Key takeaway: Starting electricity in Hawaiʻi costs a $20 fee on every island, and a renter’s refundable water deposit is $210 on Kauaʻi and up to $150 on Hawaiʻi Island (utility and county water department rules, checked November 2026). Electric and gas companies can also ask for a deposit of up to two months’ estimated bills, which you can usually avoid with a year of on-time payment history. A renter’s fixed start-up charges for power, water and internet come to about $55 to $300, depending on the island. Last checked November 2026.
This guide covers the one-time charges to open utility accounts when you move to Hawaiʻi or between islands: start-service fees, deposits, and internet setup. For the monthly bills themselves, see electricity rates by island and water and sewer bills by county.
How much does it cost to start electricity in Hawaiʻi?
Every island charges $20 to start electric service. Hawaiian Electric serves Oʻahu, Maui County (Maui, Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi) and Hawaiʻi Island under separate rule books for each company, and the fee is the same in all three. On Kauaʻi, the member-owned Kauaʻi Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC) charges a $20.00 service processing fee plus a one-cent membership fee, both billed on your first bill.
| Oʻahu | Maui County (Maui, Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi) | Hawaiʻi Island | Kauaʻi | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electric utility | Hawaiian Electric | Hawaiian Electric | Hawaiian Electric | KIUC (co-op) |
| Fee to start service | $20 | $20 | $20 | $20.00 + $0.01 membership |
| Same-day or after-hours start | +$25 | +$25 | +$25 | Not published |
| Credit deposit | $10 minimum, up to 2 months’ estimated bills | $10 minimum, up to 2 months’ estimated bills | $10 minimum, up to 2 months’ estimated bills | Set by KIUC after reviewing your application |
| Interest on deposit | 6% simple, per year, once credit is established | 6% simple, per year, once credit is established | 6% simple, per year, once credit is established | Not published |
| Late charge | 1% a month | 1% a month | 1% a month | Not published |
Sources: Hawaiian Electric start, stop or move service; Rule 7 for Oʻahu, Maui County and Hawaiʻi Island (effective Aug 1, 2026); Rule 6 (deposits) for Oʻahu, Maui County and Hawaiʻi Island; Rule 8 (late charges) for Oʻahu, Maui County and Hawaiʻi Island; KIUC start or stop service. Checked November 2026.
Hawaiian Electric asks for one business day’s notice to start or move service, and a same-day start costs an extra $25, so plan your start date a few business days ahead. On Kauaʻi, KIUC lists a $40.00 credit deposit for new-construction service, plus $250 for materials and labor if temporary service won’t be at its permanent location.
How do you avoid an electric deposit?
A deposit is the utility’s protection against unpaid bills, and Hawaiʻi’s rules give you several ways to skip it. Under Hawaiian Electric’s Rule 5, you don’t need a deposit if you show a record of prompt payment for 12 consecutive months, provide a guarantor the company accepts, give satisfactory credit information or references, or own substantial equity in the premises or other real estate in the service area. The Public Utilities Commission’s General Order No. 7, which sets service standards for the state’s electric utilities, also lists owning the home you’re connecting, or other real estate in the service area, as a way to establish credit.
If you do pay a deposit, it can’t be more than the estimated charges for two consecutive months. Once your credit is established, it earns 6% simple interest a year for as long as the company holds it. Hawaiian Electric refunds it after 12 straight months of on-time payment, or returns what’s left after unpaid bills when you close the account. The PUC order also says a utility can’t refuse you service because a previous occupant left an unpaid bill.
Before you move, ask your current utility for a letter showing 12 months of on-time payments; Hawaiian Electric may accept it as credit information. It’s the simplest way to avoid tying up two months of electric bills, which in Hawaiʻi can be several hundred dollars.
What does it cost to start water service in each county?
Water is run by each county’s water department, not by a private utility, so the rules differ more than for electricity. Many renters never open a water account at all, because the landlord or condo association pays it. When you do need one, here’s what each county publishes.
| Oʻahu (Honolulu BWS) | Maui County (Maui DWS) | Hawaiʻi Island (Hawaiʻi DWS) | Kauaʻi (Kauaʻi DOW) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deposit | “May be charged”; amount not published | Tenants: may be required to pay a lump sum equal to an estimate of two billing periods | $150 credit deposit may be charged | Renters: $210, refundable |
| Owners | Not published | Not published | Not published | Show proof of ownership; no deposit listed |
| Other charges listed | Sewer is billed on the same bill | 1% a month late charge; $120 to restore service to a locked meter | $30 returned-payment fee | Not published on the sign-up page |
Sources: Honolulu Board of Water Supply FAQ; Maui DWS FY2027 rates and fees (July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027); Hawaiʻi DWS FAQs; Kauaʻi DOW sign up or transfer service. Checked November 2026.
