Frequently Asked Questions

What payments does the kiosk take?

The kiosk currently takes City of Fort Lauderdale utility payments only.

What forms of payment are accepted at the kiosk?

Cash, check, money order, and credit (Visa, Master Card, American Express) or debit cards.

The cash option does not accept coins and does not give change.

Over payments are credited to your utility account and applied towards the next month’s bill.

When will my payment show on my account?

Payments made at the kiosk are posted to the account immediately.

Can I make a late payment at the kiosk?

Yes, late payments can be made at the kiosk. However, if the service is disconnected for non-payment, please call Customer Service at (954)828-5150 to speak with a representative.

Can I make a payment to have my service restored?

Yes. The past due balance and disconnect fees must be paid in full for the turn on service order to generate and the service to be restored. If your service is turned off because of non-payment, service will be restored within one business day after payment of the entire past due balance plus the $44 delinquent fee is received.

Is there a fee to use the kiosk?

Payments processed at the kiosk has a flat fee of $1.95 per card transaction.

Will I receive a receipt to show I have paid my bill?

Yes. Select the “Print” option for a printed receipt. The kiosk will print a receipt, which will include the date and time of transaction, amount paid, method of payment, account number, and balance.

There is also an option to receive your receipt to your email address.

There is also an option to receive both a printed receipt and an electronic receipt.

What hours is the kiosk available?

The kiosk is located inside the Development Services Department lobby is available Monday through Friday, from 8:00am to 4:00pm.

For Owners

• Utility Service Application and Agreement
• Settlement statement (HUD) or warranty deed, signed by both buyer and seller, unless already on record with Broward County Property Appraiser's Office
• Social security number
• Government issued ID
• Deposit, as required by City Ordinance

For Tenants

• Utility Service Application and Agreement
• Lease agreement (must be 12 month term) signed by property owner
• Social security number
• Government issued ID
• Deposit, as required by City Ordinance

For Authorized Persons

• Utility Service Application and Agreement
• Notarized Letter of Authorization which contains:
  • Applicant's information including name, address, social security number and phone number
  • Statement indicating that the Applicant is authorizing said person to act on behalf of the Applicant to open a utility service account in the name of the Applicant
• Social security number
• Government issued ID
• For Owners: Executed Settlement statement, signed by both the buyer and seller or Warranty Deed.
• For Tenants: Executed Lease agreement, signed by the tenant and property owner or agent.
• Deposit, as required by City Ordinance

For deposit information on your specific address please contact our Utility Billing Customer Service department at (954) 828-5150.

Starting May 1, 2024, payments made to the City of Fort Lauderdale by credit/debit card will incur a merchant transaction fee. The fee, which is determined by the City’s third-party processor, range from $1.95 to 2.95% of your payment. Payments made via reoccurring ACH, or onetime EFT will not be charged a fee. The City does not receive any portion of the fee. This is a city-wide change that will be implemented in phases, beginning with payments to Utility Billing.

To close your account, please contact our Utility Billing Customer Service Department at (954) 828-5150 and they will finalize this process with you.

Yes, you may be eligible to receive a credit for the sewer portion of your bill.

Download the pool sewer credit form(PDF, 160KB) or call us at (954) 828-5150 for the form.

All charges must be paid in order to receive a sewer credit.

The City of Fort Lauderdale bills monthly, generally ranging from 28-32 days per cycle.

There are many reasons for a high utility bill. Generally it is due to higher consumption of water usage. The following are a few examples:

• Running/leaking toilet
• Leaking faucets
• Houseguests
• Irrigation system: crack in the line, sprinkler head popped off, settings too high or new sod

No. The city does not check the homeowner's property for leaks. The city's property stops at the meter. Any pipework connecting to the meter and going forth to the home is the responsibility of the homeowner.

The first step is to find out what size service line you will need. Then you must get a permit for an irrigation tap from our Permitting Department at the Development Services Department located at 700 NW 19th Ave, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311. For questions on this process please contact them at (954) 828-6520.

Once you have received your permit, the next step is to come into our Utility Billing & Collections office at 700 NW 19th Ave, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311 and pay for the tapping charges. These rates differ depending on the size of your requested service line. Upon submitting the permit and paying the tapping charges we ask that you allow 6-8 weeks for the process to be completed.

Please contact our Utility Billing Customer Service department at (954) 828-5150 for rates.

