"Call the utility to turn it on" is wrong in Texas.
Most moving checklists tell you to call the utility a week before move-in. That advice is wrong in deregulated Texas, and it leaves four important facts on the floor.
First, in Texas you do not call the wires company. You call a REP. The local TDU never bills you; they only deliver. Confuse those two and your timeline slips a week.
Second, the three move scenarios (IN, OUT and WITHIN Texas) have different rules and different forms. A generic checklist hides that.
Third, in roughly 15% of Texas (co-op and municipal territory), there is no marketplace at all. The PUCT rules below do not apply. You call the co-op directly.
Fourth, almost nobody mentions PUCT Substantive Rule 25.475, which lets you walk away from a fixed-rate contract with zero early termination fee when you move to an address your REP cannot serve. Most Texans on a fixed plan pay $150-$295 in ETF they never owed.
Three Texas move scenarios. Pick yours.
Texas does not treat every move the same. The right first call, the right form and the right timing all depend on which of these three patterns matches you.
Scenario 1, Inbound
Moving IN to Texas
From out of state. You have no Texas REP yet. Pick one on Power to Choose, then call to schedule.
Scenario 2, Outbound
Moving OUT of Texas
To another state. Schedule a final read with your REP and claim the Rule 25.475 ETF waiver in writing.
Scenario 3, Within Texas
Moving WITHIN Texas
New address in Texas. Transfer your plan to the new ESI ID, or shop a new REP for the new ZIP.
If your new address is served by a co-operative (Pedernales, Bluebonnet, Bandera, etc.) or a municipal utility (Austin Energy, CPS Energy, Brownsville PUB, Garland Power, etc.), none of the three scenarios above applies. See the co-op callout below.
Each scenario, side by side.
Same table, three columns of life: who you call first, what you need on the call, how long it takes, and whether the ETF waiver protects you.
| Scenario | First step | Documents | Timing | ETF waiver | Detail page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moving IN to Texas | Pick a REP on Power to Choose | SSN or driver's license, new address, ESI ID | 5-7 days standard; 30-90 min smart meter | N/A | Texas move-in guide |
| Moving OUT of Texas | Call your REP, schedule final read | New out-of-state address proof (lease, bill, mortgage) | 5-30 days notice; final bill in 30 days | Yes | CenterPoint move-out |
| Moving WITHIN Texas (same REP) | Call your REP to transfer the plan | Account number, new address, new ESI ID | 5-7 days; same-day smart meter | N/A | Oncor move-in |
| Moving WITHIN Texas (new REP) | Compare on Power to Choose for the new ZIP | SSN, new address, ESI ID; old REP final-bill address | 5-7 days; same-day smart meter | Yes | AEP move-in |
| Co-op or muni address | Call the co-op or muni directly | ID, lease/closing, membership fee | 1-3 business days | N/A | Co-op directory |
The ETF waiver is the same federal-style consumer protection in every column where it appears. Always claim it in writing, with a dated proof of the new address attached.
Most Texans on a fixed plan pay $150-$295 in ETF they never owed.
The standard fixed-rate Electricity Facts Label in Texas shows an early termination fee of $150 on a 12-month plan and around $295 on a 24-36 month plan. The flat-fee tier kicks in at most major REPs.
PUCT Substantive Rule 25.475(e)(2) says this fee does not apply when the customer "moves to a location where the REP does not provide service". A move out of state qualifies. A move to a different ZIP your REP cannot serve qualifies. A move to a co-op or muni address qualifies.
The catch: the REP is not obligated to volunteer the waiver. You have to request it in writing and provide a dated proof of the new address. Most movers never do, and the fee posts to their final bill quietly. Selectra LLC's internal customer data shows fewer than 1 in 5 fixed-plan movers claim the waiver they are owed.
flat ETF on a Texas fixed-rate plan
How a Texas move actually flows through the grid.
Behind every move there is a four-step electronic dance between your REP, ERCOT and the local TDU.
You sign up with a REP
Online, by phone or in person. The REP collects your name, address, ID and the 17-digit ESI ID. They quote an enrollment date and assign you to a TDU service area.
REP sends a MarkeTrak 814_16 to ERCOT
An EDI 814 transaction with subtype 16 (move-in) or its sibling subtypes for switch and move-out. ERCOT validates the ESI ID, the dates and the customer match, then routes the message to the local TDU.
TDU schedules a truck or remote ping
If the meter is a smart meter and power is already on, the TDU reassigns the meter's billing record electronically in 30 to 90 minutes. If a physical disconnect happened, a field truck is dispatched in the 5-7 day window.
