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County Licensing Program

Licensing Examinations For
COUNTY WEIGHTS AND MEASURES INSPECTOR

Separate exams are being offered for the following licenses:
WEIGHT VERIFICATION
MEASUREMENT VERIFICATION
TRANSACTION AND PRODUCT VERIFICATION

Application and Fees

Applications must be filed electronically at: https://apps1.cdfa.ca.gov/countylicensingexam/. A fee of $75.00 will be charged for the administration of each exam. Fees for all exams must be remitted with the electronic application via credit or debit card. Refunds will be issued to candidates not meeting minimum qualifications.

Examinations Locations

Exams will typically be administered at the office of the Agricultural Commissioner/Sealer of Weights and Measures in each respective county.

• Candidates employed by a County will take their exam(s) in their employing county.
• Candidates not employed by a County will take their exam(s) in the county in which they reside.
• If a candidate employed by a County wishes to take an exam outside of their employing county, approval must be obtained, prior to scheduling the exam, from both the employing County and the County in which the exam will be scheduled. Final approval must be obtained from the County Licensing Program.

Scheduling Online Examination

Please contact your county Proctor for examination availability in your county. Each county may administer examinations based on need and proctoring capacity, but no more frequently than every 30 days. Candidates must wait 30 days to retake any examination that was attempted, but not passed.

All first-time applicants, if they have not done so, must submit their transcripts and be approved to take our exams before scheduling their online exam with their proctor.

All inspector examinations will be offered online. Candidates wishing to take an examination on paper must contact the County Licensing Program to request a reasonable accommodation and be approved by CDFA before scheduling their examination.

Minimum Qualifications

Candidates must qualify under at least one of the following criteria to be admitted to the exam:

1. Possession of one or more valid statewide specific category licenses as a County Weights and Measures Inspector or County Agricultural Inspector/Biologist; or
2. Possession of a Bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year college with specialization in one or more of the qualifying disciplines listed below; or
3. Possession of a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college in any discipline with a minimum of 30 semester units, or equivalent, in one or any combination of the qualifying disciplines listed below.

Qualifying disciplines:

• Chemical Science
• Commerce
• Engineering
• Law Enforcement
• Marketing
• Mathematics
• Physical Science
• Physics, and/or
• Statistics

Candidates registered as senior students, in an accredited four-year college, in one of the qualifying disciplines listed above may be admitted to the exam; however, a license will not be issued until proof of graduation is provided by the applicant.

Provided the candidate possesses a minimum of 30 semester units, or equivalent, in one or any combination of qualifying disciplines listed above, experience in one or more of the following may be substituted for up to two years of college on a year-for-year basis:

• Enforcement of weights and measures or agricultural laws,
• The inspection, maintenance, repair or installation of weighing or measuring instruments or equipment,
• Consumer protection or resolution of consumer complaints in a public or private consumer affairs agency,
• Law enforcement or investigation work in a federal, state or local jurisdiction, or
• Responsible quality or quantity control work in the production of consumer commodities. This experience must have been at a level comparable to that of a county weights and measure inspector or agricultural inspector/biologist.

Candidates qualifying under method (2) or (3) above, must submit copies of their qualifying degree and/or transcripts. Degrees and transcripts should be scanned and e mailed to the County Licensing Program at cdfa.county_exams@cdfa.ca.gov

• Approved Degrees and Units

Examination Information and Scope

No personal effects, including cell phones, calculators, purses, backpacks, and study materials will be allowed in the examination room, and should be stored in a secure location prior to arriving for testing. Electronic calculators are now provided as part of the online examinations.

All exams will consist of multiple-choice questions testing the candidate’s knowledge of applicable subject matter as indicated below. Separate exams are given for each subject area.

Weight Verification

• Inspecting and testing various types of retail, industrial, farm and specialty scales for accuracy within established tolerance limits and for compliance with specifications and use requirements.
• Auditing of weighmaster operations and records for compliance with California codes and complaint investigation
• Investigative techniques.

Measurement Verification

• Inspecting and testing of various types of liquid measuring devices for petroleum products, chemical, water and fertilizers; grain moisture measuring devices, taximeters, compartments and tanks used as volume measures, linear and volumetric measures, and timing devices.
• Inspecting and testing electric watt hour measuring devices, principles of electricity, and electrical safety.
• Inspecting and testing of devices used to measure the quantity dispensed of liquefied petroleum gas in the vapor or liquid states, natural gas, and cryogenic fluids such as liquid nitrogen and oxygen. The measuring devices are located in locations such as mobile home parks, apartments, retail service stations and distribution centers.
• Investigative techniques.

Transaction and Product Verification

• Inspecting and testing of packaged goods for proper weights, measure, or count, using statistical sampling procedures labeling requirements;
• Method of sale of specific products.
• Inspection of petroleum products for compliance with advertising, labeling, registration, minimum quality requirements as well as product integrity; and complaint investigation
• Investigative techniques.

Suggested reading lists and study topics, specific to each exam, are available on CDFA’s “County Relations” website online at http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/exec/county/County_Liaison.html by clicking on the “Exams” link.

Licenses

A minimum rating of 70 percent must be achieved on each exam for a passing score. Upon passing an exam, a license of eligibility will be issued to the candidate. Licenses are valid for five (5) years unless revoked.

California law requires all county employees working in the capacity of Weights and Measures Inspector to possess licenses demonstrating job proficiency. While the CDFA is tasked with overseeing the testing and licensing of potential candidates, each county is responsible for hiring and determining the qualifications of its own employees. To be hired, candidates must qualify for the licenses of eligibility exams and meet all requirements of the hiring county. Counties may require additional experience or education beyond that of the licensing exam requirements.

Expiring licenses may be renewed, at the request of the license holder, without further examination if the holder is employed in any county agricultural or weights and measures position, with the California Department of Food and Agriculture, or with the California Department of Pesticide Regulation. A holder of a license of eligibility who is not employed in one of the above capacities, but who otherwise meets the minimum license qualifications, may apply to renew the license prior to its expiration upon passing a requalifying exam.

Reasonable Accommodation

If you need a reasonable accommodation, please reach out to the County Licensing Program, at cdfa.county_exams@cdfa.ca.gov, four weeks before the registration period ends to request such an accommodation for your examination.

Right of Appeal

Exam results may be appealed within thirty (30) days after the Notice of Exam Results has been sent to the candidate. Appeals must be in writing and addressed to the Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, 1220 "N" Street, Sacramento, CA 95814. To be considered, appeals must include the exam title, date of exam, and basis of appeal. Written examination material will not be made available for review.

For questions or assistance regarding licensing exams, please contact the
 CDFA County Licensing Program at
cdfa.county_exams@cdfa.ca.gov  or 916-653-5866