A pressure gauge calibration record (or the certificate a lab gives you) has to show seven things:
- Which gauge: asset ID, model and serial number, range and units, type, and whether it reads gauge, absolute or differential pressure.
- The tolerance and its source: the accuracy grade (ASME B40.100) or class (EN 837-1), a percentage of span, not of the reading.
- The reference and the method: a deadweight tester or a calibrated reference gauge, its certificate, and the sequence (for most dial gauges, DKD-R 6-1 sequence C).
- The set-up: pressure medium, mounting position, height difference and temperature.
- The readings: at five points including zero, once with pressure rising and once falling, with deviation and hysteresis, as found and, after any adjustment, as left.
- The uncertainty at each point and the decision rule for pass or fail.
- The decision: in or out of tolerance, what was done, who did it and reviewed it, and the next due date.
The free template below has a field for each of these. Print it from this page: no sign-up needed. Below it, the same form filled in with a worked example, then what to look for on a lab certificate.
Pressure gauge calibration record template
Pressure gauge calibration record
One sheet per gauge. Every point read with pressure rising and falling (DKD-R 6-1 sequence C).
Use one sheet per gauge. For a gauge calibrated by an outside lab, copy the key results from the certificate, record your own decision on the last block and attach the certificate. For in-house calibration, the sheet is the record. The points and series follow DKD-R 6-1 sequence C, the usual case for dial gauges; more accurate gauges need nine points and more series (DKD-R 6-1, Table 1). The full method is on our pressure gauge calibration procedure page.
Example: a filled-in pressure gauge calibration record
The record below is for the same fictitious dial gauge as the worked example on our procedure page: same readings, and every deviation, hysteresis, uncertainty and pass/fail is calculated from them. The company, people and numbers are invented. Click a number to jump to its note.
Pressure gauge calibration recordExample
One sheet per gauge. Every point read with pressure rising and falling (DKD-R 6-1 sequence C).
Which gauge, and what it reads
The asset ID ties the record, the label and any certificate together. Write the pressure type too: an absolute gauge, such as a barometer, does not read zero at atmospheric pressure, so the zero check doesn't apply (DKD-R 6-1, 8.6.2). PG-204 is a 4.5-in Bourdon tube gauge, 0 to 160 psi, read to a fifth of a 1 psi division.
Accuracy is a percentage of span
Grade 1A is ±1 % of span (ASME B40.100, as published by Ashcroft, WIKA and Boshart): ±1.6 psi at every point on a 160 psi gauge, so ±8 % of the reading at 20 psi. Write the grade or class and the standard it comes from.
Sequence, reference and conditions
Sequence C applies to a target uncertainty above 0.6 % of span: five points with zero, one preload, one series up and one down (DKD-R 6-1, Table 1). The reference gauge's 0.10 psi is a 16:1 ratio to the tolerance. Temperature 18 to 28 °C, stable within ±1 K (DKD-R 6-1, 6); the leak check comes before the preload (EURAMET cg-17, 5.4.1).
Mounting position and height
Calibrate the gauge in the position it is used in and state it (DKD-R 6-1, 7 and 9). Keep the reference levels of the gauge and the standard at the same height, or write the difference and correct for it: with oil, an inch is about 0.03 psi.
As found: passes up, fails down
Read upscale only, this gauge passes: the worst ascending deviation is +1.4 psi. On the way down it reads +1.8 psi at 80 psi and +2.0 psi at 120 psi, outside ±1.6 psi. The hysteresis, 0.8 psi at mid-scale, is half the tolerance on its own.
As left: the hysteresis stays
After a span adjustment, the whole sequence is repeated and recorded as a new set (VIM 3.11, Note 3). The largest deviation is +0.8 psi, but the gap between up and down is still 0.6 to 0.8 psi from 25 to 75 % of span: adjusting shifts the readings, it doesn't remove friction and elastic lag. A gauge whose hysteresis eats most of its tolerance should be repaired or replaced.
Uncertainty and decision rule
U combines the reference, the resolution, the zero deviation over the cycle and the hysteresis (DKD-R 6-1, 8.3). With sequence C, DKD doesn't allow stating less than 0.30 % of span, 0.48 psi here (9.3): at 120 psi, as left, 0.44 psi is calculated and 0.48 psi stated. The error span, U plus the size of the mean deviation, is 0.48 + 0.5 = 0.98 psi there, inside ±1.6 psi (9.1.2). Whichever rule you use, name it (Global ACI-TECH-1-002).
Decision, next due and sign-off
The as-found failure opens an out-of-tolerance report: a relief setting or test pressure read on falling pressure may have been up to 2 psi off. See out-of-tolerance results. The interval is the owner's choice: DKD-R 6-1 recommends two years for a Bourdon gauge of this class under normal use (App. F), and the example company chose 12 months, a common US starting point (USBR 1040-89; Ashcroft). Let the as-found history move it.
The deviation on this form is the reading minus the reference, so a positive value means the gauge reads high (DKD-R 6-1, §8.3). If you use a deadweight tester instead of a reference gauge, add a line for the local gravity: a tester made for standard gravity generates about 0.12 % less pressure in Phoenix, Arizona, according to Fluke, and labs usually report results at standard gravity with a note on how to convert them (EURAMET cg-3, §6.2).
