Knowledge · Legal metrology

Verification periods for water and heat meters in Europe

A meter used for billing stays verified for only a few years: six in Germany, five in Austria. If you know the periods, you can plan meter replacement in good time and never bill with unverified meters.

6 yearswater and heat meters in Germany, harmonised since 2 November 2021

5 yearswater and heat meters in Austria

31 Decemberthe period ends at the end of the year in which it expires (Germany)

Longer with ultrasoundSwitzerland and Italy allow longer periods for meters without mechanical measuring parts

Europe regulates market access, each country the verification period

The European Measuring Instruments Directive MID (2014/32/EU) defines how water and heat meters are placed on the market. The manufacturer has the design type-examined (module B) and its production monitored (module D). The meter then carries the CE marking, the metrology marking with «M» and the year, for example M23 for 2023, and the number of the notified body.

The MID does not say how long a meter remains verified once in service. Each country decides this for itself, along with who is responsible for verification and whether the period can be extended. This is why verification periods differ widely across Europe.

Overview

Verification periods compared

Periods for meters used for billing. Research status: October 2026.

Germany

Water meters: 6 years (cold and hot water)
Heat meters: 6 years
Extension: by sampling of whole lots, by 3 to 5 years

Austria

Water meters: 5 years (DN150 and above not subject to verification)
Heat meters: 5 years
Extension: by statistical testing, by 3 or 5 years

Switzerland

Water meters: no uniform federal rule, ask the water supplier
Heat meters: 6 years with mechanical measuring parts, 8 years without (e.g. ultrasonic); meters marked up to year 23: 5 years
Extension: monitoring of operating data, up to 12 years in service
Exception: No obligation to re-verify or replace if the heat meter is used only to apportion heating costs within a building (Art. 9 para. 3 TMmV).

Italy

Water meters: 10 years (mechanical, Q3 up to 16 m³/h), 13 years (static, Q3 above 16 m³/h)
Heat meters: up to qp 3 m³/h: 6 years mechanical, 9 years static; above: 5 years mechanical, 8 years static
Extension: –

France

Water meters: cold water: first check after 9, 12 or 15 years depending on class, then every 7 years
Heat meters: –
Extension: checks by lot possible

Spain

Water meters: service life 12 years, then replacement or verification
Heat meters: –
Extension: by 5 years at a time after verification

«–» means: no confirmed information in our research. In Sweden, new rules for water and heat meters have applied since 1 May 2026, with transitional provisions until 30 April 2027.

Germany in detail

Start and end of the period

For an MID meter, the verification period starts when the meter is placed on the market. The year in the metrology marking is decisive. The period only ends on 31 December of the year in which it expires.

Example: a cold water meter marked M23 is verified until 31 December 2029. After that it must be re-verified or replaced. A second conformity assessment by the manufacturer is not possible.

Who is responsible

The obligation lies with whoever bills with the meter, such as the landlord or the owners’ association. Who owns the meter is irrelevant, and private agreements do not lift the obligation. Billing with unverified meters is an administrative offence that can be fined.

Extension by sampling

The verification authority can extend the period for a lot of identical meters if a sample shows that at least 95 per cent of them still meet the requirements. The application can be made no earlier than two years before the period expires. The procedure is used mainly by utilities; for individual sub-meters it is rarely worthwhile.

What it means for your project

Planning for short periods

Record the marking

At commissioning, note the meter number, location and metrology marking. The year in the marking tells you when the verification period ends.

Plan replacement in good time

Meters in a building often come from the same year. Plan to replace them all together before the period ends on 31 December.

Match battery life to the period

The H2O battery lasts 10 to 16 years and the DELTA III battery 11 to 20 years, longer than the verification period in Germany or Austria.

Choose static metering

Where the law distinguishes by design, as in Switzerland and Italy, ultrasonic meters without moving parts have longer periods. The H2O and DELTA III measure with ultrasound.

Frequently asked questions

When does the verification period of an MID meter end in Germany?

It starts with the year in the metrology marking and ends on 31 December of the year in which it expires. A water or heat meter marked M23 is verified until 31 December 2029.

Who has to arrange verification?

Whoever bills with the meter, for example the landlord or the owners’ association. This also applies if the meter is rented.

Does the MID verification period apply throughout Europe?

No. The MID only governs placing on the market. Each country sets the verification period in service.

Do ultrasonic meters have longer periods?

In some countries, yes. In Switzerland, heat meters without mechanical measuring parts have 8 instead of 6 years; in Italy, depending on flow rate, 8 or 9 instead of 5 or 6 years. In Germany the same period applies to all designs.

Planning a meter replacement?

We advise you on choosing the H2O and DELTA III for your country and your billing.

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Disclaimer

This page is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. The information is based on publicly available sources (research status: October 2026). Legal metrology rules change and may differ by country, region, meter type and use. Only the applicable laws and regulations and the information provided by the competent verification and supervisory authorities are authoritative. Helvatron AG accepts no liability for the accuracy, completeness or timeliness of this information or for decisions based on it.

Sources: Germany: Measurement and Verification Ordinance (MessEV) Annex 7, §§ 34 and 35; information sheets of the verification authorities (AGME, LBME NRW). Austria: Federal Office of Metrology and Surveying (BEV). Switzerland: FDJP Ordinance on Measuring Instruments for Thermal Energy (TMmV, SR 941.231). Italy: Decree of 21 April 2017, no. 93, Annex IV. France: Arrêté du 6 mars 2007 on the control of cold water meters in service. Spain: Orden ICT/155/2020. Sweden: Swedac, STAFS 2026:1 and 2026:2.