Getting Your Lights On After Leaving a Shelter or Transitional Housing

Prepaid lights get you connected the same day, no credit check, no deposit, starting around $40 — and they don’t care that your last address was a shelter. Moving into your own place after staying at a shelter or transitional housing is one of the best days you’ll have. You’ve got keys. A door that locks. Space that’s yours.

Then you call a light company and they ask for your previous address. Your previous light company. A letter of credit. Some kind of proof that you’ve had service before.

And you’re thinking: I was at a shelter. The lights weren’t in my name. There’s nothing to show.

This is one of those moments where the system wasn’t built for your situation. But there’s a path through it.

Why the Standard Process Doesn’t Work

Most light companies follow the same script when you sign up:

Run a credit check
Ask for previous utility history
If both come up empty, require a deposit — usually $200-$400

For someone coming out of a shelter or transitional housing, this creates a specific problem. You might have no utility history because:

The shelter paid the lights directly
Your case manager handled everything
You were on someone else’s account before the shelter
You haven’t had your own place in years

No credit file? Deposit. No utility history? Deposit. That $300 they want is money that’s supposed to go toward your first month’s rent, groceries, and getting on your feet. The system assumes everyone has a paper trail. It penalizes people who don’t.

Option 1: Prepaid Lights (The Fastest Path)

Prepaid light companies don’t run credit checks. They don’t ask for previous service history. They don’t care where you lived before.

Here’s what they need:

Your name
Your new address
$40-$75 to put on your account as initial balance

That’s it. No deposit. No waiting period. Most people get their lights on the same day — often within a few hours of signing up.

The trade-off: Prepaid rates are higher than traditional plans. You might pay 14-18 cents per kilowatt-hour instead of 10-12 cents on a fixed-rate plan. That adds up over time. But when the alternative is no lights or paying a $300 deposit you don’t have, prepaid gets you in the door right now.

Read our guide to how prepaid works for the full breakdown of daily balances, alerts, and what happens if your account gets low.

Option 2: Ask Your Case Manager for Help

If you’re leaving transitional housing with a case manager or social worker, they can help in ways you might not expect:

Letter from the program. Some transitional housing programs will provide a letter confirming you completed the program and maintained your living space responsibly. This isn’t the same as a letter of credit from a light company, but some companies accept it as proof of responsible tenancy.

Direct advocacy. Case managers can call the light company with you and explain your situation. Having someone with institutional credibility on the line can sometimes unlock options that aren’t on the website.

Bill payment assistance. Many social service agencies have emergency funds for utility deposits. Your case manager knows which ones are available in your area and can help you apply. Check our financial assistance guide for Texas-specific programs.

Don’t leave the shelter without asking. The staff there have helped people in your exact situation before. They know the shortcuts.

Option 3: Find a Light Company That Doesn’t Require History

Different light companies have different requirements. Some are strict about previous utility history. Others approve new customers based on credit alone — or have lower thresholds for what triggers a deposit.

The only way to know is to check. Enter your ZIP code at NoDepositLights.com and see which companies serve your area and what they require. You might find one that approves you without a deposit even though another one wanted $400.

This takes about two minutes and could save you hundreds.

What About the “No Address” Problem?

Some people leaving shelters face an extra hurdle: they don’t have a previous residential address to put on the application. The shelter address was confidential (common for domestic violence survivors), or they’re asked for an address from before the shelter that they’d rather not revisit.

Here’s the thing: for prepaid service, this usually doesn’t matter. They’re not verifying your previous address — they’re just setting up service at your new one. You need an address where you’re moving, a way to pay, and an ID. The rest is paperwork.

If a company is pushing back about previous addresses, try a different company. Or go prepaid, where this simply isn’t part of the process.

If You’re a DV Survivor Leaving Shelter

Domestic violence survivors leaving shelters have specific protections under Texas law. Light companies are prohibited from requiring a deposit if you can provide documentation of abuse — typically a letter from a shelter, a protective order, or other verification.

This is covered under PUCT rules. The light company can’t refuse service or require a deposit based on unpaid bills that were in an abuser’s name.

If a light company is giving you trouble, mention this protection specifically. And if you need help navigating it, call 211 or talk to your shelter’s case manager.

The 12-Month Rebuild

Here’s what nobody tells you when you’re leaving a shelter: the first year is about getting stable. After that, you can start building the credit history that makes everything easier.

Month 1: Sign up for prepaid lights. $40-$75 gets you started. No credit check, no deposit, no questions about where you lived before.

Months 1-12: Keep your prepaid account funded. Set up the text alerts so you know when your balance is getting low. Never let it hit zero — that counts as a missed payment even though it’s not technically a “bill.”

Month 12: Contact your prepaid company and ask for a letter of credit. After 12 months of keeping your lights on, you now have a utility payment history.

Month 13 and beyond: Use that letter to switch to a traditional fixed-rate plan. No deposit required because you have proof of payment history. Your rate drops. Your monthly cost drops. You’ve built something.

Our guide to moving from prepaid to traditional plans has the full playbook.

Resources to Know About

LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program) Federal program that helps with energy bills. Income requirements, but it can cover your initial prepaid balance or help with ongoing costs. Apply through your local community action agency or by calling 211.

State and Local Utility Assistance Texas has programs through the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. Some are specifically for people transitioning out of homelessness. Ask your case manager or call 211 to find what’s available in your area.

Light Company Assistance Programs Several Texas light companies have their own hardship programs — bill credits, payment plans, emergency funds. Check our financial assistance guide for the list.

211 Texas Dial 211 from any phone. They can connect you to utility assistance, housing help, food banks, and other services. Available 24/7.

What to Avoid

Don’t put lights in someone else’s name. It’s tempting to have a friend or family member sign up to avoid the deposit. But if anything goes wrong, they’re responsible for the bill. And if the light company finds out, they can disconnect for fraud.

Don’t skip setting up lights. Some people try to make it work without service for a while. In a Texas summer, this can be dangerous. The $40-$75 for prepaid is worth it. Get your lights on the day you move in.

Don’t assume you need the deposit. Different companies have different rules. Compare before you commit. Two minutes of checking could save you $300.

You’re Not Starting From Zero

Coming out of a shelter, it can feel like you’re starting from nothing. No utility history. Maybe damaged credit. The systems that were supposed to help you weren’t designed with your situation in mind.

But you’re not starting from zero. You’re starting from today, with a new address and the ability to get lights on within hours. Twelve months from now, you’ll have a payment history that opens up better options.

Prepaid lights aren’t the cheapest in the long run. But they’re the door that’s open right now, and they lead somewhere better.

Check what’s available at your new address. Enter your ZIP at NoDepositLights.com and see your options. In most cases, you can have lights on by tonight.

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).