A legal metrology license is the permission issued under the Legal Metrology Act, 2009 to manufacture, repair or sell weights and measures such as weighing scales, weighbridges, fuel dispensers and measuring tapes. Businesses that merely use weighing instruments in trade do not need this licence but must get their instruments verified and stamped. This page separates the two, explains the manufacturer, dealer and repairer licences, and points you to the separate registration for packaged goods.
What is a legal metrology licence?
The Legal Metrology Act, 2009 replaced the old Standards of Weights and Measures Acts and regulates weights, measures and pre-packed goods across the country. It requires that any weight or measure used in trade is of an approved standard, verified and stamped. Section 23 of the Act prohibits manufacturing, repairing or selling weights and measures without a licence from the Controller.
A licence under this Act is different from a registration under Rule 27 of the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011. The licence covers businesses that make, repair or deal in the instruments themselves, for example scale manufacturers, weighing machine dealers and repair mechanics. The registration covers businesses that manufacture, pack or import pre-packaged goods and is dealt with on our page for LMPC registration.
The Act is administered by the Department of Consumer Affairs at the central level and enforced by the State Legal Metrology departments. Because licences, fees and portals are State subjects, the process in Delhi differs in detail from Uttar Pradesh or Haryana. The Act's core obligations, including the offences and penalties, apply uniformly.
Who needs a legal metrology licence?
You need a licence if you are in the business of making, repairing or selling regulated weights and measures. You do not need it merely because you weigh goods in your shop, though you must use verified instruments.
- Manufacturers of weighing scales, platform scales, weighbridges, counter machines and weights
- Manufacturers of measures of length, capacity or volume, such as fuel dispenser components and measuring tapes
- Dealers selling weights, weighing instruments and measures to traders and consumers
- Repairers who service, adjust or repair weighing and measuring instruments
- Importers of weights and measures who deal in them commercially, subject to model approval requirements
- Service providers who set up or recalibrate instruments for shops, factories and petrol pumps
Benefits of Weights & Measures (Legal Metrology) Licence
Lawful trade in instruments
A valid licence lets you make, repair or sell instruments without risk of seizure or prosecution under the Act.
Customer and buyer confidence
Traders buying scales ask whether the seller is licensed, because an unlicensed dealer's instruments may not be verifiable.
Access to verification work
Licensed repairers and dealers work alongside the department's verification process. Instruments that have been repaired or sold lawfully are easier to present for stamping.
Reduced inspection risk
Departmental inspectors check licences, registers and stamped instruments. Holding the licence avoids penalties and compounding fees.
Eligibility for tenders and large buyers
Government departments, petroleum companies and industrial buyers often require licence copies from instrument suppliers.
Eligibility and conditions
The State rules prescribe qualifications and infrastructure. These are the conditions we typically see.
- Applicant is a proprietor, partnership, company or LLP carrying on the business at identified premises
- Premises are suitable and, for manufacturers and repairers, have the testing equipment and reference standards prescribed for the class of instruments
- For repairers and manufacturers, technical competence of the person in charge, shown by qualification or experience as per State rules
- Possession of reference standards or access to calibrated standards traceable to the State's verification system
- No cancellation or disqualification under earlier licence conditions
- Compliance with other premises approvals such as trade licence or shop registration where the State links them
Documents required
Applicant and business documents
- PAN of the proprietor or entity and Aadhaar of the authorised person
- Certificate of incorporation, partnership deed, LLP agreement or proprietorship proof
- GST registration certificate and Udyam registration if available
- Passport size photographs and identity proof of the applicant
Premises documents
- Ownership proof or rent agreement with a no-objection letter from the owner
- Latest electricity bill or property tax receipt
- Site plan or layout of the workshop or shop, where the State asks for it
Technical documents
- List of weights, measures or instruments proposed to be manufactured, repaired or sold
- List of tools, testing equipment and reference standards held
- Qualification or experience certificates of the technical person
- Model approval certificate for the type of instrument, where it is mandatory for the product class
How to apply for a legal metrology licence
Procedures differ by State, but the stages below match what we see in most offices.
Decide the licence type
Match your activity to the licence: manufacturer, dealer or repairer. A business that does more than one activity must hold or apply for each separately.
Check State portal and form
Open the Legal Metrology department website of your State and download or fill the application form. Delhi's department publishes its notices and rules on weightnmeasures.delhi.gov.in.
