Meter serial numbers: what they are and where to find them

Every gas and electricity meter carries its own serial number. It sounds like a detail, but it is often the quickest way to prove which meter is yours, fix a bill that has gone wrong, or get your supply details when you have no paperwork.

This guide covers both electricity and gas meters.

What is a meter serial number?

A meter serial number (MSN) is the number assigned to the physical gas or electricity meter at your premises. It can be a mix of letters and numbers, and it changes if the meter is replaced.

That definition comes from the Retail Energy Code Company (RECCo), which publishes guidance on the industry databases that record every meter. Suppliers also call it the meter ID. British Gas Business says the serial number is how it identifies your meter so it can charge you correctly.

Because it belongs to the meter, not the supply, your serial number will change when a meter is exchanged, for example when a smart meter is fitted.

Where can I find my meter serial number?

On the meter

RECCo says you should be able to see the serial number on the meter itself. British Gas Business and EDF both say to look near the barcode on the meter. This applies to gas and electricity meters alike.

If your meters are in a shared cupboard or plant room, take a photo of each meter showing its serial number and current reading. That gives you a clear record if a question comes up later.

On your bill

British Gas Business and EDF both show the serial number on their bills. British Gas Business, for example, puts it on page 2 of its business bills. If you cannot see it on yours, ask your supplier. See how to read a business energy bill for the other numbers on the page.

When you have several meters

EDF’s advice is simple: find the serial number on your bill and on the meter. If they match, the meter you are looking at is yours. This is especially useful in shared buildings, or where a site has more than one supply.

Meter serial number vs MPAN and MPRN

The serial number is often confused with the two supply numbers. RECCo explains the difference clearly: the MPAN and MPRN are assigned to your supply and will not change if your meter changes, while the serial number is assigned to the meter itself.

	Meter serial number	MPAN (electricity)	MPRN (gas)
Identifies	The physical meter	The electricity supply point	The gas supply point
Changes if the meter is replaced?	Yes	No	No
Printed on the meter?	Yes	No	No
Where else to find it	Your bill or supplier	Your bill, your DNO	Your bill, Find My Supplier

British Gas Business confirms that neither the MPAN nor the MPRN is printed on the meter itself. To decode your electricity supply number, use our MPAN checker. For gas, see our guide to MPRN numbers.

When do you need your meter serial number?

• Submitting meter readings. Matching the serial number confirms the reading comes from the meter your supplier is billing.
• Querying a bill. If the serial number on your bill does not match the meter, British Gas Business asks customers to contact it. Citizens Advice gives similar advice for supply numbers: if the MPAN or MPRN on your bill doesn’t match the one registered to your address, contact your supplier.
• Finding your MPAN without a bill. SSEN, one of the electricity network operators, asks people without a bill to email its MPAN team with their full address and meter serial number. Third parties such as brokers need to attach a letter of authority.
• Moving premises. Ofgem’s change of tenancy guidance asks you to tell the current supplier as soon as possible and include a meter reading. Noting the serial number with the reading avoids any doubt about which meter it came from.
• After a meter exchange. The serial number changes with the meter, so check that bills after an exchange refer to the new meter.

Ofgem is clear that it is illegal to move your own energy meter. If you need one moved, ask your supplier.

Why the serial number matters when you switch

RECCo explains that the central enquiry services are used to make switching work. Alongside the address and supply number, they record the meters assigned to each supply and when they were installed or removed. If those records are wrong, the meter details a new supplier sees can be wrong too.

A quick check before you switch or renew avoids most of this:

1. Find the MPAN or MPRN on your latest bill.
2. Check the serial number on your bill matches the meter on site.
3. Take a dated photo of each meter showing the serial number and reading.
4. If anything doesn’t match, ask your current supplier to investigate before the switch goes through.

If you are using a broker, give them the same details along with a letter of authority so they can confirm them with suppliers.

Is there an official meter serial number checker?

No. There is no free public lookup for meter serial numbers. The details sit in two central industry databases, and access to both is controlled.

• Electricity: the Electricity Enquiry Service (EES), also known as ECOES or MPAS.
• Gas: the Gas Enquiry Service (GES), run by Xoserve.

RECCo says these services hold the address registered to each MPAN or MPRN, the meter serial number, supply history and the metering agents appointed. They do not hold your name, contact details, readings or billing information.

Xoserve says the GES is not available to the public. Access is limited to organisations in defined market roles, such as shippers, suppliers, network operators, meter asset managers, price comparison websites and third party intermediaries, and must be approved under the Retail Energy Code.

Can a business get access to its own meter data?

Yes, for electricity. RECCo’s user guide explains that a non-domestic customer can apply for portfolio access to the EES:

1. Complete the online application at ecoes.co.uk, giving two non-domestic MPANs. Your supplier validates them.
2. Accept the access agreement within 28 days, or the application is rejected.
3. The service provider sets up one master administration user for your organisation.

Once set up, you can search your own portfolio by MPAN, meter serial number or address. Portfolio downloads include the meter serial number, meter type, installation date, profile class and appointed agents, although the items you can view are set by the industry’s data access rules. By default each user can run up to 600 searches a day. This is most useful for groups managing many sites (see our multi-site guide).

Free routes that give you supply details

• Electricity: your distribution network operator can give you the MPAN for an address. National Grid Electricity Distribution has a postcode checker, and Electricity North West takes calls on 0800 195 4141 (option 3). Find your operator in our guide to what a DNO is.
• Gas: Xoserve’s Find My Supplier shows the MPRN, supplier and gas transporter for an address.

Neither route is designed to confirm a serial number. Your supplier remains the place to check which meter is registered to your account.

What if the records are wrong?

RECCo says only the electricity and gas retail data agents can update the enquiry services, and your supplier must ask them to do so after investigating. If your supplier does not sort it out within 8 weeks, you can complain to the Energy Ombudsman. Our guide to business energy complaints explains the process.

Frequently asked questions