North Dakota Utility Relief Programs: LIHEAP, Energy Share, Weatherization, and Shutoff Rules

North Dakota utility relief programs compared

Most help in North Dakota runs through two front doors. Health and Human Services decides who qualifies for LIHEAP and pays the regular heating benefit. Community Action Partnership North Dakota (CAPND) and its regional agencies then handle the hands-on pieces: Energy Share grants, furnace repairs, cooling devices, and weatherization. Your LIHEAP approval notice is the key that opens most of those doors, which is why it pays to apply for LIHEAP first, even if you only need one of the other services.

If you also need help with food, health coverage, or rent while you sort out the power bill, our North Dakota assistance programs guide covers the rest of what HHS offers.

LIHEAP heating assistance, now year-round

According to the ND HHS LIHEAP page, the program partly pays the cost of natural gas, electricity, propane, fuel oil, coal, wood, and other heating fuels. Both homeowners and renters can apply. If heat is part of your rent, apply anyway and include a copy of your lease.

The biggest recent change is timing. North Dakota used to tie LIHEAP to a heating season that ran from October 1 to May 31. HHS now accepts applications all year and keeps households eligible until their review date. Instead of reapplying each fall, you get a review packet in the mail and in the Self-Service Portal the month before your review is due. Return it on time, or your benefits end on the last day of your eligibility period.

Year-round eligibility does not mean year-round heating payments. The state’s 2027 plan notice says heating benefits are still limited to the heating season and to available funding. Emergency help, furnace cleaning and repair, and other extra benefits remain available in summer.

How much you get depends on household size, income, fuel type, and heating cost. HHS has not published a flat benefit amount. When it announced a new formula in September 2024, the department said families would pay no more than 6% of their income toward heating, down from as much as 14% before. In the prior season, LIHEAP helped 14,405 households with $11.2 million.

How to apply

• Online: create a North Dakota login in the Self-Service Portal (SSP), then apply for LIHEAP.
• In person: print an application and take it to your local Human Service Zone office.
• By mail: request a paper application, then send it to the Customer Support Center, P.O. Box 5562, Bismarck, ND 58506.
• Questions: call 1-866-614-6005 or 701-328-1000 (711 for TTY), or email applyforhelp@nd.gov.

HHS asks for proof of income from the prior month, the current month, and what you expect next month; expenses you paid in the last 12 months such as medical costs, child care, and child support; a copy of your heating bill; and your lease if you rent. For a general list of papers to gather, see our documents checklist.

Once approved, you must report certain changes within 10 days: a move, a new type of heat, someone moving in or out, or a change in rent subsidy.

Income limits for 2026–27

LIHEAP uses 60% of North Dakota’s median income. The weatherization program uses a different test, 200% of the federal poverty level, so its limits are lower for most household sizes. Because LIHEAP clients are automatically eligible for weatherization, the LIHEAP line is the one that matters for most families.

The monthly LIHEAP figures come from HHS; the yearly column is simply the monthly figure times 12. HHS publishes limits up to 12 people. The weatherization figures come from the Department of Commerce. HHS looks at adjusted income, so allowed expenses such as medical bills and child care can help you fit under the line. If you are close, apply and let the agency decide.

Emergency help and Energy Share

An energy emergency in North Dakota usually means one of three things: a shutoff or disconnection notice, running out of propane or fuel oil, or a heating system that needs a minor repair to keep working. HHS says to call the Customer Support Center first, since it may be able to help directly.

The second layer is Energy Share of North Dakota, a statewide emergency program handled by the regional Community Action agencies listed on the Community Action Partnership North Dakota website. HHS tells LIHEAP households to take their approval notice to Community Action, where staff may be able to help with emergency electric costs. Energy Share is funded by private donations, utility companies, and LIHEAP, so the money is limited and rules can change during the year. Agencies commonly ask to see your disconnect notice.

When you call, have these ready:

• Your LIHEAP approval letter, or the date you applied.
• The shutoff notice or the past-due bill, with your account number.
• Your fuel dealer’s name if you heat with propane or fuel oil.
• Recent proof of income for everyone in the home.

Community Action has seven agencies covering all 53 counties, with regional offices in Bismarck, Devils Lake, Dickinson and Williston, Fargo, Grand Forks, Jamestown, and Minot. The statewide office in Fargo answers at 701-232-2452 or 800-726-7960 and can point you to the right one. If the agency is out of funds, ask the Salvation Army or a local church about one-time bill help, and see our guide to Salvation Army help with utility bills.

Furnaces, cooling, and chimney work

LIHEAP in North Dakota covers more than fuel. Approved households can also get:

• Furnace cleaning. Tell the Customer Support Center which vendor you want. If you do not have one, the county can give you a list.
• Furnace repair or replacement. Take your approval notice to Community Action, which may be able to fix or replace a failing unit.
• Chimney cleaning and inspection. Ask about this when you apply, especially if you heat with wood or coal.
• Cooling help. Eligible households can get help buying or repairing an air conditioner or other cooling device. If you already have an open LIHEAP case, contact your local Community Action agency directly with your approval letter. If not, apply for LIHEAP first.

Cooling help is not just for comfort. Summer heat waves hit western North Dakota hard, and an older adult or someone with a heart or lung condition can be at real risk in a hot apartment.

