The Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) in accordance with Section 28 of the Metrology Act (No. 10 of 2016), hereby informs all importers, distributors, and retailers of weighing and measuring instruments of the following requirements:

  1. All importers of weighing and measuring instruments into Malawi should first seek approval from the Malawi Bureau of Standards;
  2. Prospective importers are to furnish the Bureau with the following for preliminary approval prior to any importation:
    1. A Pattern Approval certificate of the weighing or measuring instrument unless otherwise exempted as per OIML requirements
    2. Copies of User manual and ,maintenance or instruction guide;
    3. Pictorial images of the front, side and top views and nameplate;
    4. Evidence of compliance to OIML standards including OIML R076 for Non-Automatic Weighing Instruments (NAWI).
  3. The importation, sale, and use of the following types of weighing instruments are strictly prohibited:
  4. Small face dial/chart spring scales or suspended weighers with a diameter of 17 cm or below.
  5. Spring scales (suspended or counter type) equipped with a hand-operated knob.
  6. Spring scales with a balancing range exceeding 1% of the instrument’s capacity.
  7. Tubular spring scales.
  8. Open beranger counter scales.
  9. Class IIII weighing instruments.
  10. Anyone selling Weighing and Measuring instruments should ensure that the instrument bears a seal or stamp of verification of the year of verification;
  11. All imports of weighing and measuring instruments will be handled under the MBS Import Quality Monitoring Scheme (IQMS)

The above applies to all weighing and measuring instruments used in trade, health, safety, environmental protection and regulatory control.

For more information, please contact:   The Director General

                                                                      Malawi Bureau of Standards

                                                                       P.O. Box 946, BLANTYRE.

                                                                       Email: mbs@mbsmw.org

                                                                       Tel: +265 887 376 444