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Alaska Scale Certification & Weights and Measures

✓ Verified from official sources — July 11, 2026

Alaska runs a state-managed weights and measures program — commercial scale owners deal with the state agency directly. If you operate a commercial scale in Alaska — at a warehouse, farm, recycling yard, retail store, or truck stop — here is who regulates it, what the law requires, and exactly who to contact.

Who inspects commercial scales in Alaska?

State model: Weights and Measures is unusually housed in the transportation department. MSCVC Weights & Measures inspectors test and certify the accuracy of commercial weighing and measuring devices statewide under AS 45.75 and 17 AAC 90. Owners contact the W&M Section in Anchorage (Chief of Weights and Measures: Travis Garding, travis.garding@alaska.gov).

What Alaska requires of scale owners

Owners register commercial devices with MSCVC using the Device Registration Application and pay the annual device registration fee (fee table published; annual registration invoices payable via my.alaska.gov); registered devices are then inspected and tested by state W&M inspectors.

Devices used to buy or sell by weight must comply with NIST Handbook 44 — in practice this means an NTEP-certified, legal-for-trade scale. Confirm requirements for your device class with the office listed here.

Getting a scale into service — 4 steps

  1. Buy a legal-for-trade (NTEP-certified) scale appropriate for your application and capacity.
  2. Confirm registration and licensing requirements with the Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities ((907) 365-1210) before the scale enters commercial use.
  3. Arrange compliant installation and calibration. Where required, placing-in-service must be done by a licensed or registered service company.
  4. Stay compliant. Pass required inspections, keep calibration current, retain service records.

Common questions

Who certifies commercial scales in Alaska?
State model: Weights and Measures is unusually housed in the transportation department. MSCVC Weights & Measures inspectors test and certify the accuracy of commercial weighing and measuring devices statewide under AS 45.75 and 17 AAC 90. Owners contact the W&M Section in Anchorage (Chief of Weights and Measures: Travis Garding, travis.garding@alaska.gov).
What does Alaska require of scale owners?
Owners register commercial devices with MSCVC using the Device Registration Application and pay the annual device registration fee (fee table published; annual registration invoices payable via my.alaska.gov); registered devices are then inspected and tested by state W&M inspectors.
What is NTEP certification?
NTEP certifies that a scale model meets NIST Handbook 44 standards for commercial use. An NTEP Certificate of Conformance is the standard requirement for legal-for-trade devices across the U.S.
Where do I find official forms and fees?
Use the licensing and forms links in the office panel, or contact the office directly — fee schedules change and some are published only in application documents.

Need calibration, repair, or installation in Alaska?

Send one request — ScaleRegistry routes it to qualified service providers for your state.

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