NTEP Certified Scales and Legal-for-Trade Requirements: What Buyers Need to Know
If your business weighs goods for commercial transactions, you need a scale that is legal for trade. And if your scale must be legal for trade in the United States, it must carry NTEP certification. This guide answers the most common questions buyers ask before purchasing a certified scale.
What Does NTEP Certified Mean?
NTEP stands for National Type Evaluation Program. It is a certification process administered by the National Conference on Weights and Measures (NCWM) that confirms a weighing device meets the accuracy and reliability standards defined in NIST Handbook 44. When a scale carries NTEP certification, it means the design has been independently tested and approved for use in commercial transactions.
What Is Legal for Trade?
A scale is legal for trade when it has been approved for use in commercial transactions where the weight determines a price, fee, or quantity. This includes selling goods by the pound, calculating freight charges, weighing incoming or outgoing shipments, and any application where a regulatory authority can inspect the scale. A legal-for-trade scale must be NTEP certified and must be maintained in calibration.
Do I Need an NTEP Certified Scale?
You need an NTEP certified scale if any of the following apply to your operation:
- You sell products by weight and charge customers based on the measured weight
- You purchase raw materials, commodities, or goods and pay based on a weight reading
- You invoice for shipping or freight based on the weight of shipments
- Your facility is subject to inspection by a state or local weights-and-measures authority
- You operate in a regulated industry where certified weighing is required for compliance documentation
If you use a scale strictly for internal reference, inventory tracking, or quality control without any commercial transaction tied to the weight reading, a non-certified scale is permitted in most applications.
What Is NIST Handbook 44?
NIST Handbook 44 is the official specification document published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology that defines the performance requirements for commercial weighing devices in the United States. It covers tolerances, repeatability, display resolution, and environmental requirements. A scale must conform to Handbook 44 to receive NTEP certification.
What Is the Difference Between NTEP and NIST Certification?
NTEP certification is granted to specific scale models after testing confirms the design meets NIST Handbook 44 standards. NIST sets the standards; NTEP certifies that individual scale models meet those standards. When a scale is described as NTEP certified, it means the specific model has been tested and approved under the NIST Handbook 44 framework.
How Long Does NTEP Certification Last?
NTEP certificates of conformance do not expire for the scale model itself, but individual units in the field must be maintained in calibration. Most states require periodic inspection and recalibration of legal-for-trade scales by a licensed service technician. Inspection frequency varies by state and application, but annual calibration is standard practice for most commercial operations.
Which SellEton Scales Are NTEP Certified?
The following SellEton product lines carry NTEP certification and are approved for legal-for-trade use:
- SL-800 series floor scales: NTEP certified industrial floor scales in platform sizes from 24 x 24 to 84 x 84 inches, with capacities from 1,000 to 20,000 lb
- SL-900-USA series: USA made NTEP certified floor scales with Rice Lake components, available in all standard sizes up to 20,000 lb
- SL-917 drum scales: NTEP certified portable drum and barrel scales
- SL-915 bench scales: NTEP certified bench scales for shipping and postal applications
- Force-Master truck scale: NTEP certified truck scale system for permanent installation, 60,000 to 270,000 lb capacity
- SL-AXL-682SP: USA made NTEP certified axle scale systems powered by Rice Lake's 682 Synergy Plus indicator
Non-certified SL-700 series floor scales and SL-934 axle scales are accurate and built for industrial use, but they are not approved for commercial transactions or regulatory compliance.
What Happens If I Use a Non-Certified Scale for a Commercial Transaction?
Using a non-certified scale for a legal-for-trade application exposes your business to penalties from weights-and-measures inspectors, the potential for transaction disputes, and in regulated industries, possible license issues. If your operation requires certified weighing, the cost of the appropriate NTEP certified scale is substantially lower than the potential liability of using non-compliant equipment.
How Do I Read an NTEP Certificate?
Every NTEP certified scale carries a Certificate of Conformance (CC) number. This number identifies the specific model and can be verified in the NCWM's public database at ntep.org. The CC number is typically printed on a label affixed to the scale. When purchasing a certified scale, request the CC number and verify it against the NTEP database to confirm the certification is current and matches the model you are buying.
Ready to Order a Legal-for-Trade Scale?
Call SellEton at 844-735-5386 to confirm which scale meets the NTEP requirements for your specific application. We will help you select the right platform size, capacity, and indicator for your operation, and confirm that the scale you order ships with full NTEP documentation.
Browse NTEP certified floor scales and truck scales at selletonscales.com, or call 844-735-5386 to speak with our team directly.