Finding your market location ID (MaLo-ID)

What the MaLo-ID is

The market location ID, MaLo-ID for short, identifies the place where electricity or gas is used. It has 11 digits. The last digit is a check digit, which helps to spot typing mistakes.

Unlike the meter number (Zählernummer), it is not tied to the device. If your meter is replaced, it gets a new number, and the supply point keeps its identifier. Electricity and gas have separate numbers.

What it looks like

A MaLo-ID consists only of digits, with no letters and no spaces, for example 12345678901. This is a made-up number. If the digits are shown in groups on the bill, copy them without gaps.

Grid operators (Netzbetreiber) and suppliers exchange data using this number. It makes sure a switch is assigned to the right supply point.

Where to find it

It is most reliably on your annual bill (Jahresabrechnung). Look for the terms “Marktlokation”, “Marktlokations-ID” or “MaLo”, usually in the header of the bill or in the section with the meter data. Other places are the contract confirmation and letters from the grid operator.

On older bills there is sometimes a long metering point designation (Zählpunktbezeichnung) starting with “DE” instead of the MaLo-ID. It is not the same thing. The 11-digit number is the MaLo-ID.

Do you need it for the switch?

If you have it, give it. It makes the assignment of your supply point more reliable. Whether a provider strictly requires it differs by tariff and supplier.

If you cannot find it, that is usually not a problem. Your address and the meter number can also be used to assign the supply point. Just leave the field empty, and if in doubt we ask for you.

Typical mistakes

These are the mix-ups we see most often:

• The meter number is entered in the MaLo field. It is longer and often contains letters.
• The customer number (Kundennummer) is entered. It is usually at the edge of the bill.
• A digit is missing or was copied twice. Count them, there must be exactly 11.
• The numbers for electricity and gas are swapped.

Several meters in a business

If you have several supply points or meters, for example in a business, each market location has its own ID. Collect them in a list before you start. There is more on this case in the article on business electricity and business gas.

How we handle it

When we read your bill, we check whether the number is plausible. If it does not fit the type of energy, we mark it yellow and show you where it appears. You decide whether it is right. We do not enter anything wrong as certain.