Rules 25 and 26 explained: this guide covers what it means, who it applies to, the step-by-step process, documents required, fees, due dates and penalties in India — so you can stay compliant with confidence and avoid costly mistakes.
Rule 25 points to the Twelfth Schedule for the fees charged for services under the Rules. Rule 26 lets a manufacturer add a regional language to the legends on a weight or measure. Both rules are short, and the main thing to know about rule 25 is that the fee table is a short list of services, some of which are charged by reference to other rules. A legal consultation can help you find the current fee for the service you need.
Rule 25: the scale of fees for the services listed in column (2) of the Twelfth Schedule is the rate in column (3). The Twelfth Schedule lists six services: approval of model, verification and stamping, copies of documents, importer registration or renewal, and two kinds of appeal. Rule 26: any legend or denomination the Schedules require on a weight or measure in English or Devanagari may also be shown in a regional language the manufacturer thinks practicable. State fees for licences and verification are set by State rules, not by this Schedule.
Rule 25: the scale of fee
The text reads: "The scale of fees to be collected for the service specified in column (2) of Twelfth Schedule shall be at the rate specified in column 3 of the said Schedule."
The Twelfth Schedule is headed "Scale of fee" (marked "See Rule 25"). It is a table with a serial number, column (2) listing the service and column (3) giving the rate. The fee is fixed by the Schedule, not by the officer's discretion, and the rule covers "fees to be collected" for the listed services, which is wider than a single application.
The scan shows six services, numbered 1 to 6:
| No. | Service in column (2) | What the scan shows for the rate in column (3) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Approval of model | At the rates specified in the Legal Metrology (Approval of Model) Rules, 2011, subject to the condition that the total fee so charged is not more than Rs. 10,000 |
| 2 | Verification and stamping of any type of weights and measures | The rate wording is broken in the scan; it refers to the weights and measures specified in the General Rules, 2011 and carries a total-fee ceiling of Rs. 5,000. Check the full wording in the official text |
| 3 | Issue of a copy of any document, not being a document of a confidential nature | At the rate of Rs. 10 for every 100 words or part thereof |
| 4 | Registration or renewal of registration of any person as an importer | See note below |
| 5 | Application fee for preferring any appeal under the Act to the Director or Controller | See note below |
| 6 | Application fee for preferring any appeal under the Act to the Central or State Government | See note below |
Note on rows 4 to 6: the scan prints three rupee amounts, Rs. 500, Rs. 100 and Rs. 200, in the rate column after the copy-of-document rate. Because the service names and the amounts are scanned in separate blocks, we have not matched each amount to its row. Read the official Schedule to see which amount goes with the importer fee and which with each appeal.
Two cautions. First, the verification and stamping row in the central Schedule sits beside State fee rules (see below), so your State may charge a different fee; States may have revised fees under their own Legal Metrology (Enforcement) Rules, and the 2011 central schedule may since have been amended. Second, never quote a fee from a secondary article, including this one; ask for the current notified Schedule.
Where the General Rules refer to fees
Several rules elsewhere in the General Rules mention fees. They show how the Twelfth Schedule and the separate fees work together.
| Rule | Service | What the text says about the fee |
|---|---|---|
| 15(4) | Application for registration as importer | To be submitted "together with the fee specified in Twelfth Schedule" at least one month before the proposed import (row 4 of the Schedule) |
| 15(6) | Renewal of importer registration | "on payment of the prescribed fee" |
| 16(3) | Permission to make non-standard weights or measures for export | A fee of rupees five hundred, stated in the rule itself |
| 16(5) | Renewal of that permission | A "like fee" |
| 20(3) | Sample checking of non-standard goods for export | Equal to the verification and stamping fee of a similar standard item, or an amount the Central Government specifies, commensurate with the labour involved |
Read with our articles on rule 15, rules 16 to 18 and rules 19 and 20. Notice that some fees are fixed inside the rule (rule 16(3)), some are taken from the Schedule (rule 15(4)), and some are worked out by a formula (rule 20(3)). A rule that says "the prescribed fee" without an amount, such as 15(6), relies on a fee stated somewhere else.
