How to Check a Gold Hallmark and HUID Before You Buy

Gold is the purchase where a small mistake costs the most, and festivals and weddings are exactly when people are most rushed. Knowing how to check a gold hallmark takes about two minutes and protects you whether you buy in a Kota bazaar, a large showroom or online. This guide explains the three marks on hallmarked jewellery, how to verify the HUID with the official BIS Care app, and how to read a jewellery bill so you know what you are paying for.

We do not publish gold rates or name jewellers. Rates change daily; the point here is to help you check any seller.

What hallmarking is

Hallmarking is the official certification of the purity of precious metal articles. In India it is run by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). Jewellers register with BIS and send jewellery to BIS-recognised Assaying and Hallmarking Centres, which test it and mark it. Hallmarking of gold jewellery is mandatory for jewellers in the districts and categories notified by the government, with some exemptions; the BIS website lists the current rules.

Hallmarking certifies purity. It does not certify the weight, the stones, the design or the price.

The three marks to look for

Hallmarked gold jewellery sold today should carry three marks, usually stamped or laser-marked on an inner surface or the clasp:

1. The BIS standard mark, a triangular logo.
2. The purity grade, written as carat and fineness, for example:
   • 22K916: 22 carat, 91.6 per cent gold.
   • 18K750: 18 carat, 75 per cent gold.
   • 14K585: 14 carat, 58.5 per cent gold.
3. The HUID, a six-character alphanumeric code unique to that article.

The marks are tiny. Ask the jeweller for a magnifier; any good shop will have one. If the marks are missing, worn or look unclear, ask why before going further.

How to verify the HUID in the BIS Care app

The BIS Care app is the official BIS consumer app, free on the major app stores. To verify:

1. Install BIS Care from the official app store. Check the publisher is the Bureau of Indian Standards.
2. Open the option to verify HUID.
3. Enter the six-character HUID from the jewellery or the bill.
4. Check the result: it should show the type of article, its purity, and the registration details of the jeweller and the hallmarking centre.

If the article type or purity shown does not match what you are being sold, do not buy. If the HUID is not found, ask the jeweller to explain and consider walking away.

Check the weight yourself

Hallmarking says nothing about how much gold there is. Watch the piece being weighed on the shop’s electronic scale, and make sure the display is visible to you. For jewellery with stones, kundan or enamel, ask for the net gold weight separately from the gross weight. You should only be charged the gold rate on the gold.

Electronic weighing scales used in trade must be verified and stamped under India’s legal metrology rules. If the scale has no visible verification, you are entitled to ask about it.

How to read a jewellery bill

A clear bill protects you more than anything a salesperson says. It should show:

Line	What to check
Description	Type of article, as you would describe it
Purity	For example 22K916, matching the hallmark
HUID	The six-character code, matching the jewellery
Gross weight and net gold weight	Stones and other materials separated out
Gold rate	Per gram, for the stated purity, on that date
Making charges	As a flat amount or a percentage; ask which
Stone or other charges	Listed separately
Taxes	Shown separately
Jeweller details	Name, address, GSTIN and BIS registration

Making charges vary a lot between shops and designs, and they are where most of the difference between quotes lies. Compare like for like: same purity, similar weight, similar workmanship. Our smart shopping guide has more on comparing quotes politely.

Exchange and buy-back

Before you buy, ask how the shop treats the piece if you exchange or sell it back later: what deduction applies, whether making charges are lost, and whether the policy is written on the bill. Policies differ, and they are much easier to compare before you pay. Buying silver as well? The same app checks silver hallmarked since September 2025; see how to check a silver hallmark.

Old jewellery and family gold

Jewellery hallmarked under the earlier system, without a HUID, remains valid to keep, sell or exchange. Unhallmarked family jewellery is not illegal to own. If you want to know its purity before selling or exchanging, BIS explains on its website how consumers can have jewellery tested at a recognised Assaying and Hallmarking Centre.

Buying gold during festival season

Dhanteras and Diwali are traditional times to buy gold and other metals, and shops are busy. Rushed purchases are where mistakes happen. Decide your budget and purity in advance, check the hallmark and HUID even if the queue is long, and do not let anyone take the piece out of sight between weighing and billing. Our Diwali shopping in Kota guide covers sweets, lights and gifts too.

Check the GST details on the bill

A jewellery bill should also show the seller’s GSTIN if the seller is registered and charges GST. You can check the number free on the official GST portal, which shows the business name and whether the registration is active. Our guide on how to check a GST number on a bill explains how. A correct bill, with hallmark details, weight and tax shown clearly, is your best protection if you need to complain later.

If something is wrong

1. Go back to the jeweller with the bill and the piece.
2. Complain to BIS if the hallmark or HUID is wrong; the BIS Care app has a complaint option.
3. Register a consumer complaint with the National Consumer Helpline. Our consumer complaint guide walks you through it.

Your bill and a photo of the HUID are your evidence. Keep both for as long as you own the jewellery.