SECTIONS 12500-12517 - California Statutes

BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE

SECTION 12500-12517

12500. As used in this chapter the following terms mean:
(a) "Weighing instrument" means any device, contrivance,
apparatus, or instrument used, or designed to be used, for
ascertaining weight and includes any tool, appliance, or accessory
used or connected therewith.
(b) "Measuring instrument" means any device, contrivance,
apparatus, or instrument used, or designed to be used, for
ascertaining measure and includes any tool, appliance, or accessory
used or connected therewith.
(c) "Correct" means any weight or measure or weighing, measuring,
or counting instrument which meet all of the tolerance and
specification requirements established by the director pursuant to
Section 12107.
(d) "Incorrect" means any instrument which fails to meet all of
the requirements of Section 12107.
(e) "Commercial purposes" include the determination of the weight,
measure, or count of any commodity or thing which is sold on the
basis of weight, measure, or count; or the determination of the
weight, measure, or count of any commodity or thing upon which
determination a charge for service is based. Devices used in a
determination upon which a charge for service is based include, but
are not limited to, taximeters, odometers, timing devices, parcel
scales, shipping scales, and scales used in the payment of
agricultural workers.
"Commercial purposes" do not include the determination of the
weight, measure, or count of any commodity or thing which is
performed within a plant or business as a part of the manufacturing,
processing, or preparing for market of that commodity or thing, or
the determination of charges for the transmission of letters or
parcels of less than 150 pounds, except when that determination is
made in the presence of the customer charged for the service.

12500.5. The director by rules and regulations shall provide for
submission for approval of types or designs of weights, measures, or
weighing, measuring, or counting instruments or devices, used for
commercial purposes, and shall issue certificates of approval of such
types or designs as he shall find to meet the requirements of this
code and the tolerances and specifications thereunder.
It shall be unlawful to sell or use for commercial purposes any
weight or measure, or any weighing, measuring, or counting instrument
or device, of a type or design which has not first been so approved
by the department; provided, however, that any such weight, measure,
instrument, or device in use for commercial purposes prior to the
effective date of this act may be continued in use unless and until
condemned under the provisions of this code.

12500.6. Notwithstanding Section 12500.5, the director may prohibit
the sale or installation of any previously approved type or design
of weight or measure or weighing, measuring, or counting instrument
if the director determines the weight, measure, or instrument does
not fulfill the purpose for which it was approved or that the weight,
measure, or instrument is not identical to the approved type or
design.
The director may initiate proceedings pursuant to Chapter 5
(commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of
the Government Code to determine whether the approval should be
revoked or modified, and to determine the period of time that the
owner or user of any accurate device for which type approval has been
revoked or modified may continue to use that device for commercial
purposes, pending the replacement or modification of the device.

12500.8. The director may enter into an agreement with the Office
of Weights and Measures of the National Bureau of Standards of the
Department of Commerce, and other weights and measures jurisdictions,
to accept the certifications of each other for prototype examination
purposes.

12500.9. The director shall charge and collect fees from persons
submitting weighing and measuring devices for approval as required by
Section 12500.5. Such fees are due and shall be collected upon
completion of all prototype-approval testing. The fees shall be based
upon the following criteria:
(a) The moneys collected are intended to compensate the director
for the costs of time, mileage, and equipment expended in providing
prototype-approval service.
(b) The director may compensate county sealers of weights and
measures, other weights and measures jurisdictions, or private
laboratories for furnishing equipment and assisting the department in
conducting prototype-approval activities.
(c) The amount of compensation provided for in subdivision (b)
shall be based upon actual time, mileage, and equipment costs, as
determined by the director.
(d) The director may adopt rules and regulations necessary to
implement the provisions of this section.
All fees collected under the provisions of this section shall be
credited to the General Fund.

12500.10. (a) A sealer shall cause to be removed from commercial
usage any weighing, measuring, or counting instrument or device sold
or used in violation of Section 12500.5. The instrument or device may
be either seized or marked with a tag or other suitable device with
the words "unapproved device".
(b) Upon proof of compliance with Section 12500.5, the sealer
shall remove the tag or device bearing the words "unapproved device".
(c) If the owner or user of any weighing, measuring, or counting
instrument or device marked "unapproved device" refused or neglected
to have it brought into compliance with Section 12500.5 within 30
days after the instrument or device was so marked, it shall be
subject to seizure by the sealer. Any instrument or device which has
been seized by the sealer pursuant to this section shall be subject
to disposition as ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction upon
petition for a disposition order by the owner or by any person
claiming an interest in the seized instrument or device. If no
disposition order is issued within four years after the date of the
seizure, that instrument or device shall be defaced, destroyed, or
otherwise disposed of by the sealer. The sealer shall, immediately
following the defacing, destruction, or disposal of that instrument
or device, notify, in writing, the board of supervisors of the county
in which the sealer is serving of that fact together with the name
and address of the owner or user of the instrument or device.

