Last updated: May 20, 2026
Bottom line
If you are behind on heat, electric, propane, gas, or a related home energy bill in North Dakota, start with North Dakota LIHEAP because it is the main state energy program for low-income households. LIHEAP applications are accepted year-round, and the program can help with heating costs, emergency energy needs, some furnace or chimney work, weatherization, and some cooling-device help.
If a shutoff notice is already in your hand, do three things the same day: call your utility, apply for LIHEAP, and ask FirstLink 211 for local help. If your utility is regulated by the North Dakota Public Service Commission, you may also have notice, payment-plan, medical, age, disability, and dispute rights before disconnection.
If shutoff is close
Do not wait for a perfect application. Call your utility before the shutoff date and ask for the credit, collections, or hardship department. Say that you are applying for LIHEAP and need a written payment arrangement.
Then contact the North Dakota HHS Customer Support Center at 1-866-614-6005 or 701-328-1000, 711 TTY. Ask how to mark your application as an energy emergency if you have a shutoff notice, are out of deliverable fuel, or need a minor repair. The Apply for Help page is also where North Dakota lists other benefit programs that may help your household budget.
If you are age 65 or older, have a disability, or someone in the home has a dangerous health condition, tell the utility in writing right away. North Dakota’s regulated utility rules can allow up to a 30-day postponement if you act during the notice period.
Where to start in North Dakota
Utility help works best when you work on two tracks at the same time. One track is money help through LIHEAP, Energy Share, or a local agency. The other track is keeping service on while your application is pending.
Apply for LIHEAP
Use the Self-Service Portal online, or ask for help by phone or through a local office.
Call the utility
Ask for a payment arrangement, budget billing, hardship notes on the account, and a pause while you apply.
Ask for local help
Use Community Action and 211 to find Energy Share, charity funds, and local emergency help.
For other North Dakota needs, use our North Dakota hub as a starting page. If utility trouble is tied to rent, eviction, or unsafe housing, also check housing help and emergency help for the same state.
Quick help table
| Problem | First call or application | What to ask for | Reality check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heating bill, propane, fuel oil, coal, wood, or electric heat | North Dakota LIHEAP | Regular energy help and emergency review | Approval depends on income, household, bills, and documents. |
| Electric shutoff when electric is not your main heat | Community Action | Energy Share or local emergency funds | Funds are limited and may be last-resort help. |
| High bills from a drafty home | Weatherization | Energy audit and approved efficiency work | There may be a wait, and not every repair is covered. |
| Phone or internet bill | Lifeline | Monthly discount on eligible service | Only one Lifeline benefit is allowed per household. |
| Water or sewer bill | City utility, 211, Community Action | Payment plan or local charity help | Federal water-bill funds are not a steady program now. |
North Dakota LIHEAP energy help
LIHEAP is the main energy bill program in North Dakota. The state says LIHEAP can partially pay the cost of natural gas, electricity, propane, fuel oil, coal, wood, or other fuel sources. It may also cover weatherization services, furnace cleaning, furnace repair or replacement, chimney cleaning and inspection, emergency assistance, and help with the cost of a cooling device or repair.
Both renters and homeowners can apply. If heat is included in your rent, keep your lease because the state may ask for it. If you pay a separate bill, keep your current heating bill and any shutoff notice.
You can apply online, by printing and sending an application, by asking for an application by mail, or by working with a local human service zone. The zone office list can help you find the local office that serves your county.
If forms are hard to finish, Community Options can help with the LIHEAP application process. North Dakota HHS says Community Options may help collect documents, fill out the form, and submit it. Call 1-800-823-2417, 711 TTY, and ask for LIHEAP application help.
North Dakota HHS reported in a February 2026 HHS news release that LIHEAP helped an average of 37,000 North Dakotans over the prior year and provided $15.3 million in home energy assistance. That does not mean every household gets the same help. Your amount and timing depend on your situation and state rules.
2025-2026 LIHEAP income limits
North Dakota says LIHEAP income is based on household size and must be at or below 60 percent of the state’s median income. These limits are listed by the state for the 2025-2026 heating season, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
| Household size | Annual income limit | Monthly income limit |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $40,530 | $3,378 |
| 2 | $53,010 | $4,418 |
| 3 | $65,478 | $5,457 |
| 4 | $77,958 | $6,497 |
| 5 | $90,426 | $7,536 |
| 6 | $102,894 | $8,575 |
Do not self-reject if you are close to the limit. Income rules can involve the prior month, current month, expected next month, household changes, rent, heating type, and deductions. The official LIHEAP FAQ explains that applicants are sent a notice of eligibility within 45 days and have appeal rights if they disagree with a decision or do not receive a written notice on time.
