Change Your Electricity Tariff From Commercial to Residential in Pakistan

To change your electricity tariff in Pakistan, for example from commercial (A-2) to residential (A-1), apply to your SDO office or on the ENC portal under "Change" at least 30 days ahead. NEPRA's rules give the company 30 days to approve. Your bill must have no dues, and you sign a new contract and top up the security deposit.

A shop becomes a home. A home office closes. Or a house was given a commercial meter years ago and nobody fixed it. In each case the family keeps paying a tariff that no longer fits. We read the rules that NEPRA, the power regulator, sets for every distribution company, and opened the online change form, so this electricity tariff change guide follows both.

An electricity tariff change moves your connection to a new category

Your tariff category decides the rate you pay per unit and the fixed charges on your bill. It is printed on your bill as a code. A-1 is residential, A-2 is commercial and A-3 is general services, which covers places like mosques, schools and hospitals.

NEPRA's Consumer Service Manual is the rulebook every company must follow, K-Electric included. Its revised version went to all companies on 26 November 2025. Clause 7.4.1 lists who can apply:

• Residential, commercial and general services users can switch between A-1, A-2 and A-3 in any direction.
• Commercial users can switch to industrial B-1 or B-2, and back.
• Seasonal industrial connections can become non-seasonal, and back.
• A tubewell connection can become industrial. An industrial connection cannot become a tubewell one until a year after it was energised.

The right tariff follows how the building is used, not what you would like to pay. A shop that is still a shop stays on A-2.

Apply for a tariff change in five steps

Eight companies take this application online. The ENC portal at enc.com.pk serves LESCO, GEPCO, PESCO, HESCO, SEPCO, QESCO, TESCO and HAZECO. We opened its change form on 2 October 2026. The page is titled "Change Connection Name /Tariff /Load Application", and its downloads include an "Undertaking, No Mis Use of Tariff".

1. Clear the bill. Clause 7.4.2 allows a tariff change only if no dues are outstanding. Pay any arrears and finish any instalment plan first.
2. Get a wiring test report. A licensed wiring contractor or the Electric Inspector signs it for the premises as it is now used.
3. Apply 30 days ahead. Clause 7.4.3 says to apply at least 30 days in advance to the load sanctioning officer, usually the SDO. Use the ENC "Change" form or a paper application at the SDO office.
4. Pay the demand notice. The company recalculates the security deposit for the new category and charges any capital cost. Pay it at a bank.
5. Sign the new contract. A fresh power supply contract is signed for the new tariff. Keep your application number and track it.

Users of IESCO, FESCO and MEPCO are sent to their own sub sites or apps, and Karachi customers apply through K-Electric. If the bill is also in a former owner's name, combine it with the change of name on the electricity bill, since the same form and officer handle both.

The documents NEPRA requires for a tariff change

Clause 2.15 lists six requirements. You upload or hand in four of them. The other two arrive as payments on the demand notice.

NEPRA gives the company 30 days, then 10 more

Two deadlines run one after the other. Clause 7.4.5 says the company must process and approve the change within 30 days of receiving the application.

Clause 2.15 adds a second clock. Once you have completed every requirement, the tariff must change within 10 days. If it takes longer, the bill must be charged on a pro rata basis at the new tariff after those 10 days. So keep the date you paid the demand notice and signed the contract. It is your proof if the next bill still shows the old rate.

If the deadline passes, complain to the SDO in writing, then to NEPRA. The route is the same one used for a wrong electricity bill complaint.

A wrong tariff can be corrected for six months back

Sometimes the company itself put you on the wrong tariff. A house that was always a house, billed as commercial, is the common case. Clause 7.6 says applying the correct tariff is the company's responsibility at the time of sanction.

• If you were charged too much: the company must credit you for six months back, counted from the date you pointed out the mistake. Write to the SDO with proof and keep a copy.
• If you were charged too little: no back bill is charged for the company's own mistake.

This is different from asking for a change. Here you are reporting an error, so ask for a correction and the credit, not a new connection category. Old bills help, and you can download them through the electricity bill check online portals.

Using a home connection for a shop can cost you

The rule cuts both ways. Clause 7.5.1 says a connection cannot be used for a purpose other than the one it was sanctioned for. Running a shop, clinic or workshop on a residential A-1 meter is the example the manual gives.

When the company finds misuse, it must give seven days' clear notice. It then changes the tariff at once and bills the difference for the period of misuse. Without documentary proof of how long that lasted, the back charge is capped at two billing cycles. Misuse of tariff is also one of the listed grounds for disconnection in clause 8.1.

So if you open a shop at home, apply for the change yourself. It is cheaper than waiting for the notice.

Common questions

How do I change my electricity meter from commercial to residential in Pakistan?

Clear your dues, get a wiring test report, and apply to your SDO office or on enc.com.pk under "Change" at least 30 days ahead. You then pay any deposit change and sign a new contract.

How long does an electricity tariff change take?

NEPRA's manual gives the company 30 days to approve, and the change must take effect within 10 days after you complete all requirements.

Can I change my tariff if my bill has arrears?

No. Clause 7.4.2 allows a tariff change only when no dues are outstanding.

Can I get money back if I was billed on a commercial tariff by mistake?

Yes. Clause 7.6 says the company must give credit for six months back, counted from the date you pointed out the wrong tariff.

What happens if I run a shop on a residential meter?

The company can give seven days' notice, change the tariff and back bill the difference. Without proof of the period, the back bill is capped at two billing cycles.

Will my security deposit change with the tariff?

Yes. The deposit is recalculated at today's rate for the new category, minus the amount you already paid.

How we verified this

What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.

Last checked on 2 October 2026. We read NEPRA's revised Consumer Service Manual, a scanned document, at clauses 2.15, 7.4, 7.5, 7.6 and 8.1, and opened the ENC change form. We did not submit an application. The deposit for each category depends on the rates in the manual's Annexure IV and your load, so your demand notice will show the real amount.