Just signed a tenancy contract in Doha? Setting up your electricity and water account is one of the main move-in tasks.
KAHRAMAA—the Qatar General Electricity & Water Corporation—is Qatar’s sole electricity and water transmission and distribution system owner and operator. It manages the customer accounts, meters and billing used by residential customers across the country. Electricity generation and water production themselves are handled separately.
For a standard non-Qatari postpaid residential account, the statutory security deposit is QAR 2,000 in total: QAR 1,200 for electricity and QAR 800 for water. However, tenants should not automatically expect to pay it at a counter before moving in. With KAHRAMAA’s Smart Registration system, a municipality-registered lease can trigger the customer registration automatically, with the deposit added to the first bill.
Straightforward move-in requests can be processed quickly, but do not treat two or three business days as a guaranteed deadline. KAHRAMAA previously stated that Move In/Move Out applications were completed within one to three working days, while the current online service does not publish a guaranteed processing time.
Here is what you need to know about setting up home utilities in Qatar in 2026.
Information checked on August 9, 2026. Deposits, tariffs, service procedures and eligibility can change, so confirm the current information through KAHRAMAA when you submit your request.
The quick answer: what setting up Kahramaa costs and takes
- Security deposit — QAR 2,000 for a standard non-Qatari postpaid residential account: QAR 1,200 electricity + QAR 800 water.
- Move-in fee — do not assume there is a standard QAR 200 or QAR 400 tenant connection fee. Those figures relate to electricity-meter charges under the tariff law, not every residential move-in.
- Documents — the current Move to New Premises service requests information including the electricity number, QID, municipality-authenticated rental agreement and owner identification.
- Where — registration may happen automatically through KAHRAMAA Smart Registration after the lease is registered, or you can use KAHRAMAA’s Move to New Premises service when required.
- Timeframe — allow a few working days for a straightforward case rather than relying on a guaranteed two-to-three-day deadline.
What is Kahramaa and what it covers
KAHRAMAA is responsible for Qatar’s electricity and water transmission and distribution networks and for maintaining the supply of electricity and water to customers.
For a normal residential customer, electricity and water consumption appear through the KAHRAMAA account and billing system.
However, not every cost associated with cooling a property is necessarily part of the KAHRAMAA bill. Some developments use separate district-cooling systems, so check your tenancy contract to see whether cooling is:
- Included in the rent
- Billed by the landlord
- Billed by a district-cooling provider
- Included within a service charge
- Metered separately
If you are renting a serviced or fully furnished property, electricity and water may also remain under the landlord’s or operator’s account and be included in the rental package.
Confirm this in writing before creating a separate account.
Documents you need before you apply
KAHRAMAA’s current Move to New Premises form requests information and documents including:
- Valid QID — the form asks for the tenant’s QID or establishment ID and QID expiry date.
- Electricity number — the property’s electricity number is a required field.
- Water number — requested where applicable.
- Municipality-authenticated tenancy agreement — the current online form specifically requires a rental agreement authenticated by the municipality.
- RNR number — where applicable, this is the rental-agreement authentication number generated through the municipality system.
- Owner identification — the current online form includes an owner ID copy among the required documents.
- Move-in date
- Tenancy start and end dates
- Contact details
- Meter readings — the application allows readings to be supplied by either the customer or KAHRAMAA.
The original article’s reference to the landlord’s “Kahramaa account number” is therefore too narrow. The more useful item is the property’s electricity number, together with the authenticated tenancy information.
If you own the property rather than rent it, KAHRAMAA’s process provides for ownership documentation instead of a rental agreement.
How to apply for a new connection
There are two situations to distinguish: moving into an existing connected property and obtaining infrastructure or meters for a new property.
They are not the same process.
Smart Registration
For many tenants, the process may begin automatically.
KAHRAMAA introduced Smart Registration by linking its system to registered tenancy contracts. Once the lease is registered with the municipality, the system can automatically initiate the new tenant’s KAHRAMAA registration without requiring the customer to submit a separate Move In request.
Under the published Smart Registration process, the deposit is added to the first bill rather than requiring an upfront deposit payment at the time the automatic request is created.
Watch for the KAHRAMAA notification after the tenancy registration is completed.
Apply online
If automatic registration does not complete the move or you need to submit the request yourself, KAHRAMAA maintains an online Move to New Premises service.
The current form asks for the:
- Electricity number
- QID
- Move-in date
- Email and phone
- Rental details
- Municipality-authenticated rental agreement
- Owner information
- Relevant meter readings
This is the appropriate route for a tenant moving into an existing apartment or villa where the infrastructure and meters are already in place.
