License a Scale or Meter

Weights and Measures Licensing Requirements

If you are going to use your scale or meter commercially, then you may need a license.

If you own a scale and buy, sell, or trade it is likely that Oregon law requires the scale to be licensed by the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA).

Commercial scales

Oregon law requires the scale to be licensed in the following cases:

• It measures product in mass units
• It is used to value a product when ownership is transferred from seller to buyer

Commercial scales must be licensed regardless of the application. Mass flow meters used to weigh product are considered commercial scales.

Shipping scales

If a parcel must be weighed as a part of a transaction then the scale used must be a licensed commercial scale even if the parcel weight is not directly used to determine price.

Commercial meters

Commercial meters are used to measure in volume units instead of weight.

• Oregon law requires the meter to be licensed if it is used to meter fuel in a commercial transaction.
• Commercial meters of all types must conform to the legal requirements set forth in ORS 646 and OAR 603-027, however only those used to sell fuel are required to be licensed.

Licensing

Commercial measuring devices must conform to the requirements in ORS 646 and OAR 603-027 in order to be licensed by ODA.

Requirements include the following:

• A valid National Type Evaluation Program (NTEP) Certificate of Conformance (COC)
• Proper installation and adjustment
• Meeting specifications and tolerances found in NIST Handbook 44

Licensing process

1. Placed in service report (PISR) is completed and returned to the ODA Weights and Measures Program along with your application and fee(s).
2. Once license fees are received by ODA it will be legal for you to use your device(s).
3. When an ODA Weights and Measures investigator is in your area, he will inspect and test the newly installed device to verify that it meets all of the requirements.

Service companies

You may purchase a scale or meter through a service company or hire a service company to install, repair, and assist in the licensing process.

License renewal

All licenses are issued with each fiscal year beginning on July 1 and expiring on June 30 of the following year. Licenses and fees cannot be prorated. Licensing fees for the next fiscal are collected beginning on May 15.

NOTE: New Licenses cannot be processed online. All new license applications must be submitted by mail or secure fax.

Checks (new licenses, license renewals and invoices):

Oregon Deparment of Agriculture

PO Box 4395, Unit 17

Portland OR 97208-4395

Credit Card Authorizations (new licenses, license renewals):

Fax: 503-986-4746

Oregon Deparment of Agriculture

635 Capitol Street NE

Salem, OR 97301

Invoice Payment

• ODA invoices (other than license renewals) may still be paid online. ODA invoices are identified by "AR" and a 6 digit number located in the top right portion of the form, i.e. AR000000.

License Application Forms

• License Renewal Form (Current Year, 2024-25)
• License Renewal Form (Prior Year, 2022-23)
• License Renewal Form (Prior Year, 2023-24)

Small Scale Placed in Service Report Forms

• Placed in service report form — small scales (< 1,160 lb capacity)
• Placed in Service Report Form - Cannabis — Small Scales (Cannabis < 1,160 lb (526 kg) capacity)
• Placed in Service Report Form - Hemp - Small Scales (Hemp < 1,160 lb capacity)
• Placed in Service Report Form - Psilocybin- Small Scales (Psilocybin < 1,160 lb capacity)

Placed in Service Report Forms for Large Scales

• Placed in service report form — large scales > 1,160 lb capacity

Placed in Service Report Forms for Meters

Includes motor fuel dispensers.

• Placed in service report form — Mass Flow Meters
• Placed in service report form — propane/LPG
• Placed in service report form (all meters except for Mass Flow and LPG)

National Type Evaluation Program Information

• National Type Evaluation Program (NTEP) Informational Handout