On Oʻahu, your water bill also carries the city’s sewer charge, which is often the larger part of the bill. On Kauaʻi, renters who open an account need a notarized rental agreement signed by the property owner, or a notarized letter of authorization, plus the $210 refundable deposit. For what the monthly water and sewer bill will be, see water and sewer bills in Hawaiʻi by county.
What does it cost to start gas service?
Hawaiʻi Gas charges $65 to start service, or $95 for same-day or after-hours service, under its 2026 tariff. A residential deposit is at least $10 and at most the estimate for two billing periods. It earns 6% simple interest once credit is established (three months after you pay it), and it’s refundable after 12 straight months of on-time payment. The late charge is 1% a month. The fees are the same company-wide: the Honolulu system on Oʻahu delivers synthetic natural gas, and customers elsewhere get propane. Not every home has gas, so check the listing before you budget for it.
What does it cost to set up internet?
| Provider | Activation | Professional installation | Equipment | Rates as of |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaiian Telcom | $34.99 | $120 (waived if you qualify for self-install) | Gateway $15.00 a month | Effective Dec 1, 2025 |
| Spectrum | $20.00 | $50.00 | Not covered here | Disclosure revised Oct 22, 2026 |
Sources: Hawaiian Telcom standard rates; Spectrum broadband disclosure. Spectrum’s disclosure is national; promotions can waive these fees. Checked November 2026.
What will a renter pay up front? Three examples
These add up only the fixed charges and deposits published above. They leave out any electric or gas credit deposit, which depends on your payment history and estimated bill.
- Oʻahu renter, water included in rent: Hawaiian Electric $20 + Hawaiian Telcom activation $34.99 (self-install) = $54.99. Add Hawaiʻi Gas’s $65 start fee if the unit has gas: $119.99.
- Kauaʻi renter with a water account: KIUC $20.00 + $0.01 + Kauaʻi DOW deposit $210 + Spectrum activation $20 + professional installation $50, where Spectrum serves the address = $300.01, of which $210 is refundable.
- Hawaiʻi Island renter with a water account: Hawaiian Electric $20 + Hawaiʻi DWS deposit $150 (if charged) + Spectrum activation $20 + professional installation $50, where Spectrum serves the address = $240.
Utility start-up costs are small next to the rest of a Hawaiʻi move-in. A first month’s rent plus a security deposit on a one-bedroom often runs several thousand dollars; see move-in costs in Hawaiʻi and the moving to Hawaiʻi checklist.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the Hawaiian Electric start-service fee?
$20 to start or reconnect service on Oʻahu, Maui, Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi and Hawaiʻi Island, plus $25 for a same-day or after-hours start (Hawaiian Electric Rule 7, effective August 1, 2026).
How big can a Hawaiʻi electric deposit be?
No more than the estimated charges for two consecutive months, with a $10 minimum. Once your credit is established it earns 6% simple interest a year, and it is refundable after 12 months of on-time payment or when you close the account (Hawaiian Electric Rule 6; PUC General Order No. 7).
What does KIUC charge to start service on Kauaʻi?
For an existing home, a $20.00 service processing fee and a $0.01 membership fee, both on the first bill. KIUC sets any credit deposit after reviewing your application (KIUC, checked November 2026).
Do renters pay a water deposit in Hawaiʻi?
It depends on the county. Kauaʻi DOW charges renters a $210 refundable deposit. Hawaiʻi DWS may charge a $150 credit deposit. Maui DWS may require tenants to pay a deposit equal to an estimate of two billing periods. Honolulu BWS says a deposit may be charged but doesn’t publish the amount.
How much does Hawaiʻi Gas charge to start service?
$65, or $95 for same-day or after-hours service, with a refundable deposit of up to two billing periods (Hawaiʻi Gas 2026 tariff).
Related guides
- Move-in costs in Hawaiʻi: deposits, fees and first month
- Water and sewer bills in Hawaiʻi by county
- Electricity rates by island
- Rooftop solar: export credits and tax credits by island
- Moving to Hawaiʻi checklist
- Rent by island and ZIP code
Sources
- Hawaiian Electric: start, stop or move service
- Hawaiian Electric (Oʻahu) Rule 7, effective Aug 1, 2026
- Hawaiian Electric (Maui County) Rule 7, effective Aug 1, 2026
- Hawaiian Electric (Hawaiʻi Island) Rule 7, effective Aug 1, 2026
- Hawaiian Electric (Oʻahu) Rule 6: deposits
- Hawaiian Electric (Oʻahu) Rule 5: establishing credit
- Hawaiian Electric (Oʻahu) Rule 8: late charges
- Hawaiʻi PUC General Order No. 7: standards for electric utility service
- KIUC: start or stop service
- Honolulu Board of Water Supply: FAQ
- Maui DWS: FY2027 rates and fees
- Hawaiʻi County DWS: FAQs
- Kauaʻi DOW: sign up or transfer water service
- Hawaiʻi Gas: 2026 tariff
- Hawaiian Telcom: standard rates
- Spectrum: broadband disclosure