Hallmark Registration

Hallmark Registration: complete guide

Introduction

Hallmarking is the official certification of the purity of precious metal articles. In India, it is run by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), the national standards body set up under the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016. A hallmark on a gold ornament tells the buyer that the article has been tested at a BIS-recognised Assaying and Hallmarking Centre and that its gold content matches the purity grade stamped on it. For buyers, it is the simplest way to know that a 22 carat necklace really is 22 carat. For jewellers, it has become a legal requirement in most of the country.

Since June 2021, hallmarking of gold jewellery and gold artefacts has been mandatory in notified districts under the Hallmarking of Gold Jewellery and Gold Artefacts Order. The list of notified districts has been expanded in phases and now covers a large part of the country. A jeweller in a notified district who sells gold jewellery or artefacts must be registered with BIS and may sell only hallmarked articles in the grades permitted by the Order. Each hallmarked article now carries a six-character alphanumeric Hallmark Unique Identification number, known as HUID, which links the article to the jeweller and the testing centre and lets a consumer verify it through the official BIS verification facility.

Registration as a jeweller is an online process with BIS. The application itself is not long, but it has to be accurate. The business details must match the GST registration, the premises address must be complete, and the declarations must be made by the right person. Applications with incomplete information or mismatched documents are returned, and in a market where you cannot legally sell unhallmarked gold, every day of delay matters. Our team prepares the application, checks every document against your GST and PAN records, files it, and follows up until your registration is granted.

This page explains who needs hallmark registration, the law behind it, the exemptions, the step-by-step process, the documents required, the timeline, our fee and the obligations that continue after you are registered.

Professional help is useful here because the hallmarking rules have changed several times since 2021, with new districts, new grades and the HUID system. A jeweller who registers on old assumptions can end up stocking articles that cannot be sold, or missing the HUID requirement for older stock. We keep track of the current notifications so that your registration and your stock planning reflect the rules as they stand when you apply.

Who Needs It

Hallmark registration is relevant to anyone who sells gold jewellery or gold artefacts to customers, including:

• Retail jewellers in notified districts. Any jeweller selling gold jewellery or artefacts from a shop in a district notified under the Hallmarking Order must hold BIS registration and sell only hallmarked articles, unless an exemption applies.
• Wholesalers and distributors. Jewellers who sell to other jewellers in notified districts also need registration, since the obligation applies to sale at any stage in those districts.
• Jewellery manufacturers with their own retail or trade sales. Manufacturers who sell directly to buyers or trade under their own name usually register so their articles can be submitted for hallmarking.
• Online jewellery sellers. Businesses selling gold jewellery through their own website or online marketplaces need registration where they are covered by the Order, and must display the hallmark details in line with the rules.
• Jewellers expanding to new outlets. Each sales outlet must be covered under the registration. Opening a new showroom means updating or extending the registration.
• Jewellers who want to sell hallmarked silver. Silver hallmarking is currently voluntary. Jewellers who want to offer hallmarked silver articles can take registration for silver as well.

Exemptions. The Order exempts certain jewellers and articles. Jewellers with annual turnover up to 40 lakh rupees have been exempt from mandatory registration. Articles weighing less than two grams, articles meant for export and re-import under the export policy, certain traditional styles such as kundan, polki and jadau as specified, gold watches, fountain pens and some other items are also excluded. Exemptions are narrow and depend on the exact wording of the Order and later amendments, so we confirm whether one applies to you before advising that registration is not needed.

Key Benefits

• Legal permission to sell gold in notified districts. Without registration, a jeweller in a notified district cannot lawfully sell gold jewellery or artefacts covered by the Order.
• Customer trust. Buyers increasingly ask for the BIS mark and the HUID and verify articles before paying. A registered jeweller can answer that question with confidence.
• Protection against penalties. Selling unhallmarked articles, or articles with a false hallmark, is an offence under the BIS Act. Penalties can include fines linked to the value of the articles and, in serious cases, imprisonment.
• Lifetime registration. Registration for jewellers is a one-time process. There is no renewal requirement for the registration itself, although the details must be kept up to date.
• Better access to trade and finance. Wholesalers, larger retail chains and lenders who accept gold as security are more comfortable dealing with registered jewellers and hallmarked stock.
• Fair resale and exchange. Hallmarked articles carry a recorded purity, which makes exchange and buy-back transactions transparent for both the jeweller and the customer.
• Level playing field. Mandatory hallmarking reduces under-carating in the market, which helps honest jewellers compete on design and service rather than on hidden purity differences.

How hallmarking works in practice. The registered jeweller sends articles to a BIS-recognised Assaying and Hallmarking Centre along with the required request on the BIS system. The centre draws samples, tests the purity, and if the articles meet the declared grade, marks each one with the BIS standard mark, the purity grade in carats and fineness, and the HUID. The HUID is generated in the system and linked to the jeweller's registration, so the article can be traced back. If an article fails, it is returned and cannot be sold as hallmarked at that grade.

