Same-Day Cutoff Times | Texas Light Companies

It’s 4:15 PM on a Tuesday. You just tried to sign up with a light company and they said they need a deposit, or the plan you wanted isn’t available at your address, or whatever reason they gave. Now you’re wondering: is it too late to try someone else and still get lights today?

No. You’ve got time. Several light companies in Texas accept same-day orders until 6:00 PM Central — and one goes until 6:30 PM.

But every company has a different cutoff, and if you miss it by ten minutes, your lights don’t come on until tomorrow. So here’s the full breakdown.

Every Texas Light Company Cutoff Time

Sorted from latest to earliest. These are the deadlines for placing an order and getting your lights on the same day.

Light Company	Same-Day Cutoff (CT)	Available Days
Ambit Energy	6:30 PM	Mon - Sat
TXU Energy	6:00 PM	Mon - Sat
Pogo Energy	6:00 PM (sign up + $60 load)	Mon - Sat
Frontier Utilities	6:00 PM	Mon - Sat
Gexa Energy	6:00 PM	Mon - Sat
4Change Energy	6:00 PM	Mon - Sat
Payless Power	6:00 PM (allow 4-6 hours)	Mon - Fri
Reliant Energy	5:00 PM	Mon - Sat
Discount Power	5:00 PM	Mon - Sat
Cirro Energy	5:00 PM	Mon - Fri
Direct Energy	5:00 PM	Mon - Fri
Now Power	5:00 PM	Weekdays
APGE	2:30 PM	Mon - Fri
Atlantex Power	2:00 PM	Mon - Fri
Energy Texas	2:00 PM	Mon - Fri
Amigo Energy	12:00 PM (noon)	Mon - Sat
Tara Energy	12:00 PM (noon)	Mon - Fri

Cutoff times verified August 2026. For the companies we can enroll, times come straight from live enrollment data — the same system that processes your order. For the rest (Ambit, Pogo, Now Power), times come from each company’s own site. Times can change, so if you’re close to a deadline, sign up first and confirm after.

Latest Cutoff: Ambit at 6:30 PM

Ambit Energy accepts same-day sign-ups until 6:30 PM CT, Monday through Saturday, on smart meters (Sundays and holidays excepted). That’s the latest cutoff you’ll find in Texas right now. If you sign up on a Sunday, your lights come on Monday.

If it’s after 6 PM and you need same-day lights, Ambit is your only option. Don’t waste time calling around.

The 6 PM Companies

TXU Energy, Frontier Utilities, Gexa Energy, and 4Change Energy all take same-day orders until 6:00 PM, Monday through Saturday. Pogo Energy runs to 6:00 PM Monday through Saturday too — sign up and load $60 before the cutoff.

Payless Power also goes to 6:00 PM, but weekdays only — and the connection takes 4 to 6 hours, so the earlier you order, the earlier your lights come on.

The 5 PM Companies

Reliant Energy and Discount Power process same-day orders until 5:00 PM, Monday through Saturday. Cirro Energy, Direct Energy, and Now Power run to 5:00 PM on weekdays.

If it’s 4:30 PM, any of these will work. But if you’re cutting it close, go with a 6 PM or 6:30 PM company and give yourself some breathing room.

Noon Cutoff Companies

Amigo Energy and Tara Energy both cut off at noon. That’s a pretty narrow window. If you’re reading this after lunch, these two are already done processing same-day orders for the day.

Amigo does work Saturdays, which gives them a slight edge over Tara (Monday through Friday only). But noon is noon. You basically have to order in the morning to get same-day service from either of them.

What If You Missed Every Cutoff?

It’s 7 PM and you’re reading this. Every company on the list is done for the day. Here’s what to do:

Sign up right now anyway. Your order goes into the queue and gets processed first thing tomorrow morning. Most people who sign up in the evening have their lights on by mid-morning the next day.

Don’t wait until tomorrow to start the process. The enrollment itself takes a few minutes. If you do it tonight, you’re already in line when they start processing at 7 or 8 AM.

Use our same-day finder to see which companies are available at your address, then sign up before you go to bed. Tomorrow morning, your lights should be on.

Saturday and Sunday Cutoffs

Weekends are where the options get thinner.

Saturday

Nine light companies process same-day lights on Saturday:

• Ambit Energy - until 6:30 PM
• TXU Energy - until 6:00 PM
• Pogo Energy - until 6:00 PM (sign up + $60 load)
• Frontier Utilities - until 6:00 PM
• Gexa Energy - until 6:00 PM
• 4Change Energy - until 6:00 PM
• Reliant Energy - until 5:00 PM
• Discount Power - until 5:00 PM
• Amigo Energy - until noon

That’s a solid list. Saturday is almost as good as a weekday for getting same-day lights. Payless Power sits this one out — their same-day service runs weekdays only.

Sunday

No light company processes same-day orders on Sunday. If you sign up on a Sunday, your order goes into the queue and starts processing Monday morning.

For more on getting lights on during weekends and holidays, see our full weekend connection guide.

Tips to Get Same-Day Lights

Signing up before the cutoff is step one. But a few things can slow down or block your connection even if you’re early.

Sign up online, not by phone

Online orders usually process faster because they go straight into the system. Phone orders depend on a call center agent entering your info, and hold times can eat into your cutoff window. If it’s 5:30 PM and you’re on hold, you might miss the deadline. Online takes 5-10 minutes and you’re done.

Have your info ready before you start

You’ll need:

• Full legal name and date of birth
• Service address with apartment or unit number
• Social Security number (for traditional plans)
• Payment method for any startup costs

If you have your meter ID (ESIID), even better. That speeds up the connection. You can look it up through our ESIID guide if you want, but it’s not required.

Check for switch holds first

A switch hold means a previous light company had the wires company (Oncor, CenterPoint, AEP, or TNMP) flag your meter over money owed. No new company can turn your lights on until the hold is cleared. If you have a switch hold and don’t know about it, you’ll go through the whole signup process only to find out at the end that nothing can happen today.

If you think you might have one, check before you start the enrollment. Our switch hold guide explains how to find out and what your options are.

Prepaid doesn’t require a credit check

If you’re worried about a credit check slowing things down or getting denied, pay-as-you-go plans skip all of that. No credit check, no deposit. You pay $40-75 to start (that money goes toward your usage, not a deposit you lose) and your connection order goes out immediately.

Check our same-day plans page to see what’s available at your address right now.

Get Your Lights On

We check multiple light companies to find you the best option. Many people qualify for traditional plans with $0 deposit. You always have prepaid as a guaranteed fallback.

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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).