and below |
Massachusetts | November 15 to March 15 |
Michigan | November 1 to March 31 |
Minnesota | October 1 to April 30 |
New Jersey | November 15 to March 15, for households on Lifeline, LIHEAP, TANF, SSI, PAAD or GA, or unable to pay because of unemployment, medical bills or a spouse's death |
New York | November 1 to April 15, utilities must make a special effort to check for health and safety risks |
Ohio | November 1 to April 15, the Winter Reconnect Order lets customers restore or keep service by paying no more than $175 and entering a payment plan |
Pennsylvania | December 1 to March 31, for customers at or below 250% of the federal poverty level, with a 150% limit at one utility |
Washington | November 15 to March 15, for customers who qualify or apply for energy assistance and enter a payment plan |
Wisconsin | November 1 to April 15, for customers below 250% of the poverty level or with elderly, disabled or sick members or infants at home |
Texas | No disconnections when the temperature is below 32°F |
California | No disconnections when it's forecast to be 32°F or below within the next 72 hours |
The Clearinghouse counts 42 states with cold-weather protections, 21 with hot-weather protections and 2 with policies for extreme weather events.
How long a medical certificate can delay a shutoff
State | Delay with medical certification |
|---|---|
Colorado | 90 days from the date of the certificate |
Indiana | 10 days |
Iowa | 30 days |
Mississippi | 60-day extension |
Ohio | 30 days, renewable up to three times in 12 months |
Oregon | Up to 6 months, renewable |
Pennsylvania | 30 days, renewable twice |
Texas | Up to 63 days, renewable |
Virginia | Up to 15 days after notice, and at least 30 days past the original date once the certification form is filed |
Washington | Up to 60 days, with one renewal |
Check your state's entry on the Clearinghouse page for conditions, such as who must sign and whether you must also set up a payment plan.
Day 3: Escalate if you're stuck
By day three you should know whether the utility will offer a workable plan and where your assistance application stands. If you're out of road, escalate.
Ask for a supervisor at the utility and repeat your request for a payment arrangement or medical hold.
Call your state utility commission. Public utility and public service commissions regulate designated utilities. The Clearinghouse advises trying to resolve a dispute with the utility first, then contacting the commission. Each state's entry lists the commission's website and complaint form.
Ask the energy assistance office about status. If you applied as a crisis case, ask whether a payment commitment has been sent to the utility.
Look for a local hardship fund. Many utilities and charities run grant programs alongside LIHEAP.
Before you call
☐ The disconnection notice, with the send date and shutoff date
☐ Your most recent bill and account number
☐ ID for the account holder, if your assistance office asks for it
☐ Proof of household income for the last 30 days, or whatever your state's LIHEAP office requests
☐ Names and birth dates of everyone in the household
☐ Your doctor's contact information, if a medical hold may apply
☐ A realistic number you could pay toward a down payment
Mistakes that make a shutoff more likely
Paying everything you have without a plan. A partial payment with no agreement may not stop the shutoff. Ask what amount secures an arrangement before you pay.
Waiting for the weather to protect you. Temperature rules can lift as soon as the forecast changes, and the past-due amount keeps growing.
Ignoring the utility after applying for help. Assistance offices and utilities don't always talk on your timeline. Tell the utility yourself.
Assuming protections apply to everyone. Many winter rules cover only low-income, elderly, disabled or medically certified households, or require a payment plan.
WHAT TO DO THIS WEEK
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Keep going
For ways to cover the past-due amount, see our roundup of utility hardship funds for holiday bills and our guide to emergency grants for rent, utilities and bills. Readers in Pennsylvania can see how these rules play out with PECO and PGW in our Philadelphia winter shutoff guide.
Related guides
Official sources
Last checked: October 23, 2026 (LIHEAP Clearinghouse disconnect policies page and the federal LIHEAP statute).
State rules change, and the Clearinghouse summaries are a starting point. Confirm the protection that applies to you with your utility or state commission.
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