Finding your meter number for electricity and gas

The meter number on the electricity meter

Look at the plate or the label on the meter. The meter number is there, on newer meters usually as a long number made of digits and three letters for the manufacturer, for example 1EMH0012345678. This is only an example, your number looks different.

On the display of digital meters and on the plate, the number is sometimes shown in groups with spaces. It is best to copy it without spaces and check every digit, one swapped digit is enough to cause questions.

The meter number on the gas meter

The gas meter also has its number on a plate or sticker. It is usually shorter than for electricity. Next to it you often see “Zähler-Nr.” or “Ser.-Nr.”. The meter reading (Zählerstand) in cubic metres is something different, leave that out when you look for the number.

Meters in the cellar or stairwell

In apartment buildings the meters often hang side by side in the cellar or hallway. Match the right one using the flat number or name plate before you read a number. The number must match the one on your bill. If it does not, you have probably picked your neighbour’s meter.

The meter number on the bill

On the annual bill it is usually in the section “Zähler”, “Verbrauch” or “Zählerstände”. Some providers call it “Gerätenummer” or “Zählpunkt”. Because it is printed there, the bill is the safest source: you do not have to type anything out and can check against the meter.

Taking a good photo

If you photograph the number, use bright light and get close. Avoid reflections on the glass of the meter. The digits should be sharp and not cut off.

On some digital meters the number only appears after pressing a button on the display. How this works on your device is explained in the notes from your metering point operator (Messstellenbetreiber).

Do not mix them up

Several numbers sit next to each other on the meter and the bill. These are the most common mix-ups:

• Meter reading: this is the current reading in kilowatt hours or cubic metres, not an identifier.
• Customer number (Kundennummer): it belongs to you and your contract, not to the device.
• Market location ID (Marktlokations-ID): it identifies the supply point and has 11 digits, and there is more in the article on the market location ID.
• Contract account (Vertragskonto): an internal number of your provider.

What the number is needed for

With the meter number and address, the grid operator (Netzbetreiber) assigns your supply point. If the number is wrong, there are questions and the switch is delayed.

That is why we read it out of your bill and mark it yellow if we are not sure. You then see the matching excerpt and confirm it with one click. If you are missing a number, leave the field empty. We then tell you what is still missing.