Apply through KAHRAMAA customer service
KAHRAMAA also maintains customer-service channels and service centres for cases that cannot be completed through the normal online process. Its public service information states that electricity and water connections to existing residential or business buildings require proof-of-occupancy documentation.
A brand-new building or new meter installation involves additional building, completion and service-connection procedures and should not be confused with a simple tenant account transfer. KAHRAMAA’s FAQs list municipal completion certificates and approved building documentation among the requirements for a new electricity and water service connection.
What it costs: deposits and connection fees
The main cost a non-Qatari residential postpaid customer should expect is the consumption deposit.
Refundable security deposit
Qatar’s electricity and water tariff legislation lists:
- Electricity deposit — QAR 1,200
- Water deposit — QAR 800
- Total — QAR 2,000
for non-Qatari consumers.
The deposit is refundable after the customer stops occupying the premises, subject to deduction of outstanding amounts.
Under KAHRAMAA’s Smart Registration process, this deposit may be added to the first bill rather than paid upfront.
What about the QAR 200 and QAR 400 figures?
These should not be described as standard move-in connection fees.
Qatar’s tariff law lists electricity-meter charges of:
- Single-phase meter — QAR 200
- Three-phase meter — QAR 400
It separately lists charges for water meters according to meter size.
These are meter-related charges. They do not mean that every tenant moving into an existing apartment must pay an additional QAR 200, or that every villa tenant automatically pays QAR 400.
Actual new-building and new-service connection charges can depend on the required infrastructure and load.
For an existing home with installed meters, focus first on the Move In process and the applicable consumption deposit.
Understanding your electricity and water tariffs
The original tariff tables should not be published as written.
KAHRAMAA’s current tariff service distinguishes between categories including:
- Residential flat
- Residential villa
- Commercial
- Hotel
- Government
- Industrial
- Other customer categories
That means it is misleading to state that every expatriate residential customer follows one three-band electricity schedule.
Use KAHRAMAA’s live tariff calculator for the current rate applying to your actual premises category.
Electricity tariffs
Do not rely on the original:
- QAR 0.08 for the first 2,000 kWh
- QAR 0.09 up to 6,000 kWh
- QAR 0.10 above 6,000 kWh
as a verified 2026 residential tariff schedule.
KAHRAMAA’s current tariff system categorises residential flats and villas separately. Check the live tariff page for the exact current rate attached to your premises.
Water tariffs
The original water bands are also incorrect.
Qatar’s published tariff legislation states that non-Qataris living in private residences connected to the public water-distribution network are charged QAR 4.40 per cubic metre of water.
The original article incorrectly described this as QAR 4.40 per 1,000 imperial gallons and added unsupported QAR 6.00 and QAR 8.20 tiers.
For publication, direct readers to KAHRAMAA’s current tariff calculator because operational tariffs can be updated.
Wastewater-disposal fee
There is another charge residents should know about.
For non-Qatari homes connected to and benefiting from the sewerage service, the wastewater-disposal charge is calculated at 20% of the value of the water bill.
KAHRAMAA’s current prepaid-service information continues to describe sewerage fees as 20% of the water-consumption value for customers benefiting from the service.
How much your monthly bill will be
Avoid stating that “most households pay QAR 200–500.”
There is no reliable standard monthly household figure because bills vary substantially according to:
- Flat versus villa
- Floor area
- Number of residents
- Electricity consumption
- Water consumption
- Season
- Air-conditioning system
- Swimming pools
- Garden irrigation
- Whether cooling is separately billed
- Whether utilities are included in rent
KAHRAMAA provides a tariff calculator specifically because the cost depends on the customer category and consumption entered.
Cooling is a major electricity use in Qatar, so consumption can rise substantially during hotter months, particularly in larger villas.
Practical ways to reduce consumption include:
- Avoid cooling empty rooms unnecessarily.
- Keep AC filters and systems maintained.
- Fix leaking taps and toilets promptly.
- Monitor KAHRAMAA consumption through your account.
- Compare unusually high bills with your previous consumption.
- Check whether a separate district-cooling bill also applies.
Prepaid meters and moving out
KAHRAMAA now offers a prepaid service for eligible customers with suitable smart meters.
Eligibility currently includes premises where:
- The electricity smart-meter circuit breaker does not exceed 100 amps.
- The water-meter pipe configuration does not exceed 42 mm.
