Returned checks & Payment options

Returned Checks or Drafts

1. When a customer’s check or automatic bank draft is returned by the bank on which it is drawn because the bank will not honor it for any reason, the customer will be contacted by a Collections Specialist regarding payment not honored. The contact will establish a deadline (5 days) for the customer to come into the office and pay with cash, debit/credit or money order to avoid service disconnection.
2. A returned check will not be considered as payment on an account until it has been settled. The late fee will be applied to all accounts not considered to be paid on the due date. A return check fee of $25 will be applied to the account as well.
3. The City reserves the right to require a customer to pay utility bills in cash, money order, debit/credit or cashier’s check when a customer has had two items returned for nonpayment within the previous twelve months.

Payment Options

Prefer a different payment option? We offer a range of alternatives for your convenience.

Pay By Phone/IVR

Call our toll free number 1-866-288-7608 to make your utility payment by phone. You may pay by credit/debit card or by e-check. You will need to enter your customer and account number including the leading zeroes to pay by phone.

Pay By Mail

Mail your payment using the return envelope included with your monthly utility bill. If misplaced, address your check or money order to City of Rocky Mount Business Office, PO Box 1180, Rocky Mount, NC 27802.

Pay In Person

We accept cash, check, and money order payments. We also have a convenient drive thru window. Remember to bring your utility bill stub or account number with you. The Business Services Center location is 224 S. Franklin Street, Rocky Mount, NC 27804-1180.

Bank Draft

Automatic bank draft of utility bills is available. Payments are automatically deducted from your bank account. In order to participate, a utility customer must have a checking account, complete and sign the bank draft authorization form, enclose a voided check and mail all items to the City of Rocky Mount Business Office, PO Box 1180, Rocky Mount, NC 27802. After the application is received, it takes an average of two months for the actual draft process to begin.

Equal Pay Program

Depending on the season, your utility bill can vary widely from month to month due to increases and decreases in your energy consumption. Equal Pay Program eliminates those fluctuations by averaging your annual energy usage and providing you with a fixed monthly payment amount. Your monthly payment will be based on your annual usage spread over 11 equal monthly payments. The 12th month is a settlement month. Your account will be reviewed and the difference between the actual usage billed and the paid usage based on the Equal Pay Program will be due from you if an underpayment or the city will refund any overpayment. This plan works well for customers who prefer a fixed monthly payment amount or for those who experience significant increases in winter and/or summer peak billing periods. Please visit our office or call us at 252-972-1250 for details.

Time Extensions

The last day to pay a utility bill without penalty is the due date printed on the bill. The following day, a 1.5% late penalty is charged to the account. Any amount not paid by the due date is considered past due and may result in the onset of delinquency action including service interruption. Late payments will impact your credit standing with the City of Rocky Mount. If a customer is unable to pay a bill by the due date, the person authorized on the account may contact our office to request an arrangement for payment of the bill at a later date. Please visit our office or call us at 252-972-1250 for details.

Payment Assistance Programs

Utility bill payment assistance from federal, state, and privately funded programs may be available to qualified customers. For more information, please visit our Assistance Programs page.

Customer Choice – Due Date Option Program

The Due Date Option Plan allows customers to choose a set due date for their utility payments. Due dates available are 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th. Customers must have an active utility account with no past due balances. If customer has a past due balance and would like to participate in the program, we will work with the customer to devise a payment plan that will allow them to become current on the account.