MPAN number: what it is and how to find yours

What is an MPAN number?

MPAN stands for Meter Point Administration Number. It's a unique number for an electricity metering point, the place where a supply is measured. Your bill may call it your supply number.

Every electricity supply in Great Britain has one. The Energy Networks Association says the MPAN is like an address for your electricity supply. It stays the same when you switch supplier. A business with more than one supply, such as a separately metered supply or a solar panel export, has more than one MPAN.

Gas supplies have a different number, called the MPRN, which we cover further down.

Where to find your MPAN on a bill

Your MPAN is printed on your electricity bill. It's usually shown in a grid that starts with the letter S, with two rows of numbers:

• the bottom row, 13 digits long, is the core of your MPAN, which identifies your supply;
• the top row holds codes about your meter and your network charges.

On some business bills, the grid sits in the section that sets out your charges rather than on the front page. Your supplier's online account may show it too.

If a supplier or broker asks for your MPAN, give both rows. The 13-digit bottom row identifies your supply, and quotes are often based on the full number.

Is the MPAN number on the meter?

Usually not. The number on your meter, usually near a barcode, is the meter serial number. That identifies the meter itself, while the MPAN identifies the supply. Some sites have the MPAN shown next to the meter, so it's worth a look, but your bill is the reliable place to find it.

What do the numbers in an MPAN mean?

The bottom row: the MPAN core

The 13 digits in the bottom row are made up of three parts:

1. Distributor ID, 2 digits: the electricity network your supply is connected to.
2. Unique reference, 10 digits: the number for your supply on that network.
3. Check digit, 1 digit: worked out from the other 12, which helps catch typing mistakes.

The first two digits tell you which network operator runs the wires to your premises. For the 14 regional networks, they are:

Some homes and businesses, often on newer developments, are connected to an independent network instead. Those networks have Distributor IDs of 24 and above.

The top row: codes about your meter and charges

Traditionally, the top row held three codes, making 21 characters in all with the bottom row:

• Profile class, 2 digits: how your use has been estimated for the industry's settlement process (see below).
• Meter timeswitch code, 3 digits: the type of meter and when it switches between rates, for example on Economy 7.
• Line loss factor class, 3 characters: used to work out network charges.

The top row has been changing. Under a change to the industry rules approved by Ofgem in November 2023, the meter timeswitch code is replaced by a 4-digit Standard Settlement Configuration, and the line loss factor class by a DUoS tariff ID, which is used for network charges in the same way. Suppliers began showing the new format on bills from 22 September 2025, so your top row may look different from older bills. The bottom row hasn't changed.

What does the profile class tell you?

The first two digits of the top row are your profile class. For meters that haven't been settled half-hourly, the industry has estimated how use spreads across the day from standard patterns, and the profile class says which pattern applies:

• 01: domestic, unrestricted;
• 02: domestic, Economy 7;
• 03: business, unrestricted;
• 04: business, Economy 7;
• 05 to 08: larger business sites with maximum demand metering (08 has also long been used for export MPANs, for example from solar panels);
• 00: half-hourly meter.

All meters in Great Britain are moving to half-hourly settlement, and that's due to finish on 7 May 2027. As they move, meters without a profile class show 00, while supplies with profile class 02 or 04 keep it. So 00 no longer tells you, on its own, what kind of meter you have.

How to find your MPAN without a bill

If you don't have a bill to hand, or you've just moved into premises, there are three places to ask.

1. Your supplier. If you know who supplies the premises, it can give you the MPAN, and you may find it in your online account.
2. Your network operator. Each network operator runs a meter point administration service. Depending on the operator, it can tell you who supplies an address, its MPAN, or both. These services may show only the supply you import, not an export MPAN. Use the Energy Networks Association's postcode tool to find yours, or, in England, Scotland or Wales, call 105 for free to be put through to your network operator.
3. The Electricity Enquiry Service. Businesses can register as non-domestic customers to look up their own supply points, once their supplier approves each one. This can help if you manage several sites.

These are the meter point administration services we've checked:

For Northern Powergrid, in the North East, Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire, use its online supplier form, email whoismysupplier@northernpowergrid.com or call 0800 111 4005. You must be, or be about to become, the owner or occupier.

How do you check an MPAN is right?

Check that the bottom row has 13 digits and that the first two match your area in the table above, or are 24 or above if you're on an independent network. The last digit is a check digit, worked out from the other 12, which helps catch typing mistakes. If you're not sure the MPAN belongs to your premises, your network operator's meter point administration service can confirm which MPAN is registered at an address.

Is an MPAN the same as an MPRN?

No. The MPAN is for electricity, and the MPRN, or Meter Point Reference Number, is for gas. The MPRN is the unique number that identifies the gas supply point at your premises.

You'll find your MPRN on your gas bill, and sometimes on a label on the gas pipe by the emergency control valve, next to your meter. If you don't have a bill, the Find My Supplier service shows the MPRN, supplier and gas transporter for an address. You can also call the Meter Number Helpline on 0870 608 1524, Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm. Calls cost 7p a minute, plus your phone company's access charge.

MPAN numbers in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland's electricity network is separate from Great Britain's, and is part of a single electricity market with the Republic of Ireland. Electricity supplies there have an 11-digit MPRN from NIE Networks rather than an MPAN. It's on your bill, and NIE Networks' Find My MPRN tool can look it up if you have your meter serial number.

Why your business needs its MPAN

You'll need your MPAN whenever you deal with your electricity supply:

• Getting quotes. Suppliers and brokers use the full supply number, including the top row, to price a quote.
• Switching supplier. Your new supplier uses it to take over the right supply.
• Moving into premises. Take a meter reading on the day you move in and give it to the supplier with your MPAN, so you aren't charged for energy used before you arrived. Until you agree a contract, you're likely to be on deemed rates, which are usually higher.
• Exporting electricity. If you have solar panels or another generator and export to the grid, you'll need an export MPAN to be paid for it, which is separate from your import MPAN.
• Checking bills. The MPAN on each bill should match the supply you're paying for, especially if you have several sites or meters.

With your MPAN to hand, you can get quotes from suppliers and compare business electricity prices with what you pay now.

Can a business have more than one MPAN?

Yes. Each electricity supply point has its own MPAN, so a business with several sites has at least one for each site. A single site can have more than one, too:

• if you export electricity, the export has its own MPAN, separate from the one for the electricity you import;
• if the premises have more than one supply, each supply has its own MPAN, and your supplier can link them as related metering points for the same customer at the same location.

When you get quotes for a site like this, list every MPAN, so that each supply is included.