What a pressure gauge calibration certificate should include
ISO/IEC 17025 sets the minimum content of any calibration certificate from an accredited lab. Clause 7.8.2.1 covers the general items (a unique identification, the customer, the method, the item calibrated, the dates, the results and who authorized the report), and clause 7.8.4.1 adds the calibration items: measurement uncertainty, the conditions that affect the results, a traceability statement, results before and after any adjustment or repair when available, and a statement of conformity when one is given (NIST’s crosswalk of clause 7.8). DKD-R 6-1 adds what is specific to pressure gauges (DKD-R 6-1, §9):
| On a lab’s pressure gauge certificate | Where it goes on the template |
|---|---|
| Gauge identification, range, units, grade or class, and any settings selected on the gauge | Gauge block |
| Method, e.g. “DKD-R 6-1 sequence C” | Method |
| Reference standard and its traceability | Reference standard, reference cert. no. / U |
| Pressure medium | Pressure medium |
| Mounting position | Mounting position |
| Reference level and any head correction | Height difference / head correction |
| Temperature (with a deadweight tester, also atmospheric pressure, humidity and the gravity used) | Temperature |
| Reference pressure and reading at every point, up and down, with deviation and hysteresis, before and after adjustment | As found and as left tables |
| Expanded uncertainty or error span at each point | U column |
| Pass or fail, the specification and the decision rule | Accuracy, decision rule, decision |
Red flags on a pressure gauge certificate
- Upscale readings only. No hysteresis, and no way to tell whether the gauge passes on falling pressure (DKD-R 6-1, §8.6.5).
- Zero and one point. A gauge can read zero perfectly and still be 2 % high at mid-scale. Sequence C asks for five points including zero (DKD-R 6-1, Table 1).
- No mounting position. The position shifts the reading, so it belongs on the certificate (DKD-R 6-1, §7 and §9).
- The tolerance applied to the reading. Grades and classes are a percentage of span. A limit taken as a percentage of the reading is far too tight at the bottom of the scale.
- An uncertainty below the floor. For a sequence C calibration, DKD doesn’t allow a stated uncertainty below 0.30 % of span (§9.3).
- Only as-left results. If the gauge was adjusted and you only see the results after it, you have lost the as-found data you need for past readings (ISO/IEC 17025, clause 7.8.4.1).
- “Pass” with no tolerance or decision rule. A statement of conformity must say which specification was used and how uncertainty was taken into account (clause 7.8.6, as described in Global ACI-TECH-1-002).
- “NIST certified” and nothing else. NIST does not certify other organizations’ traceability claims; the supplier has to support the claim and you have to judge it (NIST traceability policy).
Our calibration certificate guide covers accreditation symbols, scopes and the full review checklist.
How to fill in the template
| Field | What to write |
|---|---|
| Graduation / read to | The division and the fraction you estimate: ½, ⅕ or 1/10 of a division, 1/10 only if divisions are at least 2.5 mm apart (DKD-R 6-1, §8.6.1.1). For a digital gauge, the last digit |
| Accuracy | Grade or class and its standard, and the limit in pressure units: % × span |
| Method | The sequence (A, B or C) from the uncertainty you aim for, or the EURAMET cg-17 procedure (Basic, Standard, Comprehensive) |
| Reference | ID, type and certificate. Its uncertainty should be a small fraction of the tolerance: about 4:1 is the long-standing rule of thumb (Mensor; Fluke); check yours with the TUR calculator |
| Mounting position | As in service: vertical, horizontal or at an angle |
| Leak check / preloads | Pressurize to the top and isolate: the pressure must hold (cg-17, §5.4.1). Then the preloads to full scale, not recorded |
| Readings | Approach each point without overshooting, wait 30 s, tap, read square to the dial. Up first, then the wait at the top, then down (DKD-R 6-1, §7) |
| Hysteresis | The difference between the down and up deviations at each point, without its sign |
| U | From the lab certificate, or your own budget, never below the DKD floor for your sequence (try the uncertainty calculator) |
| Adjusted | Zero or span, only with the owner’s agreement, and what was changed (cg-17, §5.4.2.2) |
Where to keep it and for how long
File each sheet under the gauge’s asset ID, with the lab certificate attached, and add a line to the gauge’s equipment record: date, result, decision and next due date. That history is what lets you lengthen or shorten the interval later (see calibration intervals). How long to keep it depends on the standards and regulations you work under; our calibration records guide sets out the rules by standard. Print a matching status sticker with the calibration label generator.
Get the PDF pack
The template on this page is free to print, as it is. If you’d rather have it as a PDF, subscribe to Traceable, our newsletter, with the form on this page: subscribers get the printable pack with our calibration program starter kit and the instrument record templates, this one included.
Related:
- Pressure gauge calibration procedure: the method this record follows, with deadweight testers, head correction and Magnehelic gauges.
- Pressure gauge hub.
- How to read a calibration certificate.
