HCOTEG174520 - Meter Proving: Guidance

Guidance to the trade on meter proving is contained in section 8 of HM39. SeeHCOTEG171500

Certificates of calibration of proving systems given by independent experts or authoritiessuch as the DTI are acceptable to us.

It is recommended that meters are tested or ‘proved’ on installation and thenat 3 months and 6 months. If these results are satisfactory routine proving may be carriedout at six-monthly intervals.

Proving is often carried out by subcontractors who will provide the trader with acertificate, but it is the trader who remains responsible for the accuracy of theirmeters. This is also true, even where the trader sub-contracts out the metering as well,as can be the case for loading gantries.

Failing meters should be taken out of use immediately. If a replacementmeter is not available, alternative means of measurement will need to be put in place andagreed with HMRC. Any replacement meter will need to be proved prior tobeing used for revenue accounting.