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MEASURING EQUIPMENT (INTOXICATING  LIQUOR) REGULATIONS 
1983  
 
as amended  
 
Made     9 November 1983  
 
Commencement     1 April 1984  
 
 
PART I  
 
 
 
CITATION, COMMENCEMENT, INTERPRETATION AND REVOCATION  
 
1 
 
(1)     The Regulations may be cited as the Measuring E quipment (Intoxicating Liquor) Regulations 1983 
and shall come into operation on 1st April 1984.  
(2)     In these Regulations -- 
 
   'the Act' means the Weights and Measures Act 1963;  
   'certificate of approval' means a certificate of approval of a pat tern of measuring equipment 
granted or renewed by the Secretary of State under section 12 of the Act or any instrument 
having effect under section 12A(5) as if it were a certificate of approval so granted on 4th April 
1979;  
   'liquor' means intoxicating liquor;  
   'manager' means, where any measuring equipment is being tested at the premises on which it 
was manufactured, a person exercising managerial functions at those premises or his autho r-
ised representative and, where any  measuring equipment is being tested on licensed premises, 
the licensee, or, in his absence, his representative authorised for the time being to be in charge 
of the equipment;  
   'measuring equipment' means any measuring equipment, other than a capacity measure, i n-
cluding a measuring device, ancillary equipment associated with it and any other equipment 
physically or otherwise connected to it whether or not such equipment has been connected to 
ensure correct measurement or is intended to facilitate operat ion of the measuring device and 
ancillary equipment;  
   'nominal quantity' means the quantity of liquor which the measuring equipment is designed to 
deliver;  
   'notice of examination' means a notice of examination caused to be published by the Secreta ry 
of State giving particulars of a pattern in respect of which a certificate of approval has been 
granted;  
   'prescribed limits of error' has the meaning set out in Regulation 14 below; and  
   'the stamp' means the prescribed stamp.  
 
(3)     The Meas uring Instruments (Intoxicating Liquor) Regulations 1965 and the Measuring Instruments 
(Intoxicating Liquor) (Amendment) Regulations 1979 are hereby revoked.  
  
 
APPLICATION  
 
2 
 
These Regulations apply to measuring equipment for use for trade on premises whe re liquor is sold by retail 
for the purpose of making any measurement of liquor in a quantity not exceeding [2 pints]; and measuring 
equipment to which these Regulations apply is hereby prescribed for the purposes of section 11(1) of the 
Act. 
 
PART II  
 
 
 
3 
 
All measuring equipment shall be made in accordance with a pattern in respect of which a certificate of a p-
proval is in force.  
 
 
4 
 
All measuring equipment may, where first submitted for testing with a view to passing as fit for use for trade 
before 1st October 1984, and shall, where first submitted for such testing on or after that date, be legibly and 
durably marked with the number of the certificate of approval or of the notice of examination in respect of the 
pattern in accordance with which it is mad e, preceded by the words 'Certification No', 'Cert No' or 'Notice No' 
as the case may be.  
 
 
5 
 
All measuring equipment shall have every marking, notice, inscription or indication referring to the method of 
operation or to its nominal quantity conspicuously , legibly and durably marked in a suitable position on the 
equipment in plain block characters on a plain background and in distinct contrast thereto.  
 
 
6 
 
All measuring equipment shall be legibly and durably marked with the name of its manufacturer or sup plier.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
7 
 
All measuring equipment shall -- 
 
   (a)     subject to paragraphs ( b) and ( c) below, have marked on it an indication of its normal 
quantity or quantities in full, or in such an abbreviated or alternative form as is permitted in a c-
cordance with the Table below;  
      
   
 [FORM OF INDICATION OF NOMINAL QUANTITY   
 Nominal Quantity   Abbreviated or permitted alternative   
 One third pint 
..............................................................   1/3 pt   
 Half pint 
......................................................................   ½ pt  
 Pint 
................................................................................   pt  
 Two pints 
............................................................... .....  2 pt  
 Quarter litre 
................................................................   ¼ litre (or 25 cl or 250 ml)]   
    
