Before applying

Ensure you meet the requirements

You must satisfy the requirements of the Weights and Measures Regulations 1999(external link)

Regulation 17

1. The requirements that must be met by an applicant for accreditation are that the applicant:
1. Operate a Quality Management System that complies with the requirements set out in Schedule 7(external link) and
2. In the case of a natural person, is not:
1. A bankrupt who has not obtained a final order of discharge, or whose order of discharge has been suspended for a term not yet expired, or is subject to a condition not yet fulfilled; or
2. A person to whom an order made under section 299 of the Insolvency Act 2006(external link) applies; or
3. A person who is subject to a property order made under section 30(external link) or section 31(external link) of the Protection of Personal and Property Rights Act 1988; or
4. A person who is disqualified under section 383 of the Companies Act 1993(external link) from being a director of a company; or
5. A person in respect of whom a composition or arrangement with that person's creditors is in force; and
3. In the case of a legal person, is not:
1. Insolvent; or
2. Being wound up; or
3. In liquidation; or
4. In receivership; or
5. Subject to statutory management under the Corporations (Investigation and Management) Act 1989(external link)
2. An application for accreditation as an accredited person must be accompanied by:
1. A written document detailing the quality management system that will be operated by the applicant; and
2. A report, prepared by a competent organisation, that contains an assessment of the ability of the applicant to implement that quality management system; and
3. Details of every conviction (if any) under the Act or these regulations of the applicant and, where the applicant is not a natural person, of every natural person whom the applicant proposes will exercise or perform the powers, duties, and functions of an accredited person on behalf of the applicant, including:
1. The offence of which the person was convicted; and
2. The date and place of the conviction; and
3. The penalty imposed.

Accreditation scheme

The accreditation scheme has been available for participation since 1 July 1991 and any person can apply to become an Accredited Person. The guidance on this website provides information and advice on the following:

• Role of Trading Standards
• Appointment of Accredited Persons
• Responsibilities of Accredited Persons
• Applying a Mark of Verification
• Issuing a Certificate of Accuracy
• Issuing a Notice of Non-Compliance
• Application process
• Conditions of accreditation
• Maintaining accreditation
• Extensions to accreditation
• Renewal of accreditation
• Revocation, suspension and amendments to accreditation

Resources

Accreditation categories gives an overview of the types of instruments that you can apply to be accredited for, and the resources you will need to carry out your duties as an Accredited Person..

Documentation

The following Regulations of the Weights and Measures Regulations 1999 provide information about the requirements you will need to meet and the documentation you will have to create to become an Accredited Person:

• Regulation 16(external link) states:
• who can be an Accredited Person,
• requirements for a Quality Manual,
• unique identifier, and
• prescribes the format of the forms and labels.
• Schedule 7(external link) of the Regulations provides the requirements for an organisations quality management system.

Trading Standards has developed a ‘Model Quality Management System’ that you can use as a basis for creating your own:

Model Quality Management System [DOCX, 278 KB]

The Technical Policies developed by Trading Standards should be incorporated into your Quality Management System and be included in the relevant associated documents, ie. training resources, test procedures and test sheets etc.

Technical policies

Note: Trading Standards require the Quality Management System to be in electronic format.