D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 22, r. 22-B10308
The label of an over-the-counter device in package form shall bear a declaration of the net quantity of contents. This shall be expressed in terms of weight, measure, numerical count, or a combination of numerical count and weight, measure, or size, provided that:
Statements of weight of the contents shall be expressed in terms of avoirdupois pound and ounce. Statements of liquid measure of the contents shall be expressed in terms of the U.S. gallon of two hundred thirty-one cubic inches (231 cu. in.) and quart, pint, and fluid-ounce subdivisions thereof, and shall express the volume at sixty-eight degrees Fahrenheit (68 °F) (twenty degrees Celsius (20 °C)).
The declaration may contain common or decimal fractions. A common fraction shall be in terms of halves, quarters, eighths, sixteenths, or thirty-seconds, except that if there exists a firmly established general consumer usage and trade custom of employing different common fractions in the net quantity declaration of a particular commodity, they may be employed. A common fraction shall be reduced to its lowest terms; a decimal fraction shall not be carried out to more than two (2) places. A statement that includes small fractions of an ounce shall be deemed to permit smaller variations than one which does not include such fractions.
The declaration shall be located on the principal display panel of the label, and with respect to packages bearing alternate principal panels it shall be duplicated on each principal display panel.
The declaration shall appear as a distinct item on the principal display panel, and shall be separated from other printed label information appearing to the left or right of the declaration by a space at least equal to the height of the lettering used in the declaration. It shall not include any term qualifying a unit of weight, measure, or count, such as "giant pint" or "full quart," that tends to exaggerate. It shall be placed on the principal display panel within the bottom thirty percent (30%) of the area of the label panel in lines generally parallel to the base on which the package rests as it is designed to be displayed, provided, that:
The declaration shall accurately state the quantity of device in the package exclusive of wrappers and other material packed therewith.
The declaration shall appear in conspicuous and easily legible bold face print or type in distinct contrast (by typography, layout, color, embossing, or molding) to other matter on the package; except that a declaration of net quantity blown, embossed, or molded on a glass or plastic surface is permissible when all label information is so formed on the surface.
Requirements of conspicuousness and legibility shall include the specifications that:
The declaration shall be in letters and numerals in a type size established in relationship to the area of the principal display panel of the package and shall be uniform for all packages of substantially the same size by complying with the following type specifications:
Where the declaration is blown, embossed, or molded on a glass or plastic surface rather than by printing, typing, or coloring, the lettering sizes specified in § 10308.9(a) - (d) shall be increased by one-sixteenth inch (1/16 in.).
On packages containing less than four pounds (4 lbs.) or one gallon (1 gal.) and labeled in terms of weight or fluid measure, the declaration shall be expressed both in ounces, with identification by weight or by liquid measure and, if applicable (one pound (1 lb.) or one pint (1 pt.) or more) followed in parentheses by a declaration in pounds for weight units, with, with any remainder in terms of ounces or common or decimal fractions of the pound, or in the case of liquid measure, in the largest whole units (quarts, quarts and pints, or pints, as appropriate) with any remainder in terms of fluid ounces or common or decimal fractions of the pint or quart. If the net weight of the package is less than one ounce (1 oz.) avoirdupois or the net fluid measure is less than one fluid ounce (1 fl. oz.), the declaration shall be in terms of common or decimal fractions of the respective ounce and not in terms of drams;
Pursuant to § 10308.11, the declaration may appear in more than one line. The term "net weight" shall be used when stating the net quantity of contents in terms of weight. Use of the terms "net" or "net contents" in terms of fluid measure or numerical count is optional. It is sufficient to distinguish avoirdupois ounce from fluid ounce through association of terms: for example, "Net wt. six (6) oz." or "six (6) oz. net wt.," and "six (6) fl. oz." or "net contents six (6) fl. oz."
On packages containing four pounds (4 lbs.) or one gallon (1 gal.) or more and labeled in terms of weight or fluid measure, the declaration shall be expressed in pounds for weight units with any remainder in terms of ounces or common or decimal fractions of the pound. In the case of fluid measure, it shall be expressed in the largest whole unit (such as gallons) followed by common or decimal fractions or a gallon or by the next smaller whole unit or units (quarts or quarts and pints), with any remainder in terms of fluid ounces or common or decimal fractions of the pint or quart.
Pursuant to § 10308.13, examples are:
Pursuant to § 10308.14, for quantities, the following abbreviations and none other may be employed. Periods and plural forms are optional:
| gallon - gal. | liter - l |
| milliliter - ml | cubic centimeter - cc |
| quart - qt. | yard - yd. |
| pint - pt. | feet or foot - ft. |
| ounce - oz. | inch - in. |
| pound - lb. | meter - m |
| grain - gr. | centimeter - cm |
| kilogram - kg | millimeter - mm |
| gram - g | fluid - fl. |
| milligram - mg | square - sq. |
| microgram - mcg | weight - wt. |
On packages labeled in terms of linear measure, the declaration shall be expressed both in terms of inches and, if applicable (one foot (1 ft.)) or more), the largest whole units (yards, yards and feet, feet). The declaration in terms of the largest whole units shall be in parentheses following the declaration in terms of inches and any remainder shall be in terms of inches or common or decimal fractions of the foot or yard; if applicable, as in the case of adhesive tape, the initial declaration in linear inches shall be preceded by a statement of the width. Examples of linear measure are "86 inches (2yd, 1 ft. 2 in.)", "90 inches (2-1/2 yd.)," "30 inches (2.5 ft.)," and "3/4 inch by 36 in. (1 yd.)."
On packages labeled in terms of area measure, the declaration shall be expressed both in terms of square inches and, if applicable one square foot (1 sq. ft.) or more, the largest whole square unit (square yards, square yards and square feet, square feet). The declaration in terms of the largest whole units shall be in parentheses following the declaration in terms of square inches and any remainder shall be in terms of square inches or common or decimal fractions of the square foot or square yard; for example, "158 sq. inches (1 sq. ft. 14 sq. in.)."
Nothing in this section shall prohibit supplemental statements at locations other than the principal display panel(s) describing in non-deceptive terms the net quantity of contents, provided that such supplemental statements of net quantity of contents shall not include any term qualifying a unit of weight, measure, or count that tends to exaggerate the amount of the device contained in the package; for example, "giant pint" or "full quart." Dual or combination declarations of net quantity of contents are not regarded as supplemental net quantity statements and shall be located on the principal display panel.
A separate statement of net quantity of contents in terms of the metric system of weight or measure is not regarded as a supplemental statement and an accurate statement of the net quantity of contents in terms of the metric system of weight or measure may also appear on the principal display panel or on other panels.
The declaration of net quantity of contents shall express an accurate statement of the quantity of contents of the package. Reasonable variations caused by loss or gain of moisture during the course of good distribution practice or by unavoidable deviations in good manufacturing practice will be recognized. Variations from stated quantity of contents shall not be unreasonably large.
D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 22, r. 22-B10308