A Clearwater service-start request needs more than a moving date. Resolve who occupies the property, how the deposit will be handled and whether Customer Service has confirmed activation. A submitted form’s Request ID is useful for follow-up but is not the new utility account or proof of live service.
Match the occupancy document to the applicant
The City’s start-service page distinguishes owners from tenants:
| Applicant | Examples listed by the City | Before submitting |
|---|---|---|
| Owner | Settlement statement, deed, title or purchase agreement | Make sure the property and applicant match the request |
| Tenant | Lease; if unavailable before service begins, written owner authorization | Ask what the City will accept for the planned start date |
The online route calls for photo identification and occupancy evidence and returns an emailed Request ID. Its stated one-to-two-business-day email response is a next-step contact, not guaranteed activation. Keep sensitive documents in the City’s approved channel, not a public issue report or shared moving checklist.
A reference letter needs a qualifying payment history
The City may waive a residential deposit with an acceptable utility reference: the relevant 12-month service period must fit its stated 24-month lookback, with no returned checks or disconnections and no more than two late payments. Request the letter early; do not assume that uploading one means the waiver was accepted. If a deposit is required, obtain the account number and quoted amount before paying. Deposit instructions
Before the moving truck arrives
Ask Customer Service to confirm these separately:
- The requested address and services are eligible for connection.
- Applicant and occupancy documents have been accepted.
- The deposit is paid or its waiver approved; any other service charges are identified.
- The City has the payment confirmation it needs and has confirmed the effective start date.
This is LSL’s handoff checklist, not an additional application. If any item is unresolved, use the Request ID to ask what remains instead of submitting a duplicate request.
Choose the contact route before making a trip
The billing hub distinguishes general operating hours, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. weekdays, from in-person lobby service, 8 a.m.–4 p.m. weekdays. That narrower lobby window matters even though the start-service page displays the broader hours. Check closures before visiting. The start-service contact is 727-562-4600.
LSL read the complete operative start-service instructions and billing hub on September 21, 2026; the hub required ordinary browser access after a research-tool restriction. The source’s phone/in-person ownership-proof language also mentions ten days after service starts, while its activation language calls for documents first. Confirm that timing with Customer Service rather than using it as permission to omit documents. No account, waiver, charge or activation was tested.