Shopping guide · Movers, renters and first-timers
Setting up natural gas service in Georgia: new residents, movers and renters
New address, short lease, or your first gas account ever. In Georgia you pick who sells you gas, and for a small home the fixed monthly charges matter more than the rate. Here is how to start, what to sign, and when a variable rate is the sensible choice.
- of a typical October bill is fixed charges (AGL base + service charge) on the cheapest 12-month fixed
- 80%
- most a marketer can ask as a deposit for household gas, by PSC rule
- $150
- exit fees on October 2026's standard 12-month fixed plans
- none listed–$200
Open Natural Gas is not paid by any marketer and no marketer can pay for placement.
Quick answer
01 · WhoWho this is for
Georgia has 1,422,323 renter households, 34% of all households, and 364,954 of them heat with utility gas. 723,334 households, 17%, moved into their home in 2023 or later (Census ACS 2024, tables B25003, B25117 and B25038). These counts are statewide and include areas outside Atlanta Gas Light's territory.
If the gas account is in your landlord's name, the landlord picks the marketer and you cannot switch (switching guide). This guide is for when the account is, or will be, in yours.
02 · StartingWho to call, and when
- The home has a gas meter: call a marketer, not Atlanta Gas Light. AGL's own start/stop page says so. The marketer arranges the turn-on with AGL and sends your bills.
- No meter: AGL handles new service through a request form and says it gets back to you within two business days.
- Leaving an address: AGL says to contact your marketer to stop or transfer service.
Not every Georgia address can choose. Marketers serve Atlanta Gas Light's system; Atmos Energy and city gas systems are not open to choice. And some plans are sold only in metro Atlanta delivery groups. Look up your ZIP before you fall for a rate.
03 · DepositsDeposits: capped at $150
A marketer may ask a new customer for a deposit, often after a credit check, but for household gas it cannot be more than $150 (PSC Rule 515-7-9-.04). Under Rule 515-7-3-.04, the deposit is held in escrow, earns interest after six months, must be refunded within 60 days once you have paid on time for 6 months, and must be refunded within 60 days of leaving the marketer if your account is paid up.
Some marketers set the monthly service charge by credit, too: on October 2026's chart, service charges ran $3.45 to $9.95. Ask which you will pay. If a deposit or a credit check is the problem, see the credit and no-deposit guide.
04 · Small billsWhy a small gas bill isn't small
Two charges arrive every month no matter how little gas you burn: Atlanta Gas Light's base charge, the same with every marketer, and the marketer's service charge. For an apartment that uses gas for cooking or water heating, or a home in summer, they are most of the bill.
A year of bills: the fixed part and the gas
The PSC's typical customer, month by month (November 2025 to October 2026), priced on October 2026's cheapest standard 12-month fixed plan. In 6 of 12 months, fixed charges were three quarters of the bill or more.
Percentage above each column: the share of that month's bill that is fixed charges (base charge plus service charge). Highlighted: months where it is three quarters or more.
Show the numbers
| Month | Therms | AGL base | Service | Gas | Bill | Fixed share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov (2025-11) | 52 | $42.76 | $6.00 | $33.80 | $82.56 | 59% |
| Dec (2025-12) | 93 | $52.20 | $6.00 | $60.45 | $118.65 | 49% |
| Jan (2026-01) | 125 | $63.94 | $6.00 | $81.25 | $151.19 | 46% |
| Feb (2026-02) | 116 | $65.59 | $6.00 | $75.40 | $146.99 | 49% |
| Mar (2026-03) | 85 | $63.94 | $6.00 | $55.25 | $125.19 | 56% |
| Apr (2026-04) | 47 | $46.14 | $6.00 | $30.55 | $82.69 | 63% |
| May (2026-05) | 23 | $41.33 | $6.00 | $14.95 | $62.28 | 76% |
| Jun (2026-06) | 23 | $39.72 | $6.00 | $14.95 | $60.67 | 75% |
| Jul (2026-07) | 23 | $39.72 | $6.00 | $14.95 | $60.67 | 75% |
| Aug (2026-08) | 23 | $39.71 | $6.00 | $14.95 | $60.66 | 75% |
| Sep (2026-09) | 13 | $39.71 | $6.00 | $8.45 | $54.16 | 84% |
| Oct (2026-10) | 18 | $39.71 | $6.00 | $11.70 | $57.41 | 80% |
In the lightest month (Sep, 13 therms) fixed charges were 84% of the bill; in the heaviest (Jan, 125 therms), 46%.
