Florida electricity shut-off laws give residential customers a defined set of protections before, during, and after a disconnection. For non-payment or a rule violation, your utility must send a separate written notice at least five working days before cutting service, cannot shut you off on weekends or around major holidays, and must take extra steps if someone in the household depends on electrically powered medical equipment. The Florida Public Service Commission (FPSC) enforces these rules under Florida Administrative Code Rule 25-6.105 and related statutes.
When a Utility Can Disconnect Your Service
Non-payment is the most common reason, but it is not the only one. Under Rule 25-6.105, a utility can also end service for violating state or municipal regulations governing electric service, failing to fix deficient wiring or equipment after being notified, using electricity for a purpose not described in your application, refusing meter access, or failing to post a required deposit.1Cornell Law School. Florida Admin Code Ann R 25-6.105 – Refusal or Discontinuance of Service by Utility
Three situations let the utility skip advance notice entirely: a known hazardous condition at the property, tampering with meters or utility-owned equipment, and unauthorized or fraudulent use of service. In those cases, the power can go off immediately.1Cornell Law School. Florida Admin Code Ann R 25-6.105 – Refusal or Discontinuance of Service by Utility
How Much Notice You Must Get
For non-payment or a rule violation, the utility must give at least five working days of written notice before cutting service. The notice must be separate from your regular bill. It must tell you that service will end unless you correct the problem, reach a mutual agreement with the utility, or successfully dispute the action, and it must include contact information for the utility’s customer relations department and for the FPSC at 1-800-342-3552.1Cornell Law School. Florida Admin Code Ann R 25-6.105 – Refusal or Discontinuance of Service by Utility
A “working day” is any day the utility’s business office is open and U.S. Mail is delivered. Weekends and postal holidays do not count toward the five-day window.
Weekend and Holiday Blackouts
Utilities cannot disconnect a residential customer between noon on Friday and 8:00 a.m. the following Monday, or between noon on the day before a holiday and 8:00 a.m. the next working day. The listed holidays are New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. This protection does not apply if you asked for the disconnection yourself, if a hazardous condition exists, if the meter has been tampered with, or if service is being used fraudulently.1Cornell Law School. Florida Admin Code Ann R 25-6.105 – Refusal or Discontinuance of Service by Utility
Have a Third Party Notified
You can designate a third party within the utility’s service area to receive a copy of any delinquent notice. The third party is not responsible for paying your bill, but the extra set of eyes can prevent a shutoff that catches you off guard. This is often useful for elderly customers or anyone with a caregiver helping manage household finances.1Cornell Law School. Florida Admin Code Ann R 25-6.105 – Refusal or Discontinuance of Service by Utility
No Extreme-Weather Ban
Florida does not currently prohibit disconnections during heat waves or cold snaps. The weekend and holiday rules are the main timing restrictions. SB 330, introduced in the 2025 Florida Senate session, would have blocked disconnections when the forecasted heat index reached 90°F, when temperatures were forecast at 32°F or below, or during a declared extreme-weather emergency. As of 2026 it has not been enacted.
Medically Essential Service
Florida Statute 366.15 creates a separate layer of protection for households where someone depends on electrically powered medical equipment to stay alive or avoid immediate hospitalization. “Medically essential” means a medical dependence on electric equipment that must run continuously or as a physician specifies.2Florida Senate. Florida Statutes Title XXVII Chapter 366 – Section 366.15
How to Get Certified
You fill out forms provided by your utility, and a Florida-licensed physician completes a separate form explaining in both medical and plain language why your electric service is medically essential. Each utility must send every customer a written explanation of this process once a year. Certification lasts 12 months. The utility will mail recertification materials at least 30 days before expiration, and you have an additional 30 days after expiration to submit the renewal. Miss that window and the utility can terminate your certified status.2Florida Senate. Florida Statutes Title XXVII Chapter 366 – Section 366.15
Extra Steps Before Shutoff
Before disconnecting a medically certified customer for non-payment, the utility must try to reach you by phone no later than 24 hours before the scheduled shutoff. If no one at the home answers, the utility must send a representative to your residence by 4:00 p.m. the day before disconnection. If that representative still cannot make contact, they may leave a written notice, and the utility can proceed on the scheduled date.2Florida Senate. Florida Statutes Title XXVII Chapter 366 – Section 366.15
Certification does not erase the duty to pay. You must still make satisfactory payment arrangements consistent with the utility’s tariff. The utility, however, cannot require any additional deposit to continue or restore medically essential service.2Florida Senate. Florida Statutes Title XXVII Chapter 366 – Section 366.15
The statute is explicit that you remain solely responsible for backup equipment and a backup power plan in case of an outage. The utility can also disconnect during an emergency that threatens health, safety, or the distribution system, regardless of certification, and must act promptly to restore service once the emergency passes.2Florida Senate. Florida Statutes Title XXVII Chapter 366 – Section 366.15
Getting Reconnected and Deposit Rules
Once the reason for disconnection has been satisfactorily adjusted, the utility must restore service. In practice, that means paying the overdue balance (or reaching a payment agreement) and paying a reconnection fee. The FPSC allows each utility to charge a reasonable reconnection fee, provided it is listed in the utility’s filed tariff.1Cornell Law School. Florida Admin Code Ann R 25-6.105 – Refusal or Discontinuance of Service by Utility Fees vary. Florida Power & Light, the state’s largest electric provider, charges $4.00 to reconnect after non-payment.3FPL. Rates – Service Charges Check your own provider’s tariff for the current amount.
