Indiana

INModerate

Days notice (electric)

Days notice (gas)

✓

Winter moratorium

✓

Medical exemption

What to do today

If you have a shutoff notice, the date on it is the one that matters. These steps work best in this order.

Call your utility before the date on your notice
Ask for a payment plan or a deferred payment arrangement. Most states require your utility to offer one, and asking before the date is what keeps your service on. The number is on your bill.
Apply for energy assistance
LIHEAP helps with utility bills and does not have to be paid back. Call the national referral line on 1-866-674-6327 weekdays 9am to 7pm Eastern, or visit energyhelp.us.
Dial 211 for local help
211 is free and connects you to local funds for utilities, rent and food. Some local agencies can pay a utility directly to stop a shutoff.
Ask about medical certification
Indiana recognises medical protections. If anyone in your home has a serious illness or relies on powered medical equipment, a note from a doctor can delay a shutoff. Ask your utility for the form today, because it usually has to be back within days.
Contact the regulator if your utility will not work with you
in.gov handles complaints against regulated utilities in Indiana. Filing one can pause a disconnection while it is looked at.

Electric Gas Water Medical Low Income Regulator

Electric Shutoff Rules

Regulatory notice required14 days

Reconnection feeVaries by utility

Winter moratorium: December 1–March 15: electric and natural gas utilities may not disconnect customers who are receiving Energy Assistance Program (EAP) help, or who have formally applied and qualified for EAP. Not a universal moratorium — EAP-linked only.

Major Utilities

Duke Energy India…NIPSCO (Northern …AEP Indiana Michi…

Duke Energy Indiana

Southern and central Indiana

14-day notice

IURC's General Rules and Regulations Applicable to Electric Service, 170 IAC 4-1-16(e), requires at least 14 days' prior written notice before disconnecting residential electric service for nonpayment

this is the correct citation and supersedes the earlier "170 IAC 4-2-14", which is not a valid section

It applies to Duke Energy Indiana as an IURC-regulated investor-owned electric utility

Duke Energy's own reconnection-charge tariff sheet could not be verified from a primary source (duke-energy.com returns a 403 error to automated access), so reconnection_fee is left null rather than guessed

"170 IAC 4-1-16 — Disconnection of Service; Prohibited Disconnections; Reconnection (Cornell LII)." law.cornell.edu. Retrieved 21 Sep 2026.

NIPSCO (Northern Indiana Public Service Company)

Northern Indiana including the South Shore area and extending east toward the Michigan border

14-day notice

NIPSCO's own IURC electric tariff (General Rules and Regulations Applicable to Electric Service, Rule 12.3, Original Sheet 40, effective 7/1/2025) requires written notice at least 14 days before disconnection for nonpayment, matching the statewide rule at 170 IAC 4-1-16 (this supersedes the earlier, incorrect "170 IAC 4-2-14"/"4-2-20" citations)

Rule 15.1 (First Revised Sheet 45, effective 3/1/2026) sets the reconnection-at-the-meter charge at $0 during normal business hours (8am-5pm) for customers without a functioning AMI meter, $110 after hours or on Saturday, and $130 on Sunday or a holiday

reconnection at the pole costs more ($150-$290 depending on timing and whether an easement is needed)

Reconnection fee:$0.00 during normal hours (8am-5pm) for meter reconnection without AMI; $110.00 after hours/Saturday; $130.00 Sunday/holidays (higher fees apply for pole reconnection)

"NIPSCO Electric Service Tariff — General Rules and Regulations, Rules 12 & 15." nipsco.com. Retrieved 21 Sep 2026.

