What is the difference between automatic and will-call delivery?

Automatic delivery means the fuel supplier tracks your tank level (using historical usage and weather degree-day data) and schedules deliveries to keep you above a reorder threshold — typically 25–30% of tank capacity. Will-call delivery means you watch the tank gauge yourself and call the supplier when you need a refill. Most fuel dealers offer both options, sometimes at slightly different per-gallon rates.

Is automatic delivery more expensive than will-call?

It can be, but not always. Auto-delivery customers sometimes pay a small per-gallon premium for the predictability and the no-runout guarantee. On the other hand, auto-delivery routes are easier for the supplier to plan, which can mean lower per-gallon rates than emergency or expedited will-call deliveries. Compare your supplier's rate sheets directly — there is no universal rule.

What happens if I run out on automatic delivery?

Most auto-delivery agreements include a no-runout guarantee: if you run out because the supplier missed a fill, the supplier covers any restart costs (the line pressure-test, system bleed, and restart fee). The guarantee almost always has fine print — usage spikes the supplier could not have predicted, change in occupancy, change in setpoint — that void it. Read the agreement before relying on it.

When should I prefer will-call?

Will-call makes sense for predictable, easy-to-monitor loads with low-stakes runouts: fireplaces, ranges, water heaters, secondary tanks, summer-only use. It also makes sense if you actively shop deliveries among multiple suppliers — you can't do that on a single-supplier auto-delivery agreement. The trade-off is that will-call customers carry the responsibility for not running out, including reading the gauge weekly during heating season.

How do I switch from automatic to will-call (or vice versa)?

Call your fuel supplier and ask. Either direction is usually a no-fee change. If you switch to automatic, expect to share usage history with the supplier so they can model your reorder point. If you switch to will-call, ask about the will-call delivery minimum (most suppliers won't bring a truck for fewer than 100–150 gallons) and the lead time on a will-call refill (typically 2–5 business days, longer in deep winter).

Automatic vs. Will-Call Fuel Delivery: Which One Is Right for You?

Automatic delivery uses degree-day modeling to keep your tank full; will-call puts you in charge. Compare the trade-offs, the typical price difference, and how to switch.

Every propane and heating-oil customer falls into one of two service models: automatic delivery, where the supplier predicts your usage and schedules refills before you run out, and will-call delivery, where you read your gauge and call the supplier when you need a fill. Most homes default to automatic without thinking about it; depending on your situation, will-call may be the better fit.

The mechanics

	Automatic delivery	Will-call delivery
Who watches the tank	Supplier (degree-day model)	You
Order frequency	Set by supplier	Set by you
Lead time	Built into the model	2–5 business days typical
Per-gallon rate	Sometimes a small premium	Sometimes a small discount
No-runout guarantee	Usually yes (with fine print)	No
Best for	Heating-load primary fuel	Predictable secondary loads
Worst for	Customers who want to shop dealers	Customers traveling for winter

Auto-delivery suppliers run a model — most use heating degree day (HDD) data plus your historical gallons-per-HDD ratio — to predict when your tank will hit the reorder threshold (typically 25–30% capacity). The route truck shows up before you'd notice you were low. You don't look at the gauge.

Will-call puts you in charge. You read the percent-full gauge on the tank, decide when to order, and call (or use the supplier's portal) to schedule the fill. There's no model behind it — it's your eyes on the tank.

Trade-offs

Auto-delivery wins when:

The fuel runs your central heat and a runout is a serious problem
(frozen pipes, restart fee, comfort cost).
You travel and won't be checking the gauge for stretches at a time.
You don't want to think about it.
Your supplier's auto-delivery rate is competitive with their will-call
rate.

Will-call wins when:

The load is light or seasonal — fireplaces, ranges, summer-only
use.
You're price-sensitive and willing to actively shop deliveries
among multiple suppliers (which auto-delivery makes mechanically
hard, since you only get one supplier per tank).
You own the tank and want maximum flexibility on who fills it.
You're disciplined about reading the gauge weekly during heating
season.

The no-runout guarantee, in practice

Most auto-delivery agreements include a no-runout guarantee: if the supplier's model misses and you run out, the supplier eats any restart costs (typically a leak test on the lines, a furnace bleed and restart, and any service fee). The leak-test step isn't a courtesy — NFPA 58 requires it after any out-of-gas event:

“When a container has been allowed to be emptied below normal operating pressure or service has been interrupted, the system shall be tested for leakage before being placed back into service.”
NFPA 58, §6.5.4 (Leak check after out-of-gas event, 2024 ed.). View source

This is the main reason most central-heating customers stay on auto-delivery.

The guarantee usually has fine print:

Doesn't apply if your usage changed materially without notifying the
supplier (added a new appliance, increased setpoint by several
degrees, started a workshop).
Doesn't apply if winter cold exceeded normal degree days by a wide
margin and you were already below threshold.
Doesn't apply if you missed a delivery the supplier scheduled.

Read your agreement. The guarantee is real but isn't unconditional.

Switching

Either direction is usually a no-fee phone call to your supplier:

To auto-delivery: share at least one full year of historical
usage so the supplier can model your reorder point. New customers
without history start on a conservative estimate and tighten over
the first heating season.
To will-call: ask about the supplier's will-call delivery
minimum (most won't pull a truck for fewer than 100–150 gallons) and
the typical lead time. Plan to read the gauge weekly during heating
season.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between automatic and will-call delivery?: Automatic delivery means the fuel supplier tracks your tank level (using historical usage and weather degree-day data) and schedules deliveries to keep you above a reorder threshold — typically 25–30% of tank capacity. Will-call delivery means you watch the tank gauge yourself and call the supplier when you need a refill. Most fuel dealers offer both options, sometimes at slightly different per-gallon rates.
Is automatic delivery more expensive than will-call?: It can be, but not always. Auto-delivery customers sometimes pay a small per-gallon premium for the predictability and the no-runout guarantee. On the other hand, auto-delivery routes are easier for the supplier to plan, which can mean lower per-gallon rates than emergency or expedited will-call deliveries. Compare your supplier's rate sheets directly — there is no universal rule.
What happens if I run out on automatic delivery?: Most auto-delivery agreements include a no-runout guarantee: if you run out because the supplier missed a fill, the supplier covers any restart costs (the line pressure-test, system bleed, and restart fee). The guarantee almost always has fine print — usage spikes the supplier could not have predicted, change in occupancy, change in setpoint — that void it. Read the agreement before relying on it.
When should I prefer will-call?: Will-call makes sense for predictable, easy-to-monitor loads with low-stakes runouts: fireplaces, ranges, water heaters, secondary tanks, summer-only use. It also makes sense if you actively shop deliveries among multiple suppliers — you can't do that on a single-supplier auto-delivery agreement. The trade-off is that will-call customers carry the responsibility for not running out, including reading the gauge weekly during heating season.
How do I switch from automatic to will-call (or vice versa)?: Call your fuel supplier and ask. Either direction is usually a no-fee change. If you switch to automatic, expect to share usage history with the supplier so they can model your reorder point. If you switch to will-call, ask about the will-call delivery minimum (most suppliers won't bring a truck for fewer than 100–150 gallons) and the lead time on a will-call refill (typically 2–5 business days, longer in deep winter).