New BESCOM Electricity Connection in Bangalore: Steps, Documents and the OC Rule

A new house in Bangalore needs its own permanent electricity connection from BESCOM, the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company. This guide covers who has to apply, the occupancy certificate rule that now decides most applications, the documents, the deposits and the steps. It is written for owners of new independent houses and for flat buyers who want to know what their builder should already have done.

Who Needs a New Connection

The answer depends on the kind of home. A buyer of a resale house or flat takes over an existing meter and only needs a name transfer. A flat buyer in a new apartment project receives a meter that the developer arranged for the whole building, and the account is then moved to the buyer's name.

A fresh application is needed in three common cases:

• A newly built independent house on the owner's own plot
• An added floor or a separate unit that needs its own meter
• A building that has run so far on a temporary construction supply

A home is given a low tension domestic connection, which carries the residential tariff. A shop, an office or a paying guest business in the same building falls under a commercial category with higher rates. The category declared in the application has to match the real use.

Temporary Supply and Permanent Supply

Construction runs on a temporary connection, which is billed at a higher tariff than a home. It is meant to end when the building is complete. A family that moves in and keeps using the temporary meter pays more for every unit.

The same point matters to flat buyers at possession. If the building is still on the developer's temporary supply, the permanent connection is pending, and the usual reason is a missing occupancy certificate. It is worth asking the developer for the permanent connection's account ID before taking the keys.

The Occupancy Certificate Rule

The Supreme Court ruled in December 2024 that electricity, water and sewerage connections should be given only to buildings with a completion or occupancy certificate. BESCOM stopped accepting applications for permanent connections without the certificate from 4 April 2025. A large number of finished houses were left on temporary supply as a result.

The state has since relaxed the rule for small homes. The main steps were:

• September 2025: residential buildings on plots up to 1,200 sq ft, with ground plus two floors or stilt plus three, were exempted from the occupancy certificate.
• June 2026: the exemption was widened to residential plots up to 2,400 sq ft, with a 20% tolerance, and ground plus three floors.
• 22 June 2026: a one-time window let houses completed by 31 May 2026 apply for a permanent connection within 15 days, which ended on 6 July 2026.

The exemption covers the certificate alone. An approved building plan is still required, and the setback, safety and land use rules continue to apply. Apartment projects and larger buildings need the occupancy certificate as before, which makes it the first document a flat buyer should ask to see.

Documents to Keep Ready

BESCOM asks for proof of identity, proof of ownership and proof that the wiring is safe. The usual set is:

• Identity proof such as Aadhaar, PAN card, passport or voter ID
• Ownership proof such as the sale deed and the khata or e-Khata
• The latest property tax receipt
• The sanctioned building plan
• The occupancy certificate, where the building is not exempt
• The wiring completion and test report signed by a licensed electrical contractor
• A photograph of the applicant and a mobile number

The contractor's report is the document that most owners overlook. Only a contractor licensed by the state may sign it, and it confirms that the internal wiring and earthing were tested. It is best to appoint the contractor before the wiring starts, so the same person signs the report at the end.

Steps to Apply

Applications are accepted on the BESCOM website and at the sub-division office that serves the address. The process runs in this order:

1. Work out the load from the appliances planned, with the licensed contractor's help.
2. Fill in the application for a new low tension connection and select the domestic category.
3. Upload or hand over the documents and pay the registration fee.
4. Wait for the field inspection, where a BESCOM engineer checks the premises, the wiring and the load.
5. Receive the estimate, which sets out the deposits and the service line charges.
6. Pay the amount and sign the power supply agreement.
7. Have the meter fitted and the supply switched on.

The application number tracks the request at each stage. A query from the sub-division office stops the clock until it is answered, so a quick reply saves days. Most delays trace back to a missing wiring report or an ownership paper that does not match the applicant's name.

Deposits and Charges

The amount payable is worked out for each premises, so the estimate from BESCOM is the figure to rely on. It is made up of a few heads:

• A registration fee paid with the application
• An initial security deposit linked to the sanctioned load in kilowatts
• A meter security deposit or the cost of the meter
• Service line and supervision charges for the cable from the pole or transformer

Sanctioned load drives most of these. A request far above the real need raises the deposit and the fixed charge on every bill. A request that is too low can lead to a penalty when the meter records a higher demand, so an honest estimate is the cheapest route.

BESCOM has fitted smart meters on new and temporary connections in its urban areas since 15 February 2025. The applicant bears the cost of the meter. A smart meter reports consumption remotely and lets the owner follow daily usage on a phone.

Sanctioned Load: Getting the Number Right

Load is the total power the home may draw at one time. A small flat with lights, fans, a refrigerator and one air conditioner needs far less than a large house with several air conditioners, geysers and an induction hob. A home that draws more than a few kilowatts is normally given a three-phase supply.

Two future needs are worth adding at this stage. An electric car charger and a rooftop solar plant both depend on the sanctioned load and the type of supply. Raising the load later is possible, but it means a fresh application and a further deposit.

Checks for Flat Buyers

A flat buyer rarely applies alone, but the developer's paperwork decides the buyer's monthly bill. These questions are worth asking before possession:

• Has the project received its occupancy certificate?
• Is the building on a permanent BESCOM connection, with a separate meter for each flat?
• What load is sanctioned for the flat, and is it single-phase or three-phase?
• Are all bills paid up to the date of handover?
• What does the cost sheet charge for BESCOM deposits, and does it match the receipts?

The free power under the Gruha Jyothi scheme needs a separate registration on the Seva Sindhu portal once the account is in the resident's name. Our team helps buyers across Bangalore ask developers for these papers, and the contact page has our details.