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Kahramaa: connecting electricity and water and paying bills
How to get electricity and water in your name when you rent in Qatar, what the deposit is, how to read and pay your Kahramaa bill, keep summer costs down, report a fault, and close the account when you move out.
Last reviewed: 13 October 2026
- Deposit
- QAR 2,000 for a standard home (QAR 1,200 electricity + QAR 800 water), refundable
- Time
- Usually automatic after lease registration; about 3 working days if you apply
- You need
- Your QID, the registered lease and the electricity (and water) number
- Emergencies
- Call 991 (24 hours) or WhatsApp 3030 3991
Kahramaa (KM) is Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation, the single government supplier of electricity and water to every home in the country. If your rent does not include utilities, the Kahramaa account for your flat or villa has to be in your name, and you pay a monthly bill for what your meters record. In most cases the account opens automatically once your landlord registers your lease with the Ministry of Municipality, and the refundable deposit is simply added to your first bill. This guide explains when you need your own account, how connection works, how to read and pay the bill, how to keep summer costs under control, who to call when something goes wrong, and how to close the account and get a clearance certificate when you leave. Do it in this order: registered lease first, then Kahramaa, then online account and payments.
Before you start
- Your Qatar ID (QID); Kahramaa accounts are opened against a QID, so new arrivals usually wait for it before taking a home in their own name
- A lease registered (attested) with the Ministry of Municipality, with your name and QID shown correctly
- A copy of the landlord's QID or ID, in case you have to apply yourself
- The electricity number (and the water number if the home has a separate one), shown on the meter or on a previous bill; ask the landlord or agent
- Your move-in date and the start and end dates of the lease
- Dated photos of the electricity and water meter readings on the day you get the keys
- A Qatari mobile number and an email address for SMS alerts and e-bills
- A bank card for online payments, and your IBAN for the deposit refund when you leave
- A clear answer from the landlord on what the rent includes: electricity, water, district cooling (chiller) and any usage cap
Step by step
Check whether you need your own account
There is no general rule: it depends on your lease. In many compounds, serviced flats and some furnished flats, electricity and water are included in the rent, and the Kahramaa account stays in the landlord's name. In most unfurnished flats and villas you pay Kahramaa yourself. Check the lease for the words 'utilities included', any monthly cap on use, and who pays the deposit. Ask separately about cooling: some towers use district cooling (a 'chiller' charge) that is billed by a different company, with its own deposit.
Read guide: Renting a home in Qatar →Get the lease registered first
Kahramaa links its system to the Ministry of Municipality's lease register. Once your landlord registers the lease, Kahramaa can open the account in your name automatically; this is called Smart Registration. Kahramaa checks for newly registered leases every hour during working hours, then sends you a notice that a move-in request has started, and tells the owner too. Ask the landlord or agent for a copy of the registration certificate and check that your name and QID are right, because a typo will stop the automatic link.
Read guide: Renting a home in Qatar →Apply yourself if nothing arrives
If you have not had a Kahramaa notice a few working days after the lease was registered, apply yourself. Use the 'Move to New Premises' (move-in) service on km.qa or in the Kahramaa app, or visit a customer service centre. You will be asked for your QID, the electricity number (and water number if separate), the registered tenancy contract, the owner's ID copy, your move-in and lease dates and the meter readings. Kahramaa's service manual gives about 3 working days for a move-in. The home should be empty of a previous tenant's account; if the last tenant never closed theirs, ask the landlord to sort it out so you are not billed for their use.
Pay the refundable deposit
For a standard residential account, Kahramaa's service manual lists a deposit of QAR 1,200 for electricity and QAR 800 for water, QAR 2,000 in total. With Smart Registration you do not pay it upfront: it is added to your first bill, so that first bill will look much higher than normal. The deposit is returned when you close the account, after any final amount is deducted. Keep the deposit receipt or the first bill that shows it, because Kahramaa may ask for proof when you leave. Your lease should say whether you or the landlord pays this deposit.
Set up the Kahramaa app and online account
Download the official Kahramaa app (publisher: Qatar General Electricity & Water Corporation) or register on km.qa with your QID, customer or electricity number and mobile number. Once registered, you can view and pay bills, download receipts, track requests, submit a meter reading, request certificates and raise complaints. Turn on e-bills (Kahramaa calls these Green Bills) and SMS alerts so you see each bill as soon as it is issued. If you move home, your old online access is disabled and you need to register again for the new account.