12501. Except as provided in Section 12502 and, with respect to
odometers, as is provided in Section 12501.1, every person who, for
commercial purposes, sells weights or measures or weighing
instruments or measuring instruments shall, within one year before
selling the same, cause such weights or measures or weighing
instruments or measuring instruments to be sealed by a sealer.

12501.1. Every person who uses, or intends to use, any weight or
measure, or weighing or measuring instrument for commercial purposes
shall, before using the same, cause them to be sealed by a sealer,
unless they have been sealed before sale, in which case they may be
used by the purchaser for the remainder of such period as is
authorized in the regulations adopted by the director pursuant to
Section 12212, or until they become "incorrect," as defined in
subdivision (d) of Section 12500.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an odometer which has
been tested by the manufacturer may be used commercially without
further test during the remainder of the inspection period adopted by
the director for odometers, but shall not be used commercially
thereafter until it has been sealed by a sealer.

12501.2. Notwithstanding other provisions of this division, a
sealer shall not be required to inspect, test or seal any scales or
other weighing or measuring instruments to be sold for use or being
used for commercial purposes and so located that the testing
standards, in the amount deemed necessary for the proper testing,
cannot be brought to the instrument to be tested by customary means,
whenever the owner or user thereof has not rendered the instrument in
question more readily available for the purpose of permitting an
accurate test to be made before the end of six months after notice in
writing from the sealer requiring that better means of accessibility
be provided for testing such instrument.

12501.3. Notwithstanding any other requirements or provisions of
this division, a sealer may permit the use of an unsealed device
pending repairs if the device is in error only to the disadvantage of
the user and if the user is always the seller. Such an unsealed
device shall be repaired within 30 days.

12502. Any weighing or measuring instrument, which, after being
sold and before being used for weighing or measuring, it is necessary
to assemble or set up, may be sold without first being tested and
sealed but shall be tested and sealed before being used.

12503. Upon a written request of any resident of a county, there
appearing reasonable ground therefor, the sealer shall test or cause
to be tested, as soon thereafter as is practicable, the weights,
measures, or weighing or measuring instruments used for commercial
purposes by the person designated in that request.

12504. Upon the written request of any person who intends to use or
sell for commercial purposes any weight or measure, or weighing or
measuring instrument in any county, the sealer for such county shall
test or cause to be tested, as soon thereafter as is practicable, the
weight or measure, or weighing or measuring instrument referred to
in the request.
Such written request shall not relieve the person making it from
any violation of the provisions of this division or of the
responsibility for using or selling any incorrect or unsealed weight,
measure, or weighing or measuring instrument.

12505. Whenever a sealer examines any weight or measure or
weighing, measuring, or counting instrument used for commercial
purposes, and finds it to be correct, he or she shall seal or mark
the weight, measure, or instrument with an appropriate device
approved by the department, placed so as to provide optimum
visibility to the customer, showing that the weight, measure, or
instrument was inspected and indicating the date of the inspection.

12506. A sealer shall condemn and seize and may destroy incorrect
weights and measures and weighing and measuring instruments used for
commercial purposes, which in his or her best judgment are not
susceptible of repair, but any which the sealer finds susceptible of
repair, he or she shall cause to be marked with a tag or other
suitable device with the words "Out of order."

12507. The owners or users of any weights and measures or weighing
or measuring instruments which have been marked "Out of Order," shall
have them repaired or corrected within 30 days, but until they have
been repaired or corrected and tested the owners or users thereof may
neither use nor dispose of them in any way.
In the event that the owner or user of any weights or measures or
weighing or measuring instruments marked "Out of Order" shall have
refused or neglected to have them repaired or corrected within thirty
(30) days they shall be subject to seizure by the sealer. Any
weights or measures or weighing or measuring instruments which have
been seized by the sealer under the provisions of this section shall
be subject to such disposition as shall be ordered by a court of
competent jurisdiction upon petition for a disposition order by the
owner or by any person claiming an interest in such seized equipment.
If no such disposition order is issued within four years after the
date of seizure, such equipment shall be defaced and destroyed or
otherwise disposed of by the sealer. The sealer shall, immediately
following the defacing, destruction or disposal of such weights or
measures or weighing or measuring instruments, furnish the board of
supervisors of the county in which the sealer is serving, with a list
of the items so disposed of together with the name and address of
the owner or user of each thereof.

12508. Except as provided in Section 12509, any person who removes
or oblitereates any tag or device placed upon any weight, measure, or
weighing or measuring instrument by a sealer is guilty of a
misdemeanor.

12509. When any weight, measure, or weighing or measuring
instrument has been repaired and corrected, and has been reinspected
and found correct the sealer shall remove the tag or device with the
words "out of order," and shall seal and mark such weight, measure,
or weighing or measuring instrument in the manner provided for the
marking of the same where, upon inspection, it is found correct.
Upon completion of corrective repairs or adjustments, and with the
authorization from the sealer, a repairman may remove an "out of
order" tag or device, and the weight, measure, or weighing or
measuring instrument may be placed in service pending reinspection by
the sealer.

