How do I get a new EDL meter or subscription for my flat, and what does it cost?
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Short answer
You apply to EDL, which asks for ID or civil-record extract, meter-room number or neighbour's bill, and a deed, lease or sale contract[1]. If the request is within the permitted capacity, you subscribe and pay at once. Larger requests or an extra meter take longer: BC8 form if above the permitted capacity, then C23 after inspection. EDL's undated table shows LL398,000 (15 A), LL694,000 (30 A), LL1,287,000 (60 A), likely outdated, so confirm the fee at your area's EDL customer office.
Also asked as: “EDL subscription” · “EDL meter” · “EDL price list” · “How to get a new electricity meter in Lebanon”
EDL's fee table is undated and in Lebanese pounds, and we found no current fee in dollars[1]. This page covers what was published up to 17 October 2026. Confirm every amount at the EDL customer office before you pay.
Key facts
- Documents
- ID or civil-record extract, meter-room number or neighbour's bill, and a deed, lease or sale contract[1]
- Within the permitted capacity
- Subscribe and pay at once[1]
- Above it, or an extra meter
- BC8 form if above the permitted capacity, then C23 after inspection[1]
- Published fees (undated, LBP)
- LL398,000 (15 A), LL694,000 (30 A), LL1,287,000 (60 A)[1]
- 15 A breakdown
- LL12,000 transaction fee, LL320,000 subscription, LL36,000 VAT, LL30,000 deposit[1]
- Old bills on an existing meter
- arrears must be paid before any transfer[2]
- Processing time
- Not published[1]
New meter or existing meter: know which one you need
EDL handles two situations differently. A new subscription is for a unit with no meter of its own, in a completed building already connected to the grid[1]. If the flat already has a meter in the previous owner's or tenant's name, you need a transfer instead. You submit it at the customer office, and the fee is the deposit of the subscription being transferred[2]. That process is explained in moving an EDL meter into your name.
Before you go, ask the seller, landlord or building committee for a recent EDL bill for the flat. If a bill exists, there is a meter. If nobody can produce one, ask for the meter-room number, because EDL asks you to bring a subscription bill or the building's meter-room number on any visit[2].
What EDL asks for
For a new subscription, EDL lists three things: a copy of your ID card or an individual civil-record extract, the meter-room number or another occupant's bill if possible, and a title deed, lease contract or sale contract[1]. EDL's page is undated, so confirm the list at the customer office for your area.
A transfer is stricter for tenants: EDL wants a lease signed by the municipality[2]. If you rent, register the lease early. See how to register a lease at the municipality.
EDL's page does not say what the permitted capacity is for a given flat[1]. Ask the customer office what capacity your unit can take before you choose 15, 30 or 60 amps.
What it costs
EDL's new-subscription page lists these low-voltage (220 V) charges in Lebanese pounds[1]:
| Capacity | Total | Of which deposit |
|---|---|---|
| 15 A (3 kW) | LL398,000 | LL30,000 |
| 30 A (6 kW) | LL694,000 | LL60,000 |
| 60 A (12 kW) | LL1,287,000 | LL120,000 |
The ministry's September 2026 generator tariff was built on an average market rate of LL89,700 to the dollar[3]. At that rate, LL398,000 is about USD 4.4. That is our own arithmetic on a table that is probably out of date, and we found no current fee in dollars[1]. Use these figures to frame your question to EDL, and expect the real amount to differ.
Then come the bills. As of 1 April 2026, Lebanon24 reported EDL's tariff as USD 0.10 per kWh for the first 100 kWh, USD 0.27 per kWh above[4]. As of 14 October 2026, Al-Modon reported that a demand to raise it was before the Council of Ministers; whether it was approved is not known[5]. Supply was reported at 2 to 4 hours a day (October 2026)[5,6], which leaves most of the day without state power. See the EDL price per kWh and the total monthly electricity cost.
New buildings and the occupancy permit
EDL's page covers completed buildings that are already connected to the grid[1]. It does not explain how a new building gets its first connection. Under Decree 15874/2005 Art. 5 (as amended by Decree 617/2007), a provisional occupancy permit allows a temporary electricity connection and living in the unit, but it is not valid for final subdivision, sale or final registration[7]. Later amendments were not checked, so ask a lawyer or the municipality to confirm the current rule.
For the building to be finally subdivided into separate units, the owner must show an occupancy permit plus electricity and water connection certificates[8]. If you are buying in a new building, ask the developer whether it has its connection certificates. More in provisional and final occupancy permits.
How to get a new EDL subscription
- Check whether the flat already has a meter. Ask the seller, landlord or building committee for a recent EDL bill or the meter-room number. If a meter exists, you need a transfer, not a new subscription.
- If a meter exists, check for unpaid bills. EDL carries out no transaction on an existing subscription, such as a transfer or upgrade, and refunds no deposit until its arrears are paid[2]. EDL's page does not say who must pay them, so agree that in the sale or lease contract before you sign.
