Gas distribution authorities

Under the Gas Supply Act 2003, if you distribute covered gas, by transporting and supplying it through a pipeline or reticulation system, you will generally require a distribution authority.

Distribution authorities are issued by the Regulator (the Director-General of the Department of Energy and Climate).

You must apply in writing to the Regulator for a distribution authority.

Application guidelines are available below to assist prospective applicants as well as current authority holders who wish to amend, transfer or surrender an existing authority.

Copies of distribution authorities issued by the Regulator are available in the register.

Forms and guidance

Applications must be made using the appropriate form.

The guidance document below provides information on when to apply for a new authority, as well as transferring, amending or surrendering an existing authority:

• Application for a gas distribution authority (DOCX, 84KB)
  • Gas distribution authority guidance (PDF, 301KB)
• Application to transfer an authority (DOCX, 71KB).

Authority proformas and conditions

You must comply with the conditions of any authority you hold.

Distribution authority holders are required to complete an annual report on their operations and submit it to the Regulator. There are a number of conditions and obligations for distribution authority holders in the Gas Supply Act 2003.

The proforma authorities set out below show the general conditions that apply to distribution authorities. The Regulator may choose to impose additional or different conditions.

• Proforma: Distribution authority (PDF, 512KB)

Reporting requirements for gas authority holders

Annual reports

• If you are an authority holder, you must submit an annual report to the Regulator.
• The Department of Energy and Climate will contact all distribution authority holders annually and provide them with the relevant annual report templates and instructions on how to complete them and return them to the Regulator.

Entry notification reports

As a condition of its distribution authority, distributors must submit to the Regulator an entry notification report, within 1 month of entering a premise under section 139 and/or 140 of the Act.

You can use these entry notification report templates to submit your notifications:

• Entry notification report s139 (DOC, 44KB)
• Entry notification report s140 (DOC, 64KB).

Entry reporting requirements are covered by sections 139 and 140 of the Gas Supply Act 2003.