Gold Hallmark and HUID: How to Check if Your Jewellery Is Genuine

Hallmarked gold jewellery carries three marks: the BIS logo, the purity grade (such as 22K916) and a six-character HUID code unique to that piece. Before you pay, enter the HUID in the free BIS Care app and check that the purity and article type it shows match the item and your bill.

Key facts

What a hallmark shows: BIS mark, purity and HUID

The marks are tiny. For gold, BIS allows a hallmark as small as 0.5 mm high. A registered jeweller must keep a magnifying glass of at least 10X to show it to you. Each piece of a pair, and every detachable part, should carry its own hallmark with a different HUID. A jeweller may add its own mark, but that is not part of the hallmark.

Verifying the HUID in the BIS Care app

1. Install the BIS Care app from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. It is free and available in 12 languages.
2. Register with your mobile number.
3. Tap Verify HUID.
4. Read the six-character HUID on the jewellery with a magnifier, and enter it exactly.
5. Check the result. It shows the jeweller who got the item hallmarked and their registration number, the purity, the type of article, and the hallmarking centre that tested and marked it.
6. Match these details with the piece in your hand and with your bill. A ring should not come up as a chain, and 22K should not come up as 18K.
7. Take a proper bill. It should list each article, net weight of gold, purity in carat and fineness, and the hallmarking charge.

The HUID check confirms that a piece with that code was hallmarked. The app cannot measure the metal in your hand. For that, use a testing centre, as explained below.

Which items must be hallmarked, and exemptions

Mandatory hallmarking started on 23 June 2021 in 256 districts. It has since been extended in phases:

More districts were added by amendment orders in April and August 2026. Business Standard reported the total at 392 after the August order. Check the district list on the BIS website for your area.

In a covered district, a jeweller can sell gold jewellery and artefacts only if they are hallmarked. The main exemptions are:

• Articles weighing less than 2 grams.
• Kundan, Polki and Jadau jewellery.
• Gold watches and fountain pens.
• Gold thread, and articles for medical, dental, veterinary, scientific or industrial use.
• Jewellers with annual turnover up to ₹40 lakh.
• Exports, jewellery for international exhibitions and government-approved B2B exhibitions.
• Gold bullion, bars and coins. These are outside the order, and only BIS-licensed refineries and mints may hallmark them.

A jeweller can still hallmark an exempt item voluntarily. If you buy jewellery as an investment, compare the costs with other options in our guide to the best way to invest in gold.

Old hallmarks without HUID

Before July 2021, a hallmark had four marks: the BIS logo, purity, and the logos of the jeweller and the hallmarking centre. Jewellery you already own with this older hallmark stays valid.

The rule changed for shops. Since 1 April 2023, a jeweller cannot sell any hallmarked piece without a HUID. Old stock must be re-hallmarked with a HUID before sale. If a shop offers you “hallmarked” jewellery with only the older marks, treat it as non-compliant.

For family jewellery with no hallmark at all, a BIS-recognised Assaying and Hallmarking Centre (AHC) can test it and give you a report. When BIS opened this service in March 2022, the charge was ₹200 for up to four articles and ₹45 per article for five or more. Confirm the current charge with the centre. A report helps if you plan to sell the jewellery or take a gold loan.

What to do if the HUID does not match

1. Do not pay, or stop the sale, if the app shows no record or different details.
2. Re-enter the code; a misread character is common with such small marks.
3. Ask the jeweller to show the hallmark under their magnifier and explain the mismatch.
4. If you have already bought the piece, keep the bill and have it tested at any BIS-recognised AHC. The centre issues an assay report that identifies the marks on the article.
5. If the purity is lower than marked, claim compensation from the jeweller. It is twice the value of the purity shortfall for the article’s weight, plus the testing charges, under Rule 49 of the BIS Rules, 2018.

Complaining to BIS

You can file a complaint about hallmarked jewellery or misuse of the hallmark in three ways:

• In the BIS Care app, under Complaints.
• On the Standards Promotion Portal of eBIS at manakonline.in.
• By email to complaints@bis.gov.in.

Attach the bill, photos of the hallmark, the HUID and any assay report. BIS can prosecute or fine jewellers under Section 29 of the BIS Act, 2016. It can also cancel a jeweller’s registration for selling items below the marked purity. Both the jeweller that got the item hallmarked and the hallmarking centre can be held liable.

Today’s prices for each purity are on our gold rate today page.

Frequently asked questions

How do I check the HUID number of gold?

Open the BIS Care app, tap Verify HUID and enter the six-character code stamped on the jewellery. Check that the purity and article type match the piece.

What does 22K916 mean on gold?

It means 22 carat gold with a fineness of 916, or 91.6% gold.

Is old hallmarked jewellery without HUID still valid?

Yes, if you already own it. Jewellers, however, cannot sell hallmarked pieces without a HUID after 31 March 2023.

Is hallmarking compulsory for all gold jewellery?

It is compulsory in the districts notified by BIS. Items under 2 grams, Kundan, Polki and Jadau pieces, and sales by jewellers with turnover up to ₹40 lakh are exempt.

Is gold coin hallmarking covered by HUID rules?

No. The mandatory order covers jewellery and artefacts. Coins and bars are hallmarked only by BIS-licensed refineries and mints.

What compensation do I get if hallmarked gold is impure?

Twice the value of the purity shortfall for the article’s weight, plus the testing charges.

Is 9 carat gold hallmarked?

IS 1417:2016 provides a 9K grade, but BIS describes it as voluntary rather than part of mandatory hallmarking.

Sources

• Hallmarking FAQ: General — Bureau of Indian Standards (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• Hallmarking FAQ: Jewellers — Bureau of Indian Standards (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• Consumer protection — Bureau of Indian Standards (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• BIS Care App — Bureau of Indian Standards (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• Mandatory Hallmarking Order and amendments — Bureau of Indian Standards (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• 7 additional districts in sixth phase of mandatory hallmarking — Press Information Bureau (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• Sale of hallmarked gold without HUID prohibited after 31 March 2023 — Press Information Bureau (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• Consumers can get un-hallmarked jewellery tested — Press Information Bureau (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• Mandatory hallmarking expanded to 392 districts — Business Standard (checked 16 Sep 2026)