Prepare the premises and equipment
Set up the testing equipment and standards that the rules require for your class of instrument. Inspectors check these during verification.
File application with documents and fee
Submit the form, documents and the State's fee. Keep the acknowledgement or receipt, since it is your proof of application date.
Reply to departmental queries
The office may ask for clarification or additional documents. Respond with clear, dated documents within the period stated.
Inspection of premises
A Legal Metrology Inspector visits to confirm premises, equipment, records and the technical person. Have registers and standards ready.
Grant of licence
On satisfaction, the Controller issues the licence, which states the activity, premises and validity. Display it at the premises.
Start registers and verification routine
Maintain sale, repair and stock registers, and present instruments for verification and stamping as required.
Government fees
Licence fees are prescribed by each State's Legal Metrology rules and differ for manufacturers, dealers and repairers and by class of instrument. We could not confirm a current official fee table for Delhi, Uttar Pradesh or Haryana from a primary source, so we give no figures. The department's portal or the State rules will show the exact amount.
Professional charges are quoted separately after reviewing your case. Government fees are paid directly to the authority.
How long does it take?
There is no uniform national timeline. Most of the time is spent on preparing equipment, collecting documents and waiting for the inspection. States publish citizen charters with their own service periods, and these should be checked on the department portal.
| Stage | Typical time |
|---|---|
| Document and equipment preparation | 1 to 3 weeks depending on readiness |
| Scrutiny and inspection | As per State citizen charter |
| Grant of licence | After satisfactory inspection |
Validity and renewal
The licence states its validity as per the State's rules, and you must apply for renewal before it expires. Delhi's department offers online renewal for dealers on its portal. Late renewal can attract additional fees, and operating on an expired licence is treated like operating without one. Apply for amendment if the premises, partners or the activity change.
Compliance after getting the licence
- Maintain stock, sale and repair registers and produce them to inspectors on demand
- Sell only instruments that carry model approval and verification marks where required
- Do not repair or alter instruments in a way that affects accuracy without re-verification
- Renew the licence before expiry and update the department of any change of premises or ownership
- Display the licence at the place of business
- Cooperate with inspections and respond to departmental notices on time
Legal metrology licence vs LMPC registration
| Point | Weights & measures licence | LMPC registration (Rule 27) |
|---|---|---|
| Who needs it | Manufacturers, dealers and repairers of weights and measures | Manufacturers, packers and importers of pre-packaged commodities |
| Legal basis | Legal Metrology Act, 2009, Section 23 | Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011, Rule 27 |
| Issuing office | State Legal Metrology Controller | State Controller, or Director (Legal Metrology) at the Centre for importers |
| Focus | Accuracy and legality of instruments | Declarations on packages such as MRP, net quantity and manufacturer details |
| Related page | This page | LMPC registration |
Common mistakes and rejection reasons
Confusing licence with registration
A packer or importer of packaged goods needs Rule 27 registration, not a dealer licence. Applying for the wrong one wastes time.
No testing equipment at inspection
Repairers and manufacturers who apply without the standards and tools that the rules prescribe are refused or delayed.
Premises mismatch
The address on the licence must match the actual workshop or shop. Operating from a second location without approval is a violation.
Selling unverified or non-approved instruments
Dealers sometimes stock imported scales without the required model approval, which exposes both dealer and buyer.
Ignoring renewal
Many dealers forget renewal and carry on trading. Doing so is the same as operating without a licence for enforcement purposes.
Penalties under the Legal Metrology Act, 2009
The Delhi Legal Metrology department publishes a table of offences, compounding amounts and court penalties. Offences under several sections are compoundable by the Controller or authorised officer, while others go to court. Amounts have been revised by amendments in recent years, so check the department's current table before relying on these figures.
| Default | Consequence | Provision |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing weights or measures without a licence | Compounding ₹5,000 for first offence; court fine up to ₹20,000; repeat offence up to 1 year or fine up to ₹20,000 or both | Section 23 read with Section 45 |
| Repairing or selling weights or measures without a licence | Compounding ₹2,000; court fine up to ₹5,000; repeat offence up to 1 year or fine up to ₹5,000 or both | Section 23 read with Section 46 |
| Using non-standard weight, measure or numeration | Compounding ₹2,500; court fine up to ₹25,000; repeat offence up to 6 months or fine up to ₹25,000 | Section 8(3) read with Section 25 |
| Using unverified weights or measures in transactions | Compounding ₹5,000; court fine ₹2,000 to ₹10,000 | Section 24 read with Section 33 |
| Tampering with a licence | Compounding ₹5,000; court fine up to ₹20,000 or imprisonment up to 1 year or both | Section 47 |
| Failing to maintain records or produce documents on demand | Compounding ₹500; court fine up to ₹5,000 | Section 17 read with Section 31 |
Practitioner tips
- Before applying, ask the department which reference standards and testing equipment it expects for your exact class of instrument. The list differs for platform scales, counter scales and weighbridges.
