Scales and measurements used for business must first be evaluated by the National Conference on Weights and Measures, or NCWM. This includes everything from weighing produce in a grocery store to measuring gas for your car. The NCWM creates guidelines so that consumers, businesses, regulators, and manufacturers can interact and trade with confidence that products meet an established standard for measurement.
NTEP is a committee of laboratories that test new scales against national performance standards. In order to receive a Certificate of Conformance from the NTEP, a scale must weigh a half-capacity load more than 100,000 times! This test ensures that the scale produces consistent results with an established level of accuracy. Other tests are also performed with temperature changes and voltage ranges before a scale is approved as "Legal for Trade."
A Legal For Trade scale must be used by a business in any industry where products are sold by weight. Some examples of industries that require a Legal for Trade scale are: precious metals & gems, coffee, restaurant, bulk candy, delis, and retail such as hardware stores that sell items by weight. Customers can shop for these items knowing that they are charged a correct amount based on the product's weight.
Many Legal for Trade scales, especially those intended for use in a grocery or direct customer interaction with the scale, come with software that interacts with a Point of Sale system to add the product weight and price to the total amount on the customer's bill.
One of our top choices is the Ohaus Voyager Precision Laboratory Balance. Perfect for precise measuring. 
