Yes, utilities can be shut off in Illinois, but only when a set of seasonal, weather-based, and household protections do not apply and the company has followed the state’s notice rules. From December 1 through March 31, regulated gas and electric utilities face heavy restrictions on cutting off heat. Outside that window, the forecast for the next 24 hours, a medical certification, or a payment arrangement can still stop a disconnection. The rules come from the Illinois Commerce Commission under Title 83 of the Illinois Administrative Code.
Which Utilities These Rules Cover
The ICC’s disconnection rules apply to investor-owned utilities: ComEd, Ameren, Nicor Gas, Peoples Gas, and others the state regulates. If your provider is a municipal utility or an electric cooperative, these specific protections do not automatically apply. Those providers set their own disconnection policies, which may be stronger or weaker than the ICC’s. Check the provider name on your bill and contact that utility directly to ask about its shutoff procedure.
Winter Heating Moratorium: December 1 Through March 31
During the winter heating season, Illinois places strong limits on disconnecting residential gas and electric service used for heating. What the limit looks like depends on whether you receive energy assistance.
If you participate in the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), no regulated gas or electric utility can disconnect your service for nonpayment between December 1 and March 31, so long as gas or electricity powers your primary heating system. There are no other conditions attached.1Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Administrative Code Title 83 Part 280 – Section 280.130 Disconnection of Service
For other residential heating customers, the protection is strong but conditional. Under Section 280.135, a utility cannot disconnect heating service during the moratorium unless it has first offered you a winter deferred payment arrangement with a down payment of no more than 10 percent of your past-due balance and provided you with contact information for public and private assistance agencies. Only if you refuse that offer, and all other disconnection notice requirements have been met, can the utility proceed.2Cornell Law School. Illinois Administrative Code Title 83 Section 280.135 – Winter Disconnection of Residential Heating Services December 1 Through March 31
The practical point: engage with the offer rather than ignoring it. A 10 percent down payment is far easier to meet than the standard terms, and accepting the arrangement locks in your protection for the season. Ignoring the notice is the one path that reliably leads to a winter shutoff.
Weather-Based Protections Outside Winter
Even outside the moratorium, the forecast can stop a shutoff.
On the cold side, a utility cannot disconnect service on any day the National Weather Service forecasts 32 degrees Fahrenheit or below within the next 24 hours. The same restriction applies on the day before a weekend or holiday if freezing temperatures are expected during that weekend or holiday.1Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Administrative Code Title 83 Part 280 – Section 280.130 Disconnection of Service
On the hot side, the rule is narrower. A utility serving more than 100,000 residential customers cannot disconnect gas or electric service on any day the forecast calls for 95 degrees Fahrenheit or above within the next 24 hours, or the day before a weekend or holiday with a 95-degree forecast. This protection applies only when gas or electricity is the sole source of cooling at your home. If you have a separate cooling system, the protection may not apply.1Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Administrative Code Title 83 Part 280 – Section 280.130 Disconnection of Service
Medical Certification Can Pause a Shutoff
If someone in your household has a medical condition that a shutoff would worsen, a licensed physician or your local board of health can certify that disconnection would aggravate an existing medical emergency or create a new one. That certification protects your account from disconnection for 60 days.3Cornell Law School. Illinois Administrative Code Title 83 Section 280.160 – Medical Certification
The physician or health official can initially certify by phone, but written certification must follow within seven days. The certificate needs to identify the patient, confirm they live at the service address, and state that disconnection would create or worsen a medical emergency. If service was already shut off before the certification was filed, the 60-day clock does not begin until the utility restores it.3Cornell Law School. Illinois Administrative Code Title 83 Section 280.160 – Medical Certification
Medical certification buys time, not forgiveness. The underlying bill remains, and after 60 days the utility can resume disconnection proceedings. Use those two months to arrange payment or apply for assistance.
Protections for Military Households
Illinois has a specific rule for servicemembers. No gas or electric utility can shut off service for nonpayment to a residential address that was the primary residence of a service member immediately before that person was assigned to military service.4Cornell Law School. Illinois Administrative Code Title 83 Section 281.30 – Prohibition on Service Shut-Offs
This rule is separate from the federal Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. If you are on active duty and the home was yours before your assignment, the utility cannot cut your service for an unpaid bill.
What Notice the Utility Must Give First
Before any shutoff, the utility must follow a specific notification sequence. The disconnection notice must be printed in red, mailed or hand-delivered, and kept separate from your regular bill. Service cannot be disconnected until at least 10 days after the notice is sent or delivered.1Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Administrative Code Title 83 Part 280 – Section 280.130 Disconnection of Service5Justia Law. Illinois Administrative Code Title 83 Part 280 Subpart N – Appendix A Disconnection Notice
The notice must state the reason for disconnection, the earliest date service can be shut off, and information about your rights as a customer. If the utility has a phone number on file for you, it must also attempt a warning call at least 48 hours before the scheduled disconnection.1Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Administrative Code Title 83 Part 280 – Section 280.130 Disconnection of Service
A disconnection notice stays effective for 45 days. If the utility does not act within that window, the notice expires and the company must send a new one. A stale notice from two months ago cannot justify a surprise shutoff today.1Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Administrative Code Title 83 Part 280 – Section 280.130 Disconnection of Service
Except for safety emergencies and cooperation with civil authorities, utilities also face limits on the times of day and days of the week when they can physically disconnect service. If you receive a notice and believe it was sent improperly, that is grounds for a complaint to the ICC.
Payment Arrangements That Stop a Shutoff
If you are behind on your bill, you have the right to enter a deferred payment arrangement before disconnection happens. For residential gas and electric customers, the maximum down payment is 25 percent of the past-due amount. The utility must allow at least four months to pay the remaining balance, and the total repayment period cannot exceed 12 months. You continue paying your regular monthly bill on top of the installment payments.
During the winter moratorium the terms are better. Winter payment arrangements cap the down payment at 10 percent of your past-due balance, and the repayment period extends through the following November.2Cornell Law School. Illinois Administrative Code Title 83 Section 280.135 – Winter Disconnection of Residential Heating Services December 1 Through March 31
LIHEAP itself provides direct grants toward energy bills and is administered in Illinois through local community action agencies. Eligibility is generally based on household income relative to the federal poverty guidelines. For federal fiscal year 2026, the poverty guideline for a household of four in Illinois is $32,150, with many states setting LIHEAP eligibility at 150 percent or 200 percent of that figure.6The LIHEAP Clearinghouse. Federal Poverty Guidelines for FFY 2026 Beyond the money, LIHEAP enrollment triggers the flat winter prohibition on disconnection, and applying can provide temporary protection while your application is processed.1Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Administrative Code Title 83 Part 280 – Section 280.130 Disconnection of Service
Filing a Complaint With the ICC
If your utility violates any of these protections, you can file a complaint with the Illinois Commerce Commission. The ICC handles disputes between customers and regulated utilities, including improper disconnections, failure to provide required notices, and refusal to offer payment arrangements.
You can reach the ICC three ways:7Illinois Commerce Commission. File a Complaint
- By phone at 1-800-524-0795 (within Illinois) or 217-782-2024 (outside the state), Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. If you are facing an imminent disconnection, calling is the fastest option.
- Online, through the informal complaint form on the ICC’s website.
- By TTY at 1-800-858-9277 for hearing-impaired callers.
If you have received a disconnection notice you believe was issued improperly, contact the ICC before the shutoff date. The commission can intervene to halt a disconnection while it investigates.