12510. (a) Any person, who by himself or herself, or through or for
another, does any of the following is guilty of a misdemeanor:
(1) Uses, for commercial purposes, or retains in his or her
possession an incorrect weight or measure or weighing or measuring
instrument.
(2) Sells any weight or measure used for commercial purposes, or
weighing or measuring instrument which has not been sealed within one
year, except weighing or measuring instruments required to be
assembled prior to use.
(3) Uses any condemned weight or measure or weighing or measuring
instrument contrary to law.
(4) Uses, for commercial purposes, or for determining the charge
for a service, any weight or measure or weighing or measuring
instrument which is not kept at a fixed location, which does not bear
a current or previous year's seal, and which, upon test by the
sealer, is found to be incorrect, unless a written request for an
inspection of the weighing or measuring instrument has been made to
the county sealer. However, the use of any weight or measure or
weighing or measuring instrument used by a public utility in
connection with measuring gas, electricity, water, steam, or
communication service subject to the jurisdiction of the Public
Utilities Commission is exempt from this chapter.
(5) Sells or uses any device or instrument to be used or
calculated to falsify any weight or measure.
(6) So locates or positions a weighing or measuring device used in
retail trade, except as used exclusively in the preparation of
packages put up in advance of sale, that its indications cannot be
accurately read by the purchaser under ordinary circumstances.
(7) Uses, for commercial purposes, a weighing or measuring device
designed to automatically compute price unless the computed price is
a true mathematical computation of the amount times the price per
unit.
(8) Willfully and knowingly uses, for commercial purposes, a
measuring device designed to automatically compute price unless the
indicators of quantity and the total computed price on the device has
been returned to zero prior to the beginning of each delivery of
that commodity or thing.
(9) Fails to deliver for test to a designated location after
receipt of a written notice from a weights and measure official, any
device that is ordinarily tested at a central location.
(10) Sells, rents, leases, loans, or knowingly installs an
incorrect weighing or measuring instrument for commercial purposes.
(b) The possession of an incorrect weight or measure or weighing
or measuring instrument or records thereof is prima facie evidence of
intention to violate the law.

12511. Any weight, measure, or weighing or measuring instrument
tested and found correct by any sealer may be used within this state
without any further test for such period as is authorized in the
regulations adopted by the director pursuant to Section 12212. If
tested and sealed and certified to as correct by the National Bureau
of Standards, any weight, measure, or weighing or measuring
instrument may be sold without being first tested and sealed by a
sealer. In either case, it shall be subject to inspection and testing
notwithstanding that it has been tested and sealed either by a
sealer or by the National Bureau of Standards.

12511.1. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this division, any
weight or measure, or weighing or measuring instrument, found
correct or corrected by a repairman, authorized pursuant to Section
12509, may be used commercially pending reinspection by a sealer.

12512. When the sale of any commodity is based upon a quantity
representation either furnished by the purchaser or obtained through
the use of equipment supplied by him, the purchaser shall in no case
buy the commodity according to any quantity which is less than the
true quantity. Violation of this section is a misdemeanor.

12513. Any sealing or testing of any weight, measure, weighing or
measuring instrument by any employee of the department authorized for
the purpose shall have the same force and effect as a sealing or
testing by a sealer or his deputy.

12514. No sealer shall sell or be interested directly or indirectly
in the sale of any weighing or measuring instrument, nor shall he
accept a fee, compensation, or gratuity of any kind for adjusting or
repairing any weighing or measuring instrument.

12515. (a) Any person having made repairs or adjustments to any
weighing instrument or to any measuring instrument, or any person
having sold, rented, leased, loaned, or installed any such
instrument, who within 24 hours after the instrument has been sold,
rented, leased, loaned, installed, repaired, or adjusted, fails to
notify the sealer of the county in which the instrument has been
sold, rented, leased, loaned, installed, repaired, or adjusted, that
the sale, rent, lease, loan, installation, repair, or adjustment has
been made, is guilty of a misdemeanor.
(b) This section does not require notification to the sealer for
an adjustment to a weighing or measuring instrument only for the
purpose of maintaining it in a zero or balance condition.

12516. It shall be unlawful for any person to locate or position
any scale used in connection with the auctioning of livestock so that
its indications are not readily and clearly readable to the buyer
and seller, unless a state certificate of weights and measures, made
at the time of weighing, attesting to the weight of the livestock, is
issued upon request to the buyer and seller.

12517. Every owner of a coin-operated person weigher shall place on
such weigher, in a prominent position, in letters at least
three-sixteenths inches in height and in bold type, the following
statement: "This scale may not have been checked for accuracy."