Understand your smart meter
Kahramaa says all electricity meters in Qatar had been replaced with smart meters by mid-2025, and water meters are being replaced, with full coverage planned by the end of 2027. Smart meters send readings automatically, so nobody needs to visit to read them, and the app can show how your use changes over time. Kahramaa can also disconnect and reconnect a smart meter remotely. Some homes can switch to prepaid electricity and water if the electricity breaker is 100 amps or less; you top up in advance, there is a small monthly meter charge (Qatar Living reports QAR 5), and any unused balance is not refunded when you close the account.
Read your bill
Each monthly bill shows the electricity used in kilowatt-hours (kWh) and the water used in cubic metres (m³), worked out from the difference between this month's and last month's meter readings. Check the account and meter numbers, the reading dates and the breakdown by tariff tier. Electricity is charged in tiers, so the more you use in a month, the higher the rate on the extra units; Kahramaa's published schedule, unchanged since 2015, starts at QAR 0.08 per kWh for the first 2,000 kWh. Water for non-Qatari homes is QAR 4.40 per m³, and where the home is on the sewer network a wastewater fee of 20% of the water charge is added. Since 16 March 2026 homes in The Pearl Island and Lusail City are exempt from that wastewater fee. Use the tariff calculator on km.qa to check your own figures.
Pay on time
You can pay in the Kahramaa app or on km.qa by card, at self-service kiosks, and through approved bank channels such as your bank's app. Kahramaa charges no fee for online payment, but you cannot make part-payments online. To avoid missed bills, you can set up automatic deduction (direct debit): print the form from km.qa and hand it to your bank. If you will be away for the summer, pay in advance or set up auto-pay before you travel, because bills keep arriving while you are out of the country.
Read guide: Open a bank account in Qatar →Keep the summer bill down
Air conditioning is the biggest part of a home's electricity use in Qatar; Kahramaa's Tarsheed conservation programme puts it at 50–75%. Set the AC at about 24°C, cool only the rooms you use, and keep filters clean and units serviced, since dirty filters push consumption up. Kahramaa's summer 2026 campaign asks people to avoid running heavy appliances such as washing machines and dryers between 12 pm and 6 pm. Switch off the electric water heater in the hot months, close curtains on sun-facing windows, and fix dripping taps and running toilets quickly. Expect the June to September bills to be several times higher than winter ones.
Read guide: AC servicing in Qatar: what to do, what it costs, and when to book →Report outages, leaks and damage
For a power cut, a water outage, a burst pipe outside your home or damaged Kahramaa equipment, call 991. The line is open 24 hours, and you should have your electricity or water number ready. You can also send a WhatsApp message with photos to 3030 3991 (+974 3030 3991). First check whether it is just your home: a tripped breaker or a leak inside the flat is the landlord's or building's job, not Kahramaa's. If there is fire, smoke or someone is hurt, call 999 first.
Read guide: Emergencies in Qatar: who to call and where to go →Deal with a high bill or a disconnection
If a bill looks wrong, compare the meter reading with a photo of your meter and ask Kahramaa to review it. You can open a high-consumption or meter complaint; the meter is tested, and Kahramaa's manual says a QAR 50 fee applies if the meter turns out to be accurate, and you cannot file again within 60 days. Unpaid bills can lead to disconnection, which smart meters allow Kahramaa to do remotely. To get reconnected, pay the outstanding amount plus a reconnection fee, through the app or at a customer service centre, with your QID and electricity number.
Close the account and get a clearance certificate
When you move out or leave Qatar, submit a final clearance (move-out) request in the Kahramaa app, on km.qa, at the main customer service branch in Al Hilal or at a Kahramaa counter in a government service complex. You choose the disconnection date, Kahramaa takes final readings and issues the final bill, and once it is paid you can get a final settlement (clearance) certificate. The move-out itself is free and takes about 3 working days; give your IBAN so the deposit balance can be refunded. Many landlords ask for this certificate before returning your rent deposit, so keep a copy.