So for a small user the service charge deserves as much attention as the rate. The October 2026 chart's service charges spanned $6.50 a month, which is $78 a year. At the PSC's typical 18 therms for the month, that gap is worth $0.361 per therm.
05 · The termMatch the term to the lease
A fixed plan's term should end on or before the day you expect to leave. Leave early and you may owe the exit fee. On October 2026's standard 12-month fixed plans the fees ran none listed to $200; across all fixed terms, up to $300. One of the 10 standard 12-month plans listed no exit fee at all. Six-month fixed plans exist, too; the cheapest by annual cost had a $0.690 rate and a $150 exit fee.
Most fixed plans roll onto the marketer's variable rate when the term ends. If your lease runs longer than your plan, put the plan's end date in your calendar.
06 · VariableWhen a variable rate makes sense, and when to get off it
Variable plans can change price every month, but they usually carry no exit fee. That makes them a fair choice in three situations:
- Short stays. A month or two at an address: a short lease, house-sitting, waiting on a closing.
- Between contracts. Your fixed plan ended and you want a few weeks to shop, or to wait for a better fixed rate.
- Very light warm-month use. If you use little gas from spring to fall, the rate matters less than the fixed charges. The catch is winter.
Total cost by length of stay
Starting service in November, the PSC's typical customer on each option. The fixed lines include the exit fee for any stay shorter than the term.
Show the numbers
| Stay | Cheapest 12-month fixed, leaving early pays its exit fee | Cheapest 12-month fixed with no exit fee listed | Lowest standard variable, at this month's rate | Middle standard variable, at this month's rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month (Nov–Nov) | $282.56 | $95.35 | $97.59 | $152.66 |
| 2 months (Nov–Dec) | $401.21 | $236.93 | $243.16 | $396.72 |
| 3 months (Nov–Jan) | $552.40 | $418.94 | $430.55 | $716.48 |
| 4 months (Nov–Feb) | $699.39 | $594.53 | $611.13 | $1,019.90 |
| 5 months (Nov–Mar) | $824.58 | $740.67 | $760.92 | $1,259.71 |
| 6 months (Nov–Apr) | $907.27 | $834.92 | $857.19 | $1,405.75 |
| 7 months (Nov–May) | $969.55 | $902.83 | $926.09 | $1,499.01 |
| 8 months (Nov–Jun) | $1,030.22 | $969.13 | $993.38 | $1,590.66 |
| 9 months (Nov–Jul) | $1,090.89 | $1,035.43 | $1,060.67 | $1,682.30 |
| 10 months (Nov–Aug) | $1,151.55 | $1,101.72 | $1,127.95 | $1,773.94 |
| 11 months (Nov–Sep) | $1,205.71 | $1,159.04 | $1,185.83 | $1,845.59 |
| 12 months (Nov–Oct) | $1,063.12 | $1,220.85 | $1,248.41 | $1,927.23 |
What the chart shows for October 2026:
- Against the middle variable rate, fixed wins quickly. For a stay of 3 months or more starting in November, the cheapest 12-month fixed plan cost less even after paying its $200 exit fee.
- The lowest variable rate is a closer call. It stayed cheaper than the 12-month fixed plus exit fee until month 12, but it holds this month's rate for every month, which is the assumption least likely to hold over a winter.
- A fixed plan with no exit fee listed removes the penalty for leaving early, at a higher rate. For an uncertain stay it is worth a look.
Introductory variable rates ($0.390 to $0.997 in October 2026) last for the first bill or first few bills, then revert to the standard variable rate. See advertised vs filed rates.
07 · Do itYour checklist
- Confirm the address is on AGL's system and check your pool group.
- Pick a term that ends before your lease does.
- Compare on annual cost in the fixed table, then compare the service charge and exit fee.
