How Much Does an Electricity Meter Cost + Steps 2026 (Residential)
Finished building or bought a new house and need an electricity meter? This page covers it all: the inspection fee (MEA 700 THB for a typical home), the good news that new residential applicants pay NO security deposit, plus how to pick the meter size, the documents you need, the steps, and how many days it takes.
Applying for a new home meter, you only pay the “inspection fee” — no security deposit. For MEA (Bangkok metro), a typical 1-phase home (5(15), 15(45), 30(100) amp) pays an inspection fee of 700 THB, and new residential (Type 1) applicants pay no security deposit. For PEA (provincial), the fee varies by size/area — confirm by calling 1129. A typical home usually chooses a 15(45)A single-phase meter. This page covers the normal (permanent) home meter and does NOT cover TOU meter pricing — if you want to save with a TOU meter, see how to apply for a TOU meter.
What Is the Latest Price to Apply for a 15-Amp Electricity Meter?
The latest price (as of June 2026) to apply for a new 15-amp electricity meter — the 15(45)A single-phase meter a typical home uses — is a 700 THB inspection fee with MEA (Bangkok–Nonthaburi–Samut Prakan), and new residential applicants pay no security deposit. With PEA (provincial) the fee varies by meter size and area — call 1129 to confirm the latest figure before you apply; the full fee table by size and the steps are further down this page.
Pick the Right Meter Size for Your Home
The A(B) format: A = normal rated current, B = maximum current. e.g. 15(45) = 15A normal, up to 45A peak. A typical home picks 15(45)A single-phase:
| Meter size | Phase | Suitable for |
|---|---|---|
| 5(15) A | 1-phase | Small home / rental room / low load |
| 15(45) A | 1-phase | Typical home (incl. several ACs) — most common |
| 30(100) A | 1-phase | Large home, high load, many appliances |
| 15(45)–50(150) A | 3-phase | Very high load / has 3-phase equipment |
Tip: if unsure, a typical home is well served by 15(45)A single-phase. An over-sized meter just raises the fee and service charge unnecessarily.
Adding a Second Meter or Upsizing (e.g. 5→15 or 15→30 Amp): Process and Cost
“Adding a meter” covers two cases: (1) upsizing the existing meter (e.g. 5(15)→15(45) or 15(45)→30(100)) when new ACs/equipment outgrow it, and (2) a separate second meter at the same house number (e.g. for a tenant or an extension). Both are filed with MEA 1130 / PEA 1129 using the same documents as a new-meter application; the inspection fee is generally charged at the new meter size (same table as above — 700 THB for a 1-phase home with MEA). Upsizing may also require upgrading your own main cable/breaker, which is a private electrician's cost, not the utility's — always confirm your area's latest figures before filing (as of June 2026).
Changing a 5-Amp “Transformer” to 15 Amps: What Does It Cost? (In everyday Thai, “mo plaeng / mo fai” means the meter)
Short answer: the “mo plaeng” (transformer) or “mo fai” most people mean is the electricity meter at the front of the house, not the distribution transformer on the pole. “Changing a 5 to a 15-amp mo” is therefore a meter upsize from 5(15) to 15(45), filed as an existing customer (MEA lists “meter upsize” under its existing-customer services on MEA e-Service). Neither MEA nor PEA publishes a separate upsize fee table — the utility states the actual amount after reviewing the request. The official figures you can verify are the new-connection tables: the inspection fee for a 15(45) or 30(100) single-phase meter is 700 THB at both MEA and PEA (PEA ex-VAT). The other cost is a private electrician upgrading your main cable/breaker. Case by case:
| Case | Utility side (official figures we could verify) | Your side (private electrician) |
|---|---|---|
| 5(15) → 15(45), 1-phase · “5 to 15 amp” | File a meter-upsize request (existing customer) — amount confirmed after review · reference, new-connection table: 15(45) 1-phase inspection 700 THB (MEA and PEA) | Have an electrician check whether the existing main cable and breaker can carry the new current; if not, replace them before the inspection |
| 15(45) → 30(100), 1-phase · “30/100 meter” | Same as above · reference, new-connection table: 30(100) 1-phase inspection 700 THB (MEA and PEA) | Usually more in-house work than the first case — get an electrician's quote before filing |
| 1-phase → 3-phase | Reference, new-connection table: 15(45) 3-phase inspection 700 THB · 30(100) 3-phase 1,500 THB (MEA and PEA) | Requires 3-phase wiring in the house — the largest electrician job in this table |
| The upsize also changes your customer type (e.g. home → business) | MEA: its no-deposit rule for new Type 1–2 users excludes “a change of customer type to another type” — a deposit may then apply | Ask about the tariff type and any deposit before filing: MEA 1130 / PEA 1129 |
| You genuinely need a transformer (distribution transformer) — a very large load, or the local network can't take it | Not a routine meter upsize — the utility assesses on site; it may become a network upgrade or extension, costed separately case by case | Typically commercial buildings/factories rather than ordinary homes |
Sources: MEA service-connection rates (mea.or.th) and PEA connection-fee table (pea.co.th, ex-VAT), checked 4 Oct 2026. The figures are reference points from the new-connection tables, not an upsize invoice — confirm the actual amount with MEA 1130 / PEA 1129 before filing. If you'd rather add a second meter than upsize, see two meters in one house.