Read guide: Leaving Qatar for good: a step-by-step exit checklist →
What it costs
| Deposit, standard residential account (electricity) | QAR 1,200, refundable |
| Deposit, standard residential account (water) | QAR 800, refundable |
| Electricity, first 2,000 kWh a month (published tier; check the km.qa calculator) | QAR 0.08 per kWh, rising in higher tiers |
| Water, non-Qatari private residence | QAR 4.40 per m³ |
| Wastewater fee, where connected (not The Pearl Island or Lusail since 16 March 2026) | 20% of the water charge |
| Move-in and move-out requests | Free |
| Certificate request (e.g. final settlement) | QAR 20 per request |
| Meter test if the meter is found accurate | QAR 50 |
| Prepaid meter rental, if you switch to prepaid | QAR 5 a month |
Official fees at the time of review. Fees change, so confirm before paying.
Common mistakes
- Moving in before the lease is registered, then wondering why no Kahramaa account has been opened
- Filing a manual move-in request while Smart Registration is already under way, creating a duplicate
- Not photographing the meters on move-in and move-out day, leaving you with no evidence in a billing dispute
- Being surprised by the first bill, which includes the QAR 2,000 deposit when you registered automatically
- Leaving for the summer without paying ahead or setting up auto-pay, and coming back to a disconnected home
- Reporting a tripped breaker or a leak inside the flat to Kahramaa instead of the landlord or building maintenance
- Handing back the keys without a final clearance request, so later bills and the deposit stay tied to your QID
- Assuming 'utilities included' covers district cooling or has no cap, without checking the lease wording
Questions people ask
My landlord says utilities are included. Do I need a Kahramaa account?
No. If the lease says electricity and water are included, the account normally stays in the landlord's name and you pay nothing to Kahramaa directly. Check whether there is a monthly cap and how extra use is charged, and whether district cooling is included. Get it in writing in the lease.
How long does it take to get electricity and water in my name?
If your lease is registered and the details match, Smart Registration can start within hours, because Kahramaa checks new leases every hour during working hours. If you apply yourself, Kahramaa's manual gives about 3 working days for a move-in. Power and water are usually already on in an existing home; the request changes whose name the account is in.
Why is my first Kahramaa bill so high?
With Smart Registration, the refundable deposit (QAR 1,200 for electricity and QAR 800 for water for a standard home) is added to your first bill instead of being paid upfront. Look for the deposit line on the bill. Your normal monthly charges are the rest.
Why does my bill triple in summer?
Air conditioning runs almost constantly from June to September, and electricity is charged in tiers, so the extra units cost more per kWh. Set the AC around 24°C, service it before summer and avoid heavy appliances between 12 pm and 6 pm. If the jump still seems wrong, compare readings with your meter and ask Kahramaa to review the bill.
Can I pay my Kahramaa bill from outside Qatar?
Yes. Pay in the Kahramaa app or on km.qa with a card, or set up automatic deduction through your Qatar bank before you travel. Bills keep arriving while you are away, so it is safest to pay ahead or use auto-pay.
Who do I call for a power cut or a water leak?
Call Kahramaa on 991, 24 hours a day, with your electricity or water number ready, or send a WhatsApp with photos to 3030 3991. If the problem is only inside your home, such as a tripped breaker or a leaking pipe under the sink, contact your landlord or building maintenance first. For fire or injury, call 999.
Do I need a Kahramaa clearance certificate to leave Qatar?
Kahramaa clearance is not the same as cancelling your residence permit, but many landlords ask for the final settlement certificate before returning your deposit, and closing the account stops bills building up in your name. Request final clearance in the app or on km.qa, pay the final bill, and keep the certificate.
What is the Kahramaa certificate schools ask for?
Some schools ask for a 'To Whom It May Concern' certificate that shows where your electricity and water account is, as proof of address. You can request it in the Kahramaa app or on km.qa with your QID and electricity number and receive it by email or download it. The Peninsula reported in August 2026 that it is free.
Official sources
- KAHRAMAA – Customer Services Manual (October 2025, PDF) ↗
- KAHRAMAA – Call centre 991 and WhatsApp ↗
- KAHRAMAA – Smart Registration for tenants ↗
- The Peninsula – KAHRAMAA explains final clearance of accounts (September 2026) ↗
- Gulf Times – KAHRAMAA summer 2026 conservation campaign ↗
- Qatar Living – Setting up KAHRAMAA utilities when you move in (2026) ↗
Always check the official source before acting. QatarSteps is independent and not a government website.