Answer: When searching for what scale to purchase for your application, two of the most popular terms you will find is “legal-for-trade” and “NTEP approved.” Generally, in the United States a legal for trade scale must be NTEP approved, so all scales shown and listed on our website as legal for trade are NTEP approved. NTEP stands for National Type Evaluation Program, which is a non-profit corporation. Scales and other weighing equipment that are NTEP approved have been tested and evaluated to ensure they meet all government standards and requirements. In general, any person or business that buys, sells, or charges based upon weight within the United States must use a Legal-for-Trade scale.