Can My Roommate Put the Lights in Their Name?

Yes, your roommate can put the Texas light account in their name — it’s legal, common, and the light company only requires one person on the account. But both of you need to understand who’s taking on the risk. You found an apartment. You need lights. The light company wants a $300 deposit, or you’ve got a switch hold from an old balance, or your credit just isn’t there right now. And your roommate’s credit is fine.

Short answer: yes. And a lot of people do it. But there are things both of you need to understand before you go this route.

What the Light Company Needs

To set up service, the person on the account needs to provide:

Full legal name
Social Security number (for the credit check on post-paid plans)
Government-issued ID
Proof they live at the address (lease with their name on it, or sometimes a notarized letter from the leaseholder)
The service address and meter number

That’s it. The light company doesn’t care how many people live in the apartment. They care about who’s on the account. Only one person needs to be the account holder.

If your roommate is on the lease, this is straightforward. They sign up, they pass the credit check (or go prepaid), and the lights go on.

If your roommate is NOT on the lease, it gets trickier. Some light companies will accept a letter from the primary leaseholder confirming the roommate lives there. Others require the account holder’s name to match the lease. This varies by company, so call ahead.

What Your Roommate Is Actually Agreeing To

This is the part people don’t talk about enough. When your roommate puts the lights in their name, they are 100% legally responsible for the bill. Not you. Them.

That means:

If you don’t pay your share, they owe it. The light company doesn’t know or care about your arrangement. They’ll come after the person on the account.
Late payments hit their credit. If the bill goes unpaid, it’s your roommate’s credit score that takes the hit.
A switch hold would go on their record. If the account gets disconnected for non-payment and there’s an outstanding balance, the switch hold goes on your roommate’s name, not yours. That could follow them to their next apartment.
They control the account. They can add funds, change the plan, or cancel service. You can’t, because it’s not your account.

This arrangement works great when roommates trust each other and communicate. It falls apart when they don’t.

How to Set It Up Without Drama

If your roommate agrees to put the lights in their name, here’s how to make it work:

1. Put your cost-sharing agreement in writing. Doesn’t have to be fancy. A text or email that says “We split the light bill 50/50, due by the 5th of each month” is better than nothing. If you want something more formal, write it out and both sign it.

2. Set up a shared way to see the bill. Ask your roommate to share login access to the light company’s portal or app. You should both be able to see the balance, usage, and payment history. Transparency prevents arguments.

3. Pay your share before the due date. If the bill is due on the 15th, get your half to your roommate by the 10th. Don’t make them chase you. Venmo, Zelle, Cash App, whatever. Just be consistent and early.

4. Set up auto-pay if possible. If the full bill gets paid automatically every month, nobody has to remember anything. Your roommate sets up auto-pay, you send them your half on a schedule.

5. Discuss what happens if someone moves out. If you leave before the lease is up, the lights stay in your roommate’s name and you stop paying. If your roommate leaves, you need to set up your own account. Have this conversation now, not when someone’s packing boxes.

What If Your Roommate Goes Prepaid?

Prepaid makes the roommate arrangement simpler in some ways:

No credit check — Your roommate doesn’t have to worry about their credit being run
No deposit — Nobody puts up $300
No contract — If someone moves out, there’s no early termination fee
Shared top-ups — You can both add funds to the same account. Some prepaid companies even give you a payment code that either person can use at a kiosk.

The downside is that prepaid rates are higher than traditional post-paid plans. If your roommate could qualify for a $0-deposit traditional plan, that’s usually cheaper month to month. Use our deposit checker to see what they’d qualify for.

Check out our how prepaid works guide for the full details on managing a prepaid account.

Can Someone Who Doesn’t Live There Put the Lights in Their Name?

Technically, no. Light companies require the account holder to prove they live at the service address. If your parent, friend, or partner tries to set up service at an address where they don’t live, the company may reject the application or ask for proof of residency.

In practice, some companies are more flexible about documentation than others. But if the light company audits the account and the address doesn’t match, they can cancel service.

The safer route: if a family member wants to help, they can sometimes be listed as an “authorized contact” or “responsible party” on your account at some light companies. This is different from being the account holder. Ask the specific company what options they offer.

What About Having a Family Member Co-Sign?

Texas light companies don’t really do co-signers the way a car loan or apartment lease might. It’s one person on the account, and that person is responsible. Some companies have a “guarantor” option where a second person agrees to cover the bill if the primary account holder doesn’t pay, but this isn’t common and usually requires the guarantor to pass a separate credit check.

The Risks, Honestly

The roommate arrangement works for thousands of people. But here are the real risks:

Your roommate can cancel the lights. If you have a falling out, the person on the account controls everything. You could come home to no lights.
A messy breakup (romantic or platonic) gets messier. When utilities are tangled up with a relationship that’s ending, it adds another layer of complication.
It doesn’t build YOUR credit. Twelve months of on-time payments in your roommate’s name builds their track record, not yours. When you eventually need lights in your own name, you’re starting from zero.

That last point matters more than people think. If you can get lights in your own name, even on prepaid, you’re building payment history that helps you qualify for cheaper plans later. Read about the path to traditional plans to see why this matters.

The Bottom Line

Having your roommate put the lights in their name is legal, common, and totally workable. Just go in with eyes open. Your roommate takes on the risk. You need to honor your half of the deal. And you’re not building your own payment history.

If the alternative is no lights, then yes, do it. But if you can get approved for your own account — even a prepaid one with no credit check — that’s the better long-term move.

Check what’s available at your address. Enter your ZIP at NoDepositLights.com and see if there’s a no-deposit option you can get in your own name. You might be surprised.

Related reading:

This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. For official rules, visit the Public Utility Commission of Texas. NoDepositLights.com is powered by Compare Power (PUCT License BR190020).