Verification: the statutory check
Verification is a legally regulated check of a scale – in Germany on the basis of the Measurement and Verification Act (MessEG) and its ordinance (MessEV). It is carried out by the responsible authority or an approved body and confirms that the scale stays within the prescribed error limits. Verification is mandatory whenever the scale is used in commercial transactions: that is, when billing, selling or providing an official record on the basis of weight. A verification is not valid indefinitely – there are re-verification intervals that vary by scale type. You can find out which interval applies to your scale from the responsible verification authority (Eichamt) or the manufacturer.
Calibration: the metrological record
Calibration is not an official check but a metrological record with no legal effect: a calibration laboratory determines how far the scale's reading deviates from the correct value and documents this – for example in a DAkkS calibration certificate. Calibrations are typical for quality-management systems, laboratories and production processes in which measurement accuracy has to be demonstrated internally. Important: a calibration does not replace a verification – and vice versa. Depending on the application, both can be sensible or necessary in parallel.
What does this mean for you as an operator?
- First clarify whether your application requires verification – what matters is what the readings are used for, not the scale itself.
- For scales requiring verification: keep an eye on re-verification intervals and arrange re-verification in good time.
- For QM purposes without mandatory verification, a regular calibration is often enough – scope and interval follow your own quality requirements.
- When in doubt, ask: the responsible verification authority (Eichamt) and the scale manufacturer are the right contacts for the legal and metrological classification of your specific case.
Frequently asked questions
When does a scale have to be verified?
Generally whenever the scale is used in commercial transactions – that is, when billing, selling or providing an official record on the basis of weight. The legal basis in Germany is the Measurement and Verification Act (MessEG) and its ordinance (MessEV). Verified scales are also subject to re-verification intervals, which vary by scale type. Whether your specific application requires verification, and which interval applies, is best clarified with the responsible verification authority (Eichamt) or the scale manufacturer.
Is a calibration enough instead of a verification?
No, where verification is mandatory – a calibration does not replace a verification. Calibration is a metrological record with no legal effect: it documents how accurately the scale measures, for example via a DAkkS calibration certificate (DAkkS is the German national accreditation body), and is often required for quality-management systems. Verification, by contrast, is a legally regulated check by the responsible authority or an approved body and is mandatory in commercial transactions. Both can make sense in parallel.
And the software side?
We can neither verify nor calibrate your scale – that is the job of the verification authority, approved bodies and calibration laboratories. Digital Trend Systems delivers the software side of legal-for-trade weighing: applications that correctly reference the Alibi number of the verified scale, log weighings gap-free and generate weighing tickets with all the required details. If you'd like to connect a verified scale, get in touch.
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