The preferred method of payment is by the exporter directly to APHIS through the Phytosanitary Certificate Issuance Tracking (PCIT) system. If the exporter does not have a PCIT account or if the State or County is not using PCIT, then the burden of collecting the Administrative Fee from the exporter and remitting it to APHIS would fall directly on the State or County issuing the Federal export certificate and must occur monthly.

PCIT has the capability to:

Provide States and Counties a more efficient and cost-effective means of collecting and tracking certificates issued than does the four-part paper certificate.

Assist in developing an accurate balance sheet for the organization.

Provide various reports that can be utilized by both government and industry.

Assist in getting held shipments released in a foreign country in a more timely manner.

There are several ways to access Permit/Operator ID and PUR data:

Data may be downloaded directly from our site.

You may access physical permits and paper-submitted PURs by completing an Information Request and scheduling an appointment with our office.

If you are a currently registered permittee, PCM, or PCA you may enroll in online access to your permit and use report data by filling out the request form available from this page.

The Department will send a letter to all current permit holders announcing the dates for renewing your permit. Follow the instructions in the letter, or if you do not receive a letter, phone our office after December 1st to schedule your appointment. You must schedule an appointment to renew your permit.

The first thing to do is to get as much information as possible. Know the pump number, the grade of gas, the checkstand number, the aisle number where the item is located, the address of the establishment, and any other information you think might be pertinent. Call our office with this information at (661) 868-6300 or e-mail Manuel Villacaña at villicam@co.kern.ca.us for assistance. We would like to have your address and daytime phone number. However, you may remain anonymous if you wish. Complaints are vital to our department. We take all complaints very seriously, and we respond to these as quickly as we can.

Address all payment and correspondence to:

Kern County Department of Agriculture and Measurement Standards
1001 South Mount Vernon Avenue
Bakersfield, CA 93307
Phone: (661)868-6300
Fax: (661)868-6301
TTY Relay: (800)735-2929
Payment to the Weights and Measures division should be made out to: Kern County Department of Agriculture.

Yes. The capacity of your gasoline tank found in your owners manual is only an estimate. The actual volume it holds can be higher or lower than the stated capacity. If you still feel that you are being cheated, contact our office to file a complaint.

We inspect these annually. To determine if we have certified the device look for a current Weights and Measures seal.

128 cubic feet. Stack your wood neatly by placing the wood in a row, with the pieces touching and parallel to each other, and with as few gaps as possible. Multiply the length times the width times the height of the stack. If this equals 128 cubic feet, then you have a cord of wood. Common measurements of a cord of wood are 8 feet by 4 feet by 4 feet and 16 feet by 2 feet by 4 feet.

We only inspect electric, vapor (gas), and water meters that utility companies do not. An example of these meters is a mobile home park in which there is a master meter and an individual submeter at each mobile home. We test the submeters and a utility company (such as PG&E) tests the master meter. We test these submeters every ten years.

The best way to avoid being overcharged is to make a list of all the items you are going to purchase and write down the shelf price of each item. Compare the prices you wrote down to the prices you are charged.

Verify that the advertised sign and the pump price are the same. Make sure the pump starts at zero. Know the estimated capacity of your gasoline tank. Make sure a current Weights and Measures seal is visible on the pump.

This is the weight of all wrapping, packaging, or any other material used to contain or transport the product. Items must be sold by net weight (the weight of the product itself). Selling a product by gross weight (net weight plus tare weight) is illegal.

We RED TAG the device. This means that the device is placed out of service until it is repaired by a certified device repairman. After the device has been repaired, we recheck it to verify that it is in compliance.

Make sure the device is on a level surface and you can see the display. The instrument must start at zero. There should not be anything touching the device. Watch the person doing the weighing or measuring to make sure that nothing extra is added. Verify there is a current Weights and Measures seal on the device.

If there is a discrepancy notify the cashier. If the cashier does not change the price ask to speak with the manager. If the manager cannot or will not change the price for you contact the Weights and Measures division at (661)868-6300 or e-mail Manuel Villacaña at villicam@co.kern.ca.us for assistance. We take all complaints very seriously, and we respond to these as quickly as we can.

A cord, like other measurements such as foot, gallon, or ton, is defined by law. A seller may not legitimately use terms such as "truckload," "face cord," "rack," or "pile" because these terms have no legally defined meaning and, therefore, you have no way of determining how much firewood you are actually receiving. If a seller uses such terms, it should alert you to a possible problem. Wood can only be sold by the cord or fraction of a cord. When you buy firewood make sure to get a receipt which shows the seller's name and address, as well as the price, amount, and kind of wood purchased. If possible, get the seller's phone number and write down the license plate number of the delivery vehicle. When the wood is delivered, ask the seller to stack it (you may have to pay extra for this service) or stack the wood yourself. Measure the wood before using any. If the cubic measurement indicates that you did not receive the correct volume, contact the seller before you burn any wood. If the seller can't or won't correct the problem, contact the Weights and Measures division at (661)868-6300 or e-mail Manuel Villacaña at villicam@co.kern.ca.us for assistance.