Table of Contents
Chapter I — General Provisions
Article 1 — This Law is enacted for the purposes of strengthening metrological supervision and administration, ensuring the uniformity of the national system of units of measurement and the accuracy and reliability of measurement values, promoting production, trade and the development of science and technology, meeting the needs of socialist modernization, and safeguarding the interests of the state and the people.
Article 2 — This Law shall apply to the establishment of national metrological benchmarks and standard instruments of measurement and to metrological verification, and to the manufacture, repair, sale and use of measuring instruments within the territory of the People’s Republic of China.
Article 3 — The state shall adopt the International System of Units (SI). The International System of Units and other units of measurement adopted by the state shall be the national legal units of measurement. The names and symbols of the national legal units of measurement shall be published by the State Council.
Non-national legal units of measurement shall be abolished. The measures for the abolition shall be formulated by the State Council.
Article 4 — The metrological administrative department under the State Council shall exercise unified supervision and administration over metrological work throughout the country.
The metrological administrative departments of the local people’s governments at or above the county level shall exercise supervision and administration over metrological work within their respective administrative regions.
Chapter II — Metrological Benchmarks
Article 5 — The metrological administrative department under the State Council shall be responsible for establishing various types of metrological benchmarks, which shall serve as the highest basis for unifying the values of the measurement units throughout the country.
Article 6 — The metrological administrative departments of the local people’s governments at or above the county level shall, based on the needs of their respective regions, establish public standard instruments of measurement, which shall be put into use only after passing the examination by the metrological administrative department of the people’s government at the next higher level.
Article 7 — The relevant competent departments under the State Council and the relevant competent departments of the people’s governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government may, based on the special needs of their respective departments, establish standard instruments of measurement for use within their respective departments, the highest-level standard instruments of which shall be put into use only after passing the examination by the metrological administrative department of the people’s government at the same level.
Article 8 — Enterprises and public institutions may, based on their needs, establish standard instruments of measurement for use within their respective entities, the highest-level standard instruments of which shall be put into use only after passing the examination by the metrological administrative department of the people’s government at the same level as the competent department that approved their establishment.
Chapter III — Metrological Instruments
Article 9 — The metrological administrative department under the State Council shall exercise unified supervision and administration over the manufacture and repair of measuring instruments throughout the country.
The metrological administrative departments of the local people’s governments at or above the county level shall exercise supervision and administration over the manufacture and repair of measuring instruments within their respective administrative regions.
Article 10 — Metrological verification shall be conducted in accordance with the National Metrological Verification System Table. The National Metrological Verification System Table shall be formulated by the metrological administrative department under the State Council.
Article 11 — Metrological verification must be conducted in accordance with the metrological verification regulations. The metrological verification regulations shall be formulated by the metrological administrative department under the State Council.
Article 12 — Measuring instruments shall be subject to compulsory verification and other verification.
Public standard instruments of measurement, the highest-level standard instruments of measurement used by departments, enterprises and public institutions, and working measuring instruments listed in the catalogue of working measuring instruments subject to compulsory verification shall be subject to compulsory verification. Where the aforementioned measuring instruments are not subject to compulsory verification or fail to pass the compulsory verification in accordance with the provisions, they shall not be used.
Article 13 — The metrological administrative department under the State Council shall be responsible for metrological verification work. Metrological verification institutions established by the metrological administrative departments of the local people’s governments at or above the county level may carry out metrological verification in accordance with the law.
Article 14 — Metrological verification institutions may, upon authorization, carry out metrological verification. The specific measures shall be prescribed by the metrological administrative department under the State Council in conjunction with the relevant competent departments.
Article 15 — A metrological verification institution must have its measuring instruments verified. Only after passing the verification may it carry out metrological verification.
Article 16 — Enterprises and public institutions undertaking metrological verification must obtain the Metrological Verification Institution Authorization Certificate.
Article 17 — The manufacture or repair of measuring instruments by enterprises or public institutions must satisfy the conditions of possessing the necessary facilities, personnel and verification instruments and equipment, and must pass the assessment by the metrological administrative department of the people’s government at or above the county level before the Measuring Instrument Manufacturing License or Measuring Instrument Repair License is issued.
