What changes when you switch
| Changes | Stays the same |
|---|---|
| Your retailer and who bills you | The poles, wires and your meter |
| Your usage rate, supply charge and feed-in tariff | Who you call about a blackout: your network |
| Discounts, fees and contract terms | Your NMI and connection |
| Where you send concession and life support details | The quality and reliability of your power |
How to switch electricity retailer
Find a better plan
Compare plans on the government comparison sites using your own usage. Our comparison guide explains what to look for.
Have your details ready
You need your NMI and a recent bill. Card details for any concession, and life support registration if it applies.
Sign up with the new retailer
Online or by phone. Read the plan's fact sheet before you agree, and keep a copy of your contract.
Wait for the transfer
The new retailer arranges it with the market operator. It usually happens at your next meter read, or within days with a smart meter.
Check the final and first bills
Your old retailer sends a final bill. Your new retailer sends the first. Make sure the dates line up and your concession appears.
Ask your current retailer first
Your bill carries a better offer message saying whether your current retailer has a cheaper plan. Asking to move to it can be the quickest saving, with no transfer at all.
Your rights when switching
- Cooling off: you can cancel a new market contract within 10 business days without penalty.
- Explicit consent: a retailer cannot transfer you without your explicit, informed consent. A transfer you did not agree to can be reversed.
- Exit fees: in NSW, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and the ACT, fees must be limited to reasonable costs from 1 July 2026, and retail fees are banned for vulnerable customers. Victorian law bans exit fees except on some fixed-term, fixed-price contracts.
- Price rises: since 1 July 2026, retailers in the same five areas can raise market prices only once every 12 months.
If a switch goes wrong, such as a transfer you did not agree to or a missed concession, raise it with the retailer and then your energy ombudsman.
Where you can and cannot switch
You can choose your retailer in NSW, Victoria, Queensland's Energex area, South Australia and the ACT. Tasmania is open to competition but Aurora Energy supplies most homes. In Western Australia, households are supplied by Synergy or, in regional areas, Horizon Power, and cannot switch. In the Northern Territory, most homes are supplied by Jacana Energy. In regional Queensland, most homes are on Ergon Energy's regulated prices with no competing retailers.
Our retailers guide sets out who supplies each state.
Questions about switching
No. The same network delivers your power through the same wires and meter. Only the company that bills you changes, so there is no interruption.
Signing up takes minutes. The transfer itself usually happens at your next scheduled meter read, or within a few days if you have a smart meter. You stay with your old retailer until then.
No. Your new retailer arranges the transfer. Your old retailer will send a final bill. Cancel any direct debit with them once the final bill is paid.
Switching itself is free. Some older fixed-term contracts carry an exit fee if you leave early. In the National Energy Retail Rules states, fees must be limited to reasonable costs from 1 July 2026, and Victorian law bans exit fees except on some fixed-term, fixed-price contracts.
Yes. A new market contract has a 10 business day cooling-off period. Tell the new retailer you want to cancel within that time and the transfer will not go ahead, or will be reversed.
Not as a household. Homes in Western Australia are supplied by Synergy in the south-west or Horizon Power in regional areas, at prices set by the state government.
Sources
Every rate on this page comes from the regulator or the regulated retailer. Last checked October 2026. Prices include GST unless we say otherwise.