At a glance
- Anyone who uses measured values for invoices to third parties needs a meter that complies with German measurement and verification law and whose verification period has not expired.
- Electronic electricity meters: 8 years. Water meters, cold and hot: 6 years. Heat meters: 6 years. Diaphragm gas meters up to 10 m³/h: 8 years.
- A verification period only ends at the close of the calendar year in which it nominally expires.
- Meters for heating cost billing that cannot be read remotely must be retrofitted or replaced by 31 December 2026.
When a verified meter is mandatory
Germany’s Measurement and Verification Act (Mess- und Eichgesetz, MessEG) is clear: values of measured quantities may only be stated or used in commercial transactions if they were determined with a measuring instrument that meets the legal requirements (§ 33 MessEG). And anyone who bills on the basis of measured values must ensure that the recipient can easily follow and check the invoice.
Typical cases in business:
- electricity, water or heat for tenants and subtenants of a factory hall or business park
- onward billing to lessees, such as a canteen or a workshop run by another company
- charging points where third parties charge and pay
- heating cost billing in buildings with several occupants
The obligation does not, however, apply to internal cost-center accounting and energy monitoring within the same company – there, meters that measure reliably are sufficient, even without verification.
Verification periods by meter type
| Meter | Verification period | Annex 7 MessEV |
|---|---|---|
| Electronic electricity meter | 8 years | No. 6.3 |
| Electricity meter with induction measuring element (Ferraris) | 16 years | No. 6.1 |
| Ferraris meter connected to instrument transformers | 12 years | No. 6.2 |
| Cold water meter | 6 years | No. 5.5.1 |
| Hot water meter | 6 years | No. 5.5.2 |
| Heat and cooling meter | 6 years | No. 7.1 |
| Diaphragm gas meter up to 10 m³/h | 8 years | No. 5.6.2 |
| Diaphragm gas meter above 10 and up to 25 m³/h | 12 years | No. 5.6.3 |
Where Annex 7 of the Measurement and Verification Ordinance (Mess- und Eichverordnung, MessEV) does not specify otherwise, the verification period is two years (§ 34 MessEV). The annex sets separate periods for other types of gas meter. Compressed-air meters are not listed – they are almost always used in-house only.
How the period is calculated
The verification period begins with verification. For new meters placed on the market following a conformity assessment, it begins when the meter is placed on the market – which is presumed to be the year of marking. That year follows the “M” in the supplementary metrology marking: “M26” means 2026.
The period only ends at the close of the calendar year in which it nominally expires. An electronic electricity meter marked M26 may therefore be used for billing until 31 December 2034.
MID: the marking on a verified new meter
New electricity, water, gas and heat meters for billing are placed on the market under the European Measuring Instruments Directive 2014/32/EU (MID). They can be recognized by the CE marking with the supplementary metrology marking: a capital “M” and the two-digit year in a rectangle, together with the number of the notified body.
When the period expires, there are two options: have the meter re-verified – by the verification authority or a state-approved testing body – or replace it with a new MID device. For small meters, replacement is often the simpler route; compare both quotes.
Heating costs: the end-2026 deadline
For heating cost billing, the Heating Costs Ordinance (Heizkostenverordnung, HeizkostenV) also applies: meters and heat cost allocators installed after 1 December 2021 must be remotely readable. Older devices that cannot be read remotely must be retrofitted or replaced by 31 December 2026 (§ 5 HeizkostenV) – the only exceptions are cases in which this would be technically impossible or cause unreasonable hardship.
Where the devices are remotely readable, occupants must receive monthly information on their consumption; this has applied since 2022 (§ 6a HeizkostenV). So if you have to replace devices anyway, it is best to choose meters whose readings reach the system without an on-site visit.
What you risk once the period has expired
A meter whose verification period has expired may no longer be used (§ 31 MessEG). Anyone who uses it anyway commits an administrative offense – the fine can be up to €50,000 (§ 60 MessEG). On top of that comes the practical risk: an invoice based on the readings of an unverified meter is open to challenge.
Checklist
- List all meters whose readings are used to invoice third parties.
- For each meter, note the year of marking or verification and the verification period – this gives you the year of expiry.
- Schedule replacement or re-verification in good time in the year of expiry – not in December.
- For heating cost billing, check whether all devices are remotely readable – deadline: 31 December 2026.
- Record the meter readings at replacement so the invoice remains traceable.
How irot helps
The verification periods of all your meters can be managed in irot Audit – like any other device, with interval, reminder and record. The meters themselves are being developed as Zähler by irot: MID electricity meters for billing, and water and heat meters with wireless reading. The range is in development; pilot units are available on request.
Legal basis and status
- Measurement and Verification Act (MessEG): § 31 Use of measuring instruments, § 33 Use of measured values, § 60 Provisions on fines
- Measurement and Verification Ordinance (MessEV): § 34 Verification period and Annex 7 Verification periods
- Heating Costs Ordinance (HeizkostenV): § 5 Remote readability, § 6a Billing and consumption information
- Directive 2014/32/EU on measuring instruments (MID)
This guide reflects the legal position as of 12 September 2026 and does not replace legal advice. The regulations cited, in their current version, are authoritative; the competent verification authority can advise on individual cases.