Montana Scale Certification & Weights and Measures

Montana runs a state-managed weights and measures program — commercial scale owners deal with the state agency directly. If you operate a commercial scale in Montana — 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 Montana?

State-run: the Montana Weights and Measures Bureau (DLI) regulates all commercial scales and meters statewide; bureau inspectors contact device owners to schedule inspections when in their area, and each device license requires an annual state inspection. Owners contact the bureau in Helena; registered scale service agencies handle initial placing-in-service.

What Montana requires of scale owners

A commercial weighing device must be NTEP-approved (Certificate of Conformance required on all devices sold/installed since Jan 1, 1999), placed into service by a registered repair/scale service agency with the Placing-in-Service Report submitted to the bureau, then licensed through DLI's eStop business licensing portal before commercial use. The eStop license must be displayed and renewed annually, and the device passes an annual inspection by a Weights and Measures Bureau inspector.

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 Montana Department of Labor & Industry ((406) 841-2056) 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