{"data":{"id":"us-dc/d.c.-code-37-201.03","jurisdiction":"us-dc","citation":"D.C. Code § 37-201.03","heading":"Exclusive powers of Director; examination of measuring devices; condemnation; charges by Mayor.","body":"(a)\nThe Director and, under his direction, his assistants and inspectors, shall have exclusive power to perform all the duties provided in this subchapter. They shall, at least every 6 months, and oftener when the Director thinks proper, inspect, test, try, and ascertain whether or not they are correct, all weights, scales, beams, measures of every kind, instruments or mechanical devices for weighing or measuring, and all tools, appliances, or accessories connected with any or all such instruments or mechanical devices for weighing or measuring used or employed in the District of Columbia by any owner, agent, lessee, or employee in determining the weight, size, quantity, extent, area, or measurement of quantities, things, produce, or articles of any kind offered for transportation, sale, barter, exchange, hire, or award, or the weight of persons for a charge or compensation, and shall approve and seal, stamp, or mark, in the manner prescribed by the Council of the District of Columbia, such devices or appliances as conform to the standards kept in the Office of the Director, and shall seize and destroy or mark, stamp, or tag with the word “condemned” such as do not conform to the standards, and shall also mark the date of such condemnation upon the same. Any weight, scale, beam, measure, weighing or measuring device of any kind which shall be found to be unsuitable for the purpose for which it is intended to be used or of defective construction or material shall be condemned. No person shall use or, having the same under his control, shall permit to be used for any of the purposes enumerated in this subchapter any weight, scale, beam, measure, weighing or measuring device whatsoever unless the same has been approved in accordance with the provisions of this subchapter within 6 months prior to such use, or that does not conform to the standards kept in the Office of the Director of Weights, Measures, and Markets, or that does not bear the approval seal, stamp, or mark prescribed by the Council, or which, having been condemned, has not thereafter been approved as provided in this subchapter.\n\n(b)\nAny person who shall acquire or have in his possession after March 3, 1921 any scale, weighing instrument, or nonportable measure or measuring device, subject to inspection or test under the provisions of this subchapter, which has not been approved in accordance with the provisions of this subchapter within 6 months prior to acquisition or possession and which does not bear the approval seal, stamp, or mark prescribed by the Council, shall notify the Director in writing at his office, giving a general description thereof, and the street and number or other location where same may be found, and it shall be the duty of the Director to cause the same to be inspected and tested within a reasonable time after receipt of such notice. Any person who shall acquire or have in his possession after March 3, 1921, any portable measure or measuring device, subject to inspection or test under the provisions of this subchapter, which has not been approved in accordance with the provisions of this subchapter within 6 months prior to acquisition or possession and which does not bear the approval seal, stamp, or mark prescribed by the Council shall cause the same to be taken to the Office of the Director for inspection and test.\n\n(c)\nEvery peddler, hawker, huckster, transient merchant, or other person with no fixed or established place of business shall, before using any weight, scale, measure, weighing or measuring device for any of the purposes enumerated in this subchapter, cause the same to be taken to the Office of the Director for inspection and test semiannually, and shall not use for the purposes herein mentioned any weight, scale, measure, weighing or measuring device which has not been approved within 6 months prior to the time of such use, and does not bear the approval seal, stamp, or mark prescribed by the Council.\n\n(d)\nThe Mayor of the District of Columbia shall make a charge of $15 per hour, per person, for the examination, inspection, and sealing and for the reinspection on recalls due to condemnations of the following weighing and measuring equipment used or owned by agencies of the federal government and by private suppliers under contract to departments of the District of Columbia government:\n(1)\nVehicle type scales;\n(2)\nHopper type scales;\n(3)\nHanging Spring type scales — 20 pounds or less;\n(4)\nHanging Spring type scales — over 20 pounds;\n(5)\nComputing scales, conventional;\n(6)\nComputing scales, prepacked;\n(7)\nCounter scales, except counter platform;\n(8)\nCounter platform;\n(9)\nPlatform scales — up to 500 pounds;\n(10)\nPlatform scales — over 500 pounds;\n(11)\nCrane scales;\n(12)\nDormant type scales — over 10,000 pounds;\n(13)\nDormant type scales — 2,000 to 10,000 pounds;\n(14)\nDormant type scales — up to 2,000 pounds;\n(15)\nPersonal weighing scales, including physician type;\n(16)\nPrescription scales, types A, B, C, including weights;\n(17)\nAnalytical balances, including chain-o-matic type and weights;\n(18)\nJewelry scales;\n(19)\nAbattoir scales;\n(20)\nButcher beam;\n(21)\nGasoline pumps;\n(22)\nLiquid measures up to 5 gallons;\n(23)\nMeters on trucks used for petroleum products; and\n(24)\nBulk plant meters.","path":["Title 37. Weights, Measures, Markets, and Vending.","Chapter 2. Weights, Measures, and Markets Generally.","Subchapter I. Weights and Measures Generally."],"source_url":"https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/37-201.03","current_through":"2026-08-20 (D.C. Law 26-175)","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-29T05:44:07Z","sha256":"4e677a5d18777d9e815f258bb977c9c08bad0026dc0876a0109bb7ed7d075f11","source_id":"us-dc","stale":false,"prev":"us-dc/d.c.-code-37-201.02","next":"us-dc/d.c.-code-37-201.04"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}