What Is a DPI (Delivery Point Identifier)?
Why New South Wales and the ACT use a different word for the same gas number
Last Updated: 2026-09-16
Key Takeaways
- A DPI (Delivery Point Identifier) names one gas delivery point in New South Wales and the ACT. It is the same number that the rest of Australia calls a MIRN.
- Two words exist because New South Wales law names the number a delivery point identifier, while the gas market names it a MIRN. Both names are correct.
- DPI vs MIRN is a question about wording. Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, and Western Australia use MIRN on its own.
- Gas distributor forms in New South Wales and the ACT often print DPI/MIRN on one line, so a form showing both words asks for one number.
- The DPI on gas bills usually sits on page 1, in a Your Details or Supply Address section. The position varies by retailer.
- Your DPI belongs to the gas delivery point, so it stays the same when you switch gas retailer.
What Does DPI Stand For on a Gas Bill?
DPI stands for Delivery Point Identifier. It names one gas delivery point in New South Wales and the ACT, and it is the same number that the rest of Australia calls a MIRN.
A gas delivery point is the single point at which the gas network delivers gas to a property. The gas delivery point identifier names that point. The supply address on the bill names the building, and the meter serial number names the physical gas meter.
What Is a DPI Number and What Does It Look Like?
A DPI is 10 characters plus a single check digit, which makes 11 in total. The check digit is always numeric, and every Australian gas identifier begins with the digit 5. For the full explanation of the number itself, see our info guide on what a MIRN is. That guide describes the same identifier under its market name.
Why New South Wales and the ACT Say DPI
The two words come from two different places. The National Energy Retail Law is the shared national law that New South Wales applies to its energy customers. It names the gas meter identifier as either the MIRN or the delivery point identifier, so both names carry legal standing in New South Wales.
The gas market took the other route. Retailers, gas distributors, and the market systems behind them use MIRN in every Australian state, including New South Wales and the ACT. A customer in those two places meets the legal word and the market word on the same account.
- Delivery Point Identifier: the name in New South Wales law, and the customer-facing name in the ACT as well.
- MIRN: the name the gas market uses in every Australian state.
- DPI/MIRN together: the pairing that New South Wales and ACT gas distributor forms often print on one line.
Why a Form Shows DPI/MIRN on One Line
Gas distributor forms in New South Wales and the ACT often print DPI/MIRN together in one field. A form that shows both words asks for one number, and you write the same characters either way.
DPI vs MIRN and Which States Use Each
A DPI and a MIRN are the same identifier under two names. Which word you meet depends on where your gas connection is.
| Where your gas connection is | The word on customer paperwork | The word in market systems |
|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | DPI, and often DPI/MIRN together | MIRN |
| Australian Capital Territory | DPI, and often DPI/MIRN together | MIRN |
| Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia | MIRN | MIRN |
New South Wales and ACT paperwork uses both names for one number, and the two names are interchangeable there. For the same identifier described under its market name, see our info guide on what a MIRN is.
Gas and electricity carry separate identifiers on separate bills. For a general overview of the electricity one, see our info guide on what an NMI is, or browse our info guides.
Does Your DPI Change When You Switch Gas Retailer?
No. The DPI belongs to the gas delivery point. A retailer switch leaves it unchanged, and a meter replacement leaves it unchanged.
That permanence is why a transfer form asks for it. The incoming gas retailer uses the number to identify the correct connection, whichever of the two names the form prints.
Where to Find the DPI on Your Gas Bill
Most gas retailers print the DPI on gas bills near the top of page 1. The label varies, and so does the position.
- On page 1, in a Your Details, Supply Address, or Meter Details section.
- Further into the bill, where a retailer uses a different layout.
- On a gas connection form or a retailer transfer form you have already completed.
Your gas retailer and your gas distributor also hold the number. Your gas distributor is the company that owns the gas pipes and meters in your area. It is a separate company from the retailer that bills you.
The free tools for the gas identifier on your bill sit together on our MIRN and DPI tools page. That page also carries the DPI Checksum Digit Calculator, the tool for the 11th character.
Try our DPI Checksum Digit Calculator Tool
Energy Assessment for Going All-Electric
If you plan to get off gas altogether, an energy assessment can confirm whether an all-electric home suits your household.
If you would rather have a professional turn all of this into a clear, costed plan for your home, find out more about how our Energy Assessments can help you.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is a DPI number on a gas bill? It is the identifier for one gas delivery point in New South Wales and the ACT. The rest of Australia calls the same number a MIRN.
- What does DPI stand for on a gas account? Delivery Point Identifier. The three letters name the point at which the gas network delivers gas to your property.
- Is a DPI the same as a MIRN? Yes. They are two names for one identifier, and New South Wales and the ACT use the DPI name.
- Is a DPI number NSW-specific, or does the ACT use it too? Both New South Wales and the ACT use the DPI name. Every other Australian state uses MIRN.
- Is the delivery point identifier NSW law uses the same number as a MIRN? Yes. The National Energy Retail Law as applied in New South Wales names the gas meter identifier as either the MIRN or the delivery point identifier.
- Is an ACT gas DPI different from a New South Wales one? No. An ACT gas DPI works exactly as a New South Wales one does, and both names mean the same kind of number.
- Is a DPI gas only, or does it cover electricity as well? A DPI names a gas delivery point. An electricity connection uses an NMI (National Metering Identifier), which is the equivalent number on an electricity bill.
- A gas form shows DPI/MIRN on one line. Is that one number or two? One number. New South Wales and ACT gas distributor forms often print both names for the single gas identifier.
- Why do searches for DPI return printing and resolution results? DPI is also the abbreviation for dots per inch, a measure of image resolution. Adding the word gas or the word bill to a search narrows it to the energy meaning.
- Does my DPI change when I switch gas retailer? No. The DPI belongs to the gas delivery point, so a retailer switch leaves it unchanged.
- Does my DPI change when the gas meter is replaced? No. The meter serial number changes, and the DPI stays with the delivery point.
- Where is the DPI printed on a gas bill? Most retailers print it on page 1, in a Your Details or Supply Address section. The position varies by retailer.
- How many characters is a DPI? 10 characters plus a single check digit, which makes 11 in total. The check digit is always a numeric digit.
- Can I look up my DPI from my street address? No public lookup turns an address into a DPI. Your gas bill, your gas retailer, or your gas distributor is the reliable source.
- Which word should I use when I call a gas retailer in New South Wales? Either one. DPI and MIRN mean the same number, and staff in New South Wales and the ACT meet both words.
- Does a Victorian gas bill show a DPI? Victorian bills use the MIRN name. The number itself is the same kind of identifier as a New South Wales DPI.
Glossary
- Delivery Point Identifier (DPI)
- The customer-facing name used in New South Wales and the ACT for the same gas identifier that the rest of the Australian gas market calls a MIRN.
- Gas Delivery Point
- The single point at which the gas network delivers gas to a property. One MIRN identifies one gas delivery point.
- Gas Distributor
- The company that owns and operates the gas pipes and meters in an area. It is a separate company from the gas retailer that bills you.
- Meter Serial Number
- The number that identifies one physical meter, printed on the meter by its manufacturer. It changes when the meter is replaced.
- MIRN
- Meter Installation Registration Number — the unique identifier for one gas delivery point in Australia. It is 10 characters plus a check digit, and it begins with the digit 5.
- National Energy Retail Law
- A national legal framework governing energy retail customer protections, adopted individually by each participating state or territory.