You can check a HUID number for free in the official BIS Care app, using the Verify HUID option. Enter the 6-character code laser-marked on the jewellery and the app shows the jeweller who got it hallmarked, their BIS registration number, the purity, the type of article and the Assaying and Hallmarking Centre (AHC) that tested it. If those details do not match the piece in your hand, do not accept it until the jeweller explains.
Quick HUID check (under a minute):
- Install BIS Care from Google Play or the App Store and register with your name and mobile number (OTP).
- Tap Verify HUID and type the 6 letters and digits from the hallmark. Use the shop’s 10X magnifying glass to read it.
- Match the article type, purity and jeweller in the result to the piece and the bill. For gold hallmarked from 8 June 2026, BIS says a photograph and the recorded weight are also available in the app.
HUID full form and the three marks of a hallmark
HUID stands for Hallmark Unique Identification. In its October 2024 release, BIS describes it as “a unique 6-digit alphanumeric code” marked on each article.
Since 1 July 2021, a BIS hallmark on gold has three components, according to the BIS brief on the hallmarking scheme:
| Component | What it looks like | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| BIS Standard Mark | The BIS logo | The article was hallmarked under the BIS scheme |
| Purity (caratage and fineness) | For example 22K916 | Gold content in carats and parts per thousand |
| HUID | A 6-character mix of letters and digits | The unique code you check in BIS Care |
Before July 2021, hallmarks had four marks (BIS logo, purity, AHC mark and jeweller’s mark) and no HUID. For silver, the hallmark is the BIS Standard Mark with the word “SILVER”, the purity grade and a HUID.
Purity grades you may see
The BIS brief lists seven gold grades under IS 1417:
| Gold grade | 24K | 23K | 22K | 20K | 18K | 14K | 9K |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum fineness | 995 | 958 | 916 | 833 | 750 | 585 | 375 |
For silver, IS 2112:2025 has eight grades: 999, 990, 970, 958, 925, 900, 835 and 800.
A “22K” stamp with no fineness number, or a fineness number with no BIS logo and HUID, is not a complete BIS hallmark.
How to verify a HUID in BIS Care, step by step
- Install the app. BIS Care is published by BIS and is free. The BIS page on the app describes the one-time registration with name, mobile number and OTP.
- Read the code. Find the hallmark (often near the clasp or on the inside of a ring). Registered jewellers must keep a 10X magnifying glass and a weighing balance for customers, under the BIS jeweller guidelines of July 2026.
- Open Verify HUID. The same guidelines require jewellers to display a BIS Care poster telling customers to use this feature. Menu labels can change between app versions, so look for the nearest match.
- Enter all 6 characters. Letters and digits look alike under a lens (O and 0, I and 1, S and 5), so try again if the first attempt fails.
- Read the result. BIS states that it gives the jeweller who got the article hallmarked, their registration number, the purity, the type of article and the hallmarking centre details.
- Compare. A HUID on a chain that shows “ring”, or 18K when the piece is stamped 22K, is a mismatch.
The same check works for silver. Government broadcaster News On Air reports that BIS Care shows the article type, purity grade, hallmarking date, testing centre and jeweller’s registration number for hallmarked silver.
“ISI hallmark”: clearing up the confusion
Many people search for an “ISI hallmark”, but gold jewellery does not carry an ISI mark. Both marks are run by BIS, but they are different schemes:
| ISI mark | BIS Hallmark | |
|---|---|---|
| Used on | Notified products such as cement, cables, helmets, appliances | Gold and silver jewellery and artefacts |
| Number to check | CM/L licence number | 6-digit HUID on each piece |
| Who holds it | Licensed manufacturer | Registered jeweller, with testing by a BIS-recognised AHC |
| Where to check | BIS Care, Verify Licence Details | BIS Care, Verify HUID |
For the ISI side, see ISI mark full form and meaning and our guide to the CM/L number check. For electronics R-numbers, see how to check a BIS registration number.
Where hallmarking is mandatory, and what is exempt
Mandatory hallmarking of gold started on 23 June 2021 in 256 districts. According to the BIS brief, it now covers 392 districts, under the latest amendment dated 3 August 2026. In those districts, registered jewellers may only sell gold jewellery that carries a HUID-based hallmark.
The BIS FAQ for jewellers lists the main exemptions, including:
- jewellers with annual turnover up to ₹40 lakh;
- articles weighing less than 2 grams;
- Kundan, Polki and Jadau jewellery;
- articles for export, gold bullion, gold thread, and gold watches and fountain pens.
Exempt does not mean it cannot be hallmarked: such articles can still be hallmarked by choice. Silver hallmarking remains voluntary, but since 1 September 2025 every silver article hallmarked under the BIS scheme must carry a HUID.
Old jewellery without a HUID
If your jewellery has the old four-mark hallmark, it is still valid. In a March 2023 release, BIS said that “hallmarked jewellery lying with consumers as per old schemes shall remain valid”. The consumer FAQ adds that consumers can sell old hallmarked or unhallmarked jewellery to jewellers, and that a hallmark is valid for the life of the article.
The rule that changed in 2023 applies to jewellers: from 1 April 2023 they may not sell hallmarked gold without a HUID. Old stock has to be re-hallmarked with a HUID before sale.
What to do if the HUID does not verify or does not match
| Result | What it may mean | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| No record found | Misread character, or a code that is not in BIS records | Re-read under the magnifier and re-enter; ask the jeweller to check it with you |
| Wrong article type or purity | The HUID may belong to another piece | Do not buy; ask for an explanation and a fresh test |
| Details match, but you doubt the purity | Possible shortage in gold content | Get the piece tested at a BIS-recognised AHC |
Get it tested. Any consumer can have hallmarked jewellery tested at a BIS-recognised AHC. In October 2024, BIS put the testing charge at ₹200. Hallmarking charges were revised in September 2026, so confirm the current rate with the centre. Under the jeweller guidelines, your sale bill must also say that purity can be verified at any BIS-recognised AHC.
Claim compensation. If the piece is less pure than marked, Rule 49 of the BIS Rules, 2018 entitles you to two times the difference, calculated on the shortage of purity for the weight of the article, plus the testing charges.
Complain to BIS. You can complain in the BIS Care app (misuse of Hallmark, or quality of hallmarked articles), through the complaint portal on bis.gov.in, or by email to complaints@bis.gov.in. Keep the bill, photographs of the hallmark and the AHC test report.
How Aaditech can help
Aaditech helps jewellers register with BIS for hallmarking on Manakonline and the National Single Window System, and stay compliant afterwards: shop display requirements, invoice wording, HUID transfers, re-hallmarking of old stock and preparing for BIS market surveillance visits. If you are a jeweller in a newly notified district, we can help you get registered before your next stock purchase. For background on how BIS schemes fit together, see what is BIS certification.