Weights & Measures
The Division of Weights & Measures protects consumers and business by promoting fairness and equity in the marketplace. Every transaction involving the exchange of goods, property and services is affected by some form of weights and measures. Areas of enforcement for Weights and Measures include devices, weighmaster, quantity control, service agents, and petroleum.
County Weights and Measures Inspectors inspect and test various types of weighing and measuring devices throughout the county. Examples of some of the types of devices inspected are: gasoline dispensers, propane/butane meters, electric meters, taxi meters, odometers on ambulances, farm milk tanks, pharmacy scales, deli counter scales, livestock scales, concrete batch plant scales, truck scales, etc. All such devices are under the scrutiny of weights and measures. They are tested for accuracy and inspected to determine if they are appropriate for their intended use. Once that is determined, the inspector certifies the device by affixing a paper seal to it. For information about buying scales on the internet visit National Conference on Weights and Measures page under Buying Commercial Scales Online. Click here for the link.
Nationally, the Petroleum Program run by weights and measures in California is unique. Locally, weights and measures officials enforce that portion of the California Business and Professions code relating to petroleum product quality standards. From time to time, random samples are taken to ensure product compliance with national standards. Undercover purchases are made to investigate consumer complaints and to inspect the accuracy of the transactions. Undercover purchases also serve as a method for gathering samples of products used for determining compliance with standards. Labeling regulations are also strictly enforced to provide product identity and information to the seller and consumer.
How can you know you are getting what you paid for? The Quantity Control program provides that answer. From time to time, inspectors conduct inspections on packaged goods using statistical sampling procedures to determine if the proper weight, measure or count is being used. As part of the same inspections, package labeling is examined for compliance with the basic labeling requirements as set by laws and regulations. Test purchases are made at various establishments throughout the county in order to check the accuracy of transactions. Goods are selected at random and a purchase is made to determine if customers are being charged the advertised price. Consumer complaints received by the department are investigated in this manner to check for any discrepancies. Any commodity whether bought, sold, traded, bartered, etc. can be checked by weights and measures.
Persons that sell, rent, install, service, or repair commercial weighing and measuring devices are required to be licensed with the Division of Measurement Standards (DMS). The lawful licensing of repairpersons by DMS assists with the integrity of the repair industry and traceability of their standards to NIST. Repairmen must report their work to county weights and measures officials. This allows for efficient review of their work to validate the accuracy of that work and to verify the appropriate use of devices. There are three ways for service agents to report their work within 24 hours:
- Fax: (209) 525-4790
- In Person, bring a copy of the Placed in Service report to our office
- Email: moc.ytnuocnats@05mocga - When emailing please include "Placed In Service Report" in the Subject line.
In one way or another, all of commerce is affected by the activities of weighmasters. Weighmasters are persons who are licensed by the Division of Measurement Standards to certify the weighed, measured, or counted quantity of any commodity. The certificates issued by weighmasters are recognized by courts of law as being a legal document. As such, there are criteria that must be followed by weighmasters when issuing weighmaster certificates. Training is provided and inspections are performed by county weights and measures officials to ensure the correctness of the certificates issued.
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