Legal Metrology and pre-packaged Commodities: Let's understand them. Legal Metrology Certificate refers to the international convention and concept of standardization in weights and measurements. It defines internationally accepted scales and standards for weighing systems, and Standard Issue (SI), units to measure various quantities of consumer goods and items. It requires the use of a standard metric scale to measure items and commodities according to international legal metrology standards.
Legal Metrology Act of 2009. This is the main legislation governing individuals and organizations that use weights and measures and metrics in industrial production and manufacturing. The Legal Metrology Act also covers manufacturers, retailers and wholesalers as well as importers, dealers, transporters and importers of packaged or sealable commodities. All entities that fall under the Legal Metrology Act must obtain a valid Legal Metrology Packaged Products Certificate (LMPC), which is issued by Department of Consumer Affairs of Government of India. The LMPC certificate helps to ease the process of manufacturing, packaging, transporting, and importing packaged commodities and goods.
The LMPC Certificate is useful for inventory management, accounting, supply chain management, and logistics. Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities Rules) 2011, provides the procedure for renewing a LMPC License. Legal Metrology Department specified standards for specific weights and measures, quantities, and scales to define standards for legal Metrology when measuring commercial items and commodity. Legal Metrology is important to manufacturers and importers who are involved in packaging food and other materials and transporting them to retail stores.
How can you ensure uniformity in weights and measurements?
Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodity Rules) 2017 has prescribed standards to ensure uniformity in weights and measures for packaging and labels for manufacturers and suppliers for consumer products. The aim of the rules is to ensure uniformity of standard practices in packaging and labelling products. Every packaged item must have clearly visible labels or marks that contain information such as the manufacturer's address, personal details of the producer, ingredients, quantity net, date of manufacture, maximum retail price (MRP), and address of the grievance-redressal agency. The packaging and labelling standard ensures that manufacturers, sellers and distributors offer packaged goods that are free of adulteration, damage, or unsafe use. The LMPC is a statutory certificate that is issued to the manufacturer, retailer or seller of packaged goods by the Legal Metrology Department. It certifies compliance with packaging and labelling laws.
A Legal Metrology Certificate is issued to the manufacturer or importer for their product. This certificate remains valid for a certain period and must be renewed after that by completing LMPC renewal requirements. LPMC Certificate aligns the business practices of a producer or importer with legal metrology standards that are accepted nationally and internationally. It also helps licensees gain customer confidence as an LMPC certificate is a sign of quality product packaging and a guarantee of product safety.
Certification of Pre-Packaged Commodities
The manufacturer or importer must obtain certification of pre-packaged products. This includes commodities like fruits, vegetables, and other loose food items, as well as pulses, cookies, confectionaries, and other items which are pre-packaged. Pre-packaged goods are defined in Section 2(I), of the Legal Metrology Act of 2009. They include items that are placed into any type of packaging, whether sealed or not, and have a specific amount of product within. According to the DGFT notification no. The Government has authorized. To obtain a valid LMPC License, you must follow the following steps:
You can apply for a LMPC Certificate on the LMPC Portal of Consumer Affairs.
The Director of Legal Metrology will need to receive the importer's application, which includes all the necessary business documents and certifications. The statutory authorities have the right to request additional documentation or proof beyond what the applicant has provided.
The applicant must pay all fees and charges associated with the application process after submitting the required documents.
The State Legal Metrology Department will review the application after the fees are paid and inform the applicant of its status.
A departmental inspector will inspect the premises, scrutinize them and then submit a report.
The application is either accepted or rejected based on the Inspection Report and the compliance with the Legal Metrology Act and Rules. In the first case, a LMPC certificate is issued. The licensee can manufacture or import packaged products freely for 5 years.
Documents required for renewing LMPC license
In each state, the LMPC registration paper is different. Once issued, a LMPC license is valid for 5 years. After that, it must be renewed. The following documents must be submitted to renew a LMPC License.
LMPC License Copy issued by Legal Metrology Department
Documents proving ownership of a property, including a lease agreement, sale deed or transfer deed
Identity proof of the applicant: PAN card, AADHAR card, voter ID card etc
Detail of the machines, tools and equipment used at the premises
Documents Corporate of the Company: MOA, AOA CIN DIN
List of employees and workers in the employment contracts, company labour contracts
GSTIN number of the company
Financial statements from the past of the company
LMPC License Renewal Process
The LMPC certificate Renewal Process involves a document submission process and verification by Statutory Authorities. A LMPC renewal application must be submitted at least 30 calendar days prior to the expiration of the current license. According to Rule 11 of the Legal Metrology (Enforcement)Rules 2011, you must follow the steps below to fulfil LMPC renewal requirements.
The State Legal Metrological Department must receive a renewal request.
The applicant should pay the application fee along with all the necessary documents and forms.
The Assistant Controller for Legal Metrology examines the application and assesses it to ensure that all disclosures and compliances are made.
The Assistant Controller will examine the premises before the Inspector conducts an inspection. He then sends a report based on his findings to the Assistant Controller.
After confirming that he is satisfied with the inspection and report, the Deputy/Controller of Legal Metrology issues a renewal certificate for the LMPC.
Validity of LMPC Rules and Exemptions
Let's talk about Validity, and Exemptions under LMPC Rules. The LMPC License is valid for 5 years after the date of issue. After that, it must be renewed. LMPC licenses are mandatory for almost all products and commodities. However, some commodities are exempt from this requirement. They are -
A product that weighs less than 10 g
Agri-products that weigh less than 50 kilograms.
Hotel and restaurant fast-food products
Specific regulations govern the sale of drugs and pharmaceuticals
ASC Group offers professional help for LMPC license renewal
Many corporates rely on ASC Group to renew their LMPC licenses. For manufacturers and importers who deal with commodities like food, pharmaceuticals and grains such as pulses, it is essential that they comply with the Legal Metrology Act of 2009. Legal Metrology Act requires adequate packaging and labelling for these products. It also ensures they meet specific packing requirements according to internationally accepted packing standards. The LMPC certificate has a periodic validity, so it is important to renew the LMPC certification after expiration.
LPMC renewal is required for all manufacturing, retail and wholesale businesses. It signifies that products have been packaged and labelled according to the Legal Metrology guidelines and rules. The packaging includes information such as the quantity, net weight, manufacturing unit address, nutritional value, and other important details. You can rely on ASC Group for the LMPC License renewal process. We offer expert assistance in licensing and industrial compliances to ensure that the LMPC License renewal process is quick, cost-effective and errorless.