CESC Electricity Bill Name Change in Kolkata and Howrah: Transfer or Correction?
If your bill comes from CESC, the rules of WBSEDCL do not apply to you. CESC treats a name change as a transfer of supply when the owner, tenant or occupier changes, or when a spouse takes over after the consumer's death. A spelling fix is a different, simpler request. Neither one usually needs a gazette.
Get Call and Name Change Format
CESC Electricity Bill Name Change (Quick Answer)
CESC supplies electricity in Kolkata and parts of Howrah, Hooghly, North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas. If the owner, tenant or occupier has changed, or a spouse wants the connection after the consumer's death, apply for a name change (transfer of supply) through Online Name Change on cesc.co.in or at a Regional Office. Use Annexure A1 and A2 if the old consumer is alive, or A1 and A3 if the consumer has died. There is no processing fee, but you pay a fresh security deposit, and the old deposit is refunded to the previous consumer less any dues. The new name shows from the next billing cycle. If you are the same consumer and only the spelling is wrong, or your name changed after marriage, send a correction request instead. A gazette is rarely needed for either.
| Your situation | CESC request | Gazette? |
|---|---|---|
| You bought the flat or house | Name change (transfer), A1 + A2 | No |
| You are a new tenant or occupier | Name change (transfer), A1 + A2 | No |
| Husband or wife died, spouse takes over | Name change (transfer), A1 + A3 | No |
| Your name is spelt wrongly | Correction request | No |
| Your surname changed after marriage | Correction request with proof | Usually no |
| Load also needs to change | Ask CESC: online name change is only for the same load | No |
Is Your Electricity Bill From CESC or WBSEDCL?
West Bengal has more than one electricity company. CESC Limited supplies about 567 square kilometres: the Kolkata Municipal Corporation area and parts of Howrah, Hooghly, North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas. Most of the rest of the state is served by WBSEDCL.
The company name is printed at the top of your bill. Read it before anything else, because the forms, offices and rules are different. If your bill says WBSEDCL, our WBSEDCL electricity bill guide is the one you need. Living in Kolkata or Howrah does not by itself mean CESC; some pockets are served by others.
CESC Name Change: Transfer of Supply or Name Correction?
CESC uses the words "name change" for something specific. In its own words, you apply to have the supply transferred when there is a change in ownership, tenancy or occupancy, or when the spouse of the registered consumer asks for the name to be changed after the consumer's death. The online name change works only when the load stays the same.
A correction is different. It is for the same consumer, when the name or address on the bill is written wrongly. CESC handles corrections through its Complaints and Requests portal or by email, not through the online name change.
Get this right first. Applying for a transfer when you only need a correction means a fresh security deposit you did not need to pay.
Documents Required for a CESC Name Change
- Your photo ID: Aadhaar, voter ID, passport or driving licence.
- The existing consumer's photo ID: one of the same four.
- Annexure A1 and A2 if the existing consumer is alive.
- Annexure A1 and A3 (a declaration) if the existing consumer has died, with the death certificate.
- Two witnesses: their names and addresses.
- Commercial or industrial premises: a trade licence from KMC or the municipality, or pollution control clearance where it applies.
- Government-allotted flat: the date of the allotment letter.
- A recent bill: for the Customer ID and consumer number.
Notice what is not on the list: a gazette notification, a newspaper notice or a name change affidavit. CESC asks for these documents because it is moving the connection to a new person, not recording a new name for the same person.
How to Apply for CESC Name Change Online
Confirm it is a transfer
Change of owner, tenant or occupier, or a spouse after death, with the same load.
Keep your bill ready
Note the Customer ID and consumer number.
Fill the Annexures
A1 and A2 if the consumer is alive; A1 and A3 if the consumer has died.
Collect the documents
Both photo IDs, the death certificate if needed, two witnesses, and a trade licence for commercial premises.
Apply on cesc.co.in
Open Online Name Change, enter your Customer ID, email and mobile number, upload the documents and submit. You can also apply at a CESC Regional Office.
Pay the security deposit online
There is no separate processing fee.
Check the next bill
The new name appears from the next billing cycle after the deposit is paid.
CESC Name Transfer After the Consumer's Death
CESC has a clear path for the spouse of a registered consumer who has died. The spouse applies for the name change with Annexure A1 and A3 and the death certificate.
There is no penalty for applying late. Families often leave the bill in a late father's name for years. It still makes sense to transfer it, because the deposit, the connection and any future dispute all follow the name on the bill.
If the person taking over is not the spouse, for example a son or daughter, ask the CESC Regional Office what it needs. CESC's rules cover a change of ownership or occupancy, so keep the property papers ready: the mutation record or property tax receipt in your name. Our municipal mutation guide explains that record.
The old security deposit belongs to the person who paid it. For a deceased consumer, CESC asks for an affidavit with a no-objection from the legal heirs before it refunds it.
CESC Name Change Charges and Security Deposit
Processing fee: CESC says there is no upfront processing fee for an online name change.
Security deposit: the new consumer pays a fresh security deposit online. The amount depends on the connection, so CESC shows it during the application. We do not publish a figure, because it is not one fixed number.
The old deposit: refunded to the previous consumer after deducting any dues. If you are buying a flat, settle with the seller who keeps that refund.
Dues: clear the old bills before you apply, so the transfer is not held up.
