Hendersonville, NC Utility Billing Policy 2026: Due Dates, Late Fees and Payment Plans

Day 0 to day 20: the bill and the due date

The City's Customer Account and Billing Policy took effect on October 1, 2026. Bills are prepared monthly, with billing cycles set by service area and kept as close to 30 days as practicable. Each bill is due 20 calendar days from the billing date.

The policy lists the ways to pay: check, credit card, money order, automatic bank draft, cash at the Customer Service office, and the City's online payment portal. The fee schedule adds a card service fee of 2.95% or $1.95, whichever is greater, on water and sewer card payments. A drop box in the City Hall 6th Avenue parking lot takes payments at any hour, and drop-box payments made after 8:00 a.m. post the next business day.

Customers are responsible for all charges whether or not a bill arrives, so if a bill is late, call rather than wait.

Day 21: the late fee

A late fee is assessed on the first day after the due date on any bill that remains unpaid. The policy and the fee schedule set it at $10.00 or 5% of the unpaid balance, whichever is greater.

On a large leak bill, 5% can be well above $10.00, which is one more reason to deal with a high bill before the due date rather than after it. The high water bill checklist lists what to check first.

Payments are applied in a fixed order set by City ordinance: fees and miscellaneous charges first, then stormwater, environmental, sewer, and finally water.

Day 28: the disconnection date

Bills not paid within 28 consecutive calendar days of the billing date are subject to disconnection. The policy calls this the Pay by Date to Avoid Disconnection and says it is printed on the bill.

If payment is not received by 5:00 p.m. on that date, a Delinquent Account Fee is charged and the account is subject to disconnection. The fee schedule lists the Delinquent Account Fee at $40.00, separate from the late fee.

To restore service after a disconnection for nonpayment, the policy requires payment of the entire past-due balance, including fees. A dispute does not automatically pause any of these steps.

Leak bills and payment plans

Section 3.4 is narrow. Payment plans are available only for past-due balances that come from a qualifying leak adjustment or from corrective billing for previously unbilled usage. Balances from regular monthly bills are not eligible.

Where a plan is available, it is interest-free, can run up to 24 months without the Finance Director's approval, and starts with an initial payment equal to one month of the plan. You must stay current on new monthly bills while paying the plan, and a missed payment can end it and make the rest due at once. One reinstatement is allowed.

The leak policy itself says customers must pay in full within the normal period or enter a payment arrangement to remain in good standing. If a leak has inflated your bill, read the leak adjustment checklist at the same time as this one.

Disputes, corrections and pool fills

A customer who disputes a bill may submit a written request to Customer Service, identifying the charge, explaining why and attaching evidence. The Utility Revenue Manager or a designee reviews it and contacts the customer with the outcome.

If the City overcharged, it credits the excess without interest for up to two years; if it undercharged, it may bill the difference for up to two years. Separately, a pool, spa or decorative water feature fill of 5,000 gallons or more that did not go to the sewer can qualify for one sewer adjustment per twelve months, by written request within 60 days.

Keep copies of everything you send. The dispute section says a review does not suspend deadlines, so pay what you can while it is pending.

Deposits, temporary shut-offs and account fees

New accounts may need a deposit depending on ownership and a credit check. The fee schedule lists residential water-only deposits of $0.00, $50.00 or $75.00 by credit tier, and multiple-services deposits of $0.00, $150.00 or $200.00. The policy says owners are not required to post a deposit for non-owner-occupied properties, and no interest is paid on deposits.

If you will be away, you can ask for temporary disconnection at the meter, but base charges for water and sewer, and the stormwater and environmental fees, still apply. A premise visit fee applies when City staff turn the meter off or on at your request; the policy asks for a written request with the address and date.

The fee schedule also lists a $10.00 utility application fee, a $25.00 returned item fee and a single-family stormwater fee of $9.00 per month.

A one-line summary to stick on the fridge

Bill arrives, due in 20 days; late fee the next day; disconnection risk and a $40.00 fee at day 28; leak credits within 90 days of the fix; payment plans only for leak or correction balances. Every one of those comes from the City's own policy or fee schedule, linked at the bottom of this page.

Checked against: City of Hendersonville, NC: Utility Billing Policy (effective October 1, 2026); City of Hendersonville, NC: Fee Schedule (water, sewer, meter, rebate and billing fees); City of Hendersonville, NC: 2026 Leak Adjustment Policy (PDF). Checked 2026-10-30.