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LPG cylinder weight: how to check a 14.2 kg or 19 kg cylinder at delivery
To check LPG cylinder weight, put the full cylinder on a scale, subtract the tare weight marked on the cylinder [4], and compare the result with the declared 14.2 kg or 19 kg [1, 2]. Indian packaging rules set a maximum permissible error (MPE) of 150 g for a 14.2 kg cylinder and 1.0% for packages above 15 kg, which is 190 g for a 19 kg cylinder [3].
On 1 October 2026, the price of a 19 kg commercial LPG cylinder in Delhi rose by ₹62.50 to ₹2,810, while the 14.2 kg domestic cylinder stayed at ₹942 [1, 2]. The same Delhi prices were still listed on 19 October 2026 [1].
How do you check LPG cylinder weight at delivery?
Weigh the full cylinder and subtract its tare. The tare weight and net weight are displayed on the cylinder, and a Goa government advisory of 4 July 2025 asks consumers to have the cylinder weighed in their presence and to cross-check these figures on a scale of ±10 g accuracy, which it says is available with the delivery vehicle [4].
- Ask the delivery person to weigh the cylinder in front of you before you accept it [4].
- Refuse a cylinder with a broken, tampered or loose safety seal, as the Goa advisory says [4].
- Read the tare weight marked on the cylinder and note the scale reading [4].
- Subtract the tare from the reading. The answer is the gas inside.
- Compare that figure with 14.2 kg or 19 kg, using the MPE in the table further down [3].
In the drawing, a 29.40 kg reading minus an assumed 15.30 kg tare leaves 14.10 kg of gas, 100 g under 14.2 kg and within the 150 g MPE [3]. Use the tare marked on your own cylinder.
What is the maximum permissible error on an LPG cylinder?
The First Schedule of the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 sets the maximum permissible error on a net quantity according to the declared amount [3]. A 14.2 kg domestic cylinder falls in the 10,000 to 15,000 g band, and a 19 kg commercial cylinder falls in the band above 15,000 g [3]. Under rule 19(6), a lot of packages is approved for sale if, among other conditions, the corrected average net quantity of the samples is equal to or more than the declared quantity [3]. Under rule 21(4), a package found short by no more than the MPE may be sold at a price based on the quantity found on the test [3].
| Cylinder | Band in Table I | Maximum permissible error | Net gas at the MPE boundary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14.2 kg domestic | 10,000 to 15,000 g [3] | 150 g [3] | 14.05 kg |
| 19 kg commercial | More than 15,000 g [3] | 1.0% [3], which is 190 g | 18.81 kg |
Under rule 18(8), the marketing companies, manufacturers, packers, importers and distributors of LPG cylinders must keep a check weigher or non-automatic weighing instrument of accuracy class III, with a maximum of 50 kg and e = 10 g, and must provide it to the delivery man to weigh the cylinder [3].
What does a short LPG cylinder cost at Delhi prices of 1 October 2026?
Divide the cylinder price by its declared net weight, then multiply by the weight missing. The Delhi prices from 1 October 2026 give these figures [1, 2].
Cost of missing gas = (cylinder price ÷ declared net kg) × kg missing
| Cylinder (Delhi price) | Price per kg of gas | Short by the MPE | Short by 500 g |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14.2 kg domestic (₹942) | ₹66.34 | 150 g = ₹9.95 | ₹33.17 |
| 19 kg commercial (₹2,810) | ₹147.89 | 190 g = ₹28.10 | ₹73.95 |
A 19 kg cylinder with less than 18.81 kg of gas, or a 14.2 kg cylinder with less than 14.05 kg, is short by more than the MPE. The Goa advisory asks consumers to report underweight cylinders to its civil supplies department [4].
Which scale should a kitchen or LPG distributor use for cylinders?
Choose a scale whose capacity is above the full cylinder (tare plus gas) and that carries a valid Legal Metrology stamp. For the check weigher that distributors give to delivery staff, rule 18(8) names accuracy class III with a maximum of 50 kg and a verification scale interval e = 10 g [3]. Before you buy for that duty, ask the seller to confirm the approved accuracy class, maximum and e of the exact model and configuration.
HSCo states that every new HSCo scale ships with one year of Legal Metrology stamping [8]. Read what government stamping means.
Which HSCo scales should you compare for LPG cylinder checks?
Hindustan Scale Company (HSCo) makes the scales below, and each product page states that the scale is stamped by the Legal Metrology department [5, 6, 7]. Confirm capacity, accuracy class and e with us before you order.
See our white paper on doorstep cylinder weighing and our oil and gas industry page. Tell us which cylinder sizes you handle and how many a day: call +91-7045922250 or write to hsc@hindustanscale.com.
Frequently asked questions
What is the tare weight of an LPG cylinder?
The tare weight of an LPG cylinder is the weight of the empty cylinder, and it is marked on the cylinder along with the net weight of gas [4]. Read the tare on the cylinder delivered to you, not a figure from an earlier one. Subtract that tare from the scale reading to find how much LPG the cylinder holds.
Can I ask the delivery person to weigh my LPG cylinder?
Yes. Under rule 18(8) of the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011, LPG distributors must keep a class III check weigher and provide it to the delivery man to weigh the cylinder [3]. A Goa government advisory of 4 July 2025 also tells consumers to have the LPG cylinder weighed in their presence at the time of delivery [4].
What is the maximum permissible error on a 14.2 kg LPG cylinder?
The maximum permissible error (MPE) on a 14.2 kg LPG cylinder is 150 g, the figure the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 set for declared quantities from 10,000 to 15,000 g [3]. A cylinder with less than 14.05 kg of gas is short by more than that. Rule 19(6) also requires the corrected average net quantity of the sample packages to equal or exceed the declared net quantity, alongside other conditions [3].
How accurate should a scale for weighing LPG cylinders be?
For LPG distributors, rule 18(8) of the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 names a check weigher of accuracy class III with a 50 kg maximum and e = 10 g [3]. The Goa consumer advisory of 4 July 2025 refers to a scale of ±10 g accuracy carried with the delivery vehicle [4].
Sources
- Business Today, “LPG, CNG, PNG prices today (October 19): Check latest rates in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, other cities” (businesstoday.in, 19 October 2026).
- Dynamite News, “LPG Price Hike Today: Commercial Cylinder Gets Rs 70+ Costlier in Some Cities, Domestic Rate Unchanged” (dynamitenews.com, 1 October 2026).
- Department of Consumer Affairs, Government of India, “Book on Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 (undated departmental compilation): rules 18(8), 19(6), 21(4) and First Schedule, Table I” (consumeraffairs.gov.in). Undated compilation; later amendments are listed separately by the department
- Department of Information & Publicity, Government of Goa, “Advisory to LPG consumers” (goa.gov.in, 4 July 2025). Release of an advisory from the Department of Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Panaji
- Hindustan Scale Company, “PLSSS Electronic Platform Scale – 50 to 300 kg, Stainless Steel Platform” (hindustanscale.com).
- Hindustan Scale Company, “CRSS50 Electronic Hanging Scale – 50 kg × 5 g, Die-cast Body” (hindustanscale.com).
- Hindustan Scale Company, “CRSB100 Electronic Hanging Scale – 100 kg × 10 g, Die-Cast Body, Dual Display” (hindustanscale.com).
- Hindustan Scale Company, “What Is Government Stamping And Why Is It So Important?” (hindustanscale.com, 14 April 2021). First published 14 April 2021; the page also shows an update date of 28 September 2026