Free weatherization through Community Action

The North Dakota Department of Commerce runs the Weatherization Assistance Program through eight regional Community Action agencies. An energy auditor visits the home and picks from measures such as air sealing and weather stripping, attic, wall, and floor insulation, storm windows and doors, and furnace testing, repair, or replacement. Each measure has to save at least a dollar in energy for every dollar spent, so the work focuses on what lowers your bill the most.

Key rules from Commerce:

• Household income at or below 200% of the poverty level, or an approved LIHEAP case. LIHEAP clients are automatically eligible.
• Generally one round of service per home, unless the home was last weatherized more than 15 years ago.
• Renters can take part, but the landlord must sign a rental agreement.
• The program does not pay for general remodeling, cosmetic work, or low-payback items like mobile home skirting.
• Agencies warrant their work for one year.

You can apply through the online form on the Commerce page, which is sent to the agency for your region, or call your local Community Action office.

Disconnection rules from the Public Service Commission

North Dakota has no winter shutoff moratorium. A utility can disconnect for nonpayment in January as well as in July. What protects you are the notice and timing rules in North Dakota Administrative Code section 69-09-02-05.1 for electric service, with a similar rule for natural gas. These rules apply to utilities regulated by the North Dakota Public Service Commission.

What the electric rule requires

• Ten days’ notice. Service can be cut only if the bill is not paid within ten calendar days after the notice is mailed or delivered. Customers 65 or older and customers with disabilities must get the notice in person.
• Limited days and hours. No disconnection on a Friday, a weekend, a state holiday, the day before a state holiday, or after noon on any day.
• A 30-day stay. If you tell the utility during the notice period that a dangerous health condition exists, or that you are 65 or older or disabled, you can delay the shutoff for up to 30 days. Use that time to apply for LIHEAP and Energy Share.
• Payment plans. The notice must explain deferred installment agreements. While you keep up with an agreement, the utility cannot disconnect you.
• Third-party notice. With your permission, the utility sends a copy of each notice to the social service office or another assistance agency. Each October, utilities include a postcard you can return to set this up.
• Disputed bills. You can pay under protest or ask the PSC for a formal hearing. The utility cannot disconnect for the disputed amount until the PSC decides.
• Tenants. If your rent includes electricity and the landlord falls behind, the utility must notify tenants in writing at least ten days ahead, and tenants can apply to take over the account.

A utility also cannot cut your service for an unpaid deposit, a previous occupant’s bill, merchandise you bought from the company, or someone else’s account. Before reconnecting, it can ask for the past-due amount, a reconnection fee, and possibly a deposit.

Working with Xcel, Montana-Dakota, Otter Tail, and co-ops

North Dakota’s investor-owned utilities, including Xcel Energy, Montana-Dakota Utilities, and Otter Tail Power, follow the PSC rules above. Rural electric cooperatives and city-owned utilities, which serve much of the state, are not required to follow PSC rules, though many have similar written policies. If a co-op or city utility serves you, ask for its disconnection policy in writing.

Whoever your provider is, calling before the due date gives you the most options. Ask about:

• A payment arrangement that spreads the past-due balance over several months.
• Budget or balanced billing, which evens out high winter bills over the year. Montana-Dakota calls this Balanced Billing.
• A referral to Energy Share or to the company’s own hardship fund, if it has one.
• Third-party notification, so a family member or caseworker hears about any shutoff notice.

Customer service lines published by the companies are Xcel Energy 1-800-895-4999, Montana-Dakota 1-800-638-3278, and Otter Tail Power 1-800-257-4044. Each also lists an online account where you can set up arrangements. If a utility will not work with you and it is PSC-regulated, you can file a complaint with the Commission.

Lifeline and tribal programs

Lifeline is a federal discount of up to $9.25 a month on phone or internet service. On tribal lands, the discount is larger. You can qualify through SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, federal public housing, or income at or below 135% of the poverty level. Our Lifeline guide explains how to sign up through the National Verifier.

HHS notes that tribal LIHEAP programs serve tribal members living on reservations in North Dakota. If you are an enrolled member living on the Standing Rock, Spirit Lake, Turtle Mountain, or Fort Berthold reservations, start with your tribe’s energy assistance office rather than the state program. Tribal programs set their own income limits and application periods.

Getting help with a utility bill, step by step

1. Open the notice. Note the shutoff date and whether your utility is investor-owned, a co-op, or city-run.
2. Call the utility. Ask for a payment arrangement and, if anyone in the home is 65 or older, disabled, or seriously ill, ask for the 30-day stay right away.
3. Apply for LIHEAP. Use the Self-Service Portal or call 1-866-614-6005. Mention the shutoff notice so it is handled as an emergency.
4. Contact Community Action. Bring your LIHEAP approval notice and the bill to ask about Energy Share and furnace help.
5. Ask about weatherization. Lowering your usage keeps the next bill smaller.
6. Dial 211. FirstLink 211 can list churches, charities, and county programs if you are still short.

Related guides

• LIHEAP: how the federal energy assistance program works
• Massachusetts utility relief programs
• Federal poverty guidelines
• South Dakota utility relief programs

Frequently asked questions

This guide is general information. Benefit amounts, funding, and rules are set by North Dakota agencies, Community Action, and each utility. National Relief Program is an independent website and is not affiliated with any government agency or utility company.