Submetering in North Carolina
Last reviewed by NES Editorial · September 2026
North Carolina requires billing on actual submetered usage, with a certificate and a capped fee. Here is how owners stay compliant.
Submetering is common across North Carolina, and NES runs it end to end. We install nonproprietary meters that you own, read them every day, pay the master-meter bill, and bill your residents. Our compliance team tracks the North Carolina rules, set by the NCUC, so your billing holds up if anyone ever checks it. NES has worked this way since 1968, in more than 43 states.
Yes. Submetering is allowed in North Carolina, with some restrictions.
It is regulated by the North Carolina Utilities Commission, and NES handles the requirements for you.
What submetering is
Submetering puts a meter on each unit and bills residents for the water, gas, and electric they actually use. The idea has been around since the 1920s. Today’s meters read wirelessly every day, so usage is accurate and leaks show up fast instead of on the next bill.
Why owners in North Carolina submeter
- Residents pay for what they use, so water consumption usually drops 15 to 30%.
- Leaks are caught within a day, not at the end of the month.
- Common-area usage is measured and billed accurately, not absorbed by the owner.
- Most installs pay for themselves within 12 to 18 months.
Submetering laws and rules in North Carolina
- Water and sewer submetering is regulated by the North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC), and the owner must be certified with the NCUC before billing residents for water and sewer service
- Residents must be billed on actual submetered usage, and ratio or allocation billing methods are not allowed in North Carolina
- The NCUC water rules apply to apartment communities with 15 or more units, while water submetering in condominiums and HOA townhomes is regulated by the NC DEQ Public Water Supply Section as well; gas submetering and gas billing are not allowed in North Carolina
- The administrative fee an owner can add is capped by NCUC Rule R18-6 at $3.75 per unit per month, and late fees or occupancy-update charges are not permitted
- For electricity, submetering is allowed in North Carolina, residents are billed for their measured use, and the administrative fee cannot exceed the maximum the commission allows
- NES tracks every NCUC requirement so your property stays compliant
Local rules can vary by city and county, and some cities set their own requirements, which NES verifies for your exact address.
Official sources: North Carolina Utilities Commission · NCUC Water Resale
General information only, not legal advice. Confirm current rules with the NCUC or a qualified attorney.
NES submetering by city in North Carolina
Local submetering guides for North Carolina communities NES serves.
Submetering in North Carolina
See what your North Carolina property can recover.
Send us your master-meter bills and unit count. We’ll run the numbers on your actual property and reply within one business day with a clear, no-obligation estimate.