Article 18 — Measuring instruments manufactured or repaired by enterprises or public institutions shall be subject to verification. Only after passing the verification may such instruments be supplied to the market.
Chapter IV — Metrological Supervision
Article 19 — The metrological administrative departments of the people’s governments at or above the county level shall, based on their needs, appoint metrological supervisors. The measures for the administration of metrological supervisors shall be prescribed by the metrological administrative department under the State Council.
Article 20 — Metrological supervisors shall be responsible for carrying out metrological supervision and inspection within the designated areas and premises, and shall have the right to investigate and collect evidence in accordance with the provisions and, when necessary, may seal up or seize measuring instruments in the case of illegal acts.
Article 21 — The metrological administrative departments of the people’s governments at or above the county level may, based on their needs, appoint metrological verification personnel. The measures for the administration of metrological verification personnel shall be prescribed by the metrological administrative department under the State Council.
Article 22 — Metrological verification personnel must pass the examination and obtain the Metrological Verification Personnel Certificate before they may engage in metrological verification work.
Article 23 — Any entity or individual shall have the right to report or complain about any violation of the metrological laws and regulations.
Article 24 — Disputes over the accuracy of measurement may be settled through metrological arbitration verification. The metrological arbitration verification shall be conducted by the metrological verification institution designated by the metrological administrative department of the people’s government at or above the county level.
Chapter V — Legal Liability
Article 25 — Where any entity or individual uses any measuring instrument that fails to undergo compulsory verification or fails to pass the compulsory verification, the metrological administrative department of the people’s government at or above the county level shall order cessation of use and may impose a fine in accordance with the relevant provisions.
Article 26 — Where any entity or individual uses any measuring instrument that is not qualified or uses any measuring instrument to cheat consumers, the metrological administrative department of the people’s government at or above the county level shall order compensation for the losses and confiscate the measuring instrument and the illegal gains, and may impose a fine.
Article 27 — Where any entity or individual manufactures or repairs any measuring instrument without authorization and without obtaining the Measuring Instrument Manufacturing License or Measuring Instrument Repair License, the metrological administrative department of the people’s government at or above the county level shall order cessation of manufacture or repair, confiscate the illegal gains, and may impose a fine.
Article 28 — Where any entity or individual manufactures or repairs any measuring instrument that is not qualified, or supplies any measuring instrument to the market without verification, the metrological administrative department of the people’s government at or above the county level shall order cessation of manufacture, repair or sale, confiscate the illegal gains, and may impose a fine.
Article 29 — Where any entity or individual refuses to undergo or obstructs metrological supervision and inspection in accordance with the law, the metrological administrative department of the people’s government at or above the county level shall order cessation of the illegal act and may impose a fine.
Article 30 — Where a metrological supervisor or metrological verification personnel violates the provisions of this Law by engaging in malpractice for personal gain or neglect of duty, and the circumstances are serious and a crime is constituted, criminal liability shall be pursued in accordance with the law. Where a crime is not constituted, administrative sanctions shall be imposed.
Chapter VI — Supplementary Provisions
Article 31 — The specific measures for the implementation of this Law shall be formulated by the metrological administrative department under the State Council and shall enter into force upon approval by the State Council.
Article 32 — Where the Chinese People’s Liberation Army and the Chinese People’s Armed Police Force need to conduct metrological work within the military, the provisions of this Law shall apply in principle, and separate measures shall be formulated by the Central Military Commission.
Article 33 — This Law shall enter into force as of July 1, 1986. The Metrology Law of the People’s Republic of China adopted at the 12th Meeting of the Standing Committee of the Sixth National People’s Congress on September 6, 1985, shall enter into force as of July 1, 1986. This version incorporates the amendments adopted at the 10th Meeting of the Standing Committee of the Thirteenth National People’s Congress on April 23, 2019.
Disclaimer: This English translation is provided for reference purposes only. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, this is an unofficial translation. In the event of any discrepancy between this translation and the original Chinese text, the original Chinese version shall prevail. For legal matters, please consult the official Chinese text or seek professional legal advice. Neither the translator nor Dan Young Business Consultancy assumes any liability for reliance on this translation.
