Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes
Chapter 41 - Weights and Measures
Section 4102 - Definitions


The following words and phrases when used in this chapter shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Bureau." The Bureau of Ride and Measurement Standards in the Department of Agriculture.
"Certified Examiner of Weights and Measures." An individual who has successfully completed the training course or courses prescribed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology and who complies with certification standards promulgated under section 4110(a)(4) (relating to specific powers and duties of department; regulations).
"Certified parking meter inspector." An individual who is certified by the Department of Agriculture to inspect and certify the accuracy of parking meters.
"Commodity." Anything such as goods, wares, merchandise, compound mixture or preparation, products of manufacture or any tangible personal property which may be lawfully kept, sold or offered for sale or any product being transported by vehicle and sold or priced by weight or any service priced by weight.
"Commodity in package form." Commodity put up or packaged in any manner in advance of sale in units suitable for either wholesale or retail sale, exclusive, however, of any auxiliary shipping container enclosing packages that individually conform to the requirements of this chapter. An individual item or lot of any commodity not in package form as defined in this section but on which there is a marked selling price based on an established price per unit of weight or measure shall be construed to be commodity in package form.
"Consumer package" or "package of consumer commodity." A commodity in package form that is customarily produced or distributed for sale through retail sales agencies or instrumentalities for consumption by individuals or use by individuals for the purposes of personal care or in the performance of services ordinarily rendered in or about the household or in connection with personal possessions and which usually is consumed or expended in the course of the consumption or use.
"Cord." When used in connection with wood intended for fuel purposes, the amount of wood that is contained in a space of 128 cubic feet when the wood is racked and well stowed.
"Director." The Director of the Bureau of Ride and Measurement Standards in the Department of Agriculture.
"Domestic consumers." Those in residences, apartment houses, stores, churches, office buildings and similar edifices, as distinguished from industrial plants.
"Inspector." A State inspector of weights and measures.
"Intrastate commerce." Any and all commerce or trade that is begun, carried on and/or completed wholly within the limits of this Commonwealth.
"Introduced into intrastate commerce." The time and place at which the first sale and/or delivery of a commodity is made within this Commonwealth, the delivery being made either directly to the purchaser or to a common carrier for shipment to the purchaser.
"Light fuel oils." Kerosene, number one fuel oil, number two fuel oil, number three fuel oil and any similar oil used for domestic heating as distinguished from heavy industrial oils.
"Local government unit." Any city, borough, township or town or any home rule municipality, optional charter municipality or similar general purpose unit of government which may be created or authorized by statute.
"Nonconsumer package" or "package of nonconsumer commodity." Any commodity in package form other than a consumer package, and particularly a package designed solely for industrial or institutional use or for wholesale distribution only.
"Sealer." A sealer or deputy sealer of weights and measures of a city, county or joint city-county jurisdiction.
"Sell" or "sale." Barter and exchange.
"Solid fuel." Anthracite, semianthracite, bituminous, semibituminous or lignite coal, briquettes, boulets, coke, gas-house coke, petroleum coke, carbon, charcoal or any other natural, manufactured or patented fuel not sold by liquid or metered measure.
"Type." A class the individual objects of which are similar to another in design, construction, size and material.
"Use in trade or commerce." Buying or selling goods, wares, merchandise or services.
"Vehicle." Any device in, upon or by which any property, produce, commodity or article is or may be transported or drawn.
"Weights and measures." All weights and measures of every kind, instruments and devices for weighing and measuring and any appliances and accessories associated with any or all such instruments and devices. The term shall include, but not be limited to, the following: parking meters, postal scales and other scales used to determine shipping charges, pill counters, coin-operated person weighers, coin-operated air dispensers and coin-operated axle and vehicle scales. The term shall also include Price Look Up (PLU) devices and Universal Product Code (UPC) scanning systems in food establishments required to be licensed in accordance with the act of July 7, 1994 (P.L.421, No.70), known as the Food Act. The term shall not be construed to include portable scales used to determine compliance with 75 Pa.C.S. Ch. 49 (relating to size, weight and load), meters for the measurement of electricity, gas, natural or manufactured, steam, coolant or water or the counting or timing of telephone calls when the same are operated in a public utility system or taxi meters. Such portable scales, electricity, gas, steam, coolant, water and telephone meters and taxi meters are hereby specifically excluded from the purview of this chapter, and none of the provisions of this chapter shall be construed to apply to such meters or to any appliances or accessories associated therewith.
(Oct. 24, 2012, P.L.1332, No.169, eff. imd.)