Grades you can sell. Gold jewellery and artefacts can be hallmarked only in the grades notified under the Order, which currently include 9, 14, 18, 20, 22, 23 and 24 carats. Stock in any other purity has to be melted, remade or otherwise dealt with as the rules allow before it can be sold in a notified district.

Eligibility and Legal Requirements

Hallmark registration is governed by the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016, the Bureau of Indian Standards (Hallmarking) Regulations, 2018, the Hallmarking of Gold Jewellery and Gold Artefacts Order and its amendments, and the relevant Indian Standards for gold and silver, mainly IS 1417 for gold grades and IS 15820 for hallmarking. The key requirements are:

• A business entity selling precious metal articles. Proprietorships, partnership firms, LLPs, companies and other entities can register.
• GST registration. The applicant's GSTIN is a core part of the application, and the business name and address should match the GST records.
• A defined sales outlet. The address of each sales outlet to be covered must be stated. Separate outlets may need to be listed or covered under separate registrations, depending on how they are registered for GST.
• An authorised person. The proprietor, a partner, a director or another authorised signatory must make the declarations in the application and accept the conditions of registration.
• Agreement to follow the conditions of registration. A registered jeweller must sell hallmarked articles only in permitted grades, display the required information, maintain records, issue bills with the prescribed details and allow inspection by BIS officials.
• Applicable fee. A registration fee is payable to BIS as notified, and it is charged at actual. Concessions have been offered to small businesses from time to time.

Hallmarking rules, notified districts and exemptions are updated by notification. We check the current position at the time of filing.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Initial consultation. We understand your business: where your outlets are, what you sell, your approximate turnover, whether you sell online, and whether you deal in silver. This tells us whether registration is mandatory, whether an exemption may apply, and how many outlets need to be covered.
2. Checking the notified district status. We confirm whether each of your outlets falls in a district currently notified under the Hallmarking Order, since the obligation is linked to location.
3. Document collection and review. We share a checklist. You upload the documents and we check them for mismatches between the GST certificate, PAN and address proof, and for unclear or outdated documents.
4. Creating the applicant account. We help set up your account on the BIS online portal using the registered email address and mobile number of the business.
5. Preparing the application. We fill in the business details, legal constitution, GSTIN, outlet addresses, names of proprietors, partners or directors, and the type of precious metal for which registration is sought.
6. Declarations and undertakings. The authorised person reviews and accepts the declarations required under the Regulations. We explain each one so that you know what you are committing to.
7. Fee payment. The registration fee is paid online at actual through the portal.
8. Responding to queries. If BIS raises a query or asks for a clarification or additional document, we prepare the reply and upload it promptly.
9. Grant of registration. Once the application is accepted, BIS grants the registration and issues the certificate with a registration number. You can then send articles for hallmarking.
10. Post-registration guidance. We explain how to request hallmarking at an Assaying and Hallmarking Centre, how HUID works, what your bills and display boards must show, and how to handle old unhallmarked stock.

Documents Checklist

The exact documents depend on your business structure. We confirm the list before filing.

For a sole proprietor:

• PAN card of the proprietor
• Aadhaar card or other identity proof of the proprietor
• GST registration certificate
• Proof of address of the sales outlet
• Email address and mobile number for the account

For a partnership firm or LLP:

• PAN card of the firm or LLP
• Partnership deed, or LLP incorporation certificate and LLP agreement
• Identity proof of partners or designated partners
• Authorisation letter for the person signing the application
• GST registration certificate
• Proof of address of each outlet

For a company:

• PAN card of the company
• Certificate of incorporation and Memorandum and Articles of Association
• List of directors and identity proof of the authorised director
• Board resolution authorising the signatory
• GST registration certificate
• Proof of address of each outlet

For the sales outlet (any one, as applicable):

• Electricity bill, property tax receipt or ownership document, if owned
• Rent or lease agreement with the owner's proof, if rented
• Shops and establishments registration or trade licence, where available

How Long It Takes

Hallmark registration for jewellers is usually granted within 7 to 15 working days from the date we receive complete documents, though the time taken by BIS can vary. A typical timeline:

• Document review and account setup: one to two working days.
• Preparing and filing the application: usually one working day after documents are finalised.
• BIS processing: commonly a few working days, longer if a query is raised or if the application needs to be revised.
• Query response: depends on what is asked; we aim to reply within a day or two of receiving the query.

Delays usually come from GST and address mismatches, outlets not properly listed, or missing authorisation for the signatory. Checking these before filing avoids most of them.

Pricing

Our professional fee for Hallmark Registration is ₹ 3,999.

