Municipal & utilities
How to Register a Prepaid Meter or Fix Rejected Tokens
An independent guide to getting a new prepaid electricity meter registered and linked to your account, and to fixing a meter that rejects valid tokens.
Quick answer
To register a new prepaid meter, contact your supplier (Eskom or your municipality) to link the meter to your account and verify your details so tokens work. If an existing meter rejects valid tokens, it often needs key-change or recode tokens entered in the right order. Get these only from your official supplier or an authorised vendor, never from random sellers.
Key points
- A new prepaid meter must be linked to your account by your supplier before tokens will load correctly.
- Confirm whether Eskom or your municipality supplies you, as each registers and recodes meters differently.
- A meter that rejects valid tokens often needs key-change or recode tokens, entered in the correct order.
- Enter each 20-digit key-change token and wait for acceptance before entering the next, then the voucher.
- Old or unused tokens may stop working once a key-change is done, and are usually not refundable.
- Only use key-change and recode tokens from your official supplier or an authorised vendor.
Step by step
Two different problems
People search for how to ‘register’ a prepaid meter for two reasons: a brand-new meter that is not yet linked to their account, or an existing meter that has started rejecting valid tokens. This independent guide covers both. It is not an Eskom or municipal service and is not legal advice. Prepaid meters use the national Standard Transfer Specification, but the exact steps, codes and timelines vary by supplier and meter model, so confirm the detail with your own municipality or Eskom.
Registering a new meter
When a prepaid meter is newly installed, it usually has to be linked to your municipal or Eskom account before purchases will credit it properly. First confirm who supplies your property. Then contact that supplier with the meter number, your account or property details and your ID, and ask them to register the meter against your account. Once that is done, buy a small test amount through an official channel to confirm the token loads. Keep the slip. If tokens still fail at this stage, the registration may not have gone through, so follow up with your supplier.
Why a working meter starts rejecting tokens
Older prepaid meters periodically need recoding. The industry has been working through a token identifier (TID) changeover, where meters on an older key revision can no longer tell valid tokens from expired ones and begin rejecting new tokens until they are updated. Deadlines for this process have been set and extended more than once; as of 2026 you should confirm the current position with your supplier rather than relying on a past date. Some meters let you check a status code on the keypad that indicates whether an upgrade is needed, but how to read it depends on the model.
Entering key-change and recode tokens
To recode a meter you normally enter two special key-change tokens, in order, before your ordinary electricity voucher. Key in the first 20-digit token and wait for the meter to confirm it is accepted. Then enter the second 20-digit token and wait again. Only then enter your electricity voucher to recharge on the updated system. Entering them out of sequence, or not waiting for each to be accepted, is a common reason the process appears to fail. Your supplier can provide the exact tokens for your specific meter and printed instructions for your model.
What happens to old credit
Be aware that once a key-change is applied, tokens bought on the old key that you had not yet loaded may be rejected, and these are generally not refundable. Where you can, use up existing credit before recoding, and keep all purchase slips so you can query anything that goes missing. If you are told a recode is needed, ask whether it is free; where it forms part of an official utility update, it should not cost you anything.
When to escalate
If your meter still rejects tokens after registration or recoding, do not keep buying in the hope it resolves itself. Contact your supplier with the meter number, the exact error or status code, and your recent purchase slips, and ask for a reference number. The meter may be faulty or may need a technician to attend. Throughout, deal only with your official supplier or an authorised vendor, and be deeply suspicious of anyone offering to ‘fix’ or ‘recode’ your meter informally or for cash.
⚠ Stay safe
Scam watch: never accept 'recode', 'key-change' or 'free units' tokens from a stranger, a WhatsApp seller or a door-to-door 'technician'. Illegal or bypass tokens can damage your meter, carry no refund, and can lead to disconnection and penalties. Legitimate recode tokens come from your municipality or Eskom or an authorised vendor and, when part of an official update, are free. Verify anyone claiming to 'fix' your meter by calling your supplier's own number first.
Frequently asked questions
I just had a prepaid meter installed. Why won't my token load?
What are key-change or recode tokens?
In what order do I enter the tokens?
Will my old tokens still work after a recode?
Where do I get recode tokens safely?
My meter shows an error code. What should I do?
Official sources
CluedUp is an independent guide and is not affiliated with any government agency. Fees, links and steps can change — always confirm on the official portal before you act. This is general information, not legal or financial advice.