Overview
The Weights and Measures Service (also known as Legal Metrology Service) in Kenya was started in 1912 with the enactment of the first Weights and Measures Act. The service was then under the Commissioner of Police but due to lack of technically qualified personnel in the Police Force, it was mainly concerned with inspection of weighing and measuring equipment used in trading activities to ensure that the equipment was stamped.
Other technical aspects of the service such as maintenance of standards and testing the weighing and measuring equipment for accuracy were not therefore effectively done at the time.

In 1928, the need for officers who were technically qualified in the weights and measures field led to the creation of a separate unit in the Police Force headed by a qualified Inspector of Weights and Measures from Britain who was then designated as Deputy Inspector within the Force. He had four other qualified inspectors from Britain and the constabulary provided the back-up. As the use of more sophisticated and varied types of weighing and measuring equipment gradually increased, it became eminent that the persons charged with the responsibility of administering weights and measures needed special professional training in the measurement field and other related matters. This kind of training was not possible under the Police force and the Unit was therefore divorced from the Police in 1951 to become a fully-fledged Department of Weights and Measures under the then Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

Today, the Department has grown both in structure and scope to encompass a wider area in the measurement field than hitherto, such as the field of measurements needed for ensuring public health and human safety as well as introducing other areas of consumer protection and fair trade practices.

VISION
“To be an excellent provider of legal metrology services”.

MISSION
“To ensure the use of accurate weighing and measuring equipment, encouraging fair trade practices and protecting the consumer in order to enhance socio-economic development of the country.

Mandate

• Ensuring fair trade practices
• Ensuring use of accurate weighing and measuring equipment in trade
• Consumer protection

Objectives

• Ensuring uniformity of all measurements in trade.
• Ensure  use of accurate weighing and measuring equipment.
• Promote fair trade practices.
• Ensure consumer protection.

Trade/Business Equipments
The Weights and Measures Department recommends that traders, manufactures, producers use weighing and measuring equipment that has been approved, verified and stamped; as suitable for trade use.

Categories of such equipment:-

• Equipment for dispensing liquid petroleum products in retail quantities: a) Fixed dispensers at petrol stations and carbide facilities b) Mobile dispensers mounted on fuel delivery vehicles
• Equipment for bulk delivery of liquid petroleum products: a) Mobile bulk dispensers commonly used at airports to fuel aircrafts. b) Fixed bulk dispensers used at fund deports to fuel bulk measures mounted on vehicles (Road or rail Tankers)
• Equipment used in the tea Industry. a) Weighing machines for green tea leaves b) Weighing machines in the processing fee factories.   
• Equipment used in the cereals Industry.
• Equipment used in the Sugar Industry.
• Equipment used in the cements, building and construction Industry.
• Equipment used in the shipping Industry.
• Equipment used for packing fertilizers.
• Equipment used in the fishing Industry.
• Equipment used in the coffee Industry.
• Equipment used in the Meat Industry.
• Equipment used in the horticultural and floral Industry.
• Equipment used general retail, grocery and supermarket outlets.
• Equipment used in School, Colleges etc. for scientific and research purpose.
• Equipment used in the Milk Industry.
• Equipment used for factory use only.
• Equipment used in the baking and confectionery Industry.
• Equipment used for pharmaceutical and apothecary purposes.
• Equipment used in determination of axle loads.