California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE)

The California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) program is a monthly discount of 20% or more on gas and electricity. Participants qualify by meeting income guidelines or enrolling in certain public assistance programs.

Note: CARE and FERA share one application. If you do not qualify for CARE, we will check to see if you qualify for FERA. Learn more about FERA. In addition, other financial assistance resources and support are available.

Eligibility

Get started with CARE

See if you qualify for a monthly discount of 20% or more on gas and electricity. Qualify based on:

• Your income, or
• Your enrollment in certain public assistance programs

Note: Tenants of sub-metered residential facilities cannot apply through the CARE/FERA online application. Instead, use the CARE/FERA Sub-metered Residential application (PDF).

Eligibility requirements

To qualify for CARE, customers must meet the following eligibility and income requirements:

• The PG&E bill must be in your name.
  • If you're a sub-metered tenant, you must have the landlord's energy bill in your name.
  • You may also be required to participate in the Energy Savings Assistance program.
  • Tier 1 is the lowest-priced rate tier within PG&E’s standard Tiered Base Plan.
  • If you're on a fixed income, you must renew your eligibility every four years.

  Qualify through other public assistance programs

  You may qualify for the CARE program if you or someone in your household takes part in any of the following public assistance programs:
  

  • Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
  • Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
  • CalFresh/SNAP (Food Stamps)
  • CalWORKs (TANF) or Tribal TANF
  • Head Start Income Eligible (Tribal Only)
  • Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
  • Medi-Cal for Families (Healthy Families A & B)
  • National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance
  • Medicaid/Medi-Cal (under age 65)
  • Medicaid/Medi-Cal (age 65 and over)

  Income guidelines

  Your eligibility is based on your household income.

  1. Add all household members' incomes from all eligible sources for your total gross annual household income.
  2. Compare your total combined gross annual household income against the income guidelines table.
     • Your household must be at or below the amounts shown in the income guidelines table below.

  Household income includes all taxable and nontaxable revenues from all people living in the home. It includes, but is not limited to the following sources:

  • Wages
  • Salaries
  • Interest and dividends
  • Spousal and child support payments
  • Public assistance payments
  • Social Security and pensions
  • Housing and military subsidies
  • Rental income
  • Self-employment income
  • All employment-related, non-cash income

  Compare CARE and FERA income guidelines

  *Income should be before taxes and based on current income sources. Valid through May 31, 2025.

  

  CARE for sub-metered tenants, housing facilities, nonprofits

  Access the CARE guidelines for sub-metered tenants, housing facilities and nonprofits.

  Nonprofit group facilities

  Who else could be eligible for CARE?

  • Homeless shelters
  • Hospices
  • Women's shelters
  • Group living facilities, including:
    • Transitional housing, such as drug rehab centers or halfway houses
    • Short- or long-term care facilities
    • Group homes for the physically or mentally challenged
    • Other nonprofit group living facilities

    Other nonprofit group facility requirements

    • Group living facilities must provide special needs social services in addition to lodging. Examples include meals and rehabilitation.
    • Group facilities may have satellite facilities in the name of one licensed entity.
      • These satellite facilities must meet the same requirements as the main facility.
      • Provide lodging as their primary function
      • Be open for operation
      • Have facilities with at least six beds for a minimum of 180 days and/or nights per year

      Income guidelines

      Total gross income for all residents or clients must meet current income guidelines.

      • The income applies to individuals who occupy the facility at any time. This includes family units.
      • On-site aid is excluded from this calculation.

      One licensed organization, multiple facilities

      Separate applications must be filed for each type of facility. This rule applies even if the facilities are under one licensed organization.

      • For example, an entity with a homeless shelter and a hospice facility must apply separately for each facility.

      Tax-exempt status

      The organization that operates the facility must provide a copy of the 501(c)(3) document. This document certifies tax-exempt status.

      • All PG&E accounts must be listed in the name of the entity that holds the tax-exempt status.

      Energy usage requirements

      70 percent of the energy supplied to each PG&E account must be used for residential purposes. The purpose includes common-use areas.

      Which facilities are not eligible for CARE?

      • Nonprofit facilities that provide only social services
        
      • Group living facilities that provide no service other than a place to live
        
      • Government-owned or operated facilities
        
      • Government-subsidized facilities that only provide lodging

      Steps to enroll

      1. Download the CARE Nonprofit group living facilities program application (PDF).
         
         • Forms in languages other than English can be found in the "Forms and Guides" tab.
      2. Complete and sign the application.
         
      3. Mail or fax the application and required documents to:

      PG&E CARE/FERA program

      Oakland, CA 94604-9647

      Renew your CARE certification

      Organizations must recertify every four years by completing a new application and attaching proof of the following items:

      • A copy of your currently valid Federal 501(c)(3) tax exemption document with the same name as the PG&E account(s)
      • A copy of your license to provide social service by the appropriate agency
      • A complete list of your facility's PG&E accounts (See Section 5 of the application)

      PG&E sends a renewal application three months before the discount expires. Your organization can reapply for the CARE program if it still qualifies under the current CARE program eligibility program.

