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Consumer Affair Ministry tightens Legal Metrology norms: higher fees, wider scope for govt-approved test centres
New rules empower regional and national labs to certify weights and measures across India, raise recognition fees to Rs 2 lakh per equipment per year, and standardize verification charges for industries and consumers.
Regional Reference Standard Laboratories and National Test House laboratories functioning under the Department of Consumer Affairs will now be deemed Government Approved Test Centres (GATCs).
The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution has notified amendments to the Legal Metrology (Government Approved Test Centre) Rules, 2013, introducing sweeping changes aimed at strengthening oversight and standardizing verification processes for weights and measures used across industries.
Issued on October 23, 2025, the Legal Metrology (Government Approved Test Centre) Amendment Rules, 2025 bring government laboratories under the approved test centre framework, increase application fees, and expand the range of instruments subject to verification.
Under the new provisions, Regional Reference Standard Laboratories and National Test House laboratories functioning under the Department of Consumer Affairs will now be deemed Government Approved Test Centres (GATCs). These labs will be authorized to verify and calibrate a wide range of measuring instruments—including energy meters, gas meters, load cells, speed meters, and clinical thermometers—across any location in India, following recommendations from the International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML).
The rules also revise the application and renewal fees for establishing a GATC from ₹10,000 to ₹2 lakh per equipment per year, payable online or via demand draft. Additionally, the amendment clarifies that inspections of test centres will be conducted by the Director or authorized officers, with support from state legal metrology officials.
Verification fees for various instruments have been standardized under a new Fifth Schedule, specifying charges ranging from ₹50 for a clinical thermometer to ₹15,000 for a vehicle speed meter. The updated fee structure also includes detailed rates for domestic, commercial, and industrial categories of water meters, gas meters, and energy meters.
To enhance accountability, every test centre must now issue separate verification certificates for each weight or measure. Furthermore, verification can be carried out either at the test centre’s authorized premises or anywhere within the state where it operates.
The government aims to improve accuracy, transparency, and consumer protection in trade and industry that rely on precise measurement systems, by expanding the scope and authority of testing facilities and revising financial and operational standards.
The original Legal Metrology (Government Approved Test Centre) Rules were introduced in 2013 and last amended in 2021. The latest amendment marks a major regulatory update, aligning India’s metrology practices more closely with international standards while reinforcing institutional oversight.
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