      
   (b)     paragraph ( a) above shall not apply in the case of beer an d cider where the nominal 
quantity is half a pint; and  
   (c)     where its nominal quantity is indicated in metric units of measurement (other than the 
quarter litre), have marked on it an indication of its nominal quantity or quantities -- 
    
   (i)     in words, symbols or figures;  
   (ii)     of one litre or more, entirely in terms of litres and decimal fractions of a litre, and 
no abbreviations of 'litre' may be used; and  
   (iii)     of less than one litre, entirely in terms of centilitres a nd decimal fractions of a 
centilitre or entirely in terms of millilitres, and such units may be indicated by the symbols 
'cl' or 'ml' only as the case may require.  
  
 
 [7A 
 
Where  its nominal quantity is indicated on measuring equipment in metric units of measurement it may be 
indicated also by means of a supplementary indication [up to and including 31st December 2009].]  
 
8 
 
(1)     All measuring equipment for use in measuring liq uor other than beer or cider shall be fitted -- 
 
   (a)     with adequate sight glasses, observation windows or other devices for showing clearly 
that any measuring chamber is properly charged and discharged; or  
   (b)     with a device or devices which  prevent -- 
    
   (i)     any liquid being discharged by any measuring chamber until the chamber is 
properly charged; and  
   (ii)     any measuring chamber being charged anew until it has been properly di s-
charged.   
  
 
(2)     All measuring equipment f or use in measuring beer or cider shall be fitted with a device or devices 
mentioned in paragraph (1)( b) above.  
 
 
9 
 
Before testing any measuring equipment, the inspector shall ensure that -- 
 
   (a)     the equipment is complete with all its parts as des cribed in the certificate of approval or 
notice or examination, as the case may be;  
   (b)     liquid has first been passed through the equipment or that the equipment is fully primed; 
and 
   (c)     when it is fully primed no leakage is apparent.  
 
 
10 
 
(1)     All measuring equipment tested on any premises on which it is used for trade shall be tested with the 
liquor it is designed to deliver.  
(2)     All other measuring equipment shall be tested with the liquor it is designed to deliver or with water.  
 
11 
 
For the purposes of the performance by an inspector of his functions under the Act or these Regulations r e-
lating to inspection, testing, passing as fit for use for trade and stamping of any measuring equipment a pe r-
son submitting such equipment to an  inspector [or the manager] shall, if requested, provide for the inspe c-
tor's use such material as the inspector may reasonably require, and any material so provided shall be r e-
turned to the person in question.  
 
 
 
12 
 
(1)     The inspector shall test measur ing equipment by causing it to deliver both the minimum and the 
maximum quantities which it is capable of measuring in a single operation, or if the equipment is capable of 
measuring only one quantity in a single operation, the inspector shall cause it to deliver that quantity.  
(2)     The inspector may also, if he thinks fit cause the equipment to deliver any quantity which it is capable 
of measuring in a single operation between the minimum and maximum quantities.  
(3)     The inspector may cause the equip ment to deliver any quantity such number of times as he may d e-
termine.  
(4)     The inspector shall determine which of the quantities delivered by the equipment are to be treated as 
relevant for the purposes of determining whether the equipment falls within  the prescribed limits of error.  
 
 
13 
 
(1)     An inspector may open any locked or sealed container for the purpose of testing any measuring 
equipment or for the return of liquor withdrawn during testing, and liquor so withdrawn shall, upon the co n- 
clusion of the test, be forthwith returned to the container from which it was withdrawn if the inspector is of the 
opinion that it is practicable and desirable so to do and the manager does not object; otherwise, it shall be 
placed in another receptacle reasonably  convenient for the purpose and nominated and provided by the 
manager.  
(2)     The inspector shall, if requested, furnish to the manager a signed and dated statement of the quantity 
of liquor withdrawn from the container and returned or placed as mentioned  in paragraph (1) above.  
 
