BIS Hallmark Registration

BIS hallmarking of gold jewellery and gold artefacts is a mandatory certification scheme under the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016. The Central Government notified the Hallmarking of Gold Jewellery and Gold Artefacts Order, 2020, on 15 January 2020, in exercise of powers under Section 14(3) read with Sections 15(2), 15(3), 16, 17 and 25 of the BIS Act, 2016; a subsequent amendment moved the operative implementation date to 1 June 2021, and mandatory hallmarking took legal effect from 16 June 2021 in the first phase, covering 256 identified districts (later extended in further phases, e.g. Phase 2 from 4 April 2022).

Under Section 14(1), notified precious metal articles must conform to the applicable Indian Standard — gold jewellery and artefacts must meet IS 1417:2016 purity grades — and Section 15 prohibits manufacture, import, distribution, sale, storage, or exhibition of such articles without the BIS Standard Mark once notified. Compliant jewellers must register with BIS and get each article hallmarked at a BIS-recognised Assaying & Hallmarking Centre, which assigns a six-digit alphanumeric Hallmark Unique Identification (HUID) number laser-inscribed on the piece and logged in the BIS database for traceability (verifiable via the BIS CARE app).

Contravention attracts penalties under Section 29 of the BIS Act, 2016 — imprisonment up to two years, a fine of not less than five times the value of the non-compliant article (or both) for a first offence, with enhanced penalties on repeat contravention. Applicability is district-based and phased, so jewellers should confirm current coverage for their specific location via BIS's published district lists before assuming exemption.

We help jewellers prepare and file BIS hallmark registration documentation, premises details, KYC, and product/category information. This is relevant for businesses selling gold, silver, or precious metal articles covered by hallmarking requirements.