REP starts (or ends) billing on the read date
First (or final) meter read posts to your REP. Billing begins or stops on that timestamp. Final bills typically arrive about 30 days after the read; deposit refunds settle within 90 days.
This is why "Can you do it tomorrow?" gets a different answer depending on your TDU: CenterPoint, Oncor, AEP and TNMP all run on smart meters now, so same-day reactivation is real. Co-ops and munis are not on this rail and take their own time.
Five mistakes Texans make when they move.
Each one is fixable in less than a phone call. Each one costs real money.
In co-op or muni territory, none of the marketplace rules apply.
Roughly 15% of Texans live in territory served by an electric co-operative or a municipally-owned utility: Pedernales Electric Cooperative, Bluebonnet Electric, Austin Energy, CPS Energy in San Antonio, Brownsville Public Utilities Board, Garland Power & Light, and dozens more. These providers opted out of Texas deregulation when the market opened in 2002.
There is no Power to Choose listing for these addresses. There is no ETF and no Rule 25.475 to claim. You call the co-op or MOU directly, sign up, pay any membership fee or deposit, and your power is on in 1-3 business days.
Browse our directory at /tx/agency to find the right provider for your ZIP before you call.
Pick the page that matches your situation.
Each card below is a deep guide on one specific scenario, TDU or provider. Start with the one that matches the new address.
Texas move-in guide
The full inbound checklist: pick a REP, ESI ID lookup, deposit waiver, smart-meter timing.
CenterPoint move-in (Houston)
Houston metro and Galveston: smart meter expedited fees, REP options, TDU service area map.
CenterPoint move-out
Final meter read, ETF waiver request, deposit refund timeline for the Houston-area TDU.
Oncor move-in (DFW)
Dallas-Fort Worth and most of north and west Texas: REPs, ESI ID rules, scheduling windows.
AEP Texas move-in
Corpus Christi, Laredo, Abilene, Rio Grande Valley: AEP North and Central service zones explained.
Co-op & muni directory
If your new address is served by a co-op or city utility, find the right contact here.
Common questions about moving in or out of Texas.
Five to seven business days before your move date is the standard target. That window matches the time the REP needs to send the 814_16 transaction to ERCOT and have the TDU schedule the activation. Same-day is possible on smart meters (CenterPoint, Oncor, AEP, TNMP) for an expedited fee of roughly $20-$50. For a move out, give 5-30 days notice in writing so the final read is scheduled correctly.
Only if the new address is served by your REP and is on a compatible plan. Most major REPs (Reliant, TXU, Gexa, Rhythm, Discount Power) cover all four Texas TDUs, so an in-state move usually allows a transfer. A move to a co-op or municipal address (Austin Energy, CPS Energy, Pedernales, etc.) ends the contract because your REP cannot serve there. Rule 25.475 waives the ETF in that case.
Not if PUCT Substantive Rule 25.475 applies. The rule waives the ETF when you move to an address where your REP does not provide service, typically out of state, into a co-op or muni territory, or to a ZIP your REP is not licensed for. You must request the waiver in writing and provide dated proof of the new address (lease, mortgage closing statement, utility bill). The waiver is mandatory for the REP; do not let them tell you otherwise.
If the new address has an active smart meter and the line is currently energized, a same-day or next-day remote activation is realistic, typically 30 to 90 minutes after the REP sends the signal, for an expedited fee. Without a smart meter, or if the line was physically disconnected, expect a TDU truck visit and 5-7 business days. All four major Texas TDUs (CenterPoint, Oncor, AEP, TNMP) now run on smart meters across most of their footprints.
You skip Power to Choose entirely. There is no shopping, no Electricity Facts Label, no ETF. You call the co-op or MOU directly, Pedernales, Bluebonnet, Bandera, Austin Energy, CPS Energy, Garland Power, Brownsville PUB and around 150 others. Provide ID, the new service address and your move-in date. A membership fee or deposit may be required. Activation is usually 1-3 business days.
An ESI ID is a 17-digit Electric Service Identifier used by ERCOT to uniquely identify a service point: one specific meter at one specific address. Every Texas property has its own ESI ID, including two units in the same duplex. Find it on any past Texas electricity bill, or at esiiddirectory.com. If you do not have it, the REP can look it up by street address when you sign up.
More U.S. states with energy choice
Same playbook, different utility. Pick another deregulated state to compare utilities, suppliers and switching rules.
