Gas emergency, do not call for billing
If you smell gas, leave the building first, then call 1-800-444-3130 from a safe distance. The 24/7 emergency line is staffed by gas technicians, not billing reps. Do not touch the gas valve yourself.
Five ways to pay National Fuel
Pick the channel that matches the trade-off you care about: fee, speed or hands-free reliability.
Auto Pay (Direct Payment Plan)
Best for: customers who want zero winter delinquency risk and no late fees.
- Fee
- Free
- Speed
- Posts on the due date
National Fuel pulls the full balance from your checking or savings account on each bill due date. You still receive the bill a few weeks before, so you can review charges and contact customer service if anything looks wrong. Takes about one billing cycle to activate after you enroll.
Online or mobile app (one-time)
Best for: paying month-by-month from a desktop or phone.
- Fee
- Free from a bank account, $2.95 flat fee for credit or debit card
- Speed
- Same day if paid before 8 p.m. ET
Log in to your National Fuel account, choose Pay Bill, and select either a bank-account draft or a card payment processed by Western Union. The card option carries the $2.95 convenience fee for residential bills.
Pay by phone
Best for: customers without an online account.
- Fee
- Free from a bank account, $2.95 flat fee by card
- Speed
- Same day
Call 1-866-999-3277 to pay from a checking or savings account, or 1-866-999-7668 to pay with a debit card or a Visa, Mastercard or Discover credit card. Have your account number ready.
Authorized Payment Centers and in person
Best for: cash payments and unbanked households.
- Fee
- Varies by location, typically $1.50 to $2.00
- Speed
- 1 to 2 business days to post
National Fuel partners with walk-in Authorized Payment Centers across Western New York, often inside grocery stores, check-cashing locations and pharmacies. Bring your paper bill and pay by cash, check or money order. National Fuel does not run a network of in-person utility offices for routine bill payment, the Authorized Payment Center map on the National Fuel website lists the closest location to your ZIP code.
Pay by mail
Best for: customers who prefer paper records.
- Fee
- Free (postage only)
- Speed
- 5 to 7 days to post
Mail a check or money order with the bill stub to National Fuel Gas, P.O. Box 371835, Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7835. Write your National Fuel account number on the check. Allow at least one week for the payment to reach National Fuel and post, send 10 days before the due date in winter when mail volume is higher.
Why Auto Pay matters more in winter
National Fuel customers in Western New York heat with gas. That single fact reshapes the cash-flow math compared to households in milder climates. A typical Buffalo home that pays $40 to $60 a month for gas in July and August can see $200 to $350 a month in December, January and February. With a normal pay-on-receipt routine, the chance of missing a due date in those high-bill months goes up sharply.
Three reasons Auto Pay reduces winter risk
- ·No timing element. The draft happens on the due date regardless of holidays, travel or mail delays. Late fees of roughly 1.5% on the unpaid balance never trigger.
- ·No card surcharge. Auto Pay uses a bank-account draft (ACH), which National Fuel processes free. The card option carries a $2.95 fee every month.
- ·Stacks with the Budget Plan. Enroll in the Budget Plan in summer to smooth the bill amount, then use Auto Pay to handle the debit. The two together remove both the size shock and the timing shock.
When Auto Pay is the wrong choice
If your checking account routinely runs near zero before payday, Auto Pay can trigger an overdraft on a high winter bill. In that case, either pair Auto Pay with the Budget Plan first (the bill amount becomes predictable), or stay on manual pay and apply for HEAP through your county DSS before the season opens.
If you cannot pay this month
Three programs reduce or restructure your National Fuel bill. Call before the due date, not after a shutoff notice.
HEAP heating credit
Up to $996 for the 2025-2026 season, paid as a credit on your National Fuel account. Income limit around $80,165 per year for a family of four.
Apply through OTDADeferred Payment Agreement
A formal arrangement to spread a past-due balance over several months while keeping service on. Call 1-800-365-3234 before the due date to set one up.
EAP monthly discount
If you receive HEAP, you are automatically eligible for the state-mandated EAP monthly discount. The credit applies for as long as you are enrolled and stacks on the HEAP heating credit.
Winter shutoff protections
If you face shutoff between November and April and your household includes anyone over 62, under 18 or with a documented medical condition, the New York Home Energy Fair Practices Act (HEFPA) restricts National Fuel from terminating service. A signed medical certification from a treating physician adds further protection if life-sustaining equipment is in use at the home. Ask National Fuel customer service for the HEFPA paperwork on the same call where you request a Deferred Payment Agreement.
Pay your National Fuel bill, frequently asked questions
Online from your bank account, the mobile app or a one-time online debit, all of these post the same day if paid before 8 p.m. ET. Auto Pay is the most reliable because it never misses a due date and never carries a card fee. Mailing a check is the slowest channel, allow at least a week.
Yes. The Public Service Commission tariff for National Fuel residential gas service allows a late payment charge of roughly 1.5% on the unpaid balance from the bill due date until the next bill is issued. The fee compounds bill after bill on any unpaid balance, so the cheapest way to handle a tight month is to call customer service at 1-800-365-3234 and request a Deferred Payment Agreement before the due date.
Yes. National Fuel uses a third-party processor (Western Union) for card payments, and the residential convenience fee is $2.95 per transaction regardless of the bill size. Bank-account draft, Auto Pay and mail are free.
National Fuel customers heat with gas, so January and February bills can be three to five times the size of a summer bill. Households on monthly check-or-pay routines miss due dates more often in those high-bill months, then carry late fees into March, April and May. Auto Pay removes the timing risk because the draft happens automatically on the due date, with no action required from you. It pairs well with the Budget Plan, which smooths the bill itself, while Auto Pay handles the actual debit.
Call National Fuel at 1-800-365-3234 (outside Buffalo) or 1-716-686-6123 (Buffalo) before the due date. Ask about a Deferred Payment Agreement to split the balance over several months. Then apply for HEAP through your county DSS for a heating credit of up to $996 on your National Fuel account for the 2025-2026 season. The EAP discount stacks on top of HEAP and continues every month while you are enrolled.
If you smell gas, leave the building first, then call National Fuel's 24/7 emergency line at 1-800-444-3130 from a safe distance. Do not flip light switches, do not use a phone or any electrical device inside, and do not operate the gas valve yourself, that is a technician's job.
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