India’s silver HUID network has expanded ahead of the festive buying season. According to an Akashvani News report published on 28 August 2026, the Bureau of Indian Standards now recognises 341 silver Assaying and Hallmarking Centres across 102 districts. More than 25,000 silver jewellers are registered with BIS.
The report says more than 77 lakh silver jewellery pieces have received a Hallmark Unique Identification, or HUID, since the silver HUID portal opened on 1 September 2025.
For buyers, the most important point is not the size of the network. It is the distinction between voluntary hallmarking and the rules that apply once an article is hallmarked.
Silver hallmarking is voluntary, but HUID is required on a hallmarked piece
Silver hallmarking remains voluntary in India. Jewellers are not currently required to hallmark every silver article they sell.
However, the government has clarified that HUID is mandatory on any silver article that is voluntarily BIS hallmarked. A current BIS-hallmarked piece should therefore carry its own six-digit HUID.
That distinction prevents two common misunderstandings. The HUID requirement does not mean every silver item in the market must be hallmarked. At the same time, a generic purity stamp or a seller’s verbal assurance should not be confused with the current HUID-based BIS hallmark.
What appears on a HUID-based silver hallmark
BIS introduced the current format under Indian Standard IS 2112:2025, replacing the previous 2014 standard for newly hallmarked silver jewellery and articles.
The current hallmark has three components:
- The BIS Standard Mark with the word SILVER
- The purity grade or fineness
- A unique six-digit alphanumeric HUID
The revised standard covers seven purity grades: 800, 835, 925, 958, 970, 990 and 999.
The purity number describes the fineness recorded for the article. It does not assess its design, workmanship, price or resale terms.
What buyers can check in BIS CARE
The HUID creates a digital record that buyers can inspect through the BIS CARE app.
After entering the code, the app can display details including:
- The type of silver article
- Its recorded purity grade
- The hallmarking date
- The registration details of the jeweller who submitted it
- The name, address and recognition number of the Assaying and Hallmarking Centre
Compare those details with the article being offered and the information on the invoice. If the code does not resolve, or the displayed information does not match the item, pause the purchase and ask the seller to explain the difference.
A simple five-step check before buying
- Ask whether the article is BIS hallmarked.
- Look for the three-part current mark: the BIS Standard Mark with SILVER, the purity grade and the six-digit HUID.
- Enter the HUID in BIS CARE and compare the result with the article.
- Check that the seller is a BIS-registered silver jeweller. BIS provides official hallmarking information and registration links.
- Obtain a proper invoice and retain it. The invoice provides an important record of what was sold and by whom.
BIS also maintains a current directory of recognised Assaying and Hallmarking Centres. These centres test and hallmark articles submitted through registered jewellers.
The network has grown, but coverage is not universal
When the new silver HUID format began in September 2025, the government reported about 230 recognised silver hallmarking centres across 87 districts. By 28 August 2026, the reported network had grown to 341 centres across 102 districts.
The increase gives more registered jewellers access to testing and hallmarking. It does not mean every district, shop or silver article is covered.
Similarly, the reported 77 lakh HUID-marked pieces show substantial use of the system among participating jewellers. They do not represent every silver article sold in India.
What HUID does not tell you
A verifiable HUID helps connect a hallmarked article with its recorded purity, jeweller and testing centre. It does not decide whether the asking price is reasonable.
Buyers may still need to understand the article’s weight, making charges, taxes, return terms and any buyback conditions. Those commercial details should be clear on the invoice or explained separately by the seller.
The takeaway
When buying silver jewellery, first ask whether the piece is BIS hallmarked. If it is, check for the current three-part mark and verify the six-digit HUID in BIS CARE before paying.
Silver hallmarking remains voluntary. Verification becomes essential when a seller presents an article as BIS hallmarked.
