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Commercial weighing device / point-of-sale registration: San Francisco restaurant guide

SF Environmental Health — Weights & Measures

What it is

Any scale or point-of-sale scanner that calculates a price charged to consumers (by-the-pound counters, retail bakery scales, POS price scanners) must be registered annually and is inspected without notice.

When a restaurant needs it

Selling food by weight or scanning priced packaged goods; scales used only for recipe estimation are exempt.

How to apply

After business registration, submit the device registration form by email or mail to Environmental Health (49 South Van Ness, Suite 600) and pay the bill sent by the Treasurer & Tax Collector.

Documents you’ll need

Fee
Annual device fee + location fee + administrative fee (and inspection fee if a re-inspection is needed) — see the EH fee schedule; late fees after 30 days
Processing time
Billing after registration; annual unscheduled inspection
Renewal
Annually per device; registrations are not transferable
Who files
The business registers its own devices.

Good to know

Only applies if a device sets the price (e.g. a deli counter or salad-by-the-pound); most table-service restaurants do not need it.

Official source

SF — register your commercial weighing device or POS station

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Last reviewed 2026-10-06. Guidance only, not legal advice.