Botswana - Certificate of Approval of Weighing and Measuring (Pattern Approval)

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Procedure

Apply In Person

1. The application to obtain a Certificate of Approval of Weighing and Measuring (Pattern Approval) also known as certificate of competency, shall be made to the Botswana Bureau of Standards (BOBS) office. The BOBS Contact Details are listed under the “Office Location & Contact” of this page.
2. The applicant shall make the application in writing as determined by BOBS Director.
3. The Application letter should be addressed to the Director and indicating the model number of the equipment being submitted shall be accompanied by the supporting documentation as mentioned under the “Required Documents” section of this page, should also be submitted to the BOBS Controller office. Any omission of the required information and documents will render the application process incomplete.
4. Upon receipt of the application, the BOBS Controller will check for discrepancies or ineligibility in the application documents. If a discrepancy that cannot be immediately corrected exists in any of the documents, the application and all the submitted documents will be returned to the applicant and should not be re-submitted until the discrepancy has been corrected.
5. If the BOBS Controller, is satisfied that all the requirements have been met for the application for the license, the application is registered for processing and consideration.
6. Applicants will be required to pay a prescribed fee, which is payable by depositing it into the BOBS account, applicants are issued with a BOBS payment slip and an acknowledgment slip as proof of submission of the application and for inquiry referencing if the need arises.
7. The BOBS Controller may request additional information relevant to the application. In such a case, the information must be submitted within the stipulated time from the date of notification. Where the applicant fails to submit the required information, the BOBS Controllershall reject the application.
8. The BOBS Controller will authorize examination on the weighing or measuring instrument in the manner as he thinks fit the suitability for use for trade of instruments of that pattern, regarding in particular to the principle, materials and methods used or proposed to be used in its construction.
9. If the Controller is satisfied that weighing or measuring instrument is suitable for use for trade then he issues a certificate of approval of that pattern and may from time to time thereafter authorize modifications as he may think fit.
10. Where a person submits a pattern of a weighing or measuring instrument to the Controller, the Controllermay require the person to deposit with him the weighing or measuring instrument or parts of that pattern or model of such weighing or measuring instrument together with drawings of such weighing or measuring instrument or parts thereof.
11. Notice of the decision (Approval, Deferral, or Rejection) for the application will be communicated to the applicant in writing or by phone.
12. While collecting the certificate, the applicant will be required to produce their identification document, approval letter/ acknowledgment slip to be validated by the BOBS Licensing officer and pay a prescribed certificate fee.
13. The certificate of approval granted shall be subjected to conditions as the BOB Director/ Controller may specify in the certificate of approval; and if any person, knowing that such a condition has been imposed with respect to any weighing or measuring instrument, uses or causes or permits any other person to use the same in contravention of that condition he shall be guilty of an offence, and the weighing or measuring instrument shall be liable to be forfeited.

Appeal to the Minister.

1. Any person aggrieved by a decision of the Controller under these Regulations may appeal to the Minister whose decision shall be final.

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Required Documents

• Application letter addressed to the Director and indicating the model number of the equipment being submitted
• If the equipment is imported, certificate of approval/conformity of the equipment from the country of origin issued by the manufacturer of the equipment
• Original technical user/operation manuals/brochures of the equipment being submitted for approval.
• Proof of payment of the appropriate approval fees.
• Valid identification document.
• Any other document that the approving authority may reasonably request.

Office Locations & Contacts

Botswana Bureau of Standards (BOBS)
BOBS HEAD OFFICE
Physical address:Plot No. 55745,
Block 8, Main Airport Road.
Gaborone,Botswana.

Postal Address
Private Bag B0 48, Gaborone,
Botswana.
Tel: (+267) 3903200
Fax: (+267) 3903120
Toll Free Number: (0800 600 900)
E-mail: [email protected]

BOBS FRANCISTOWN OFFICE
Physical address: Plot 32367Donga,
adjacent Metsef Wholesalers
Francistown

Botswana.

Postal address:
Private Bag F465,
Francistown
Botswana
Switchboard: 2416233
Fax: 2416251

Eligibility

• Any person, aged 18 years or over who own a Weighing and measuring instrument.
• Measuring instrument: includes every instrument for the measurement of length, area, volume, capacity and gauge.
• Weighing instrument: includes all instruments constructed to calculate and indicate prices, compute wages, count or grade articles by use of weighing principles, together with all weights and counterpoises belonging thereto.
• Weighing or measuring equipment: includes a weight, measure or a weighing or measuring instrument.

Fees

• Please consult with the Botswana Bureau of Standards (BOBS) office.

Validity

• A certificate of competency shall be valid for one year, and it shall remain valid for that period of time, unless cancelled or suspended or revoked by the authority.
• Upon expiring the certificate is subjected to renewal.

Documents to Use

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Sample Documents

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Processing Time

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Related Videos

Videos explaining the procedure or to fill the applications.
Attach videos using the following tag <&video type='website'>video ID|width|height<&/video&>
from external websites.
Please remove the '&' inside the tags during implementation.
Website = allocine, blip, dailymotion, facebook, gametrailers, googlevideo, html5, metacafe, myspace, revver,
sevenload, viddler, vimeo, youku, youtube
width = 560, height = 340, Video ID = Can be obtained from the URL of webpage where the video is displayed.
e.g In the following url 'http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0US7oR_t3M' Video ID is 'Y0US7oR_t3M'.

Instructions

Please provide other instructions related to the certificate/documents.
e.g. The state office holds birth records since january 1908.

Required Information

• Name of the applicant
• Weighing or measuring instrument submitted
• Maximum capacity
• Minimum capacity
• Contact details
• Verification scale interval
• Declaration by the applicant (signature/date of application)

Need for the Document

• No person shall use or have in his possession for the purposes of trade any weighing or measuring instruments, weights, measures or containers other than those of the metric system of weights and measures unless certified by the Botswana Bureau of Standards (BOBS).

Information which might help

• In Pattern/Type approval, one equipment of the same pattern is subjected to vigorous tests with the object of ensuring that the instrument will be able to maintain its accuracy and other metrological qualities and characteristics such as sensitivity, repeatability, durability, etc. for a prolonged period, and under varied conditions, of use. It also ensures that such equipment conform to the general specifications laid down in the Weights and Measures Act and that it is not of a type which could be easily manipulated or altered to permit fraudulent use.
• Initial verification means the verification of a new weighing or measuring equipment before it is sold or brought into trade use. Under the law, every such equipment is required to be duly verified and stamped before being released for sale.

Other uses of the Document/Certificate

Please explain what are other uses of obtaining this document/certificate.
e.g. Birth Certificate can be used as proof of identity.

External Links

Weights and Measures Regulations Act

Others

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