This covers:

• Consultation on whether registration is mandatory and which outlets must be covered
• Check of notified district status and applicable exemptions
• Review of all documents before filing
• Account setup and preparation of the application
• Filing and tracking of the application
• Replies to queries on the same application
• Sharing the registration certificate
• Guidance on hallmarking requests, HUID, billing and display requirements

The registration fee payable to BIS is charged at actual and is not part of our professional fee. Hallmarking charges payable to Assaying and Hallmarking Centres for each article, additional outlets in other states and ongoing compliance support are quoted separately where needed.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Assuming you are exempt. Many jewellers assume the turnover exemption applies without checking how turnover is calculated or whether a later notification has changed it.
• Selling old unhallmarked stock. Once your district is notified, unhallmarked gold jewellery covered by the Order cannot be sold. Stock must be hallmarked or dealt with as the rules allow.
• Ignoring HUID. Articles hallmarked under the older system without HUID are subject to the transition rules. Selling them in a notified district without checking the current position can be an offence.
• Mismatched business details. The name, constitution and address must match the GST certificate. Even small differences lead to queries.
• Not covering every outlet. A new showroom that is not covered by the registration is a compliance gap.
• Incorrect billing. Bills for hallmarked articles must show the details required by the rules, such as the weight, purity and hallmarking charges separately. Generic bills can create problems during inspection.
• Stocking non-standard grades. Only the notified grades can be hallmarked and sold. Purchasing stock in other purities creates inventory that cannot be sold as it is.

What Happens After

Registration is the starting point. After it is granted, a registered jeweller should:

• Send articles for hallmarking to a recognised Assaying and Hallmarking Centre through the BIS system before sale.
• Sell only hallmarked articles with the BIS mark, purity grade and HUID in the permitted grades.
• Display the registration certificate and the information required by BIS at each outlet, including details on how customers can verify hallmarked articles.
• Issue proper bills showing the item description, net weight of precious metal, purity in carat and fineness, and hallmarking charges as required.
• Maintain records of articles received, hallmarked and sold, and keep them available for inspection.
• Update the registration when the business adds or closes an outlet, changes its address, or changes its constitution or partners.
• Cooperate with inspections and market surveillance. BIS can draw samples from the market and test them. A failed sample can lead to action against the jeweller and the testing centre.
• Keep track of new notifications about districts, grades, silver hallmarking and HUID rules.

Our team can help with outlet additions, changes to registration details and replies to BIS notices.

FAQs

Is hallmarking mandatory for all gold jewellery in India?

Hallmarking is mandatory for gold jewellery and gold artefacts sold in districts notified under the Hallmarking Order, subject to the exemptions in that Order. The list of notified districts has grown in phases. We check whether your outlet is in a notified district before filing.

What is HUID?

HUID stands for Hallmark Unique Identification. It is a six-character alphanumeric code marked on each hallmarked article. It links the article to the jeweller and the testing centre and allows a buyer to verify the article through the official verification facility.

Do I need to renew my hallmark registration?

Registration for jewellers is currently a one-time registration with no periodic renewal. However, you must keep the details updated and follow the conditions of registration for as long as you are registered.

Can I register if my turnover is below the exemption limit?

Yes. A jeweller below the turnover limit can choose to register voluntarily. Many small jewellers do so because customers ask for hallmarked jewellery and because their turnover may cross the limit later.

What carat grades are allowed under hallmarking?

Gold jewellery and artefacts can currently be hallmarked in 9, 14, 18, 20, 22, 23 and 24 carat grades. Articles in any other purity cannot be hallmarked under the scheme.

Is silver hallmarking mandatory?

Silver hallmarking is currently voluntary. A jeweller who wants to sell hallmarked silver can take registration for silver as well. The position may change, so we check it at the time of filing.

Does the registration cover all my shops?

Each sales outlet must be covered. Depending on how your outlets are registered for GST, they may be listed in one registration or need separate registrations. We review your outlet structure during the consultation.

What happens if I sell unhallmarked gold jewellery in a notified district?

It is an offence under the BIS Act. BIS can take action, including seizure of stock and prosecution. Penalties can include fines related to the value of the goods and, in serious cases, imprisonment.

Can an online jewellery seller get hallmark registration?

Yes. Online sellers can register with BIS. Hallmarked articles sold online should show the hallmark details to buyers as the rules require, and the seller remains responsible for selling only hallmarked articles where the Order applies.

Do I need GST registration before applying?

In practice, yes. The GSTIN is an essential part of the application and is used to verify your business details. If you do not have GST registration yet, we can help you obtain it first.

Who does the actual testing and marking of jewellery?

Testing and marking is done by Assaying and Hallmarking Centres recognised by BIS. The jeweller sends articles to the centre through the BIS system, and the centre tests and marks them if they meet the declared grade.

Can I sell old jewellery that was hallmarked before HUID was introduced?

Older hallmarked articles without HUID are governed by transition provisions that have been changed over time. Consumers can generally continue to hold and sell their own old jewellery, but jewellers should check the current rules before selling such stock.

Is a physical inspection required for registration?

The registration process for jewellers is online and usually does not need a premises inspection before grant. BIS officials can, however, inspect registered jewellers and draw samples at any time after registration.

What should my bill show for hallmarked jewellery?

The bill should describe the article, its net weight of precious metal, its purity in carat and fineness, and the hallmarking charges, along with other details required by the rules. We share a checklist after registration.

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