Systems and techniques for a scanner having a top plate with an integrated scale. A scanner base mates with a scanner top plate assembly, with the top plate assembly including an integrated scale. The top plate assembly includes a scan window and a scale mechanism. The top plate rests on or is secured to suitable resting points in the scanner base. The top plate suitably receives power, and communicates measurement data to the scanner base, without the use of cables or other connectors whose weight may interfere with accurate reading of weight. A scanner base may be designed so as to accommodate any of a variety of alternative scanner top plate types without reconfiguration, or with a relatively simple reconfiguration of the scanner base.