HUID Registration: Complete Guide for Indian Jewellers After April 2023
HUID is mandatory since April 1, 2023
Selling gold jewellery without HUID can result in penalties up to ₹2 lakh or closure of your store. This guide tells you exactly what to do.
What is HUID?
HUID stands for Hallmark Unique Identification — a 6-character alphanumeric code (e.g., AB1234) assigned to each piece of gold jewellery by a BIS-certified Assaying and Hallmarking Centre (AHC).
Think of it as an Aadhaar card for your jewellery. Each piece gets a unique ID that can be traced from the AHC to the final buyer. It proves the jewellery has been tested for purity and is genuine.
The HUID is laser-engraved or stamped on the jewellery itself, and also registered in the BIS database. Consumers can verify any HUID at bis.gov.in or via the BIS Care app.
Why Did the Government Make HUID Mandatory?
Before HUID, hallmarking in India was plagued with problems: fake hallmarks, under-karat gold being sold as higher purity, and no way to trace jewellery through the supply chain. The BIS introduced HUID to solve this.
Buyers can verify purity of any piece by scanning the HUID on the BIS app
Eliminates fake hallmarks — each HUID is registered in a central database
Every piece traceable from manufacturer to retailer to consumer
HUID on invoices makes GST compliance verifiable and auditable
How to Get HUID for Your Jewellery
The process is straightforward. Here's exactly what you need to do:
Find a BIS-Certified AHC Near You
Visit bis.gov.in/ahc-locator to find a BIS-registered Assaying and Hallmarking Centre in your city. Major jewellery markets have multiple AHCs.
Submit Jewellery for Testing
Take your gold jewellery to the AHC. They will test the purity (22K, 18K, 14K) using fire assay or XRF spectrometry. Typical turnaround: 24–48 hours.
AHC Stamps HUID and Registers in BIS Database
After testing, the AHC stamps the BIS hallmark + HUID on your jewellery and registers the 6-character HUID in the central BIS database.
Record HUID in Your Inventory System
Add the HUID to your inventory management system (SoniERP does this automatically when you scan the HUID barcode). The piece is now sellable.
Penalties for Non-Compliance
HUID on GST Invoices
BIS guidelines require the HUID to be mentioned on the sale invoice. This means your GST billing software must support HUID fields. Without this, your invoices are technically non-compliant.
SoniERP automatically includes the HUID on every sale invoice. When you scan a HUID at the point of sale, it populates the invoice, verifies against the BIS database, and marks the item as sold — preventing double-selling.
Automate HUID Compliance with SoniERP
Managing HUID manually — keeping a register, checking the BIS database, manually typing on invoices — is time-consuming and error-prone. SoniERP automates the entire process:
Frequently Asked Questions
Does HUID apply to silver jewellery?
No. As of 2026, HUID is mandatory only for gold jewellery. Silver jewellery requires hallmarking under BIS but does not yet require HUID.
What if I sell old gold or exchange jewellery?
Old gold purchased from customers for exchange does not require HUID at the point of purchase. However, when it is re-manufactured and sold, the new piece must have a HUID before sale.
Can I sell jewellery bought before HUID was mandatory?
Yes, with a grace window. Old stock can be hallmarked and assigned HUID at a BIS-registered Assaying and Hallmarking Centre (AHC). After hallmarking, the piece gets a HUID and can be sold.
What is the penalty for selling unhallmarked gold?
Under the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016, penalties can reach ₹2 lakh or 10× the value of the goods, whichever is higher, plus imprisonment up to 2 years for repeat offenders.
How does SoniERP verify HUID?
SoniERP connects to the BIS registry API. When you scan a HUID during a sale, it verifies the code is valid, not previously sold, and matches the declared purity. This happens in under 2 seconds.