- Gather the documents. Bring a copy of your ID or an individual civil-record extract, the meter-room number or a neighbour's bill, and your deed, lease or sale contract[1]. Keep copies of everything.
- Go to the EDL customer office for the area. We found no published list of offices by area. Ask a neighbour with an EDL bill or the building committee which office serves the building. If you are abroad, ask the office whether someone holding your power of attorney can apply for you; EDL does not publish this.
- Subscribe and pay, or file a BC8. Within the permitted capacity, you subscribe and pay at once. Above it, or for an extra meter, you file a BC8 request, which goes to the metering section; after an inspection a C23 is issued and the fees are collected[1]. Keep the receipt, because part of what you pay is a deposit.
It depends on
- The capacity you want. Requests above the permitted capacity need the BC8 and inspection route[1]. The permitted capacity for your flat is not published, so ask the customer office.
- Whether the flat already has a meter. An existing meter means a transfer, and EDL does nothing on it until arrears are paid[2]. Put who pays old bills in the contract. See who pays utilities in a rented flat.
- How new the building is. EDL's page covers completed, connected buildings only. For a building still on a provisional occupancy permit, ask the developer and the EDL office how the connection is made.
- The current fee. The published table is undated and in LBP. Only the EDL customer office can tell you today's amount.
Common questions
How much does a new EDL meter cost?
EDL's undated new-subscription page lists LL398,000 (15 A), LL694,000 (30 A), LL1,287,000 (60 A)[1], deposits included. The table is likely out of date and no current dollar fee was found, so confirm the amount at the EDL customer office.
Can I get the existing meter in my name if the previous occupant left unpaid bills?
Not until the arrears are paid: EDL carries out no transfer or other transaction on a subscription until then[2]. Agree in the sale or lease contract who pays them.
What is a BC8 form at EDL?
It is the request EDL asks for when you want more than the permitted capacity or an extra meter. It goes to the metering section, and after an inspection a C23 is issued and the fees are collected[1].
How long does a new EDL subscription take?
EDL does not publish a processing time[1]. Ask the customer office for your area when you file the request.
Sources
Checked against these sources. The numbers in the text point here.
- 1.EDL: new subscription in a completed building connected to the grid
Electricité du Liban (EDL) · undated · read 17 Oct 2026
- 2.EDL: transfer a subscription to a new subscriber
Electricité du Liban (EDL) · undated · read 17 Oct 2026
- 3.Private generator tariff for September 2026
Beirut24 (reproducing National News Agency / Ministry of Energy and Water statement) · 1 Oct 2026 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 4.On supply and tariff adjustment, what Electricité du Liban announced
Lebanon24 · 1 Apr 2026 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 5.Electricity crisis: more supply hours await an international consultant's oversight
Al-Modon · 14 Oct 2026 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 6.From the citizen's pocket to the institution's deficit: how Electricité du Liban stumbles
Al Jazeera · 16 Oct 2026 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 7.Decree 15874 of 5/12/2005 implementing the Building Law, as amended by Decree 617 of 8/8/2007
General Directorate of Urban Planning (DGU), Ministry of Public Works and Transport · 5 Dec 2005 · read 17 Oct 2026
- 8.Law 646 of 16/12/2004 (Building Law), amending Legislative Decree 148 of 16/09/1983
Lebanese Republic, Ministry of Public Works and Transport, Directorate General of Urban Planning (DGU) · 16 Dec 2004 · read 17 Oct 2026
Related questions
- How do I move an EDL meter into my name after buying or renting?Bring the meter bill, your deed or a municipality-signed lease, and ID to an EDL customer office, after arrears are paid. Fees, gaps and who pays old bills.
- How do I pay my EDL bill?We could not confirm EDL's payment channels, so ask an EDL customer office. What EDL lists, the April 2026 tariff, arrears and paying from abroad.
- How much does EDL electricity cost per kWh now?EDL's last reported tariff: USD 0.10 per kWh for the first 100 kWh, USD 0.27 above (April 2026). A rise was requested. Generator costs and how to check.
- How do I register a lease at the municipality in Lebanon, and what does it cost?Per the Dahye municipalities union, owners register leases by 31 December. Documents, the disputed stamp fee, and when EDL or the Land Registry need it.
- Who pays electricity, generator, water and internet in a rented flat in Lebanon?No published rule says who pays electricity, generator, water and internet in a rented flat: the lease decides. What to write and how meters change name.
- What is the difference between a provisional and a final occupancy permit in Lebanon?A provisional permit lets you live in a flat but not divide, sell or register it; that needs a final permit. How to check before you pay.
- How much will I pay per month for electricity in a Beirut apartment?It varies widely: one Beirut-area household paid USD 140 a month for EDL and generator in October 2026. How the two bills work and what to check.
