SMUD Low-Income Application (EAPR): Eligibility, Filing, and Credit

To apply for the SMUD low income discount, complete the Energy Assistance Program Rate (EAPR) application online through your My Account portal or mail a paper form to SMUD’s EAPR department with proof of income for every adult in your household. Online applications are typically processed within one to two weeks; mailed applications take two to four. Once approved, the discount starts at the beginning of the billing period in which SMUD approves your application and appears as a line item on your bill.

Whether You Qualify

Eligibility depends on your household’s total gross monthly income and size. As of February 1, 2026, the limits are:¹

1–2 people: $3,607 per month
3 people: $4,553
4 people: $5,500
5 people: $6,447
6 people: $7,393
Each additional person: add $947

Gross income means everything the household brings in before taxes: wages, Social Security, pensions, child support, rental income, financial aid, and any other money coming in. Count every adult in the home, not just the person on the SMUD account.¹

Three other rules apply. The SMUD account has to be in your name, the service address has to be your primary residence, and you cannot be claimed as a dependent on anyone else’s tax return.²

SMUD’s website has an eligibility checker you can run before you start. Plug in your household size and income and confirm you qualify before gathering documents.¹

Documents to Gather First

SMUD requires income documentation covering at least four consecutive weeks within the last 60 days for every adult in the household. Previous-year tax returns are accepted only for self-employment, rental, and S-corporation income (Schedules C, E, and S).³

What counts as proof depends on the income source:

Wages and salaries: pay stubs covering at least four consecutive weeks
Social Security, SSI, or disability: benefit verification or award letter from the Social Security Administration
Unemployment or state disability: award letter from the Employment Development Department
CalWORKs or TANF: benefit notice from your county
Veterans benefits: award letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs
Child support: documentation from Child Support Services
Housing subsidy: Housing Choice Voucher subsidy notice

If an adult in the household has no income, you still list them on the application. SMUD wants every adult accounted for.³

Filling Out the Form

The application is short. You give your SMUD account number (printed on your bill and visible in your online account), your name, service address, and the total number of adults and children living in the home.²

Then you enter total monthly gross household income. Add the pre-tax earnings and benefits for every adult. The number you write has to match the documents you attach. A mismatch is the fastest way to get the application sent back.

Read the declaration at the bottom before signing. You are confirming that the address is your primary residence, that you are not claimed as a dependent, and that you will notify SMUD if your income changes enough that you no longer qualify. You also consent to SMUD sharing your contact information with community organizations that offer additional assistance and authorize SMUD to verify your eligibility at any time. You sign under penalty of perjury.²

How to Submit

You have two ways to send it in.

Online through My Account. Run the eligibility checker on SMUD’s income-eligible assistance page. If you qualify, the site sends you into your My Account portal, where you complete the form and upload your income documents. Online submissions are typically processed within one to two weeks.⁴

By mail. Print the paper application from smud.org/EAPRapp, attach copies of your income documents, and mail everything to:

SMUD EAPR, Mail Stop A104
P.O. Box 15830
Sacramento, CA 95852-0830²

Mailed applications typically take two to four weeks.⁴ There’s no annual enrollment window; you can apply any time of year.

When the Credit Starts and How Much You Get

Once approved, the discount takes effect at the beginning of the billing period in which SMUD approved the application.⁵ The amount depends on where your income falls relative to the federal poverty level:¹

0–50% of the federal poverty level: up to $105 per month
Above 50–100%: $42 per month
Above 100–150%: $20 per month
Above 150–200%: $10 per monthli>

Check the next bill after the processing window to confirm the credit appeared as a line item. If two full billing cycles pass with no credit, call SMUD at 1-888-742-7683 to check your status.¹

Staying Enrolled

SMUD typically asks EAPR customers to reapply every one to two years. You don’t have to track the date. SMUD sends a renewal application by mail or email when it’s time, and you provide current income documentation using the same four-consecutive-weeks rule as the original application. If you don’t complete the renewal, the discount drops off your account.³

Adding the Medical Equipment Discount

If someone in your household relies on certain life-sustaining medical equipment, you can add a separate $15 monthly credit on top of EAPR. Qualifying equipment includes in-home dialysis machines, electric wheelchairs, oxygen concentrators, and ventilators. CPAP and BiPAP machines do not qualify. Customers with a medical condition that requires extraordinary heating or cooling also qualify.⁶

This program has its own application. You fill out sections one through three, and a licensed health professional completes and signs section four. Applications submitted without the health professional’s signature are returned.⁶

Language Options and Help

The EAPR application is available in English, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Dari, Hmong, Pashto, Russian, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese.³ For questions about the application or to check your status, call 1-888-742-7683.¹

1
Sacramento Municipal Utility District. Income-Eligible Assistance
2
Sacramento Municipal Utility District. Application for Energy Assistance Program Rate (EAPR)
3
Sacramento Municipal Utility District. Energy Assistance Program FAQs
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iCarol. Energy Assistance Program Rate (EAPR) – Sacramento Municipal Utility District
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Sacramento Municipal Utility District. Residential and Commercial and Industrial Energy Assistance
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Sacramento Municipal Utility District. Medical Equipment Discount