2012 Amendment. Act 169 added the defs. of "certified parking meter inspector" and "local government unit."
References in Text. The act of July 7, 1994 (P.L.421, No.70), known as the Food Act, referred to in this section, was repealed by the act of November 23, 2010 (P.L.1039, No.106). The subject matter is now contained in Subchapter B of Chapter 57 of this title.
Cross References. Section 4102 is referred to in section 4139 of this title.

Structure Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes

Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes

Title 3 - AGRICULTURE

Chapter 41 - Weights and Measures

Extra - Chapter Notes

Section 4101 - Short title of chapter

Section 4102 - Definitions

Section 4105 - Systems of weights and measures

Section 4106 - State standards of weight and measure

Section 4107 - Office and working standards and equipment

Section 4108 - Director and inspectors of weights and measures

Section 4109 - General powers and duties of department

Section 4110 - Specific powers and duties of department; regulations

Section 4111 - Testing and inspections of standards

Section 4112 - General testing and inspections

Section 4113 - Registration of sellers, installers and repairers of weighing and measuring devices

Section 4114 - Registration and report of inspection and testing of weighing and measuring devices used for commercial purposes

Section 4115 - Training program

Section 4116 - Investigations

Section 4117 - Inspection of packages

Section 4118 - Stop-use, stop-removal and removal orders

Section 4119 - Disposition of correct and incorrect apparatus

Section 4120 - Police powers; right of entry and stoppage

Section 4121 - Powers and duties of director and inspector

Section 4122 - City and county sealers and deputy sealers of weights and measures; appointment, powers and duties

Section 4123 - City and county standards and equipment

Section 4124 - Concurrent jurisdiction

Section 4125 - Division of responsibilities

Section 4126 - Duty of owners of incorrect apparatus

Section 4127 - Method of sale of commodities

Section 4128 - Packages; declarations of quantity and origin; variations; exemptions

Section 4129 - Declarations of unit price on random packages

Section 4130 - Misleading packages

Section 4131 - Advertising packages for sale

Section 4132 - Sale by net weight

Section 4133 - Misrepresentation of price

Section 4134 - Meat, poultry and seafood

Section 4135 - Butter, oleomargarine and margarine

Section 4136 - Fluid dairy products

Section 4137 - Flour, cornmeal and hominy grits

Section 4138 - Potatoes

Section 4139 - Construction of contracts

Section 4140 - Hindering or obstructing officer; penalties

Section 4141 - Impersonation of officer; penalties

Section 4142 - Prohibited acts

Section 4143 - Presumptive evidence

Section 4150 - Enforcement and regulations

Section 4151 - Licenses

Section 4152 - Weighmasters' certificates

Section 4153 - Preparation of weighmaster's certificate

Section 4154 - Use of approved weighing device required

Section 4155 - Scale requirement

Section 4156 - Disposition of copies of certificates

Section 4157 - License required; definition

Section 4158 - Suspension or revocation of licenses

Section 4159 - Prohibited acts

Section 4160 - Sales by weight

Section 4161 - Separation required

Section 4162 - Substitution of another purchaser in weighmaster's certificate

Section 4163 - Authorization to inspect and direct to nearest scales

Section 4164 - Weighmaster's certificate required

Section 4165 - Small lots

Section 4166 - Exception for boatloads or railroad carloads

Section 4167 - Rules and regulations

Section 4168 - Sales by employer-producer to employees

Section 4169 - Existing licenses

Section 4170 - Approval of types of weights and measures and weighing and measuring devices

Section 4171 - Submission of types for approval

Section 4172 - Certificates of approval; notice of disapproval; appeals

Section 4173 - Manufacture, sale or use of unapproved weights, measures and devices

Section 4174 - Marking of approved weights and measures

Section 4175 - Marking of weights and measures "not legal for trade."

Section 4176 - Rules and regulations

Section 4177 - Sealing of approved weights and measures

Section 4178 - Fees

Section 4179 - Enforcement

Section 4180 - Meter required

Section 4181 - Small deliveries

Section 4182 - Exceptions

Section 4183 - Enforcement of chapter, rules and regulations

Section 4187.1 - Scope of subchapter

Section 4187.2 - Definitions

Section 4187.3 - Automotive Fuel Testing and Disclosure Program

Section 4187.4 - Standards for automotive fuel

Section 4187.5 - Automotive fuel rating, disclosure and labeling requirements

Section 4187.6 - Investigations

Section 4187.7 - Violations and penalties

Section 4187.8 - (Reserved)

Section 4190 - Rules and regulations

Section 4191 - Offenses and penalties

Section 4192 - Temporary or permanent injunctions

Section 4193 - Disposition of funds

Section 4194 - Validity of prosecutions