- Ask about the deposit (capped at $150) and the service charge you will actually pay.
- Ask what happens if you move, and get it in writing.
- Call the marketer a week or two before move-in, and put the plan's end date in your calendar.
08 · QuestionsCommon questions
How do I set up natural gas service as a new resident in Georgia?
On Atlanta Gas Light's system you set up service by choosing a certified marketer, not by calling AGL, if the home already has a gas meter. Have the service address ready, pick a plan type, compare that type on estimated annual cost, and enroll with the marketer; it arranges the start with AGL. If there is no meter yet, AGL handles new service.
Which natural gas marketer should I choose when moving to Georgia?
No single marketer is right for every move. Choose the plan type first: a fixed plan with a term no longer than your stay and a low exit fee, or variable for a stay of a month or two. Then take the lowest filed annual cost of that type on this month's tables, and confirm the plan is sold at your address, because some plans are limited to Metro Atlanta.
Can I set up gas service in my name if I rent?
Yes, if the lease puts the gas account in your name: you choose the marketer and can switch later. If the account stays in the landlord's name, the landlord chooses the marketer and you cannot change it.
How do I start natural gas service in Georgia?
If the home already has a gas meter, you contact a certified marketer, not Atlanta Gas Light, according to AGL. The marketer arranges the start with AGL and bills you. If there is no meter, AGL handles new service: it has a request form and says it responds within two business days.
Do I have to pay a deposit to start gas service?
A marketer may ask for one, but under PSC rules a deposit for household use cannot be more than $150. It must be refunded within 60 days once you have paid on time for 6 months, or within 60 days of leaving if your account is paid up.
Should a renter choose a fixed or variable gas plan?
Usually a fixed plan with a term no longer than your lease and a low exit fee. Variable can make sense for a stay of a month or two, or between contracts. In October 2026, starting in November, a stay of 3 months or more cost less on the cheapest 12-month fixed plan, even after paying its $200 exit fee, than on the middle variable rate.
What happens to my gas plan when I move?
Contact your marketer to stop or transfer service; AGL says moving customers go through their marketer. Whether you owe an exit fee depends on the marketer's terms. Some marketers waive it if you move, but we have not verified that across marketers, so ask before you sign and get the answer in writing.
Why is my gas bill so high when I barely use gas?
Because most of a small bill is fixed charges. On the cheapest standard 12-month fixed plan, AGL's base charge and the service charge were 80% of the PSC's typical October bill. You pay them even in months you use almost no gas.
SourcesWhere these numbers come from
- Georgia PSC, October 2026 fixed pricing chart. Rates, service charges, exit fees, area notes, typical-customer assumptions
- Georgia PSC, October 2026 variable pricing chart
- Georgia PSC, monthly charts November 2025 to October 2026. Typical therms and AGL base charge for each month, as printed in each chart's footnotes; archived on this site
- Atlanta Gas Light, start/stop service
- Georgia PSC, customer deposits (Rule 515-7-9-.04)
- Georgia PSC Rule 515-7-3-.04(11), deposit refunds
- U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year, tables B25003 and B25117
- U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year, table B25038 (year householder moved into unit)
- Open Natural Gas, how to switch natural gas providers in Georgia
Every PSC figure on this page is recomputed when a new monthly chart is published. Outside figures were checked on 2026-10-09.
Keep goingOther situations
For the bigger picture, start at how to compare natural gas rates in Georgia.
Homeowners and families
“I own or rent a house heated by gas and stay put through winter.”
Usually a 12-month fixed plan, locked before the cold months.
Read the guideSeniors (65+)
“I am 65 or older.”
Apply for AGL's senior discount first, then compare senior fixed plans against standard ones.
Read the guideTight budget or low income
“Money is tight this winter.”
Check the Regulated Provider's low-income group and LIHEAP before anything else.
Read the guideCredit trouble or no deposit
“I have been turned down, or I want to avoid a deposit.”
Deposits are capped by PSC rule; prepay and the Regulated Provider are the fallbacks, and both cost more.
Read the guide
The Georgia Public Service Commission does not rank or endorse marketers.