The HUID check exists because a stamp alone can be faked. Since 1 July 2021 every gold article hallmarked in India carries a code that links it to a record held by the Bureau of Indian Standards, and the check takes under a minute at the counter. It is worth doing on any gold purchase, and on silver that carries the newer hallmark.
What is a HUID number?
A HUID (Hallmark Unique Identification) is a six character alphanumeric code stamped on each hallmarked piece, unique to that piece and traceable. It is one of the three marks that make up a BIS hallmark on gold.
BIS introduced the HUID from 1 July 2021 and, from 1 April 2023, barred jewellers from selling hallmarked gold without one. The code is applied at a BIS recognised hallmarking centre after the piece has been tested, so it ties the physical item to a test record.
What does a BIS hallmark on gold consist of?
A current BIS hallmark on gold has three marks: the BIS logo, the purity in karat and fineness, and the HUID. If any of the three is missing on a piece sold as new, treat it as incomplete.
| Hallmark component | Example | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| BIS standard mark | Triangle logo | The piece passed through the BIS hallmarking system |
| Purity grade | 22K916, 18K750, 14K585 | Karat and gold content in parts per thousand |
| HUID | Six letters and numbers | A unique code linking this piece to its test record |
The purity numbers are explained in detail in 916 vs 750 gold. Before July 2021 the hallmark had four marks instead: the BIS logo, the purity, the jeweller's mark and the hallmarking centre's mark. There was no HUID.
How to do a HUID number check on the BIS Care app
The official check runs through BIS Care, the Bureau's free app for Android and iOS. BIS describes the Verify HUID feature on its BIS apps page.
- Install BIS Care from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. Check that the publisher is the Bureau of Indian Standards.
- Register your mobile number when the app asks. Registration is needed before the verification features open.
- Find the HUID on the piece. It sits beside the BIS logo and purity grade, usually inside a ring, on a clasp tongue or behind a pendant. Use a phone camera at full zoom or a 10x loupe.
- Tap Verify HUID and enter the six characters exactly as stamped. Letters are capitals; take care with 0 and O, 1 and I, 8 and B.
- Submit, then compare every detail the app returns with the piece in front of you and with the bill.
Do this before you pay, not after. A jeweller who sells genuine hallmarked stock will have no problem waiting while you check.
What does the HUID result show?
According to BIS, the result shows the jeweller who had the article hallmarked and their registration number, the purity, the type of article, and details of the hallmarking centre that tested and marked it. Each field is something you can check against reality.
| Result field | What to check it against |
|---|---|
| Type of article | The piece in your hand: a ring should not come back as a chain |
| Purity | The purity stamp on the piece and the karat on your bill |
| Jeweller and registration number | The shop or brand you are buying from, or its known supplier |
| Hallmarking centre | Should be a BIS recognised centre; note the name for any complaint |
A mismatch in article type or purity is the strongest warning sign. A jeweller name that differs from the shop is not always a problem, because the jeweller who first sells the piece into the supply chain has it hallmarked, and that can be a wholesaler. Ask, and expect a clear answer.
Can a HUID be copied onto a fake piece?
In principle, yes: a valid code can be copied from one piece and stamped onto another. That is why a successful lookup is not the end of the check. The app confirms that the code exists and describes the article it belongs to; it cannot see the item on your table.
This is where the matching matters. A copied code will usually return an article type, purity or jeweller that does not fit what you are holding. If a code checks out but the price looks too good, the piece feels light for its size, or the stamp looks crudely struck compared with the neat marks beside it, pay for a test before paying for the jewellery.
What to do if the HUID check fails
If the code returns nothing, or returns details that do not match, stop and work through the causes in order. Most failures are misread characters; the rest need a test.
- Re-read the stamp under better light and re-enter it, trying the common look-alike characters.
- Ask the jeweller to explain the result and to show the hallmarking record.
- If you have already bought the piece, have it tested at any BIS recognised assaying and hallmarking centre. BIS lists a charge of ₹200 for a fire assay test.
- Register a complaint through the Complaints option in the BIS Care app, keeping your bill and the test report.
The bill matters. BIS advises buyers to get an invoice showing the description, net weight of precious metal, purity in karat and hallmarking charges. Without it, a dispute is hard to pursue.
What compensation are you entitled to if purity is short?
If hallmarked jewellery tests below the purity marked on it, the buyer is entitled to compensation. On its consumer protection page, BIS sets this at two times the difference calculated on the shortage of purity for the weight of the article, plus the testing charges.
This is the practical value of the HUID. It turns a hallmark from a stamp into a record that a named jeweller and a named centre are answerable for.
Old gold jewellery without HUID: what it means
Gold hallmarked before 1 July 2021 carries the old four mark hallmark and no HUID, and it is still valid in your hands. The government's March 2023 notice states that hallmarked jewellery lying with consumers under the old schemes remains valid.
What changed is the shop side. Since 1 April 2023, jewellers may not sell gold without a HUID, so old four mark stock should not be on a counter. Consumers cannot get old jewellery hallmarked themselves; only registered jewellers can submit pieces. If you sell or exchange old gold, the jeweller will test it and pay on the purity found.
Which items do not need a HUID?
Not every gold item must be hallmarked. BIS exempts articles weighing under 2 grams, kundan, polki and jadau jewellery, gold watches and fountain pens, bullion such as coins and bars, items for export, and jewellers with annual turnover under ₹40 lakh.
So a 1.5 gram nose pin without a HUID is not automatically suspect. A 10 gram chain sold as new without one is.
HUID on silver jewellery
Silver can carry a HUID too, but hallmarking it is voluntary. Since 1 September 2025, silver hallmarked under the revised standard IS 2112:2025 carries the BIS mark with the word SILVER, a purity grade such as 925, and a HUID, and it can be checked in BIS Care the same way. Our guide to the silver hallmark and 925 stamp explains what to expect on silver bought before and after that date.
If you buy from AXIOM, a men's jewellery house at the Bharat Diamond Bourse whose pieces are mostly 925 sterling silver with 18K white gold offered on a few designs, each product page in the collection states the exact metal of the piece.
The practical takeaway
Make the HUID check a habit at the counter: find the three marks, enter the code in BIS Care, and match article type and purity to the piece and the bill. For the other checks worth doing on gold and silver, see how to tell if gold and silver are real.
