The first time I set up utilities in Austin I paid for my old apartment and my new one at the same time for almost two weeks because I did not know you had to cancel one and start the other on specific dates. It was not a huge amount of money but it was money I did not need to waste. By my second and third moves I had a system that kept this from happening. This post is that system, written out simply so you can use it before your next move.
I remember sitting on the floor of my new East Sixth apartment in September 2022, eating rice I had made on a hot plate because I had not set up gas yet, wondering why I had not just sorted all of this a week earlier when I had the time.
The lights were on. That part I had done right. But the internet was not set up yet, the gas was not connected, and I had just realised I was still being billed for electricity at my old place because I had forgotten to set an end date.
It was not a disaster. But it was avoidable. Every bit of it.
The Mistake Most People Make When Moving
Here is the thing nobody tells you clearly. When you move to a new apartment in Austin, you are not just setting up new utilities. You are also cancelling or transferring old ones. Those are two separate tasks and they both need to happen on specific dates or you end up paying for both places at the same time.
I had called Austin Energy to set up electricity at the new apartment. I had not called to end it at the old one. I assumed they would figure it out when I stopped living there. They did not. They kept billing me until I called and gave them an end date.
Two weeks of overlap. Not a massive bill, but annoying, and completely avoidable if someone had told me how this worked.
Setting Up Electricity in Austin
Most of Austin gets electricity from Austin Energy, which is run by the City of Austin. Unlike most of Texas, Austin is not part of the open energy market where you can pick your provider. Austin Energy is it for most addresses in the city.
To start service you can go online at the City of Austin utilities portal, call them at 512-494-9400, or walk in to one of their customer service centres. Online is the fastest.
When I did this for the first time in 2020, they charged me a $20 setup fee plus a $200 deposit because I had no payment history with them. The deposit felt annoying at the time, but I got it back after 12 months of paying on time.
Here is something I did not know the first time that could have saved me that $200. If you sign up for both Autopay and eBill paperless billing when you create your account, Austin Energy will waive the $200 deposit entirely. You just have to stay enrolled in both for at least 12 months. I found this out from Sarah, my coworker at the startup, after I had already paid the deposit. She had done her research before her move and skipped the deposit completely.
The Order I Do Things Now
After three Austin moves I have a specific order I follow. It keeps me from paying double and makes sure everything is ready when I walk in on move-in day.
About two weeks before move-in I contact each utility and set a start date for the new apartment. Not the day I move in. One day before. That way if anything goes wrong with the setup there is a buffer day to fix it before I actually need it.
On the same day I set the start dates, I set the end dates for the old apartment. This is the step most people forget. End date equals move-out day, not whenever you feel like calling.
I keep a simple list of every utility, the account number, the phone number to call, and the date I set for start and end. Nothing fancy, just a note on my phone.
| Utility | Provider | How to start | Deposit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electricity | Austin Energy | Online or 512-494-9400 | $200, waived with Autopay and eBill |
| Water | Austin Water | Bundled with electricity | Included in setup |
| Gas | Texas Gas Service | texasgasservice.com or 1-800-700-2443 | Varies, may be waived with payment history |
| Internet | Google Fiber or AT&T | Online | Usually none |
Water in Austin is bundled with your electricity account through the City of Austin, so when you set up Austin Energy you are also setting up water at the same time. That surprised me the first time. I thought they were separate.
The Internet Problem I Did Not Plan For
Internet was the one that caught me off guard the most on my second move.
I had assumed I could just call Google Fiber and have internet on move-in day. I called three days before my move and they said the earliest appointment was nine days away.
Nine days without internet when I work from home is not a small thing. I had not planned for this at all.
Now I contact internet providers at least three weeks before move-in. Not two weeks. Three. Installation appointments in Austin can book out fast, especially during the busy summer moving season when everyone is moving at the same time.
Also worth checking before you sign a lease: not every Austin address has Google Fiber available. AT&T is more widely available but slower in some areas. Check which providers cover your specific address before you move in, not after. I talk about internet costs and what to expect on your first bills in the hidden monthly costs post, which is worth reading before you build your first month budget.
What Ranjith Roy Did Differently
When my cousin Ranjith Roy, who came from India to Austin in 2023 for his MS at UT, was setting up his utilities before moving into the East Sixth apartment with me, I walked him through the whole list in one sitting.
The thing that surprised him most was the deposit situation. He had come from India and had no US credit history and no previous Austin utility account. So the $200 deposit was going to apply to him regardless. But I told him about the Autopay and eBill trick and he signed up for both immediately. The deposit was waived.
He saved $200 on his first day as an Austin utility customer just by knowing one thing I had not known when I first moved here.
If you are new to the US or have no credit history yet, this is the most useful thing in this post. Sign up for Autopay and eBill when you create your Austin Energy account and you do not pay the $200 deposit. You just have to keep both active for 12 months.
A Few Small Things That Are Easy to Forget
Trash in Austin is usually handled through Austin Resource Recovery, which is also bundled into your City of Austin utilities account. You do not need to set this up separately if your apartment gets city trash service. Check with your building first since some apartment complexes use a private service instead.
Gas is separate from electricity in Austin. Not every apartment uses gas, since many newer buildings are all-electric. But if your place has a gas stove or gas water heater, you need to set up Texas Gas Service separately. Their website is texasgasservice.com. Do not forget this one or you will have electricity but no way to cook or get hot water.
And if you want more detail on how to estimate what your actual monthly bills will look like before you move in, the estimate utility costs post walks through exactly how to do that before you sign a lease, which is way more useful than finding out after your first bill arrives.
FAQ
How do I start electricity at a new Austin apartment?
Go online to the City of Austin utilities portal or call 512-494-9400. You will need your new address and move-in date. Set your start date one day before you actually move in so there is a buffer if anything goes wrong.
Is there a deposit for Austin Energy and can I avoid it?
Yes, new customers pay a $200 deposit plus a $20 setup fee. You can avoid the $200 deposit by signing up for both Autopay and eBill paperless billing when you create your account. Stay enrolled in both for 12 months and the deposit is waived completely. If you already paid it, you get it back after 12 on-time payments.
Do I need to set up water separately from electricity in Austin?
No. Water is bundled with your City of Austin electricity account. When you set up Austin Energy service, water gets set up at the same time. They show up on the same bill.
What about gas?
Gas is separate and not every Austin apartment uses it. If yours has a gas stove or gas appliances, set up Texas Gas Service at texasgasservice.com or call 1-800-700-2443. Do this before move-in day or you will have no hot water or cooking until they come out.
How far in advance should I contact an internet provider?
At least three weeks before your move-in date, not two. Installation appointments book out fast in Austin especially in summer. Also check which providers actually cover your specific address before you assume Google Fiber is available there.
What happens if I forget to cancel utilities at my old place?
They keep billing you until you call and give them an end date. This is the most common mistake people make when moving. Set your end date at the old place on the same day you set your start date at the new one.