      To request an application by mail, email to CAREandFERA@pge.com.

      Sub-metered tenants

      Tenants of sub-metered residential facilities can apply for a monthly discount on your energy bill through the CARE Program.

      • The energy bill from your landlord must be in your name to qualify
      • Standard eligibility requirements apply

      The online application is not available for sub-metered tenants.

      You must submit a mail-in CARE form:

      1. Download and print any of the following files to apply for the CARE Program.
         
         • CARE/FERA Sub-Metered Residential Program Application (PDF)
         • Solicitud Para El Programa CARE/FERA (PDF)
         • CARE/FERA 計劃申請表 (PDF)
         • Mẫu Dơn Chương Trình CARE/FERA (PDF)
           
      2. Complete and sign the application.
         
      3. Mail or fax the application to:

      PG&E CARE/FERA program

      Oakland, CA 94604-9647

      You can also request an application by mail. Send an email to CAREandFERA@pge.com.

      Note: If you do not qualify for CARE, we will check to see if you qualify for FERA. Learn more about the FERA program.

      Agricultural group-resident facilities

      Housing facilities for agricultural employees may be eligible to get monthly CARE discounts on their energy bill. The housing facility must:

      • Meet the definition in Subdivision (b) of Section 1140.4 of the Labor Code and have an exemption from local property taxes pursuant to subdivision (g) of Section 214 of the Revenue and Taxation Code
      • Provide a copy of tax-exempt documentation
      • Use 70 percent of the energy supplied to master-metered facilities for residential purposes, and 100 percent of the energy for individually metered units for residential purposes
      • Meet the current income guidelines regarding total gross income for all households in the facility at any given time
      • Have separate applications filed for each type of facility even if they are under one licensed organization.
        • For example, employee housing and housing for agricultural employees

        Steps to enroll
        

        1. Download CARE for agricultural employee housing facilities application (PDF).
           • Forms in languages other than English can be found in the "Forms and Guides" tab.
        2. Complete and sign the application.
           
        3. Mail or fax the application and required documents to:

        PG&E CARE/FERA program

        Oakland, CA 94604-9647

        Renew your CARE certification
        

        Organizations must renew every four years. To renew, complete a new application. Attach proof of one the following items:

        • A copy of a current permit issued by the Department of Housing and Community Development, or
        • Your Federal 501(c)(3) tax exemption, or
        • Your state tax exemption form along with your local property tax exemption form

        Include a statement describing how the organization used the discount to directly benefit facility residents during the previous year.

        How to get an application

        PG&E sends a renewal application three months before a discount expires.

        • Your organization can reapply for the CARE program if it still qualifies under the current CARE program eligibility guidelines.

        To request a new application or renewal application by mail, call 1-866-743-2273 or email CAREandFERA@pge.com.
        

        Migrant Farm Worker Housing Centers (MFHC)

        MFHCs operated by the Office of Migrant Services (OMS) or nonprofit entities can get monthly energy bill discounts through the CARE program.

        Apply for CARE if your entity meets these program guidelines:

        • The facility must provide pursuant to section 50710 of the Health and Safety Code or meet the definition in Subdivision (b) of Section 1140.4 of the Labor Code. The facility must also have an exemption from local property taxes pursuant to subdivision (g) of Section 214 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.
        • The facility must provide a copy of a current contract with the OMS, or a copy of tax-exempt documentation.
        • Separate applications must be filed for each type of facility, even if they are under one licensed organization.
        • Facilities must notify PG&E if they no longer qualify for the CARE discount.

        Steps to enroll

        1. Download the CARE Migrant Farm Worker Housing Centers (MFWHC) application (PDF).
           • Forms in languages other than English can be found in the "Forms and Guides" tab.
        2. Complete and sign the application.
           
        3. Mail or fax the application and required documents to: PG&E CARE/FERA program P.O. Box 29647 Oakland, CA 94604-9647 Fax: 1-877-302-7563

        Renew your CARE certification

        Organizations must recertify every four years. To recertify, complete a new application and attach proof of the following items:

        • A copy of your current contract with the Office of Migrant Services OR your Federal 501(c)(3) tax exemption OR your state tax exemption form along with your local property tax exemption form
        • A statement of how the entity used the discount during the previous year to directly benefit facility residents

        How to get an application

        PG&E sends a recertification application three months before a discount expires.

        • Your organization can reapply for the CARE program if it still qualifies under the current CARE program eligibility program.

        To request a new application or re-certification application, call 1-866-743-2273 or email CAREandFERA@pge.com.