Emergency electric help and Energy Share
If your emergency is an electric bill and electricity is not your main heat source, ask Community Action about Energy Share. North Dakota HHS says LIHEAP-approved households can take their approval notice to Community Action for Energy Share if they need help with emergency electric costs.
Energy Share is a nonprofit emergency fund for North Dakotans with home energy needs. A Community Action page for Energy Share says the fund focuses on emergency household energy bills not covered by other programs and does not duplicate other assistance.
Energy Share is not a guaranteed payment. It is often last-resort help after LIHEAP, utility payment plans, and other resources are checked. Ask what documents they need before you drive to an office.
North Dakota shutoff rights
The PSC electric page explains that the North Dakota Public Service Commission regulates the rates, terms, and conditions of retail service for investor-owned electric utilities, but not the rates, terms, and conditions of rural electric cooperatives or municipal providers.
The PSC’s disconnection guide says investor-owned utilities must give written notice at least 10 days before the planned disconnection date. It also says disconnection is prohibited on weekends, Fridays, state holidays, the day before a state holiday, and after noon on any day. The same guide plainly says North Dakota rules do not prohibit winter shutoffs as long as the other protections are followed.
That means winter does not automatically protect you. A written payment plan matters. If you cannot make a payment under an arrangement, call the utility before the missed payment date and ask for a new arrangement.
Who is covered?
PSC rules apply to investor-owned utilities such as Xcel Energy, Montana-Dakota Utilities, Great Plains Natural Gas, Otter Tail Power, and Dakota Natural Gas. Municipal utilities and rural electric cooperatives may have their own policies. If you are unsure, ask your biller, then call the PSC at 701-328-2400.
Legal Services of North Dakota has a plain-language page called Power Shut Off that explains notice, payment plans, disputes, and cooperative utilities. If a shutoff is tied to a landlord, unsafe housing, discrimination, or a court case, use our legal help guide and contact a legal aid office quickly.
Weatherization help for long-term savings
Weatherization is not a quick bill payment. It is home energy work that may lower future bills and make your home safer. North Dakota Commerce says the Weatherization Assistance program works to increase energy efficiency in homes owned or occupied by low-income people, with work chosen after an energy audit.
Common work can include caulking, weather stripping, attic insulation, wall insulation, floor insulation, door work, window measures, furnace efficiency measures, and certain building repairs that support approved weatherization work. General remodeling and cosmetic work are not the point of this program.
Commerce lists 2026 weatherization guidelines at 200 percent of the poverty level and says LIHEAP clients are automatically eligible. It also says a home usually can only receive weatherization once unless it was weatherized more than 15 years ago.
Water, phone, and internet help
LIHEAP is for home energy, not a general water-bill program. If your water or sewer bill is late, call the city or water provider and ask for a payment plan, fee waiver, leak adjustment, or hardship contact. Then call 211 and Community Action. The federal LIHWAP page now points people toward Community Action and other local resources because federal water funds were temporary.
For phone or internet, check Lifeline. The Lifeline site says qualifying households can receive a monthly discount on phone, internet, or bundled service. The FCC Lifeline page explains that Lifeline is meant to make communication service more affordable for low-income consumers.
Only one Lifeline benefit is allowed per household. If you already receive a Lifeline discount, do not sign up through a second company until you understand the rules. For more plain-language help on this topic, see our phone internet help guide.
Ask your utility company for its own options
Even when you apply for public help, your utility company can still be important. Ask for a payment arrangement, balanced billing, due-date change, hardship hold, medical form, third-party notice, and a list of local agencies the company works with.
| Utility or service | Where to start | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Montana-Dakota Utilities | MDU assistance | Payment plan, LIHEAP information, Energy Share, and hardship options. |
| Xcel Energy | Xcel assistance | Payment arrangements, state resources, and energy assistance options. |
| Otter Tail Power | Otter Tail Uplift | Uplift, energy assistance proof, and payment options. |
| Great Plains Natural Gas | Great Plains help | Assistance programs, payment options, and local referrals. |
Documents to gather before you apply
Do not wait until you have everything to ask for help. But the more documents you have, the easier it is for an office to act. Keep photos or PDFs on your phone if possible.
| Document | Why it helps | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Current utility bill | Shows account number, amount due, and provider. | Take a photo of every page. |
| Disconnect notice | Shows the deadline and emergency level. | Upload or fax it the same day. |
| Income proof | LIHEAP asks for income verification. | Include pay stubs, benefits, support, or job-loss proof. |
| Lease or rent proof | Needed if you rent or heat is included. | Ask your landlord for a copy if you lost it. |
| Expense proof | Some expenses may matter in the review. | Keep child care, medical, and child support records. |
| Medical note | May support shutoff delay or cooling help. | Ask the provider to state why utility loss is dangerous. |
Common mistakes to avoid
- Waiting until the morning of shutoff to call the utility.
