5 Winter Shutoff Protection Dates New Jerseyans Should Know Before November 15
Cold weather and an overdue utility bill make a stressful pair.
New Jerseyans may be covered by winter protections, but timing matters, and some key dates arrive sooner than you’d think.
Here are the winter shutoff protection dates to circle on your calendar this season.
Note: This is general information, not legal or financial advice. Program rules and dates are subject to change, so confirm the current details with the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities.
1. October 1: Energy Assistance Sign-Up
The Winter Termination Program starts November 15, but one way to qualify for it opened on October 1.
That’s when the state began taking applications for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and the Universal Service Fund (USF).
The Department of Community Affairs takes those applications on a first-come, first-served basis.
This year’s window runs through June 30, 2027.
It’s open now.
A single person qualifies with a gross income of up to $51,273 a year, and a family of four with up to $98,602.
Getting either benefit also puts you on the list of customers the Winter Termination Program protects.
USF help is capped at $200 a month, depending on your household income and heating type.
You can apply at energyassistance.nj.gov or by calling 1-800-510-3102.
2. November 12: Last Shutoff Day
The Winter Termination Program begins on a Sunday this year.
State rules allow a disconnection only between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Thursday.
Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays are off-limits, as are state holidays and the day before one, unless there’s a safety emergency.
Veterans Day is a state holiday, and it lands on Wednesday, November 11, so Tuesday, November 10, is off-limits too.
That narrows the calendar.
Count back from Sunday, November 15, and Thursday, November 12, is the last day those rules leave open for a shutoff before the program starts.
Even on a permitted day, a utility can disconnect you for nonpayment only if your balance tops $200 or your account runs more than three months behind.
The Shutoff Notice Clock
Shutoff protection starts with a waiting period: A utility has to wait at least 20 days after mailing your bill before it can send a shutoff notice.
The notice then gives you at least 10 more days to pay, counted from its postmark date.
It has to arrive by first-class mail, in a separate mailing from your bill.
During the heating season, every notice also has to include a Winter Termination Program fact sheet in English and Spanish.
3. November 15: Winter Termination Program Start
The Winter Termination Program begins Sunday, November 15, and bars electric, gas, water and wastewater utilities from disconnecting eligible residential customers through March 15.
The Board of Public Utilities (BPU) put the 2024-2025 winter total at 283,738 customers across gas, electric, sewer and water service.
Qualifying benefits include LIHEAP, USF and the Lifeline Credit Program.
Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled (PAAD) and General Assistance count too.
The list is long.
You can also qualify without any of them if you can’t pay because of circumstances beyond your control.
The rule names unemployment, illness, medical expenses and the recent death of an immediate family member.
You have to notify your utility yourself, and you’re expected to make good-faith payments if you’re able.
Psst! How much do you know about utility bills and shutoff rules? Take our quiz and see if you can ace it.
Quiz
Shutoff Rules IQ
Answer these questions on utility bills and shutoff rules. We bet you can’t get them all right. Prove us wrong?
Which summer stretch does New Jersey’s Summer Termination Program cover?
4. November 26: Thanksgiving Shutoff Limits
Winter shutoff protection covers Thanksgiving, which falls on Thursday, November 26.
A utility can't disconnect your residential service on a state holiday or the day before one, so Wednesday, November 25, is off-limits too.
Christmas Day and New Year's Day both land on Fridays this year.
That makes Thursday, December 24, and Thursday, December 31, the days before holidays, and utilities can't disconnect service on either.
Those holiday limits sit in the state's general shutoff rules, not in the Winter Termination Program.
You don't need to enroll.
5. March 15: Winter Protection Ends
The Winter Termination Program ends Monday, March 15, 2027.
The BPU says you remain responsible for your accumulated utility bills.
Your balance carries over.
South Jersey Gas tells customers the protection period may be extended in cold weather.
Service can be shut off after March 15, or later if weather conditions extend the program, for customers who fall behind on payments.
Psst! Are you ready for November 15? Run through this checklist and see where you stand.
Shutoff Protections That Skip the Calendar
Some utility shutoff protections don't depend on a date at all.
If a shutoff would aggravate a medical emergency in your home, a utility can't disconnect residential service for nonpayment for up to 90 days initially.
The utility can require a written statement from a licensed medical professional describing the emergency and how long it's likely to last.
Utilities also can't disconnect residential service whenever the high temperature is forecast to be 32 degrees Fahrenheit or below during the next 24 hours.
A cold snap counts.
That rule isn't tied to the Winter Termination Program, so it applies before November 15 too.
A utility also can't disconnect you over a charge you've disputed, as long as you pay the undisputed charges and ask the BPU to investigate the disputed one.
Psst! How well do you know your shutoff rights? Flip through these cards and see if you can spot the myths.
Getting Service Back After a Shutoff
A shutoff before November 15 doesn't end your eligibility for the Winter Termination Program.
If your electric or gas service was cut off for nonpayment and isn't back on by November 15, you can still be eligible for the program.
In that case, the utility can require a down payment of up to 25 percent of your outstanding balance.
It has to consider what you can afford, and the 25 percent is a ceiling, not a minimum.
Water works differently.
If you're a water or wastewater customer, a pending assistance application matters.
Show proof of it, and the utility has to reconnect you before the application is decided, unless there's a utility emergency.
It can't ask you for a down payment either.
FAQ
Quick answers to common questions about winter utility shutoffs.
When does the New Jersey Winter Termination Program start and end?
It runs from November 15 through March 15 each year, which means November 15, 2026, to March 15, 2027.
Utilities can't disconnect eligible residential customers during that stretch.
Who qualifies for winter utility shutoff protection in New Jersey?
Customers who receive benefits such as LIHEAP, USF, Lifeline Credit, SSI, TANF, PAAD or General Assistance qualify.
So can anyone who can't pay because of circumstances beyond their control, such as unemployment or illness.
Can a New Jersey utility shut off my service before November 15?
Yes, after proper notice, if your balance tops $200 or your account is more than three months behind.
A shutoff can happen only between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and a medical emergency or a forecast high of 32 degrees or below blocks it.
Do I still owe my utility bill after March 15?
Yes.
The BPU says customers remain responsible for their accumulated utility bills.
Do I have to sign up for the Winter Termination Program?
Yes, you have to notify your utility yourself, either verbally or with a self-certification form.
That form is for customers whose electric, sewer or water service comes from a local authority, a municipal utility or a rural electric cooperative.
6 Acme Systems That Work Against New Jerseyans Who Don't Know Them
You went to Acme for groceries, not homework.
A few of its systems can work against shoppers who haven't learned how they operate.
6 Acme Systems That Work Against New Jerseyans Who Don't Know Them
8 Property Tax Freeze Rules New Jersey Retirees Miss Out On
New Jersey's Senior Freeze isn't a one-time signup.
Missing one rule can cost a retiree money they were counting on.
