Overview
A weighing scale at a shop counter, a fuel dispenser or a water meter decides how much a customer pays. India’s Legal Metrology Act, 2009 therefore requires that the model of every weight or measure be approved by the Central Government before it is manufactured or imported. Section 22 of the Act sets this requirement, and the procedure is in the Legal Metrology (Approval of Models) Rules, 2011. The power is exercised by the Director of Legal Metrology in the Department of Consumer Affairs.
Importers have an additional step: Section 19 of the Act prohibits importing any weight or measure unless the importer is registered with the Director. After approval, instruments must also be verified and stamped under state rules before use in trade.
The Department of Consumer Affairs publishes the rules, lists of approved models and notices at https://consumeraffairs.nic.in. In December 2024 it launched the national e-Maap portal for online model approvals, registrations and licences, which also lets the public check the authenticity of certificates.
Note: The Approval of Models Rules have been the subject of proposed amendments, including fixed validity periods and changes to testing arrangements, and the network of Government Approved Test Centres is expanding. Check the latest notification before you plan testing.
Who needs it
- Manufacturers of weighing and measuring instruments in India.
- Importers of such instruments, who need both importer registration and an approved model.
- Foreign manufacturers, whose instruments can be approved on application through their Indian importer or representative.
- Dealers and repairers need state licences, and should only handle approved models.
Products covered
Instruments covered by the Legal Metrology (General) Rules, 2011 and the Approval of Models Rules, for example:
| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Weighing | Electronic counter scales, platform scales, weighbridges, precision balances, crane scales |
| Fuel and liquids | Fuel dispensers, flow meters, dispensing pumps |
| Utility meters | Water meters, gas meters |
| Length and volume | Measuring tapes, length measures, volumetric containers |
| Medical and other | Clinical thermometers, sphygmomanometers, taximeters, moisture meters |
The schedules to the rules set out the technical requirements for each instrument type, many of them based on OIML recommendations.
Documents required
- Application for approval of model in the prescribed form, with fee
- Technical description, drawings, circuit diagrams and specifications
- Software and firmware details for electronic instruments, including sealing arrangements
- Photographs of the model and its markings
- Operating manual
- Manufacturer’s licence (Indian manufacturers) or importer registration (importers)
- Test samples as required by the testing laboratory
Process
- Classify the instrument and identify the schedule, accuracy class and OIML-based requirements.
- Register as an importer under Section 19, if you import.
- Prepare the technical file with drawings, specifications and sealing plan.
- Apply for model approval online and pay the fee.
- Testing. Samples are tested at a laboratory authorised for the instrument category, such as a Regional Reference Standards Laboratory or a recognised Government Approved Test Centre.
- Approval. On satisfactory results, the Director issues a certificate of approval of model and publishes it.
- Verification and stamping of each instrument before it is used in trade, under the state’s rules.
Validity, renewal & surveillance
The approval certificate sets out the conditions of approval, and the approved model number must be marked on every instrument. Manufacturers and importers must ensure production matches the approved model. State Legal Metrology officers inspect instruments in use, and initial and periodic re-verification is required. Approvals can be withdrawn if instruments do not conform.
Note: Fees for importer registration, model approval and testing are prescribed by the Department of Consumer Affairs and change from time to time. We’ll share a current fee estimate for your instrument.
How Aaditech helps
Many legal-metrology instruments today are electronic, and our team is engineering-led. Aaditech was promoted in 2010 by former Directors of the Bureau of Indian Standards; our CEO, Mr B.K. Jain, headed the BIS electrical laboratory.
- Classification and requirements: identifying the schedule, class and test programme for your instrument.
- Technical file preparation: drawings, specifications, software details and sealing plans.
- Importer registration with the Director of Legal Metrology.
- Lab coordination with the authorised testing laboratory and support during testing.
- Filing and query handling through to approval.
- Downstream compliance: guidance on state licences, verification and packaging (LMPC) for the same products.
Contact us to discuss approval for your weighing or measuring instrument.