- If you also sell packaged goods under your own brand, plan the packaged-commodity registration alongside the licence. The two obligations are separate and are checked by different provisions.
- Photograph your workshop setup and keep calibration certificates for reference standards handy. Inspectors usually ask to see them first.
- Create a simple sale register that records the buyer, instrument serial number and verification details. This protects you if a customer's instrument is later found faulty.
- Put renewal date reminders at least two months before expiry because some offices take time to process renewal.
How Lawgical Guru helps
Licence type and scope check
We help you decide whether you need a manufacturer, dealer or repairer licence, or the packaged-commodity registration, or both.
Application preparation
We prepare the application, the equipment list and supporting documents in the format your State office expects.
Filing and follow-up
We submit the application through the available portal or office route, track queries and help with replies.
Inspection readiness
We give you a checklist covering premises, standards, registers and display requirements before the inspector visits.
Renewals and compliance diary
We help you track renewal and amendment dates and connect the licence to related approvals such as trade licence and GST registration.
Weights & Measures (Legal Metrology) Licence: frequently asked questions
What is a legal metrology license?
It is a licence issued by the State Legal Metrology Controller to businesses that manufacture, repair or sell weights and measures. Section 23 of the Legal Metrology Act, 2009 prohibits these activities without a licence. It is different from the registration needed for packaged commodities.
Who needs a legal metrology licence?
Manufacturers, dealers and repairers of weighing instruments, weights and measures. A shop that only uses a scale to weigh goods does not need the licence but must use instruments verified and stamped by the department and re-verify them periodically.
Is a dealer licence needed to sell weighing scales?
Yes. Selling weights and measures without a licence is an offence under the Act, and the Delhi department lists a compounding amount and a court penalty for it. A dealer should also stock only instruments that carry the required approvals and verification marks.
What is the difference between a legal metrology licence and LMPC registration?
The licence covers the instruments used to weigh or measure. The LMPC registration under Rule 27 of the Packaged Commodities Rules covers businesses that make, pack or import pre-packaged goods and must give mandatory declarations on packs. A business may need both.
How do I apply for a legal metrology licence in Delhi?
Use the forms and instructions on the Delhi Weights and Measures department website, submit the application with documents and fee, answer queries and facilitate the inspection. Delhi's portal also supports online renewal for dealers. Check the department's current process before applying.
How long is a legal metrology licence valid?
Validity is stated on the licence and set by State rules, so it differs between States. Apply for renewal before expiry; operating on an expired licence is treated as operating without a licence.
What is the penalty for selling weights without a licence?
According to the Delhi department's table, repairing or selling weights and measures without a licence under Section 46 can be compounded at ₹2,000 for a first offence, with a court fine of up to ₹5,000, and a repeat offence can lead to up to one year of imprisonment or a fine. Check current amounts.
Do I need verification if I only use a weighing machine in my shop?
Yes. Using unverified weights or measures in a transaction is an offence under Section 24, read with Section 33. Get your instrument verified and stamped by the Legal Metrology office or an authorised verifier, and repeat verification as the rules require.
Can I apply for the licence online?
Many States provide online portals for application or renewal, and Delhi has an online renewal facility for dealers. Some offices may still require physical documents or an inspection. Check the portal of your State's Legal Metrology department.
Does an importer of weighing machines need a licence?
An importer who deals in weights and measures commercially should check licensing and model approval requirements, because import and sale are regulated. An importer of packaged goods needs the separate Rule 27 registration. Seek advice on your product class before you import.
Reviewed by Satyam Gupta, Company Secretary (CS) & Advocate
8+ years of industry experience. This page was last reviewed on 16 October 2026 against the official sources below. Rules and fees change — confirm on the official portal before you apply.