Weights and Measures Overview
The City of Seattle helps ensure that you are charged correctly for the products you buy. This includes making sure the price charged matches the one displayed, or that the weight listed on a package matches what's inside.
To enforce commerce requirements, the City inspects:
- Scales used commercially.
- Gas pumps.
- Other commercial weighing and measuring devices.
We also verify and test:
- Accuracy of package labels for goods sold by weight, volume or count.
- Price scanners, such as those in grocery stores.
- Trucks delivering home-heating oil.
If you need to file a complaint about any of these, see information about general business-related complaints.
Businesses using weighing and measuring equipment
Contact the City's Consumer Protection team if you have questions about regulation requirements and types of devices approved for commercial use.
Our inspectors can answer your questions as well as help you locate laws, regulations and reference publications. They can also provide details and statistics about Seattle testing and inspection programs.
City weighmaster license for vehicle scales
Commercial vehicle scale operators in Seattle must have a City weighmaster license. Contact us if you need a license.
Read the code
You can read the Seattle Municipal Code for legal details about consumer protection:
SMC Chapter 7.04 Weights and Measures
SMC Chapter 7.12 Disclosure of Unit Prices