The Easiest Way to Pay Your Seattle City Light Bill

Paying your Seattle City Light bill just got a whole lot easier. As a customer of Seattle’s publicly owned electric utility, you have multiple options to pay your bill conveniently and efficiently. In this article, we’ll walk through the various ways you can pay your City Light bill and highlight the easiest methods.

First off, why is City Light our electric provider here in Seattle? City Light is a municipal utility, meaning it is owned by the city itself Way back in 1902, the citizens of Seattle voted to create their own electric utility after getting fed up with the high prices and poor service from private power companies

Ever since then, City Light has been providing Seattle with reliable electricity at cost – meaning they charge customers just enough to cover expenses, not make a profit. City Light is dedicated to keeping rates affordable while pursuing environmentally responsible energy sources like hydropower and wind power.

Okay, now on to the main event paying your City Light bill There are a handful of ways you can go about it

Pay Online

The easiest and most convenient way for most customers to pay their bill is online through City Light’s self-service portal, You can either pay as a one-time transaction or set up recurring payments to be deducted automatically each month,

Here’s how to pay your bill online:

• Visit www.seattle.gov/city-light and click on “Pay My Bill”
• Enter your 10-digit City Light account number and the amount due
• Choose whether you want to make a one-time payment or set up recurring payments
• Enter your payment information and submit

Paying online takes just a few minutes. You’ll have the peace of mind knowing your payment went through instantly.

Pay by Phone

You can also pay your Seattle City Light bill over the phone using the utility’s automated payment system. Call 1-888-333-9882 and follow the prompts to make a payment 24/7 using your credit card, debit card, or bank account.

The phone payment system is available in over 150 languages. So it’s a great option if you prefer to pay your bill verbally in your native language.

Pay by Mail

If you like to pay your bills the old fashioned way, you can always mail in a check or money order. Your City Light bill comes with a payment stub and mailing address for your convenience.

Just detach the payment stub, enclose it with your check or money order, and drop it in the mail so it arrives by the due date. Make sure to include your City Light account number on the check.

Mailing in your payment takes more effort and time. You’ll need to wait for your bank to process the check and for City Light to receive it by mail. But it works if you prefer paying bills manually.

Pay in Person

You can also pay your Seattle City Light bill in person at an authorized payment location. Head to a MoneyGram or Western Union location to pay by cash, debit card, or credit card. Bring your latest bill to have the account number handy.

In-person bill pay is handy if you don’t have a bank account or prefer to deal with cash. But keep in mind that in-person locations charge a service fee – around $1.50 per transaction.

Enroll in AutoPay

The absolute easiest way to pay your City Light bill is to enroll in autopay. With autopay, your bill is deducted directly from your bank account each month automatically.

To sign up for autopay:

• Go to www.seattle.gov/city-light and click on “Pay My Bill”
• Click on the “MyAccount” tab and choose “Enroll in AutoPay”
• Select your payment method and what day of the month you want payments to process

Once autopay is set up, you don’t have to think about your City Light bill again. It’s paid automatically on time, every time. One less hassle to worry about!

Compare Payment Options

Here’s a quick recap of the payment options for your Seattle City Light residential electric bill:

Payment Method	Cost	Time to Process	Other Factors
Online	Free	Instant	Convenient, allows autopay
Phone	Free	Instant	Available 24/7 in 150+ languages
Mail	Cost of stamp	5-7 days	More manual effort
In-person	$1.50 fee	Instant	Need cash or physical card
AutoPay	Free	Automatic	Ideal for hassle-free payments

As you can see, paying online or enrolling in autopay are the most convenient and cost-effective options. Phone and in-person payments work but incur extra fees. Mailing a check is slower but avoids fees.

Get Payment Assistance if Needed

If you’re ever unable to pay your full City Light bill, don’t panic. City Light offers payment plans and assistance programs to customers facing financial hardship.

You can set up deferred payment plans to spread out the amount due over several months. City Light also partners with local assistance agencies to help income-qualified customers.

Programs like the Utility Discount Program provide bill discounts for low-income residents. So reach out to City Light if you need help – they don’t want customers stressed about bill payments.

In Summary

Paying your Seattle City Light bill is quick and easy these days. Online payments through the self-service portal take just minutes and let you enroll in autopay. Phone payments work too, available in over 150 languages. Or you can mail a check or visit and in-person location if you prefer. If money is tight, be sure to ask about City Light’s bill assistance programs. With all these convenient options, keeping the lights on has never been simpler!