How to set up utilities when you move to Charleston

Your address decides your providers in the Charleston area. Electricity comes from Dominion Energy South Carolina, Berkeley Electric Cooperative, Edisto Electric Cooperative or Santee Cooper, depending on territory. Water and sewer come from Charleston Water System, Mount Pleasant Waterworks, Summerville CPW, Berkeley County Water & Sanitation, the City of Goose Creek, Dorchester County or a smaller system. Most water providers need one to two business days and charge a one-time account fee, so apply about a week before you move in.

Start with your address

In the Charleston area, the town on your mail doesn't tell you who your utilities are. Service territories cross city and county lines, and two houses a mile apart can have different electric and water providers. Look up the exact address with each provider below, or ask your landlord, seller or closing attorney which ones serve the home.

Electricity

Four providers serve parts of the metro. The state sets the territory lines, so your address decides your provider.

Provider	Where it serves	How to start
Dominion Energy South Carolina	Much of the metro	Online start service request
Berkeley Electric Cooperative	Parts of Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties	Check the territory map or call 1-800-327-9615
Edisto Electric Cooperative	Parts of Berkeley and Dorchester counties, among others	Visit an office, call 800-433-3292 or email
Santee Cooper	Parts of Berkeley County	Confirm your meter is in its territory at 800-804-7424

Dominion Energy. You need the full service address, Social Security numbers for you and your spouse, and a driver's license number. Dominion uses the Social Security number to decide whether you owe a deposit and says this doesn't affect your credit score. If your credit is frozen, lift the freeze before you apply. If you won't give the number online or by phone, ask for the identity verification form.

Edisto Electric. Have your Social Security number, service and mailing addresses, employer, and your landlord's contact details if you rent.

Santee Cooper. Have a Social Security number, passport or tax ID, a driver's license, and a lease or proof of purchase. A credit check sets any deposit, and service usually starts within one to two business days. There is also a prepaid option with no deposit.

Natural gas

Dominion Energy South Carolina provides natural gas, but not at every address. Check its gas availability tool or call 866-517-3711. If the result comes back as a maybe, Dominion sends someone to look at the property, and it advises against buying gas appliances until that visit is done.

Water and sewer

Provider	How to start	Lead time	Account fee
Charleston Water System	Online request, 843-727-6800, or 103 St. Philip St.	At least 1 business day	$35, non-refundable
Mount Pleasant Waterworks	Call 843-884-9626	Ask when you call	Ask when you call
Summerville CPW	"Service On" form with a government photo ID	Ask when you apply	$30 per meter, non-refundable
Berkeley County Water & Sanitation	Online OneBerkeley Portal; 843-572-4400	48 hours; turn-ons Monday to Friday only	Ask when you apply
City of Goose Creek	Online Utility Service Agreement; 843-797-6220	2 business days	Ask when you apply
Dorchester County Water & Sewer	Start Service form after checking the service map	At least 1 business day	$25 residential
North Charleston Sewer District	Through your water provider, or its new customer form; 843-764-3072	Ask when you call	$35

Fees are the ones each utility posted when we checked on November 11, 2026.

A few details that trip people up:

Mount Pleasant Waterworks is separate from the Town. Don't call Town Hall to start water.
Charleston Water System asks for your name, Social Security number, start date, service and mailing addresses and phone numbers, and may ask for a lease.
Summerville CPW asks every account holder for name, date of birth, Social Security number, addresses, phone numbers and a start date.
North Charleston sewer is usually started for you. If your water comes from Charleston Water, Summerville CPW or the Town of Lincolnville, sewer is set up through that water provider. The district's office is at 7225 Stall Rd.
Goose Creek addresses outside city limits also have to sign an annexation covenant.
Dorchester County has several other water systems, including Summerville CPW, Charleston Water System, Dorchester Water Authority and the towns of Ridgeville, Harleyville and St. George. Check the county's service map first.

Trash and recycling

Trash is tied to your town, and recycling is often run by the county.

City of Charleston: request a garbage container online or at 843-724-7311. The City picks up bulk items on your regular collection day.
Charleston County recycling: the City doesn't run recycling. Request a blue cart from the county at 843-720-7111.
Berkeley County franchise area: trash pickup is by Carolina Waste, at 843-576-1100, not by the county water and sanitation office.
Everywhere else: see our bulk pickup guides by town for who collects and what they take.

When to do what

Two weeks out: confirm each provider for the address and check gas availability.
One week out: submit the electric and water requests with your move-in date. Berkeley County water only turns service on Monday to Friday, so don't plan on a weekend start there.
Move-in week: request trash and recycling carts, and stop service at your old address.
First 45 days: handle the license, registration and car tax. Our guide to getting an SC license and paying car tax covers the order.

Pro tip keep your lease or closing statement as a PDF on your phone. Several providers ask for it, and you'll be filling out forms from a house full of boxes.

Frequently asked questions

Who provides electricity in Charleston, SC?

It depends on the address. Dominion Energy South Carolina, Berkeley Electric Cooperative, Edisto Electric Cooperative and Santee Cooper all serve parts of the metro. Territory lines are set by the state, so you can't choose. Check Berkeley Electric's territory map or call the provider with your address.

What do I need to start Dominion Energy service in South Carolina?

The full service address, Social Security numbers for you and your spouse, and a driver's license number. Dominion uses the Social Security number to decide whether a deposit is needed, so lift any credit freeze before you apply. There is an identity verification form if you'd rather not give the number online or by phone.

How do I start water service in Charleston?

For Charleston Water System, use the online open or close request, call 843-727-6800 on weekdays from 8 to 5, or go to 103 St. Philip St. There is a $35 non-refundable account origination fee, and activation takes at least one business day.

Who picks up trash and recycling in the City of Charleston?

The City collects garbage, and new residents can request a garbage container online or at 843-724-7311. Recycling is run by Charleston County, so you request a blue cart from the county at 843-720-7111.

Is natural gas available everywhere in Charleston?

No. Dominion Energy South Carolina provides natural gas, but not at every address. Use its gas availability tool or call 866-517-3711. Dominion advises not buying gas appliances until availability is confirmed.

Bottom line

Look up your address with each provider instead of guessing by town. Start electric and water about a week before move-in, have your ID, Social Security number and lease or closing papers ready, and order your trash and recycling carts the same day.

How do we know this?

We check every rule, address and hour on this page against the official source, and re-check on a schedule. Spot something out of date? Tell us.