Living in the historic coastal town of New Bern, North Carolina means enjoying southern charm and hospitality. It also means paying your monthly utility bill to the city for services like electricity, water, sewer and trash pickup.
As a New Bern resident, I’ve learned the ins and outs of paying my city utility bill quickly, easily and on time. In this comprehensive guide, I’ll walk through all the payment options offered by the city and provide pro tips to avoid late fees.
Online Bill Pay
For speed and ease, the self-service customer portal is the best way to pay your New Bern utility bill online.
To get started go to Pay My Utility Bill and either login to your existing account or register as a new user. You’ll need your account number handy.
Once logged in you can
- View current and past bills
- Make one-time payments
- Set up recurring auto-pay
- Go paperless with e-billing
- Monitor daily usage
I have monthly auto-payments setup to avoid missing due dates And I like getting emailed e-bills so I can quickly see my balance and due date
Monitoring the electric and water usage graphs helps me track down leaks and identify ways to lower my bill.
Pay by Phone
To pay your New Bern utility bill by phone, call (252) 639-2750 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
You can pay using:
- Debit or credit card
- Electronic check
I called once when traveling to pay a bill I forgot about. Just have your account number ready when you call.
Pay in Person
To pay your bill in-person with cash, check or money order, visit the Utility Business Office:
City of New Bern Utility Business Office
606 Fort Totten Drive
New Bern, NC 28560
The office is open Monday-Friday from 8am-5pm. I recommend going mid-morning or mid-afternoon to avoid long wait times. Don’t forget to bring your paper bill or account number.
Drop Box
You can drop off a payment after hours or on weekends using the drive-thru drop box, located outside the utility office. Include your payment stub, check or money order.
Payments dropped before 8am on business days are processed same-day. Otherwise, they are processed on the next business day.
By Mail
To pay by check or money order via US Mail, send to:
City of New Bern Utility Payments
PO Box 63005
Charlotte, NC 28263
Remember to include your remittance slip and allow 7-10 days for delivery and processing to avoid late fees. I don’t recommend mailing cash.
Payment Plan Options
If you need help catching up on past due utility bills, New Bern offers structured monthly payment plans.
To enroll, complete the online payment plan request form. A representative will contact you to discuss details if you qualify. This allows you to pay down outstanding balances over time and avoid penalties.
Avoid Late Fees with These Tips
Here are my top tips for paying your New Bern utility bill on time as a resident:
- Go paperless with e-billing and auto-pay to never miss a due date.
- Log in online regularly to monitor daily usage and detect plumbing leaks early.
- Pay via phone or online for fastest processing and instant payment confirmation.
- Contact the city ASAP if you need to set up a payment plan.
- Drop off payments in the after-hours box by the due date if needed.
- Sign up for account text or email reminders to know when your bill is due.
- Pay right after you receive your bill to avoid forgetting.
New Bern introduces pay-by-plate parking system: proceeds to fund downtown improvements
Can I pay my utility bill online in New Bern?
The City of New Bern makes it easy for customers to pay their utility bill online, including services for water, sewer, and electric. You can even receive your bill faster by signing up for e-billing, which delivers the bill to your email address instead of sending it in paper form. So, go green and do both! Ready to get started?
Who is New Bern public utilities?
The City of New Bern Department of Public Utilities is community-owned and committed to the values of a professional, hometown, customer-first utility. Working together as a partner with our community, we deliver high quality electric, water, and sewer service to over 25,000 customers located in New Bern and the surrounding areas.
How do I pay a bill in New Bern?
Free through most banks. Check with your bank before using this option. Cash or pin-based ATM debit card. Bring your bill. Wal-Mart fee applies. Contact Wal-Mart for details. Include account number and make money order or check payable to City of New Bern.
How do I pay a water bill in New Bern?
Bring your payment stub. You can pay by credit/debit cards, cash, money order, or check payable to the City of New Bern . Water usage is billed in units of 1000 gallons. Electric usage is measured in units of one kilowatt hour (kW/h), which is the amount of energy needed to light a 100 watt bulb for 10 hours.