- Assuming winter alone prevents a shutoff in North Dakota.
- Applying for LIHEAP but not sending the bill, lease, or income proof.
- Ignoring mail from HHS, the utility, or Community Action.
- Missing a payment plan payment without calling first.
- Using only online forms when you have an active emergency.
Backup options when one program is not enough
If utility help is part of a bigger budget crisis, stack the supports that lower other bills. SNAP can free up grocery money, TANF may help some families with children, WIC can help pregnant mothers and young children, and child care help may reduce work-related costs.
Use these North Dakota guides next if they fit your situation: SNAP help, TANF help, WIC benefits, and child care help for benefit planning.
If distance, fuel costs, or lack of transit make it hard to reach offices, see rural support and transportation help. If you are unsafe at home or a partner controls money, utilities, mail, or phone access, use safety resources from a safer device if you can.
Phone scripts you can use
Calling your utility
“Hi, my name is _____. I have account number _____. I am a single parent and I received a shutoff notice dated _____. I am applying for LIHEAP today. Can you set up a payment arrangement, note my account, and tell me what amount is needed to stop disconnection while my application is reviewed?”
Calling HHS Customer Support
“I need help with LIHEAP and I have an energy emergency. My shutoff date is _____, or I am out of fuel. What documents do you need today, and how should I send them?”
Calling Community Action
“I was told to ask about Energy Share or emergency utility help. I have applied for LIHEAP, and my bill is with _____. Do you serve my county, and what should I bring?”
Calling the PSC
“I called my utility and I think I am not being given the shutoff protections listed by the Public Service Commission. Can you tell me whether this utility is regulated and what steps I should take?”
If your application is denied or delayed
Ask for the reason in writing. If the problem is missing proof, send the exact missing item and keep a copy. If you disagree with the decision, ask how to appeal and the deadline. North Dakota’s LIHEAP FAQ says you have the right to appeal if you disagree with a heating assistance or emergency assistance decision, or if you do not receive written notice within the required time.
For a wider step-by-step guide, read benefits problems before you give up. Many delays are paperwork issues, address changes, or unread notices.
Resumen en español
Si necesita ayuda con calefacción, electricidad, gas, propano o combustible en North Dakota, empiece con LIHEAP. Puede solicitar ayuda durante todo el año. Si tiene aviso de corte, llame a la compañía de servicios, solicite LIHEAP y llame al 211 el mismo día.
Guarde copias de su factura, aviso de corte, comprobantes de ingresos, contrato de renta y cualquier nota médica. Si una persona en la casa tiene una condición médica peligrosa, discapacidad o tiene 65 años o más, dígalo por escrito a la compañía de servicios lo antes posible.
FAQ
Can single mothers get utility help in North Dakota?
Yes, but help is based on program rules, income, household size, bills, funding, and documents. Start with LIHEAP, then ask Community Action and 211 about local help.
Can LIHEAP help with propane or fuel oil?
Yes. North Dakota LIHEAP can help with several home energy sources, including natural gas, electricity, propane, fuel oil, coal, wood, and other fuel sources.
Does North Dakota stop winter utility shutoffs?
No. PSC materials say the rules do not prohibit winter disconnection as long as other protections are followed. Call your utility early and ask for a payment plan.
What if I have a medical issue?
Tell the utility in writing during the notice period. Regulated utility rules may allow up to a 30-day postponement when dangerous health conditions exist, or when the customer is age 65 or older or has a disability.
Can renters apply for LIHEAP?
Yes. Renters can apply. If heat is included in rent, keep your lease or rent proof because the state may ask for it.
Where can I get help filling out the LIHEAP application?
Community Options can help with the LIHEAP process. You can also contact the North Dakota HHS Customer Support Center or your local human service zone.
About this guide
This guide uses official federal, state, local, and other high-trust nonprofit and community sources mentioned in the article.
A Single Mother is independent and is not a government agency, benefits office, lender, law firm, medical provider, or tax advisor.
Program rules, funding, local availability, and eligibility can change. Always confirm details with the official program before you apply or make decisions.
Verification: Last verified May 20, 2026, next review August 20, 2026.
Corrections: If you see something wrong or outdated, email suggestions@asinglemother.org.
Disclaimer: This article is for general information only. It is not legal, financial, medical, tax, immigration, disability, safety, or government-agency advice.