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Physical Measurement Laboratory

Office of Weights and Measures

OWM Publications and Documentary Standards

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The publications and documentary standards produced within the Office of Weights and Measures (OWM) pertains to areas of legal metrology, laws, regulations, measurement devices, and specifications and tolerances. This includes a range of Metric Publications, NIST Handbooks, NIST Special Publications (e.g., SP 2200 Legal Metrology Publication series), OWM Technical Analyses, and NIST Internal Reports (NISTIRs). 

NIST (as NBS) published the first legal metrology standards in 1918 as Miscellaneous Publication No. 1 Manual of Inspection and Information for Weights and Measures Officials. This continues to be published as NIST Handbook 44 and is adopted by all 50 States. For more background on the origin of the NIST Handbooks, please see The NIST Handbooks and NCWM: A Brief History.

Of Interest

NIST Handbook 44 Specifications, Tolerances, and other Technical Requirements for Weighing and Measuring Devices, as adopted by the 107th National Conference on Weights and Measures
NIST Handbook 44: Specifications, Tolerances, and Other Technical Requirements for Weighing and Measuring Devices - Current Edition
2023 NIST Handbook 130 Cover
NIST Handbook 130: Uniform Laws and Regulations in the Areas of Legal Metrology and Fuel Quality - Current Edition
Graphic image of the cover of Handbook 133
NIST Handbook 133: Checking the Net Contents of Packaged Goods - Current Edition
Graphic image of the cover of Handbook 158
NIST Handbook 158: Field Sampling Procedures for Fuel and Motor Oil Quality Testing: A Handbook for Use by Fuel and Oil Quality Regulatory Officials - Current Edition
Graphic image of handbook 112 cover with a scale on the front
Handbook 112: Examination Procedure Outlines (Pending-update)
Graphic image with scale in front and person typing on a laptop in the background. Text on image reads: NIST Office of Weights and Measures, NIST SP 2200 Legal Metrology Publication Series.
NIST SP 2200 Legal Metrology Publication Series
Metrology, Metric and Weights and measures

Contacts

Created October 19, 2010, Updated March 20, 2023