The utility may also require a deposit to guarantee future payments. Florida law caps deposits at two months of average actual charges for an existing account, calculated from the previous 12 months of billing. For new service, the cap is two months of projected charges. After 12 months of continuous service as a new customer, the utility must recalculate the deposit using actual usage data and refund any overage.4Florida Senate. Florida Statutes Chapter 366 Section 05 – Public Utilities
If Your Landlord Shuts Off the Power
Some renters face a different problem: a landlord who stops paying the utility bill or deliberately cuts off service. Florida Statute 83.67 flatly prohibits this. A landlord cannot cause, directly or indirectly, the termination or interruption of any utility service furnished to a tenant, regardless of whether the landlord controls or pays for that service.5Justia. Florida Statutes Title VI Chapter 83 Part II – Section 83.67 Prohibited Practices
A landlord who violates this rule is liable for actual and consequential damages or three months’ rent, whichever is greater, plus court costs and attorney’s fees. Each separate or repeated violation that is not simultaneous with the initial one triggers its own damages award. The statute also declares that a violation constitutes irreparable harm, so a court can issue an injunction ordering the landlord to restore service immediately without requiring you to prove that money damages are inadequate.5Justia. Florida Statutes Title VI Chapter 83 Part II – Section 83.67 Prohibited Practices
These remedies are not exclusive. You can also pursue other legal claims, including constructive eviction if the loss of utilities makes your home uninhabitable and forces you to move out.
If You’re Filing Bankruptcy
Filing bankruptcy triggers a federal protection under 11 U.S.C. § 366 that prevents your utility from cutting off or altering service solely because you filed or because you owe a pre-filing balance. The protection applies in both Chapter 7 and Chapter 11 cases.6Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 11 US Code 366 – Utility Service
The protection is time-limited. In a standard Chapter 7 case, you must give the utility adequate assurance of future payment within 20 days of filing. Acceptable forms include a cash deposit, a letter of credit, a certificate of deposit, a surety bond, or a prepayment arrangement. Under Chapter 11, the window is 30 days, and the utility can demand assurance it finds satisfactory. If you miss the deadline, the utility can disconnect.6Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 11 US Code 366 – Utility Service
One important limit: an administrative expense priority in the bankruptcy case does not by itself count as adequate assurance. You need actual money or security. The bankruptcy court can modify the deposit amount if a party requests it and the court holds a hearing.
How to File a Complaint
If you believe a utility is violating disconnection rules, start with the utility’s own customer relations department. Every disconnection notice must include contact information for both the utility and the FPSC.1Cornell Law School. Florida Admin Code Ann R 25-6.105 – Refusal or Discontinuance of Service by Utility If the utility does not resolve the issue, escalate to the FPSC by phone at 1-800-342-3552 or through its online complaint form.7Florida Public Service Commission. FPSC Consumer Assistance Portal
The FPSC investigates complaints, mediates disputes, and can order utilities to comply with regulations. Filing is free and does not require an attorney, though consulting one may help if the dispute involves significant sums or repeated violations.
Help Paying the Bill Before It Gets to Shutoff
If you are behind on your electric bill, assistance may be available before you reach the disconnection stage. The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is a federally funded program that helps income-qualified households with heating and cooling costs, and in Florida the payments go directly to your utility on your behalf. The program also prioritizes urgent cases, including households where power has already been disconnected or where a member is elderly or disabled.8Department of Commerce. Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program
Florida’s LIHEAP eligibility threshold for federal fiscal year 2026 is set at the greater of 150 percent of the federal poverty level or 60 percent of the state median income.9Florida Department of Commerce. LIHEAP FFY 2026 State Plan Under the 2026 federal poverty guidelines, 150 percent of the poverty level for a household of four is $48,225.10The LIHEAP Clearinghouse. Federal Poverty Guidelines for FFY 2026 If 60 percent of state median income is higher for your household size, that figure applies. Contact your local community action agency or call 211 to check eligibility and start an application.
Many Florida utilities also offer their own hardship programs, budget billing that spreads seasonal spikes into equal monthly payments, and energy efficiency rebates. Call your utility directly to ask what is available on your account.