There are a number of questions that potential customers will often ask regarding NTEP legal for trade scales. How do I know if my scale is a NTEP legal for trade variety? Any NTEP approved scale manufactured after 1986 must be labeled Class III if it is commercial quality. It will have an identification plate with the serial number, the manufacturer’s name, a model number, maximum capacity, number of measurement divisions, CoC#, and size of the smallest measurement. Also, one other subject that is asked about is “classes” that are used in describing the legal for trade status of scales. Often you will see NTEP Legal for Trade Class III. But, what exactly is the definition of class 3? Handbook 44, the book that spells out rules and regulations for the weighing industry, separates weighing devices into five accuracy classes.
Class III is listed as “All commercial weighing not otherwise specified, grain test scales, retail precious metals and semi-precious gem weighing, animal scales, postal scales, vehicle on-board weighing systems with a capacity less than or equal to 30,000 lb, and scales used to determine laundry charges.â€
What it’s saying basically is anything that doesn’t fall elsewhere would go here, providing the device meets the criteria for the quantity and size of divisions. Class III covers many different types of scales. It’s a bit of a catch all. Retail price computing scales would be one type of Class III application.