When Will I Receive My First Electric Bill?

Getting electricity set up for your new home or apartment is an exciting milestone. But it also means you’ll start receiving monthly electric bills. If you’re a new customer, you may be wondering – when will I get my first electric bill?

The answer depends on several factors:

When Your Electric Service Starts

Your first bill arrival timing depends on when your electric service began.

If you started service in the middle of a billing cycle, you’ll get your first bill at the end of that cycle, on the utility’s regular billing date. Cycles are usually around 30 days.

For example, if you started service on the 15th day of a 30-day cycle, you’d get your first bill on the regular billing date around day 30.

If you started service at the beginning of a new billing cycle, your first bill will arrive at the end of the next full billing cycle.

So if you started on day 1 of a new cycle, your first bill would come after the following cycle ends, around day 60.

If there’s a delay setting up your electric account, your first bill will take even longer to arrive. Delays can happen for reasons like:

• Waiting for a meter installation or connection appointment
• Paperwork processing time for a new account
• Previous tenant’s final bill and deposits need reconciling

In this case, you may not get a bill for 2 full cycles or more after electric service begins.

When You Submit a Meter Reading

To calculate your first bill, the electric company needs an initial meter reading. This shows how much electricity you used in the partial first billing period.

There are two ways they can get your beginning meter reading:

• Automated meter reading – Many smart meters transmit usage data automatically. This gives the utility your initial reading without you having to submit it.

• Customer submitted – If you have a non-smart meter, the utility will ask you to provide your beginning meter reading. This is usually done online or by phone within the first few days of service starting.

If you submit your initial meter reading promptly, your first bill timing follows the regular cycle schedule.

But if you forget or delay submitting the reading, your first bill will be delayed until the utility eventually gets an actual reading. This could take 30 days or more after service began.

Billing Cycle Dates

While most electric companies bill monthly, billing cycles don’t always follow calendar months. Here are some examples of common billing cycles:

• Bills generated on the 15th of each month
• Bills generated every 28-32 days
• Bills on the same date of every month (ex: the 5th)

Check your utility company’s website to see their specific billing cycle schedule. Once you know the set billing date, you can estimate when to expect your first electric bill.

For example, if the billing date is the 20th of each month, and you started service on January 5th, you can expect your first bill around February 20th.

What’s Included on Your First Electric Bill

While amounts will vary, your first electric bill will likely include:

Electricity Usage Charges

• Based on the kilowatt-hours (kWh) used since your service began. This is calculated from your beginning and ending meter readings for the period.

Daily Customer Charge

• A flat daily fee for being connected to the electric system. Charged for each day in the billing period.

Account Setup Fees

• Potential fees for establishing new electric service or transferring service to a new address.

Security Deposits

• Depending on your utility rules and credit, you may have to pay a refundable deposit upfront before getting connected.

Taxes

• Local taxes and fees will be applied based on your service area and usage.

Discounts

• You may have credits on your first bill from special offers for new customers or online account setup.

First bills are often higher than normal since it’s probably a longer “partial” billing period. But you can compare it to future full-month bills to get an idea of your typical electric costs in your new home.

Billing Date vs. Due Date

Another point of confusion is the difference between your billing date and due date:

• Billing Date – This is when the utility generates your bill for the previous cycle period.

• Due Date – The date your payment must be received by to avoid late fees, typically around 15-20 days after the billing date.

For your first bill, note how many days there are between these dates so you know when your payment is due.

Avoiding Late Fees on Your First Bill

To avoid late fees, make sure to pay your first electric bill by the due date noted. Some tips:

• Mark your due date on your calendar so it’s not missed.

• Set up autopay or schedule a payment reminder if your utility offers that option.

• Sign up for paperless billing to get notified as soon as your bill is ready.

• Pay immediately once you receive your first bill to get ahead.

Calling the utility company to explain it’s your first bill may get late fees waived if you do miss the due date by mistake. But it’s better to pay on time whenever possible.

What If You Don’t Get Your First Bill?

If you’ve started electric service but haven’t received your first bill after 2 full billing cycles, take action:

• Verify your account is set up properly with the utility company.

• Double check that you submitted an initial meter reading if required.

• Contact customer service to see if there are any issues delaying your first bill.

• Provide or confirm your correct mailing address where bills should be sent.

You don’t want your first bill delayed too long or you could face a large “catch up” bill with higher usage charges! Plus delayed bills make budgeting harder since you won’t know your normal electric costs.

Be Prepared for Your New Electric Bill

Getting your first electric utility bill is an important part of setting up new household services. While amounts will vary based on usage, expect your first bill to be a little higher than normal.

Know in advance what your billing cycle dates are so you can estimate when your first bill will arrive and when payment is due.

If you have any questions about billing timelines or options, don’t hesitate to contact your electric provider’s customer service team. They can explain your specific situation so you know what to expect.