Moving in NYC: How to Start, Stop, or Transfer Con Edison Service
Updated July 3, 2026 · Independent guide by Meltek — not Con Edison
Setting up ConEd at a new place takes about ten minutes online — if you know which flow you need. Starting fresh, stopping at move-out, and transferring between addresses are three different processes with different login requirements.
Here is each one, plus the edge cases that fill NYC forums every moving season: overlapping two apartments, roommate handoffs, and what landlords should do between tenants.
Start service at a new address
Use ConEd's Start Service flow with your new address, move-in date, and ID details. You can start service even if you have never had a ConEd account, and registering an online account at the same time makes everything after this easier — billing, outage alerts, and usage data all live there.
Do it a few days before your move-in date so the account is active on day one. In most NYC apartments the power is physically on between tenants; starting service puts the account (and the billing) in your name.
Stop or transfer when you move
Stopping service and transferring service both require logging in to your ConEd account. Transfers handle the common NYC case — moving within ConEd territory — in one step: pick the end date at the old place and the start date at the new one.
If you need both apartments live for an overlap period (painting, staggered move), that works too: keep the old account active and start the new address as an additional service, then stop the old one when you hand back the keys. Roommate handoffs are cleanest as a stop-plus-start on the same unit: you stop service effective the handoff date, and the remaining or incoming roommate starts service in their own name from that date.
When you stop service you get a final bill through your end date. Take a photo of the meter on move-out day — it is rarely needed, but it settles any billing dispute instantly.
For landlords and property managers
ConEd's Leave on for Landlord program automatically flips service into the owner's name when a tenant stops service — no gap, no dark apartment during showings, and no scrambling to start service for two days of vacancy. Enroll once per property; it stays in place across turnovers.
The move-in checklist
While you have the ConEd account open, knock out the rest in five minutes:
- Enroll in outage text alerts for the new address
- Check that the new place has a smart meter (most do) — it unlocks usage data and rewards programs
- If eligible, enroll in Smart Usage Rewards through a partner like Meltek so summer events start paying you at the new place
- Consider Budget Billing if you want level payments from month one
- Renters insurance reminder: ConEd does not cover your belongings in outages beyond narrow spoilage claims
Frequently asked questions
- How far in advance should I set up ConEd service for a move?
- A few days to a week ahead is comfortable. You pick the exact start date in the flow, so early setup does not mean early billing.
- Do I need a ConEd account to start service?
- You can start service with or without an existing online account, but stopping or transferring service requires logging in. Register an account either way — alerts, usage data, and every program enrollment run through it.
- Can I have ConEd service at two apartments at once?
- Yes. Keep the old address active and start service at the new one; stop the old service when your overlap ends. Both bill to you in the meantime.
- What happens if the previous tenant never stopped their service?
- Starting service in your name from your lease date supersedes their account at that address going forward. Usage before your start date remains their problem, not yours.
Official Con Edison pages for this topic
Meltek is an independent Con Edison Smart Usage Partner, not Con Edison. Program details, amounts, and deadlines are set by Con Edison and change over time — always confirm on the official pages above.
Turn peak hours into payouts
Meltek pays ConEd customers cash for reducing electricity use during summer demand response events. Free to join with your ConEd account — no devices required, leave anytime.
See if your home qualifies