Weights and Measures
Program Supervisor
(801) 538-7158
Information about Weights and Measures Registered
Service Person Certification
The
primary focus of this program is to ensure that equity prevails in the
market place, and that commodities bought or sold are accurately weighed
or measured and properly identified.
All weighing or measuring devices used in a commercial application are
subject to inspection to ensure their accuracy. This includes the weight
or measure of foods, non-food products, services, scanners, or commodities
purchased in the State of Utah. We also respond to numerous consumer
complaints dealing with violations of the weights and measures laws.
Most items purchased each day are sold by weight, measure, or count. Inspection of weighing and measuring devices for correctness and accuracy helps to protect both consumers and retailers from unfair business practices.
Links
- News & Information about Weights & Measures Programs
- Information on the Weights and Measures Registration Program
- Weights and Measures Frequently Asked Questions
Types of Devices Tested
Large Capacity Scales (over 1000 lbs.)
These devices include scales used for weighing livestock, coal, gravel, vehicles, and similar items; inspections are conducted at auction yards, ranches, ports of entry, mine sites, construction sites, gravel pits and railroad yards.
Small Capacity Scales (up to 999 lbs.)
Scales are inspected to ensure that they are accurate for the services in which they are used, that they are installed properly, and positioned so that customers can see the display.
Motor Fuel
Test all gasoline pumps for accurate measurement, storage tanks for water, test fuel for quality (octane).
2010 Document: Ethanol Blended Gasoline Facts for Retailers & Consumers
2011 Video: Watch an inspector perform a gasoline pump test
Package Inspection
All packages, cans, bottles, and containers that have a weight, measure, or count declaration are subject to inspection. Routine verification of the net contents of packages is done to facilitate value comparison and fair competition. Inspections are done at point-of-pack locations, storage warehouses, retail stores, and wholesale outlets.
Price Verification (Scanning)
All business that use UPC scanning systems are subject to inspection. Testing is done by randomly selecting items, recording the display price, then verifying the posted price matches the scanned price. A passing score is 98% or above, meaning that only one of each 50 items selected is allowed to scan incorrectly.
Large Capacity Petroleum and Water Meters
Inspections are conducted on airport fuel trucks, all fuel delivery trucks, cement batch plant water meters, asphalt plant meters, and other large meters.
Propane (LPG)
All propane delivery trucks, and all retail dispensers at service stations are subject to inspection.
Metrology Lab
Houses the state primary standards of mass, length, and volume, conducts tests and certifies mass and volume standards used by industry and business. Valid National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Test Numbers have been issued to Utah and are on file at NIST and at the Utah Laboratory.
Consumers rely on the services of this facility to certify equipment
used for weight, length or volumetric measurement in commercial business.
- Application
for Voluntary Registration of Servicemen and/or Agencies for Commercial
Weighing and Measuring Devices
- Application for Individual Agency Employee
- Consumer
Tips for Internet Shopping
Utah
Code and Administrative Rules Relating to Weights and Measures
- Weights
and Measures
(Utah Code Annotated: Title 4, Chapter 9)
- Motor Fuel Inspection Act (Utah Code Annotated: Title 4, Chapter 33)
- Compliance
Procedures (R70-201)
- Registration of Servicemen for Commercial Weighing
and Measuring Devices (R70-910)
- Packaging
and Labeling of Commodities (R70-920)
- Method
of Sale of Commodities (R70-930)
- Standards
and Testing of Motor Fuel (R70-940)
- Uniform
National Type Evaluation (R70-950)
- Weights and Measures Fee Registration (R70-960)
Related Links
- National
Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
- National
Conference on Weights and Measures (NCWM)
- National
Type Evaluation Program (NTEP)
- Western Weights and Measures Association (WWMA)
Base Fees, Weights & Measures Devices
| Small (1 to 3 scales, 1 to 12 fuel dispensers, 1 meter, or 1 to 3 scanners) | $30.00 |
| Medium (4 to 15 scales, 13 to 24 fuel dispensers, 2 to 3 meters, or 4 to 15 scanners) | $90.00 |
| Large (16 to 25 scales, 25 to 36 fuel dispensers, 4 to 6 meters, 16 to 25 scanners) | $150.00 |
| Super (26 or more scales, 37 or more fuel dispensers, 7 or more meters, or 26 or more scanners) | $290.00 |
Scale
Inspections
| Large Capacity Truck | |
| Per man-hour | $20.00 |
| Per mile | $1.50 |
| Per hour equipment use | $25.00 |
| Pickup Truck | |
| Per man-hour | $20.00 |
| Per mile | $0.75 |
| Per hour equipment use | $15.00 |
| Overnight Trip | Per Diem and cost of motel |
Petroleum
Refinery Fees
| Gasoline - Octane Rating | $120.00 |
| Gasoline - Benzene Level | $80.00 |
| Gasoline - Pensky-Martens Flash Point | $20.00 |
| Overtime charges, per hour | $30.00 |
| Metrology services, per hour | $32.00 |
| Gasoline - Gravity | $10.00 |
| Gasoline - Distillation | $25.00 |
| Gasoline - Sulfur, X-ray | $35.00 |
| Gasoline - Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) | $25.00 |
| Gasoline - Aromatics | $50.00 |
| Gasoline - Leads | $20.00 |
| Diesel
- Gravity |
$25.00 |
| Diesel - Distillation | $25.00 |
| Diesel - Sulfur, X-ray | $20.00 |
| Diesel - Cloud Point | $20.00 |
| Diesel - Conductivity | $25.00 |
| Diesel - Cetane | $20.00 |
| Citations, maximum per violation | $500.00 |