First, ask the cashier to do a price check. The store should have an employee go to the aisle or display where you found the item and get the correct price. Stores aren’t permitted to charge you more than the price listed on the shelf or signage. If you already left the store, call a manager. Most businesses correct pricing errors immediately, but if you were overcharged, save your receipt and file a complaint with Weights and Measures.

Weights and Measures inspectors are state-certified and are required to take continuing education every year. Our inspectors follow strict testing procedures set by the National Institute of Standards and Technology for everything from testing jewelry scales to conducting store price sweeps. Every three years, the state inspects and certifies our testing equipment. When we test a device and determine it is accurate, we seal it internally so it can't be tampered with and put a dated County approval seal on the outside, so you'll know you can trust that device. We do not give stores advance notice of tests, so our tests reflect what a consumer would encounter.

When car manufacturers tell you the capacity of a vehicle's gas tank, it’s an approximation. A major manufacturer may buy fuel tanks from a variety of suppliers, so even gas tanks on the same models can vary. Our test measures –the equipment Weights and Measures inspectors use to test gas pumps –are certified as accurate. If you see our seal on a gas pump, it means we tested the pump using test measures and found the pump to be accurate at the time of the test. That said, pumps sometimes do go out of calibration. If you believe you were short-changed at a gas pump, get the pump number (it will be on the receipt) and file a complaint with Weights and Measures.

Weights and Measures inspectors generally conduct device tests once a year. But we retest devices that fail annual inspections, and we also retest devices in response to consumer complaints. We do not place our seal on a device until it passes a test. If a device fails and is overcharging consumers, our inspectors will wire it so that it can't be used until it's repaired or replaced.

Our approval seal signifies that a scale is legal for trade and was operating correctly at the time it was tested. Scales used in retail sales to consumers must have an indicator placed so the consumer can see the product’s weight. They also must be NTEP approved, meaning that they meet strict national standards. Scales should be set at “0” before any product is placed on them. If you encounter a scale that doesn’t appear to work or doesn’t have our seal, file a complaint with Weights and Measures.

Stores are not permitted to include the weight of the container or packaging, called “tare,” when they calculate the net weight. The net weight shown on the label should reflect only the weight of the food alone.

Octane ratings indicate a gasoline’s ability to resist ‘knocking’ or 'pinging.' Check your vehicle owner's manual to find the manufacturer’s recommended octane level for your car. Learn more about octane ratings from the U.S. Department of Energy.

Cuyahoga County does not test octane, but we do respond to complaints of water in gas and to reports of fuel mix-ups between gasoline and diesel. If you believe your car was affected by a delivery mix-up, contact Weights and Measures immediately.

No. The Division of Weights and Measures only tests devices at businesses that sell products or services to the general public. So while we test timed devices like dryers at laundromats, we generally don't test coin-operated dryers at apartment buildings.

Cuyahoga County Weights and Measures has jurisdiction over businesses in all municipalities in Cuyahoga County EXCEPT the city of Cleveland, which has its own Weights and Measures Bureau. Direct complaints about devices located in Cleveland to the city's Weights and Measures office at (216) 664-2260.