Country Information

The Norwegian Metrology Service is a central governmental institution under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries, established in 1875.

Norwegian Metrology Service has the national responsibility in two main areas:

• Legal metrology
• National measurement standards 

Norwegian Metrology Service have the following mandate in the legal (regulated) area:

• Inspection and verification
• Approval of e-marking
• Preparing national regulation in the area of metrology

Norwegian Metrology Service offer the following services:

• Calibration against national standards
• Consultancy in metrology
• Courses, seminars and in-house training
• Research and development projects
• Services as a notified body for measuring instruments 

Norwegian Metrology Service tasks and responsibilities are based on the “Law on measurement units, measuring and standard time” (in Norwegian, lov om målenheter, måling og normaltid). The law has basically focus on the measurements, not just at the measuring instruments. The law states the need for regulations to be based on socio-economic analysis.

The Norwegian Metrology Service are divided into the following departments:

• Surveillance department
• The National Standards Laboratory
• Analyses and regulations
• Administration department
   

Surveillance department is responsible for legal metrology activities including marked surveillance and the inspection/verification of measuring instruments in use for trade. For legal metrology purpose, the country has 5 verification districts, with a local office in each district.

National Standard Laboratory is responsible for national measurement standards and offers the different services listed above. National Standard Laboratory is a designated notified body (no 0431) under MID and NAWI. There is no other Notified Body on these directives in Norway.

In Norway regulations in legal metrology apply to measuring as basis for trade transactions. The following instrument categories are under legal regulation:

• Automatic weighing instruments 
• Non-automatic weighing instruments 
• Dimensional Measuring instruments
• Systems for continuous and dynamic measuring of quantities of liquids other than water 
• Material measures of length
• Taximeters
• Water meters
• Thermal energy meters
• Gas exhausted meters 
• Electricity meters
• Measures of length
• Bottles used for measuring purpose 
• Measuring tanks

The purpose of legal metrology is to give confidence that measurement used as basis for trade transactions, are sufficiently accurate as given by the regulations. The surveillance department are doing inspections and verifications in accordance with the regulations. 

Inspections are carried out by risk assessment, by sampling or periodically. Inspections often includes testing the measurement accuracy. 

If the measurement if found to not be in accordance with the regulations it will result in a fee to the user of the instrument. 

If the discrepancy is not too serious, the owner of the instrument is given a proper time limit to bring the instrument in accordance with the regulations. If the discrepancy is serious the instrument is sealed to prevent further use, until the instrument is brought in accordance with the regulations within a proper time limit. Further economic sanctions may be applied.

The Directive is implemented in the national regulations.  

Gravity zones have been identified ranging from g = 9.818m/s2 for Kristiansand to g = 9.826 for Tromsø. Class I and II instruments being required to be verified on the site of use.

The directive is implemented under national regulations for the following instrument categories:

• Water meters
• Heat meters
• Electricity meters*
• Measuring systems for liquids other than water*
• Automatic weighing instruments*
• Material Measures (except capacity serving measures)*
• Dimensional measuring instruments (except area measuring instruments)*
• Exhaust gas analysers*
• Taximeters*
  (* also regulated under use)

Special requirements for use of specific accuracy classes for different applications do exist.

The directive is implemented under national regulations.

The National Standards Laboratory department is designated as a Notified Body (no 0431) under NAWI and most of the instruments/modules under MID. The designation is based on accreditation. There is no other Notified Body on these directives in Norway.

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Justervesenet

Visiting address
Fetveien 99
2007 Kjeller, Norway

Mail address
Postboks 170
2027 Kjeller, Norway

Phone: + 47 64 84 84 84
E-mail: postmottak@justervesenet.no
https://www.justervesenet.no/