Fees set by States
The General Rules are central rules made under the Act's section 52. The Act gives each State separate power under section 53 to make rules on, among other things, the form, manner, conditions, period, area of jurisdiction and fees for issuing a licence under section 23(2), the fee for verification and stamping under section 24(1), the fee and manner for Government approved Test Centres under section 24(3), and the fee for compounding under section 48(1). Those fees are found in State rules, which are not in our sources and which we do not describe. If you want to know what your State charges for a dealer's licence, verification or compounding, read the State's rules or ask the Controller's office. See also our guide on Legal Metrology registration fees and government charges.
Rule 26: use of regional languages
The heading is "Use of regional languages". The text: "Any legend or denomination specified in any Schedule to these rules, which is required to be indicated on any weight or measure in English, or in Devanagri script, may also be indicated (in addition to English or Devanagri) on such weight or measure in such regional language as the manufacturer may consider to be practicable."
Points to note:
- Scope. It concerns legends and denominations that a Schedule requires on a weight or measure. It is not about declarations on packaged goods, which are dealt with in the Packaged Commodities Rules.
- Addition, not substitution. The regional language is "in addition to" English or Devanagari. The required legend must still appear in English or Devanagari.
- The manufacturer chooses. The language is one "the manufacturer may consider to be practicable". The rule does not require any particular language, and it does not require a regional language at all.
- Cross-reference in the Schedules. The Schedules themselves contain notes that certain words or abbreviations may be indicated in the regional script; for example, the notes to the length measure and tape measure specifications. Rule 26 is the general rule behind those notes.
Rule 26 must not be confused with rule 28(1)(b), which requires a legal metrology officer to be able to speak, read and write the regional language of the State; see our article on rule 28.
Examples
Example 1: a weight maker in Tamil Nadu. A manufacturer stamps the denomination on a weight in English as the Schedule requires, and adds the Tamil form beside it. Rule 26 allows the addition. Leaving out the English legend would not comply.
Example 2: fee enquiry. A dealer wants to know the fee for having his scale checked. Row 2 of the Twelfth Schedule covers verification and stamping, but its wording is not fully legible in the scan, and verification fees for a State's licensing and stamping are set under section 53(2)(d) by State rules. He should ask the Controller's office for the current rate.
Common mistakes
- Quoting an old or second-hand fee amount.
- Treating rule 26 as permission to drop English or Devanagari.
- Mixing up the Twelfth Schedule fees with State fees.
- Assuming rule 26 covers package labels.
Need help finding the right fee or format?
If you need to work out which fee applies to a registration, permission or verification, or how to mark your weights and measures, a legal consultation lets us check the notified Schedule and your State's rules with you.
Key takeaways
- Rule 25 sends service fees to the Twelfth Schedule, column (2) for the service and column (3) for the rate.
- The Schedule lists six services; only the copy fee (Rs. 10 per 100 words or part) and the Rs. 10,000 ceiling on model approval fees are clearly tied to a row in our scan, so read the rest in the official text.
- Some fees are fixed in the rules themselves, such as rupees five hundred in rule 16(3).
- State fees are set by State rules under section 53.
- Rule 26 allows a regional language in addition to English or Devanagari on legends required by a Schedule.
Read next
- Legal Metrology (LMPC) Registration Fees and Government Charges
- Rule 15 of the Legal Metrology (General) Rules, 2011: Registration of importer and the Tenth Schedule
- Rule 24 of the Legal Metrology (General) Rules, 2011: Registers and the Eleventh Schedule
- Rule 27 of the Legal Metrology (General) Rules, 2011: Periodical verification of weights and measures
Disclaimer: Based on the Legal Metrology (General) Rules, 2011 (G.S.R. 11(E), 7 February 2011) as notified in 2011, read with the Legal Metrology Act, 2009 (Act 1 of 2010), the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023 (in force) and the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026 (in force only from the date the Central Government notifies), as on 30 September 2026. The Schedule text is the 2011 notification; later amendments, State Legal Metrology rules and notifications change; verify the current position before acting.