A method and apparatus providing automatic circuit breaker identification to an electronic trip unit including: a mounting plate with mechanical means to releasably engage said electronic trip unit employing a microcontroller; an electronic module embedded in the mounting plate containing a non-volatile memory device, said device containing data identifying the circuit breaker type and ratings, and in operable communication with the electronic trip unit microcontroller, where the microcontroller reads the identification data from the non-volatile memory, the microcontroller is programmed to configure its overcurrent protection algorithms to match the characteristics of the circuit breaker.