- Out-of-tolerance results: what to do when the as-found result fails.
- TUR calculator and uncertainty calculator.
FAQ
What should a pressure gauge calibration certificate include?
The gauge identification (ID, model, serial number, range, units, grade or class), the method (for example DKD-R 6-1 sequence C), the reference standard and its traceability, the pressure medium, the mounting position, the reference level and any head correction, the temperature, and at every point the reference pressure and the gauge reading with pressure rising and falling, before and after any adjustment, with the deviation, hysteresis and expanded uncertainty. If it says pass or fail, it also needs the tolerance and the decision rule, plus a unique number, the dates and who authorized it.
What are the acceptance criteria for pressure gauge calibration?
Usually the accuracy grade (ASME B40.100) or class (EN 837-1) of the gauge, which is a percentage of span, not of the reading: a 0–160 psi grade 1A gauge is allowed ±1.6 psi at every point. Every reading, up and down, has to be within that limit. Close to the limit, the result also depends on the uncertainty and on the decision rule you have agreed, which should be written on the record.
How often should a pressure gauge be calibrated?
DKD-R 6-1 leaves the interval to the user and recommends, under normal use, one year for Bourdon tube gauges of class 0.6 or better and two years for less accurate ones; deadweight testers every five years. Many US programs start at 12 months. Recalibrate after an overload, a pressure spike, a repair or rough handling, then let your as-found history move the interval.
How many test points does a pressure gauge calibration need?
For a typical dial gauge (DKD-R 6-1 sequence C, a target uncertainty above 0.6 % of span), five points including zero, read once up and once down after one preload to full scale. More accurate gauges need sequence B or A: nine points, two or three preloads and more series. EURAMET cg-17 has a similar ladder (Basic, Standard and Comprehensive).
I bought a digital pressure gauge with a calibration certificate. Is that enough?
Check what is on it: results at several points, up and down, with the uncertainty, the reference used and, ideally, a lab accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 for that calibration. A paper that only says 'NIST traceable' or 'certified' tells you little. Also note the date: electronic gauges are less stable than deadweight testers, and DKD recommends recalibrating electronic gauges of 0.5 % of span or better every year.
Can I use this template for a pressure gauge calibration lab report?
Yes. A student experiment with a deadweight tester records the same things: the applied (reference) pressure, the gauge reading with pressure rising and falling, the deviation and the hysteresis. If you use a deadweight tester, also write down the local gravity and the temperature, and correct the nominal pressure for gravity if the tester was made for standard gravity.
Why are the up and down readings different?
That is hysteresis: the Bourdon tube and movement of a dial gauge don't follow exactly the same path when pressure falls as when it rises. It is part of the result and of the uncertainty, and a gauge checked only upscale can pass while it is out of tolerance on the way down. Adjusting the pointer or the span doesn't remove it.
Sources
- PTB / DKD. DKD-R 6-1, Calibration of Pressure Gauges, Edition 03/2014, Revision 3. 2014 — §3, §6, §7 and Table 1, §8.3, §8.6, §9.1.2, §9.3, §9, App. F
- EURAMET. EURAMET Calibration Guide No. 17, Guidelines on the Calibration of Electromechanical and Mechanical Manometers, Version 4.1. 2022 — §5.1, §5.2, §5.4.1, §5.4.2
- EURAMET. EURAMET Calibration Guide No. 3, Guidelines on the Calibration of Pressure Balances, Version 2.1. 2025 — §6.2 (results at standard gravity)
- Ashcroft. What are ASME accuracy grades for mechanical pressure gauges?. 2026 — ASME B40.100 grades (paid standard, not read)
- Ashcroft. How to check the calibration of a pressure gauge — Annual checks as a rule of thumb
- Boshart Industries. What is 3-2-3 gauge accuracy?
- WIKA. Pressure gauge data sheets (models 232.53/233.53, 332.30, 342.11, 111.12) — ASME B40.100 grades and EN 837-1 classes as declared by the manufacturer
- Mensor. The Fundamentals of Pressure Calibration — 4:1 TUR as a long-standing rule of thumb (no standard cited)
- Fluke Calibration. 2 guidelines to make sure the pressure calibration equipment you're buying fits your needs — A good test accuracy ratio is typically 4:1
- Fluke Calibration. How a pressure balance works — Local gravity correction
- U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. USBR 1040-89, Procedure for Calibrating Pressure Gauges. 1989 — §4.2 (annual calibration)
- NIST Office of Weights and Measures. ISO/IEC 17025 Crosswalk – Reporting the Results (clause 7.8). 2018 — Free summary of ISO/IEC 17025:2017 clause 7.8 (7.8.2.1, 7.8.4.1, 7.8.6)
- NIST. NIST Policy on Metrological Traceability. 2024
- Global Accreditation Cooperation (Global ACI). Global ACI-TECH-1-002 (G), Guidelines on Decision Rules and Statements of Conformity (formerly ILAC G8:09/2019). 2026
- JCGM / BIPM. International Vocabulary of Metrology (VIM), JCGM 200:2012. 2012 — 3.11 adjustment