If you’re going to sell jewelry, you’ll need a scale--and not just any scale. To operate within the law, your jewelry scales are required to be certified “Legal For Trade.”

Certification by the National Type Evaluation Program (NTEP) is required for any scale that is used for commercial transactions. This includes certain types of food, pharmaceuticals, shipping services, and of course, jewelry. Basically any business that sells a product or service according to weight needs to use an NTEP certified scale or balance.

As a jeweler, make sure you purchase a scale with the NTEP certificate to verify that it has passed their rigorous testing process. Beyond the basic “Legal For Trade” certification requirement, you also need to be aware of cases in which the NTEP approval applies only to certain modes or weighing units. To learn more and to check on a particular scale, you can enter the NTEP certificate number on the National Conference on Weights and Measures site and get more information about the model.

Make sure you’re aware of all applicable laws and that you are using your scale properly. Keep in mind that each state has its own rules regarding the sale of jewelry, so you should make sure you’re aware of the guidelines wherever you are doing business. For example, some states require a dual display so that both the merchant and the customer can clearly see the results. 

Merchants who fail to abide by the laws can be fined, and the scale may be seized by authorities. Businesses can even be required to shut down until a certified scale is in place. Selling jewelry using a scale that is not NTEP certified is illegal, so be sure you have the right equipment for the job. Not only will you be operating within the law, you’ll be sure that you’re always getting accurate results.

Check out our selection of high-quality Legal For Trade scales, and feel free to contact us for assistance in selecting the right one for your needs.