 
PART IV  
 
 
 
PRESCRIBED LIMITS OF ERROR  
 
14 
 
(1)     The prescribed limits of error on the testing of any measuring equipment shall be those set out in the 
Table below.  
     
     
 Nominal Quantity  In relation to passing as fit for 
use for trade, in excess or in 
deficiency  In relation to obliteration 
of the stamp   
 At least [20 millilitres] but not 
exceeding [75 millilitres]  0·7 millilitre  1·4 millilitres in excess. 
0·7 millilitre in deficiency.   
 Exceeding [75 millilitres] but 
less than ½ pint  1% of the nominal quantity  2% of the nominal qua n-
tity in excess.  
1% of the nominal qua n-
tity in deficiency.   
 At least ½ pint but less than 1 
pint 3 millilitres  6 millilitres in excess.  
3 millilitres in deficiency.   
 At least 1 pint but not excee d-
ing [2 pints]  0·5% of the nominal quantity  1% of the nominal qua n-
tity in excess.  
0·5% of the nominal 
quantity, in deficiency.   
     
     
(2)     In determining whether measuring equipment falls within the prescribed limits of error, account shall 
be taken only of the quantity of liquid delivered by the equipment.  
 
PASSING AS FIT FOR USE FOR TRADE  
 
15 
 
No measuring equipment shall be passed as fit for use for trade unless -- 
 
   (a)     it complies with all the appropriate requirements of these Regulations; and  
   (b)     it measures the liq uid delivered by the equipment to within the prescribed limits of error 
when it is operated at any reasonable speed, the speed of operation in respect of any individual 
delivery being as uniform as practicable.  
  
STAMPING  
 
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(1)     All measuring equipmen t shall be provided with one or more plugs, seals or sealing devices of sui t-
able form and material to protect all stops or other adjustable parts affecting the quantity delivered, or with 
such alternative sealing arrangements as may be authorised by the Se cretary of State in relation to the pa t-
tern as set out in the certificate of approval in force or in the notice of examination.  
(2)     The stamp shall be placed on every plug, seal or sealing device authorised in accordance with par a-
graph (1) above.  
 
OBLI TERATION OF STAMPS  
 
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Stamps shall be obliterated by an inspector, in accordance with the requirements of these Regulations, by 
means of punches or pincers of suitable sizes of a six -pointed star design as shown in the following illustr a-
tion-- 
 
 
19 
 
(1)     An inspector shall obliterate the stamp on any measuring equipment which -- 
 
   (a)     fails upon testing to measure the liquid delivered by the equipment to within the pr e-
scribed lim its of error when it is operated at any reasonable speed, the speed of operation in 
respect of any individual delivery being as uniform as practicable; or  
   (b)     fails to comply with any other appropriate requirement of these Regulations:  
 
Provided t hat where any measuring equipment does not fully comply with the requirements of these Regul a-
tions, but the nature or degree of the non -compliance is not in the inspector's opinion such as to require the 
immediate obliteration of the stamp, he shall give t o the manager a notice calling on him to have the equi p-
ment corrected within a stated period not exceeding 28 days, and shall obliterate the stamp if the correction 
has not been made within the stated period.  
(2)     An inspector shall obliterate the stamp  on any equipment which has, since it was last stamped, had 
any alteration or addition made to it such that it could not be passed as fit for use for trade under Regulation 
15 above.  
(3)     Where any measuring equipment is found by an inspector to leak, he shall obliterate the stamp on 
that equipment.   
(4)     Where any measuring equipment has, since it was last stamped, been the subject of any adjustment, 
alteration, addition, repair or replacement which could, in the opinion of the inspector, have affected its a c-
curacy or function he may obliterate the stamp on that equipment.  
 
 
20 
 
For the purposes of these Regulations, the obliteration of any one stamp on any measuring equipment sha ll 
be deemed to be the obliteration of all other stamps on that equipment.