Gold Hallmarking in 398 Districts: Is Your Gold Certified?

The government has expanded mandatory gold hallmarking to 398 districts across India. If you live in a newly covered district, jewellers must now sell only BIS-hallmarked gold, protecting you from impure or fake jewellery.

Here's what happened: The government extended mandatory BIS gold hallmarking to six more districts, raising total coverage to 398 districts across 26 states and Union Territories.. In all notified districts, jewellers are legally prohibited from selling non-hallmarked gold jewellery and artefacts, with penalties for violations.. Each hallmarked piece carries a unique six-character HUID (Hallmark Unique ID) that records its purity, making it traceable and verifiable by any buyer..

What you should do: Check if your district is now covered by visiting the BIS India website or searching the official hallmarking district list before your next gold purchase.. Verify any hallmarked gold jewellery you buy by entering its HUID on the free BIS Care app — confirm purity matches what the jeweller claimed.. Avoid buying non-hallmarked gold jewellery in covered districts even at a discount — resale value is lower and purity cannot be guaranteed..

Pro tip: When exchanging old non-hallmarked gold at a jeweller, insist on a written purity test receipt — without it, jewellers often apply an arbitrary 'melting loss' that quietly cuts your exchange value by 3–5%.

For readers weighing their credit and loan options, our personal loan guide and CIBIL score resources put this update in context.