What this covers
Why you need it
The power to require it comes from Weights and Measures (NI) Order 1981, Northern Ireland primary legislation made by Order in Council.
What the Order carries
What our graph holds for Weights and Measures (NI) Order 1981 as a whole — the Order behind this licence, not the licence conditions themselves.
- Duties on businesses
- 45
- Penalties
- 35
- Exemptions
- 13
Duties on businesses under the Order
- Use of unauthorised weights or units of measurement for trade art.6
- Fail to provide required metric-to-imperial conversion info art.7
- Use of illegal divisions on capacity measures art.8
- Use unapproved or unstamped weighing and measuring equipment for trade art.9
- Use or sell unapproved or restricted weighing and measuring equipment art.10
- Supply unapproved or stamped equipment after certificate expiry art.11
… and 39 more business duties in the same Order.
What happens if you get it wrong
- Breach of weights and measures regulations 6 months imprisonment
- Cause another person to commit an weights and measures offence 6 months imprisonment
- Use false or fraudulent weighing and measuring equipment 6 months imprisonment
- Adulterate peat or wood fuel with intent to defraud Unlimited fine
- Breach labelling, packaging, or quantity rules for specific goods Unlimited fine
… and 30 more penalties in the same Order.
Exemptions that may take you outside it
- Aerosol products with FIC-regulated contents exempt from prepack quantity rules — The aerosol product contains goods that are subject to the FIC Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on food information to consumers.
- Collections containing FIC-regulated food exempt from quantity marking — The collection contains any goods that are subject to the FIC Regulation
- Composite goods exempt from individual quantity labelling — The goods are a mixture (composite) made up wholly or mainly of goods that themselves require quantity marking; they are …
- Exemption for non-retail exports from Northern Ireland — Goods are for dispatch outside Northern Ireland (and designated countries), the transaction is not a retail sale, and no extra …
- Exemption from ballast transport document requirement for containerised ballast — All ballast in the vehicle is carried in a container that does not form part of the vehicle.
… and 8 more exemptions in the same Order.
Read our full dossier on Weights and Measures (NI) Order 1981
Who issues it
Your local council issues this. Councils apply the same statute but set their own fees, conditions and timescales.
Where to apply
Duty, penalty and exemption labels are Guvnor’s analysis of the enabling instrument, not the instrument itself. Fees, forms and conditions are set by the issuing authority — always check the linked source.