View the Water and Irrigation Meters Neighbor Guide(PDF, 4MB)

In accordance with Fort Lauderdale Municipal Code of Ordinance Chapter 28, Section 143, service availability is a charge for both water and sewer that will be billed to the property owner upon discontinuance of service.

It is a City ordinance to recover a portion of the costs the city incurs to maintain a readiness to serve properties that at one time had active utility service but are currently inactive.

Yes. In order for a structure or parts of a structure which have facilities for water and sewer service to be disconnected and excused from payment of water and sewer availability charges, the owner of said structure or parts of a structure shall:

• Remove all internal facilities which allow for the use of water and/or sewer service, including but not limited to: all sinks, toilets and spigots.
• Request that the water meter(s) involved be removed.
• Notify both the City building department and the City public works department that all water and sewer facilities have been removed and that the service availability charge should be terminated as to the subject structure or parts of structure.

If you own the property, your deposit will be refunded after 12 consecutive months of on time payments

If you are a tenant or manager, your deposit will be refunded after 24 consecutive months of on time payments

The $44 is a set of fees that are required by our City ordinance to restore service that has been disconnected due to non-payment ($22 to turn off, $22 to turn on; includes a 10% utility tax). Please see ordinance below:

"In the event that a water consumer whose water service has been cut off by reason of nonpayment of his water or sewer bill desires to have his water service reestablished, he shall pay the entire amount of such delinquent water or sewer bill, together with a twenty-dollar fee for a service call to disconnect the consumer's water supply and a twenty-dollar fee for a service call to reestablish such water service." (Code 1953, § 45-26; Ord. No. C-77-92, § 1, 7-19-77; Ord. No. C-79-96, § 5, 1-8-80; Ord. No. C-83-132, § 1, 12-20-83; Ord. No. C-98-61, § 2, 10-20-98; Ord. No. C-05-19, § 9, 9-7-05)

“If your service is turned off because of non-payment, service will be restored within one business day after payment of the entire past due balance plus the $44 delinquent fee is received."

The rates for sewer are set fees that are dependent upon the amount of water consumed. Hence, the higher the water usage going into the property, the higher the sewer charges will be for water going out of the property.

Starting May 1, 2024, payments made to the City of Fort Lauderdale by credit/debit card will incur a merchant transaction fee. The fee, which is determined by the City’s third-party processor, range from $1.95 to 2.95% of your payment. Payments made via reoccurring ACH, or onetime EFT will not be charged a fee. The City does not receive any portion of the fee. This is a city-wide change that will be implemented in phases, beginning with payments to Utility Billing.

The City offers six (6) ways to pay your water bill.

Four convenient ways to make your payment

• Lobby Kiosk - Located in the Development Services Department Lobby. It is available 8:00am to 4:00pm, Monday through Friday. See our FAQs for additional kiosk information.
• Pay Online – Our website at utilitybilling.fortlauderdale.gov. You may post a one-time payment or sign on and activate online access to your account. You are required to use Master Card or Visa (debit or credit), American Express, or e-check. You may also sign up for automatic bill payment using your banking or card method.
• Pay on the Phone – Our automated telephone system, by calling (954) 828-5150 and selecting option 1. Your payment will post to your account immediately when using a banking or card method, such as Master Card, Visa (debit or credit) or American Express.
• Automatic Bill Payment – You may sign up for your payment to be auto drafted from your bank account or a card method by signing on to our website at utilitybilling.fortlauderdale.gov.

Other ways to make your payment

• You may pay your bill in-person, at our facility located at the Development Services Department, 700 N.W. 19th Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311
• You may also pay your bill by mailing your payment using the return envelope that comes with your invoice each month.

Please visit the following link for a comprehensive listing of water and sewer rates.

• Water and Sewer Rate Sheet(PDF, 307KB)

The City Commission has adopted adjustments to water, wastewater, and stormwater rates. These rate increases are necessary for the following reasons:

• Debt Issuance for Capital Projects: The development of large-scale projects like the Prospect Lake Clean Water Center and other infrastructure upgrades requires significant funding. The City has opted for a financing plan that involves issuing bonds to spread costs over time.
• Operational Costs: Revenue adjustments ensure that we can maintain daily operations and meet the reserve and debt service coverage targets mandated by financial policy.
• Rate Sustainability: Incremental rate increases are structured to keep services sustainable and avoid future sudden, higher rate hikes.