Our charge, if you ask us to help, is separate from the CESC deposit, and we tell you both before you pay anything.
CESC Name Correction for a Spelling Mistake or After Marriage
If you are the same consumer and only the name is wrong, you do not need a transfer. CESC asks you to use its Complaints and Requests portal, or email cesclimited@rpsg.in, with your consumer number or Customer ID, your photo ID and the document that supports the correction.
After marriage: if you are the consumer and your surname changed, send your marriage certificate and a photo ID in the new name with the request. A married name is not a change of owner, so a fresh security deposit should not be needed. If the office asks for more, a one and the same person affidavit usually settles it.
Spelling forms: if your bill says Chaterjee and your ID says Chatterjee, the request is a correction. Send the ID that shows the right spelling.
CESC Name Change for Tenants, and When the Old Owner Cannot Be Found
A tenant can apply for a transfer, because CESC counts a change of tenancy. Annexure A2 is filled with the existing consumer, so you need their cooperation and their ID.
When you leave the flat, the next tenant or the owner will need the same from you. Keep a copy of your ID ready to share.
The hard case is when the previous consumer cannot be found: an old tenant who left years ago, or a seller who moved abroad. CESC's online page does not set out a route for this. Do not guess or fill a form on someone else's behalf. Go to the CESC Regional Office with your proof of ownership or tenancy and ask what it will accept in place of the old consumer's signature. If a legal dispute is involved, that is a lawyer's job, and the District Legal Services Authority can give free legal aid.
Do You Need a Gazette for a CESC Electricity Bill Name Change?
Almost never. A transfer moves the connection to a different person, so there is no name to change by gazette. A correction fixes how your name is written, and your photo ID does that job.
A gazette helps only when you changed your own name to something new and CESC, or another office, asks for proof of the change. In that case read our gazette guide for Kolkata. If anyone tells you a gazette is required just to move a CESC bill into a buyer's or tenant's name, ask them to show it in writing from CESC.
Common CESC Name Change Mistakes
Following WBSEDCL rules on a CESC bill
They are different companies with different forms. Read the name on your bill first.
Applying for a transfer when you need a correction
A transfer means a fresh security deposit. A correction for the same consumer does not.
Changing the load in the same application
The online name change is only for the same load. Ask CESC about a load change separately.
Forgetting the old deposit when buying a flat
The refund goes to the previous consumer, less dues. Agree on it with the seller before you pay.
Paying for a gazette you do not need
A CESC transfer or correction does not need one. Spend that money only if you actually changed your own name.
CESC Electricity Bill Name Change: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I change the name on my CESC electricity bill?
If the owner, tenant or occupier has changed, or a spouse is taking over after the consumer's death, apply for a name change through Online Name Change on cesc.co.in or at a CESC Regional Office, with Annexure A1 and A2 or A1 and A3 and the required IDs.
Can I apply for a CESC name change online?
Yes. CESC has an Online Name Change service. You need your Customer ID, email and mobile number, and you upload the documents and pay the security deposit online.
What is the difference between Annexure A2 and A3?
Annexure A1 goes with every application. A2 is used when the existing consumer is alive. A3 is a declaration used when the existing consumer has died, along with the death certificate.
What is the CESC name change fee?
CESC says there is no upfront processing fee. The new consumer pays a fresh security deposit online, and the amount depends on the connection.
What happens to the old security deposit?
CESC refunds it to the previous consumer after deducting any dues. If the previous consumer has died, it asks for an affidavit with a no-objection from the legal heirs.
How long does a CESC name change take?
CESC says the change shows in the next billing cycle after the security deposit is paid.
My father has died. Can my mother take over the CESC connection?
Yes. The spouse of a deceased consumer can apply with Annexure A1 and A3 and the death certificate. There is no penalty for applying late.
My name is spelt wrongly on the CESC bill. Is that a name change?
No. It is a correction. Use the CESC Complaints and Requests portal or email cesclimited@rpsg.in with your consumer number, photo ID and supporting document.
Do I need a gazette to change the name on a CESC bill?
Almost never. A transfer moves the connection to another person, and a correction is settled by your photo ID. A gazette helps only if you changed your own name and an office asks for proof.
I am a tenant. Can I get the CESC bill in my name?
CESC counts a change of tenancy as a reason for transfer. You will normally need the existing consumer's cooperation and photo ID for Annexure A2.
The previous owner cannot be found. What do I do?
CESC's online page does not set out a route for this. Visit a CESC Regional Office with your ownership or tenancy proof and ask what it accepts. If there is a dispute, speak to a lawyer; the District Legal Services Authority offers free legal aid.
My bill is from WBSEDCL, not CESC. Does this page apply?
No. WBSEDCL has its own process. Read our WBSEDCL electricity bill name change guide instead.
Official Sources for CESC Name Change
CESC Online Name Change
cesc.co.in/olnt: who can apply, Annexures, documents and the security deposit.
CESC FAQs
cesc.co.in/faq: transfer of supply and correction of name or address.
CESC Consumer Connect
cesc.co.in/consumerConnect: requests, complaints and Regional Office details.
Get Call and Name Change Format
Not Sure If It Is a Transfer or a Correction?
Send us a photo of your CESC bill and tell us what changed. We will tell you which request fits. Most CESC cases need no gazette and no help from us, and we will say so. Monday to Saturday, Kolkata, Howrah and every CESC area.