Texas electricity · Evidence guide
What is an electricity early termination fee?
An ETF is a contract charge that may apply when a term electricity plan ends early; verify the exact fee, dates, and exceptions in current documents.
Last reviewed 2026-08-21 · Readiness: READY
30-second answer
The answer depends on the full formula.
An early termination fee, or ETF, is a charge that may apply when a customer ends a term electricity product before the applicable contract end condition. The amount, schedule, exceptions, and timing come from the actual TOS, EFL, YRAC, and expiration notice—not from a generic rule of thumb.
For a decision, the ETF is one cost in a larger equation. Compare it with the supported benefit over the remaining period, and verify any notice-based no-penalty window before acting.
Key facts
What is known—and on what basis
Contract evidence
PUCT rules treat the TOS, EFL, YRAC, and enrollment documentation as contract documents.
Expiration notice
For a calendar-date expiration notice, the rule requires specific no-termination-penalty timing language and fee disclosure.
Decision use
ETF should be included once, at the correct time, in the remaining-horizon comparison.
Why
Why the general answer can reverse
A fee discourages ending a term arrangement early, but it does not by itself answer whether leaving is good or bad. A large supported cost difference over a long remaining term can overcome a fee; a small difference over a short term may not.
The requested switch date matters. A consumer should not assume that shopping, enrolling, meter transfer, and contract end all occur on the same date.
ETF evidence is household-specific and time-sensitive. A plan name or provider-wide FAQ cannot safely replace the signed terms and current notice.
Evidence
What to check in the actual situation
- Exact fee amount or schedule in the current TOS and EFL.
- Contract expiration date or meter-read condition and the requested switch date.
- Expiration or change notice language, including any documented waiver window.
- Remaining supported benefit of the replacement after all recurring charges and uncertainty.
Decision framework
When each Eyebiss label could apply
| Label | Condition |
|---|---|
| KEEP | Supported current-plan economics remain competitive for the household after all represented charges and constraints are included. |
| WAIT | A known timing boundary, such as contract expiration, makes later reconsideration better supported than action now. |
| SWITCH | Complete, current evidence shows a better household outcome after fees, remaining term, and comparable plan mechanics are included. |
| NEEDS_INFORMATION | The bill, EFL, contract, usage history, location, or current alternative evidence is missing, stale, or conflicting. |
Worked example
Use break-even, not fee shock
If a verified ETF is $180 and a supported replacement saves $30 per month over the comparable period, the simplified break-even is six months.
- $180 ÷ $30 per month = 6 months to recover the fee.
- If fewer than six comparable months remain, the fee is not recovered in that simplified horizon.
- If more remain, continue with availability, term, start timing, and uncertainty before concluding SWITCH.
Edge cases
Where the answer needs more care
- Some contracts address moves or other events differently; verify documentation.
- A fee may be per remaining month or otherwise scheduled rather than one flat amount.
- A change-in-terms notice and an expiration notice can create different rights and timelines.
Sources
Evidence used on this page
- PUCT Substantive Rule 25.475: General Retail Electric Provider Requirements and Information DisclosuresPublic Utility Commission of Texas
The contract documents include the TOS, EFL, and YRAC. The rule defines fixed-rate and variable-price products. The EFL uses standardized price disclosures, including specified usage levels. Contract-expiration notices must describe termination penalties and applicable timing.
Retrieved 2026-08-21 · Texas · primary source · freshness highConsumers should verify the current rule and their own TOS, EFL, YRAC, and expiration notice before acting. - How Eyebiss reasons from electricity evidenceEyebiss
Eyebiss preserves official facts, observations, calculations, analysis, inference, and unknowns as distinct provenance classes. Eyebiss may abstain when evidence is missing, stale, or conflicting.
Retrieved 2026-08-21 · Texas · primary source · freshness highThis methodology describes the public knowledge architecture and does not claim live statewide market coverage.
Check your actual situation
Check whether the fee changes the timing
Provide the exact fee, expiration, usage, and supported bill evidence. The checker will include the ETF in the household economics only when current alternatives and applicability are supported.