Czechia: meters for “non-clean water” have been subject to mandatory verification valid for 5 years since 1 January 2026 — ČMI explains what applies to meters installed earlier
On 2 October 2026 the Czech Metrology Institute (ČMI) published guidance on water meters for water other than cold drinking water and hot water. Since 1 January 2026 they have been legally controlled measuring instruments in Czechia, subject to mandatory verification valid for 5 years, and newly purchased meters must be type-approved.
- The change was introduced by Czech Decree No. 127/2024 Coll., which amended the list of measuring instruments subject to verification (Decree No. 345/2002 Coll.) from 1 July 2024. New item 2.1.1 c) covers water meters other than mechanical and static meters for cold drinking water and hot water; the type approval and verification obligation for this item was deferred to 1 January 2026. The verification period is 5 years — the same as for mechanical drinking-water meters, compared with 8 years for static ones.
- The obligation applies to meters used as legally controlled instruments within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Czech Metrology Act. A user who registered a meter installed before 1 January 2026 for verification within 90 days (by 31 March 2026) with an authorised metrology centre or with ČMI could keep using it until the procedure ended. Such a meter does not need type approval but must pass an accuracy test against ČMI’s metrological requirements (measure of general nature No. 0111-OOP-C035-26).
- Anyone who did not register a meter in time has been committing an offence since 1 April 2026 if they keep using it in that function; they can still apply for verification by documenting that the meter was in service before 1 January 2026 (e.g. through the instrument register or delivery or installation records). A valid earlier verification for clean water or an EU initial verification under Directive 2014/32/EU is recognised until it expires.
- Meters purchased for this function from 1 January 2026 must have Czech type approval; ČMI publishes the certificates issued in its database. ČMI prepared the guidance together with the ÚNMZ office and with interpretation from the Ministry of Industry and Trade because, as it writes, users lacked awareness of the new obligations and of how the transitional provisions apply.
Source: ČMI — Informace k vodoměrům na nečistou vodu (2.10.2026), z dokumentem PDF 09-2026