Meter cupboard — minimum dimensions and accessibility requirements (NEN 2768)

The connection upgrade procedure guide covers the steps to have a grid connection upgraded. This article covers a precondition to that procedure: the meter cupboard itself must comply with the NEN 2768 dimension requirements and the Building Decree accessibility requirements, otherwise the grid operator may refuse the requested work until the room is brought up to standard.

Minimum dimensions

NEN 2768 sets a minimum internal size for a standard meter room with both gas and electricity connections of:

Height: 2400 mm.
Width: 770 mm.
Depth: 350 mm.

These dimensions apply to low-rise buildings and to high-rise buildings up to roughly 70 m. The revised NEN 2768 also introduces a more compact variant for all-electric homes without a gas or heat connection — the exact dimensions of that variant differ per edition of the standard and per grid-operator guideline, so they must be checked with the standard or the grid operator for a specific project rather than assumed from the gas-plus-electricity size above.

Note: these dimensions are minimums, not a target — a meter cupboard that just meets these dimensions leaves little margin for a later extension (for example a distribution board with more spare ways, a home-battery inverter, or an EV charging point connection).

Accessibility requirements

In addition to the dimensions, the Building Decree (Bouwbesluit) sets accessibility requirements for the meter room, primarily for emergency services and grid operators:

The meter room must be easily accessible, with in practice a maximum walking distance to the dwelling's entrance door on the order of a few metres.
The room may not be accessible only through a private room (for example a bedroom) — the grid operator and emergency services must be able to gain access without having to pass through occupied rooms.
Sufficient clear space in front of the meter cupboard is required to safely read, maintain or replace the meters, distribution board and any connections.

Why this matters for the installer

When assessing a requested change (a new connection, an upgrade, replacement of the main connection), the grid operator checks not only the electrical design itself but also whether the meter room complies with current guidelines. If the room does not comply — too small, not easily accessible, or accessible only through a private room — the grid operator can refuse the work until the room is adapted, regardless of whether the requested electrical change itself is correctly designed.

Practical relevance

When planning a connection change (for example for an EV charging point, a home battery, or a PV installation with a larger inverter), it must be checked in advance whether the existing meter room meets the current dimension and accessibility requirements — this prevents the grid operator from rejecting the request only after assessing the meter room.

Common mistakes

Assuming an existing, older meter cupboard automatically complies with current NEN 2768 requirements — older homes were often built under an earlier version of the standard, with smaller dimensions than the current minimums.
Placing a distribution board or home-battery inverter in the meter room without checking the remaining clear space — this can obstruct accessibility to the existing meters and connections.
Requesting a connection change without assessing the meter room first — if the room does not comply, the request can still be refused, costing time and money that an upfront check would have avoided.