KAHRAMAA also states that it selects eligible customers for conversion to prepaid service. Applications can be made through the KAHRAMAA website or mobile application.
How prepaid Kahramaa works
For eligible prepaid customers:
- Electricity and water use the same approved consumption tariffs as postpaid service.
- A normal consumption deposit is not required.
- A QAR 5 monthly meter rental applies.
- Customers top up through KAHRAMAA’s prepaid channels.
- The first top-up must meet KAHRAMAA’s current activation rules.
- When the prepaid balance reaches zero, disconnection procedures apply.
A remaining prepaid balance is not refundable when the prepaid account is closed, according to KAHRAMAA’s current terms.
When you move out
For a normal postpaid account, do not simply hand the keys back and leave the KAHRAMAA account open.
The account should be closed, final meter readings taken and outstanding charges settled. KAHRAMAA’s published account-closure procedure provides for final settlement and reimbursement of the remaining deposit.
Take meter photographs at handover and keep the final clearance or account-closure confirmation.
Getting the utilities sorted is one of the first jobs when moving into a home in Qatar. For more move-in information, browse Qatar Living’s guides, and if you are still house-hunting, compare current Qatar property listings before choosing your next home.
FAQs
How much is the Kahramaa deposit when I move in?
For a standard non-Qatari postpaid residential account, the deposit is QAR 2,000:
- QAR 1,200 for electricity
- QAR 800 for water
The deposit is refundable after the account is closed and outstanding amounts are settled.
If your account is created through Smart Registration, KAHRAMAA’s published process allows the deposit to be added to the first bill rather than paid upfront.
Prepaid customers do not pay the normal consumption deposit.
How long does it take to get electricity and water connected?
Do not rely on a guaranteed two-to-three-day timeframe.
KAHRAMAA previously stated that its electronic Move In/Move Out process could be completed within one to three working days, but the current Move to New Premises page does not publish a guaranteed completion time.
For a straightforward existing property, allow a few working days and track the application.
A new building, new meter or technical connection can require a different process and take longer.
What documents do I need to set up Kahramaa?
KAHRAMAA’s current Move to New Premises form requests information including:
- Valid QID
- Electricity number
- Municipality-authenticated rental agreement
- RNR rental-registration number where applicable
- Owner identification
- Move-in date
- Rental details
- Contact information
- Meter readings where required
Can I set up my Kahramaa account online?
Yes.
KAHRAMAA provides an online Move to New Premises service. In addition, Smart Registration can automatically initiate customer registration when a tenancy contract is registered through the municipality system.
Check for a KAHRAMAA notification after your lease is registered before submitting a duplicate request.
How much is a typical monthly Kahramaa bill in Qatar?
There is no reliable standard figure that applies to most households.
The bill depends on the property category and actual electricity and water use. A villa with several occupants, significant cooling demand and outdoor water use can consume considerably more than a small apartment.
Use KAHRAMAA’s live tariff calculator with your actual consumption rather than budgeting around a generic QAR 200–500 figure.
What are the current residential electricity and water tariffs?
KAHRAMAA separates customer tariffs by property category, including residential flats and residential villas. Check its live tariff calculator for the current electricity rate applying to your premises.
For non-Qataris living in private residences connected to the water-distribution network, Qatar’s published tariff legislation states a water rate of QAR 4.40 per cubic metre.
Where sewerage service applies, an additional wastewater charge equivalent to 20% of the water-bill value generally applies to non-Qatari premises.
What's the connection fee for a new meter?
Do not treat QAR 200 and QAR 400 as standard tenant move-in fees.
The tariff legislation lists:
- QAR 200 for a single-phase electricity meter
- QAR 400 for a three-phase electricity meter
but a new building/service connection can involve separate charges and technical requirements.
If you are simply moving into a property where the meters already exist, these should not be presented as automatic additional charges.
Do prepaid Kahramaa accounts require a deposit?
No.
KAHRAMAA states that its prepaid service does not require a consumption deposit. It currently charges a QAR 5 monthly meter rental instead, and eligibility is limited to qualifying smart-meter premises.
What happens if I don't close my Kahramaa account when I move out?
You should formally close the account so final meter readings can be taken, outstanding charges settled and the refundable deposit reconciled.
KAHRAMAA’s published process provides for final settlement before the remaining deposit is reimbursed.
Keeping the account active after you have left can leave later consumption associated with your customer account.
Information checked on August 9, 2026. Use KAHRAMAA’s live tariff calculator and Move to New Premises service to confirm the figures and requirements applying to your specific property.
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