When does your business charger need MID metering?

If you charge by measured electricity use, establish which approved meter supports the bill. MID is common shorthand, but current UK guidance explains the Measuring Instruments Regulations 2016 and the evidence needed for billing approval [S1]. A dashboard showing energy consumption does not by itself establish compliance. Check the complete metering arrangement before charging customers. Checked October 2026.

Last checked 16 October 2026

What does MID metering mean for a business charger?

MID stands for Measuring Instruments Directive. The phrase remains common in charger specifications. The UK Measuring Instruments Regulations, or MIR, implement the relevant requirements in domestic law. OPSS explains the conformity assessment and markings used for meters within their scope [S1].

Your purchasing question is which meter supplies the reading used to charge the customer. Ofgem’s EV guidance says appropriate metering is needed when trade involves measured electricity consumption [S4]. Ask the installer to identify the measuring device and approval evidence in writing. This is general information; check the legal arrangement with your solicitor.

Do this before comparing subscription prices. A reporting package and a billing measurement system answer different procurement questions. Read sub-metering charging energy if you also need to separate charging from the building’s electricity use.

Does a charger app prove that its readings are suitable for billing?

A screen displaying energy is useful evidence of what the software reports. Ask for separate evidence that the underlying meter is approved for the proposed use. OPSS maintains guidance on approval routes and its register of nationally approved electricity meters [S2].

Request a sample session export before signing the software contract. Check whether you can follow a displayed total back to an identified meter, an opening reading and a closing reading. Ask how the system handles an interrupted session and a missing upload. These are suggested acceptance checks, not a claim that every charger must expose the same fields.

Keep charging software requirements beside the meter specification. A demonstration should show the proposed installation and billing process, rather than a generic dashboard with no identified measuring equipment.

What evidence should you request for an approved electricity meter?

Ask for a document pack tied to the installed model. Current OPSS guidance distinguishes conformity assessment under MIR from national meter approval and certification [S1], [S2]. Do not accept an unrelated product’s certificate.

Under the MID marking arrangements OPSS describes, the metrology mark includes an M and year digits, alongside the relevant conformity marking and body identification [S1]. Have the installer explain the complete evidence. The photograph helps identify the device; it is not your technical compliance assessment.

Can an external sub-meter support several chargers?

Begin with what you intend to bill. A meter for the whole charging circuit can support reconciliation of that circuit’s consumption. It does not explain which driver used the energy. Ofgem distinguishes a premises meter from secondary measurement that identifies EV consumption [S4].

For a proposed shared installation, ask the designer to draw the boundary of every reading. Then ask whoever raises invoices to show how the arrangement distinguishes sessions. Include shared auxiliaries and any equipment on the same circuit in that discussion.

Use charging staff at work for the related operating questions. Keep the evidence needed for invoicing separate from reports used only for management. If the proposed meter arrangement changes, request an updated diagram and document pack before accepting it.

What should you check when comparing AC and DC metering?

AC means alternating current; DC means direct current. Ask the supplier where the billable measurement occurs and which approval route applies to that particular arrangement. Do not transfer an approval claim from an AC model to a DC product without supporting documentation. OPSS describes the scope of MIR and a separate national approval route for meters outside it [S1], [S2].

In your tender, request a written answer for the proposed model and intended billing use. Ask what energy is included, what the driver sees and how that relates to the supply bill. Where the installer cannot establish the applicable route, ask it to obtain a documented answer from the relevant metrology authority before you agree to bill from that measurement.

Which metering charges should your quotation separate?

Request separate prices for measuring hardware, installation, communications, reporting and ongoing support. These are quotation headings to ask for, not published market prices. Make the responsibility for maintaining accuracy explicit. OPSS’s secondary-metering guidance retains an accuracy obligation even where the specified written agreement dispenses with certification [S3].

Ask whether the documents and readings remain accessible if you change software. Who answers a disputed bill? Who arranges investigation of the meter? Who keeps the installation record? Put the answers in the proposed service scope and have your solicitor review contractual duties.

For public access, also assess public charging requirements. Meter approval and tariff presentation need separate checks: the public charging regulations contain pricing obligations beyond the choice of measuring hardware [S5].

What should you do next?

Prepare a meter evidence checklist and compare installation quotations. Then get matched with an installer that covers your area. State who will use the chargers and whether you intend to bill by measured energy.

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