Certify the purity of your gold and silver jewellery under India’s mandatory hallmarking regime
Hallmark Registration is the process by which jewellers register with the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) to sell hallmarked gold and silver jewellery, and get their articles certified at a BIS-recognised Assaying & Hallmarking Centre (AHC). Since June 2021, BIS hallmarking of gold jewellery and artefacts has been made mandatory across notified districts in India under the BIS Act, 2016, confirming that jewellery meets the declared purity/fineness standard.
We handle end-to-end registration — BIS jeweller registration, documentation, and coordination with AHCs for article certification — so your jewellery is legally sellable and correctly marked.
Who needs this
| Applies to you if… | |
|---|---|
| Gold jewellery retailers | You manufacture, sell, or trade gold jewellery/artefacts in a notified district |
| Silver jewellery retailers | You sell silver jewellery/artefacts under the applicable voluntary/mandatory scheme for silver |
| Jewellery manufacturers | You manufacture gold/silver jewellery supplied to registered retailers |
| Exporters/importers | Export consignments and certain import categories have specific hallmarking and exemption provisions |
Hallmark components (HUID system): Since the introduction of Hallmark Unique Identification (HUID), each hallmarked piece carries a BIS mark, purity grade (e.g. 22K916, 18K750), and a unique 6-digit alphanumeric HUID code — traceable to the specific jeweller and AHC that certified it.
Purity grades commonly hallmarked: Gold — 14K (585), 18K (750), 20K (833), 22K (916), 23K (958); Silver — 50 to 99.9 fineness grades as notified.
Typical timeline: Jeweller registration — 3–7 working days once documents and application are submitted. Article-level hallmarking at an AHC is typically same-day to a few days, depending on volume and AHC processing capacity.
Step 1 — Applicability check
We confirm whether hallmarking is mandatory in your district for the product categories you sell (gold jewellery, silver jewellery, or both), and identify any applicable exemptions (e.g. certain categories of jewellery below a specified weight, or specific export consignments).
Step 2 — BIS jeweller registration
Registration is filed online through the BIS portal (Form B or equivalent), covering business details, product categories to be sold, and outlet address(es) — this is a one-time registration renewable periodically, distinct from per-article hallmarking.
Step 3 — Documentation submission
Business registration proof, GST details, and outlet address proof are submitted along with the registration application and prescribed fee.
Step 4 — Registration certificate grant
On verification, BIS grants the jeweller registration certificate, authorising the outlet(s) to sell hallmarked jewellery — this must be renewed before expiry to remain valid.
Step 5 — Article submission to AHC
Manufactured jewellery articles are submitted to a BIS-recognised Assaying & Hallmarking Centre for purity testing and marking, either directly by the jeweller or through the manufacturer supplying the jeweller.
Step 6 — Assaying and testing
The AHC tests each article (or representative samples per batch, per BIS protocol) for gold/silver purity using approved assaying methods, verifying it meets the declared caratage/fineness.
Step 7 — HUID marking
On passing assay, each article is laser-marked with the BIS hallmark, purity grade, and a unique HUID code, and the details are uploaded to the BIS HUID database, making each piece individually traceable.
Step 8 — Sale and record-keeping
Hallmarked articles are sold with HUID details reflected on the invoice; jewellers must maintain purchase and hallmarking records and are subject to periodic BIS surveillance checks on stock.
About the business
About the outlet(s)
About the applicant/authorised signatory
For article-level hallmarking (submitted to AHC, not BIS registration)
Notes
Legal requirement in notified districts
Selling non-hallmarked gold jewellery in districts where hallmarking is mandatory is a punishable offence under the BIS Act — registration and compliance are the basic legal precondition for operating a gold jewellery business in these areas.
Consumer trust and purity assurance
The BIS Hallmark is a widely recognised assurance of declared purity, directly addressing a longstanding consumer concern in jewellery buying — misrepresented caratage.
Traceability through HUID
The unique HUID code allows each piece to be traced back to the specific jeweller and assaying centre that certified it, adding accountability that benefits both consumers and compliant jewellers by discouraging fraudulent practices.
Builds long-term brand credibility
Consistent, verifiable hallmarking differentiates a jeweller in a market where purity disputes and trust issues are common, supporting repeat business and premium positioning.
Reduces dispute and liability risk
Certified purity backed by BIS records reduces the risk of purity-related customer disputes, buy-back disagreements, and associated reputational or legal exposure.
Access to formal retail and export channels
Larger retail chains, marketplaces, and certain export buyers increasingly expect hallmarked stock as a baseline, making registration a practical requirement for wider distribution, not just a legal one.
Structured inventory and compliance discipline
The registration and per-article certification process typically improves inventory record-keeping and purity documentation discipline across a jeweller’s stock, useful for internal audits and GST reconciliation as well.