Who will serve my new home?
It depends on the address. Most Texans pick their own electric company. Some don't get a choice.
In areas served by Oncor, CenterPoint, AEP Texas, TNMP, Lubbock Power & Light and Nueces Electric Cooperative, you pick a retail electric company. Your utility still delivers the power and fixes outages.
Austin Energy, CPS Energy in San Antonio, most electric co-ops, and utilities outside the main grid like El Paso Electric serve their areas alone. Call them directly.
Not sure which applies? Use who's my electric utility? or ask your landlord or the seller which company serves the address.
When should I set up power for my move?
Pick your move-in date and where you’re moving. You’ll get a dated to-do list, so the lights are on the day you get the keys.
We’ll lay out what to do, and when, so the power is on the day you get the keys.
Partner toolWe may earn a fee if you sign up. It never changes our scores.
Dates are a guide, not a rule. Ask your new company for its earliest start date, and whether your utility charges a move-in fee.
How do I pick a plan for my new home?
Compare plans on the state's free site, Power to Choose, then read the fact label before you enroll. Three quick rules keep you out of trouble.
- 1Pick fixed for 12+ months
It locks your price through the summer. See fixed or variable?
- 2Run the 3-price test
If the 1,000 kWh price is far below the 500 and 2,000 kWh prices, the plan has a bill-credit trap. See how to read a facts label.
- 3Price it at your usage
A bigger or smaller home changes the math. Try our plan cost calculator.
Already have a plan you like? Many companies let you take your plan with you if you move within their service area. Ask before you cancel, because moving usually waives the cancel fee anyway.
What do I need to sign up for electricity?
Have these ready, and sign up a few days before you move in. Ask for your start date to be the day you get the keys.
Will I need a deposit to start power?
Maybe. Your new company can ask for one if you don’t meet its credit rules. Texas rules give you ways around it, like a good payment record or being 65 or older, so ask before you pay.
See every way to skip a deposit, and how to get one back, in our guide to no-deposit and prepaid plans. Behind on a bill at your old place? See help paying your electric bill.
Keep readingEvery way to skip a deposit, and get one backMoving to Austin or San Antonio?
Skip the shopping. The city utility is your only option, so call it directly to start service.
Learn their rates in our guides to Austin Energy and CPS Energy. Moving into a co-op area? call the co-op on your landlord's or seller's bill.
Moving and electricity questions, answered
How do I set up electricity in a new home in Texas?
Find out who serves the address, compare plans if you live in an area with choice, then sign up with the address and a start date. In Austin, San Antonio and most co-op areas, call the local utility directly.
How far ahead should I set up electricity?
A few days before you move in is a good rule. Ask for your service to start the day you get the keys, and stop service at your old home for the day after you leave.
What do I need to sign up for electricity in Texas?
The exact address with any unit number, a start date, your ID and your contact details. The meter’s ID number, called an ESI ID, helps, but the company can look it up from the address. Not sure who serves you? Use our utility finder.
Will I need a deposit at my new home?
Maybe. Your new company can ask for one if you don’t meet its credit rules, but a good payment history or being 65 or older can let you skip it, and prepaid plans usually need none. Our no-deposit guide lists every way around it.
Is there a fee to start electricity at a new home?
There can be. Your utility may charge one-time move-in or connection fees, and your electric company can pass them on to you, according to Direct Energy’s terms of service. Ask for the amount when you sign up.
Do I need to cancel electricity at my old place?
Yes. If you move without canceling, you stay responsible for the charges on that account until service ends, according to Direct Energy’s terms. Set your old service to end the day after you move out, and give a forwarding address, which usually waives the cancel fee.
Can I keep my electricity plan when I move?
Often, if your company serves the new address. If not, most fixed plans waive the cancel fee when you move and give a forwarding address.
Who do I call to start electricity in Austin or San Antonio?
Austin Energy at 512-494-9400, or 888-340-6465 toll-free. CPS Energy in San Antonio at (210) 353-2222. You can't pick a different electric company in those cities.
What do you want to do next?
Every Texas guide, by topic
Browse every guide on the Texas hub. Or see every state's average price on our price map.
Sources and updates
Sources (4)
- Direct Energy, Terms of Service, Residential Postpaid: 10-day disconnection notice, deferred payment plan terms, average billing and Neighbor to Neighbor.
- Public Utility Commission of Texas, Electricity FAQs: cancel fees, contract expirations and switching.
- Public Utility Commission of Texas, Critical care application (copy hosted by ERCOT): the list of delivery utilities in the competitive market, including Lubbock Power & Light and Nueces Electric Cooperative.
- Austin Energy (512-494-9400, toll-free 888-340-6465) and CPS Energy ((210) 353-2222) customer numbers: as verified for our Austin Energy and CPS Energy guides.
Changelog · last updated October 16, 2026 · 4 updates
- October 16, 2026: Linked our list of every Texas electricity company and our Pflugerville guide, for homes that may not be able to choose. No figures changed. We also added our new city guides, four new company reviews and the Smart Meter Texas guide to the guide map.
- October 13, 2026 (update): Swapped the ESI ID answer, which our utility finder covers, for what you need to sign up.
- October 13, 2026: Moved to theday.company/tx/how-to-set-up-electricity; the old address forwards here. Added a quick decision box and a move-in planner with a dated to-do list and next-step links. Shortened the deposit step and moved the full deposit rules to our no-deposit guide, added answers on move-in fees and canceling at your old place, and linked our utility finder, no-deposit and contract-ending guides plus a full list of Texas guides.
- October 4, 2026: Guide published: 4 move-in steps, choice vs. single-provider areas, deposit rules and the 6 ways to skip one, and city utility contacts.
How to cite this page: The Day Company, "Moving in Texas? How to set up electricity in 4 steps, and maybe skip the deposit", updated October 16, 2026, https://theday.company/tx/how-to-set-up-electricity.
Deposit rules shown come from Direct Energy’s terms, which follow state customer protection rules; each company sets its own credit process, so ask yours. The Day Company is not affiliated with any electric company or utility named here.