Meter Application Fees: MEA vs PEA
MEA (Bangkok / Nonthaburi / Samut Prakan)
The fee to inspect your internal wiring & equipment (official mea.or.th rates):
| Size | Phase | Fee (THB) |
|---|---|---|
| 5(15) | 1 | 700 |
| 15(45) | 1 | 700 |
| 30(100) | 1 | 700 |
| 15(45) | 3 | 700 |
| 30(100) | 3 | 1,500 |
| 50(150) | 3 | 1,500 |
| 200 / 400 | 3 | 2,500 |
MEA's same official table has a second column: if you use an internal-wiring installer registered with MEA, the inspection fee is 0 THB for every low-voltage size above (checked on mea.or.th, 4 Oct 2026).
PEA (Provincial Electricity Authority)
PEA's official connection-fee table (pea.co.th — in force since 1 Jan 2020; figures exclude VAT; checked 4 Oct 2026). The connection fee and the energy-sharing charge are waived for every meter size, and PEA charges no security deposit to new Type 1 and Type 2 users (since 20 Mar 2020) — so a new home mainly pays the inspection fee for its size:
| Size | Phase | Inspection (THB) | Deposit in table* (THB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5(15) | 1 | 100 | 300 |
| 15(45) | 1 | 700 | 2,000 |
| 30(100) | 1 | 700 | 4,000 |
| 15(45) | 3 | 700 | 6,000 |
| 30(100) | 3 | 1,500 | 12,000 |
* The deposit column applies to non-exempt cases — new Type 1 (residential) and Type 2 (small business) users pay none. This is the new-connection table; for a meter upsize or special cases, confirm the amount with PEA 1129 before filing.
MEA figures re-checked 4 Oct 2026 (unchanged since June 2026) · PEA table checked 4 Oct 2026. Rates may change by utility announcement. Confirm the latest: MEA 1130 / PEA 1129.
Do You Need to Pay a Security Deposit?
Note: the 300 / 2,000 / 4,000 / 6,000 THB figures you often see online are the “security deposit” column of PEA's official table, which applies to non-exempt cases — PEA states it charges no deposit to new Type 1 and Type 2 users since 20 Mar 2020, and MEA likewise charges none to new Type 1 and Type 2 users, except where the customer type later changes to another type (checked on mea.or.th / pea.co.th, 4 Oct 2026).
Documents You Need to Prepare
For an individual applying for a permanent meter, prepare documents by case (sign every copy as “certified true copy”):
National ID card or passport (ThaID can be used instead).
House registration (ทะเบียนบ้าน) of the premises (the address must already have a house number).
If your name is not on the house registration — add proof of ownership/occupancy, e.g. a sale contract, a lease + the owner's title deed, or a letter of consent to use the premises.
If using a proxy — add a power of attorney + ID copies of both the grantor and the proxy.
The Steps and How Many Days It Takes
Apply via several channels — MEA: meaeservice.mea.or.th / queue.mea.or.th / call 1130 · PEA: eservice.pea.co.th / PEA Smart Plus app / a PEA office / call 1129 (office hours Mon–Fri 08:30–16:30). The 3 main steps:
1) Submit the request + book inspection
Documents are checked, the request is accepted, and an internal-wiring inspection is scheduled (about 0.5 working day).
2) Approval + pay the fee
The request is approved and you pay the inspection fee (about 0.5 working day).
3) Inspect + install meter + power on
Your internal installation is inspected, the meter is installed, and power is connected (about 5 working days out of community zones; in-zone is usually faster).
Meter installed? The next step is learning to read it yourself — so you know your monthly units and can check them against the bill: how to read your electricity meter (dial/digital/TOU).
Temporary vs Permanent
About this page
Compiled by the CapSolar team, led by Frank Lee (Founder). Fee and deposit-exemption figures follow MEA's official rates; for PEA we recommend confirming on 1129. All figures are as of June 2026 and may change by utility announcement — please confirm the latest at MEA 1130 / PEA 1129.
FAQ
Meter installed — want to cut the bill long term?
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