AEP Indiana Michigan Power (American Electric Power)

Northeastern and east-central Indiana, including Fort Wayne and Muncie, plus parts of north-central Indiana bordering southwest Michigan (South Bend/Elkhart area); AEP subsidiary, not a small or boundary-only territory

14-day notice

this applies to AEP Indiana Michigan Power as an IURC-regulated investor-owned electric utility and supersedes the earlier "170 IAC 4-2-14"/"4-2-20" citations, which are not valid sections

I&M's own reconnection-charge tariff sheet could not be located from a primary source in the time available, so reconnection_fee is left null rather than guessed

"170 IAC 4-1-16 — Disconnection of Service; Prohibited Disconnections; Reconnection (Cornell LII)." law.cornell.edu. Retrieved 21 Sep 2026.

Gas Shutoff Rules

Regulatory notice required14 days

Reconnection feeVaries by utility

Major Utilities

CenterPoint Energ…NIPSCO Gas (North…

CenterPoint Energy Indiana Gas

Central and southern Indiana

14-day notice

IURC's General Rules and Regulations Applicable to Gas Service, 170 IAC 5-1-16(f), requires at least 14 days' prior written notice before disconnecting residential gas service for nonpayment

This is the correct citation, replacing the earlier "170 IAC 4-3-2" and "4-3-1.5", which are not valid sections — Indiana regulates gas utilities under Article 5, a separate article from the electric rules in Article 4

CenterPoint's own Indiana gas tariff document could not be reached (the linked PDF returns a 404), so reconnection_fee is left null rather than guessed

"170 IAC 5-1-16 — Disconnection of Gas Service; Reconnection (Cornell LII)." law.cornell.edu. Retrieved 21 Sep 2026.

NIPSCO Gas (Northern Indiana Public Service Company)

Northern Indiana gas distribution; part of NIPSCO's northern Indiana service territory

14-day notice

NIPSCO's own IURC gas tariff (General Rules and Regulations Applicable to Gas Service, Rule 12, First Revised Sheet 37-38, effective 9/18/2024) requires at least 14 days' written notice before disconnection for nonpayment, matching the statewide rule at 170 IAC 5-1-16 (this supersedes the earlier, incorrect "170 IAC 4-3-2" citation)

Rule 17 (Original Sheet 45, effective 8/20/2024) sets the reconnection charge at $90 during normal working hours (8am-5pm), $110 after hours or on Saturday, and $130 on Sunday or a holiday, plus a separate $75 after-hours/same-day charge when applicable

Reconnection fee:$90.00 during normal working hours (8am-5pm); $110.00 after hours/Saturday; $130.00 Sunday/holidays

"NIPSCO Gas Service Tariff — General Rules and Regulations, Rules 12 & 17." nipsco.com. Retrieved 21 Sep 2026.

Water Shutoff Rules

Regulatory notice required7 days

Major Utilities

Indiana American Water

Multiple service areas across Indiana including the Indianapolis region, across several operating divisions

7-day notice

IURC's General Rules and Regulations Applicable to Water Utilities, 170 IAC 6-1-16, requires at least 7 days' prior written notice before disconnecting residential water service for nonpayment

Indiana-American Water's own IURC-stamped tariff (I.U.R.C

No. W-22-A, effective 2/21/2024) sets the reconnection charge at $40.00 for a standard reconnection and $60.00 if reconnection is requested after regular business hours or on a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday

Indiana-American Water is an investor-owned utility regulated directly by the IURC

Reconnection fee:$40.00 standard reconnection; $60.00 for after-hours, weekend, or holiday reconnection at the customer's request

"Indiana-American Water Company IURC Tariff — Reconnection Charge." amwater.com. Retrieved 21 Sep 2026.

Medical & Vulnerable Household Exemptions

Licensed doctor or public health official statement postpones disconnection for 10 days. Medical postponement available for serious conditions that would be aggravated by loss of service.

Low-Income Protections

Indiana LIHEAP / EAP administered by Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs. EAP qualification also triggers winter disconnection protection. Utilities must offer payment plans.

Your State Regulator

File a complaint or get help from Indiana's utility regulator →

Data last verified: 2026-09-21. Rules may change — verify with your state regulator.