Chapter 5.124 — REGISTRATION FEES FOR WEIGHING AND MEASURING DEVICES

(a)

Any person who intends to use a weighing and measuring device that is required to be inspected, tried or tested by the Sealer of Weights and Measures pursuant to Business and Professions Code Section 12210(a) must first obtain an Annual Device Registration Permit from the San Mateo County Sealer of Weights and Measures.

(b)

The Sealer of Weights and Measures shall establish and maintain a list of devices that require a Device Registration Permit and shall make the list available to the public. A scale or device used in a certified farmers' market, as defined by Section 11345 of the Health and Safety Code, is not required to be registered in San Mateo County for markets conducted in the County, if the scale or device has an unexpired seal for the current year, issued by a Licensed California County sealer.

(c)

Device Registration Permits shall be effective for up to one calendar year and shall expire on December 31st of each year.

(d)

Device Registration Permits must be renewed by March 1st of each year.

(e)

Applications for Device Registration Permits shall be filed with the Sealer of Weights and Measures using the form provided.

(Ord. 4378, 06/26/07)

(a)

Applicants for a Device Registration Permit shall pay to the Sealer of Weights and Measures an annual registration fee made up of a location fee and device fee to cover costs of inspecting or testing Weighing and Measuring Devices.

(b)

The amount of the annual registration permit fee shall be calculated as follows:

(1)

Location fee.

(A)

One hundred twenty dollars ($120) will be charged for each vehicle containing a weighing and measuring device.

(B)

One hundred twenty dollars ($120) will be charged for each business location containing at least one weighing and measuring device.

(2)

Device Fee.

(A)

For marinas, mobile home parks, recreational vehicle parks, and apartment complexes, where the owner of the marina, park or complex owns and is responsible for the utility meters, the device fee for water submeters shall be six dollars ($6) per device per space or apartment, the device fee for electric submeters shall be three dollars ($3) per device per space or apartment, and the device fee for vapor submeters shall be ten dollars ($10) per device per space or apartment. Marinas, mobile home parks, recreational vehicle

parks, and apartment complexes for which the above fees are assessed shall be inspected and tested as frequently as required by regulation.

(B)

For weighing devices, other than livestock scales, with capacities of at least 2,000 but less than 10,000 pounds, the device fee shall be one hundred fifty dollars ($150) per device.

(C)

For weighing devices, other than livestock scales, with capacities of 10,000 pounds or greater, the device fee shall be two hundred fifty dollars ($250) per device.

(D)

For livestock scales, with capacities of at least 2,000 but less than 10,000 pounds, the device fee shall be one hundred dollars ($100) per device.

(E)

For livestock scales, with capacities of 10,000 pounds or greater, the device fee shall be one hundred fifty dollars ($150) per device.

(F)

For stationary and truck mounted compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) meters, the device fee shall be one hundred eighty-five dollars ($185) per device.

(G)

For wholesale and vehicle meters, the device fee shall be seventy-five dollars ($75) per device.

(H)

For computing scales and electronic counter scales interfaced with a cash register or any point-of-sale system, the device fee shall be twenty-five dollars ($25) per device. For purpose of this subdivision, the total annual registration fee shall not exceed one thousand two hundred dollars ($1,200) for each business location.

(I)

For jewelry and prescription scales the device fee shall be eighty dollars ($80) per device.

(J)

For weighing devices with capacities of at least 100 but less than 2,000 pounds, the device fee shall be fifty dollars ($50) per device.

(K)

For all other commercial weighing or measuring devices not listed in subsections (A) to (J), inclusive, the device fee shall be twenty-six dollars ($26) per device. For purpose of this subdivision, the total annual registration fee shall not exceed one thousand two hundred dollars ($1,200) for each business location.

(3)

The applicant may be required to pay a late charge in the amount of 50% of the prescribed registration fee, if payment of the registration fee is paid more than 60 days after the invoice is mailed or delivered to the applicant by the Sealer.

(c)

Scales used at non-fixed locations, such as farmers markets, with a nominal capacity of fifty (50) pounds or less that are delivered to the Weights and Measures office for inspection, shall not be required to pay the location fee described in California Business and Professions Code, Section 12240

(Ord. 4378, 06/26/07)

(Ord. No. 04472, § 1, 6-9-2009, eff. 1-1-2010; Ord. No. 04582, § 1, 9-13-2011; Ord. No. 04750, § 1, 12-8- 2015; Ord. No. 4896, § 1, 11-19-2024)

Pursuant to the California Business and Professions Code Section 12210.3(a), upon written request the County Sealer shall test water submeters if the requested service pertains to a water submeter not intended to be placed into service in San Mateo County within six months or the requested service pertains to a water submeter intended to be placed into service in a different county. The Sealer is authorized under California Business and Professions Code section 12210.3(b) to charge a cost recovery fee for any such inspection or testing. The Sealer shall base the fee on the actual hourly salary rate and benefits of the inspectors, and may include administrative overhead costs. The Sealer may adjust this fee as needed to reflect actual costs.

(Ord. No. 4896, § 2, 11-19-2024)