MPAN and MPRN numbers: what they mean and where to find them

Your MPAN is the number that identifies your electricity supply point; your MPRN does the same for gas. You need them to get accurate quotes, switch supplier, and sort out billing problems. Both are on your bill, and you can look them up if you have lost it.

MPAN: your electricity number

MPAN stands for Meter Point Administration Number. It is 21 digits, usually printed as a grid on bills with an "S" at the left. The grid has two rows:

• The top row (8 digits) describes the type of supply.
• The bottom row (13 digits) is the "core", which uniquely identifies your supply point.

When a quote form asks for a 13-digit MPAN, it wants the bottom row. When a form asks for 21 digits, it wants both rows.

What the top row means

Digits	Item	Meaning
1–2	Profile class	Customer type and metering arrangement. 00 means half-hourly settled
3–5	Meter time-switch code	Whether the meter has more than one rate or a timer, such as day and night
6–8	Line loss factor class	How your site is charged for network use and losses

The profile class matters most. Classes 01 and 02 are domestic, 03 and 04 are ordinary non-domestic supplies (04 being a two-rate, Economy 7-type meter), and 05 to 08 are larger maximum-demand sites. See electricity profile classes explained.

What the bottom row means

Digits	Item	Meaning
1–2	Distributor ID	Your local network operator (DNO)
3–12	Unique identifier	Your supply point
13	Check digit	Lets systems catch typing errors

Great Britain has 14 distribution areas, numbered 10 to 23:

ID	Area	ID	Area
10	Eastern England	17	Northern Scotland
11	East Midlands	18	Southern Scotland
12	London	19	South Eastern England
13	Merseyside and North Wales	20	Southern England
14	West Midlands	21	South Wales
15	North Eastern England	22	South Western England
16	North Western England	23	Yorkshire

Network companies change names and owners, so use the area rather than a company name, and check who runs your network with the postcode tool mentioned below. Your network operator is who you call about power cuts and capacity changes. This page covers Great Britain; Northern Ireland has its own separate metering and numbering arrangements, so ask your supplier there.

Your meter does show a number, but it is the meter serial number, not the MPAN. Do not give that in its place.

MPRN: your gas number

MPRN is the Meter Point Reference Number. It is a single row of 6 to 10 digits, most often 10, sometimes shown with an "M" in front. It contains no letters; if yours does, you have copied the meter serial number. A site with no gas supply has no MPRN.

Where to find them

1. A recent bill. Look in the supply details or the back page. For electricity, find the grid.
2. Your online account or app. Usually under meter or supply details.
3. Your supplier's customer service, if you have an account but no bill to hand.
4. Your contract or Principal Terms, which normally list the supply points covered.
5. Your network operator. Ofgem says your network operator can give you details of your supplier, and points to the Energy Networks Association's postcode tool to find them.
6. For gas, Find My Supplier (findmysupplier.energy), the free lookup for the gas meter point administration service. Enter your postcode and address.

More detail: where do I find my MPAN and where do I find my MPRN. If you do not know who supplies you at all, try find your business energy supplier.

Why they matter

• Getting quotes. A supplier needs the exact meter point to check the site's usage history and profile. See what you need for a quote.
• Switching. The wrong number can reject a switch; see why was my switch rejected.
• Moving in. One address can have several meter points, so confirm each. See moving premises and deemed contracts.
• Disputes. If your bill covers the wrong meter point, quote the number to prove it.

Worked example: a shop and a flat

A shop has a ground-floor unit and a flat above, supplied through two electricity meters. Each meter has its own MPAN. The shop is on a standard business supply; the flat is domestic. If the shop owner requests a quote using the flat's MPAN, the profile class digits will start 01 or 02, which marks it domestic, and the quote will be invalid. Reading the first two digits against the table above catches the mistake in seconds. (This is an illustration, not a real supply.)

Common problems

You cannot find the grid

It may be on a later page or in an annual statement. Ask the supplier to email it.

Two MPANs for one meter

Sometimes a meter has an import MPAN and an export MPAN, for example with solar. Check which one you are quoting for.

You are told the number is wrong

The check digit lets systems verify typing. Re-copy slowly, or ask your supplier or DNO to confirm.

How to read an MPAN, step by step

Here is an invented layout (not a real supply point) to practise on. Suppose the top row reads 03 801 573 and the bottom row begins 12.

1. First two digits of the top row: 03. A class 3 supply, an ordinary non-domestic, unrestricted meter.
2. Next three: 801. This is the meter time-switch code, which your supplier's system translates into the meter's rate arrangement.
3. Last three of the top row: 573. The line loss factor class.
4. First two digits of the bottom row: 12. In the table above, that is the London area.
5. The last digit is the check digit; you never need to work it out.

You do not need to understand the middle codes, but spotting a class-5-to-8 number, or a distributor in the wrong region for your address, flags a data problem worth raising. The MPAN numbers FAQ goes through this in a short form, and the MPRN glossary entry covers gas.

The address on the bill does not match yours

Numbers belong to the supply point, not to you. If a previous occupier's details are still attached, ask the supplier to correct them, and give them your lease and a dated meter photo. Our guide to setting up energy for a new business explains the order of steps. Keep a copy of every number you submit; it makes any later dispute faster to settle.

Next steps

1. Photograph your latest bill's supply details and save it.
2. Note your profile class from the top row.
3. Record the MPRN separately if you have gas.
4. Use the numbers when you compare business energy.