How to Verify HUID on Gold Jewellery in India: BIS Care App Guide
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The moment matters more than the mark. At the counter, before the payment goes through, is exactly when a buyer can verify gold hallmark online and settle the purity question in about two minutes. HUID, the six-character code laser-stamped on every hallmarked piece, is the key that opens the BIS database, and the free BIS Care App reads it on a smartphone. Enter the code and the app returns the purity grade, the jeweller's BIS registration, the assaying centre, and the date of hallmarking. This guide covers the code itself, the three marks to look for on a piece, the four-step verification on the app, the web portal fallback when the app misbehaves, and one angle few pages explain: how verified purity feeds directly into the per-gram value of a gold loan.
What is HUID and Why Does It Matter?
HUID is short for Hallmark Unique Identification, the six-character alphanumeric stamp that every BIS-hallmarked gold article sold in India has carried since April 2023. Each code belongs to one piece and one piece only. It links to a central BIS database that records the purity, the jeweller's BIS registration number, the assaying centre, the hallmarking date, and the article type.
Why care? Because the code makes purity verifiable rather than a matter of trust. Mandatory hallmarking covers the common purities sold in India, including 14K, 18K, and 22K, and the list has kept growing: 9K (375 fineness) was added to the mandatory grades from July 2025. So knowing how to verify HUID is really knowing how to check that the piece in hand matches the record in the database.
Three Hallmark Symbols to Find on Your Gold Jewellery
Under the current system, a hallmarked piece carries three marks:
|
Mark |
What It Looks Like |
What It Confirms |
|
BIS logo |
A triangular mark with the letters BIS |
The piece passed through a BIS-recognised assaying and hallmarking centre |
|
Purity or fineness code |
999 for 24K, 916 for 22K, 750 for 18K, 585 for 14K, 375 for 9K |
The gold content, in parts per thousand |
|
HUID |
A six-character alphanumeric code, e.g. A1B2C3 |
The unique database identity of the piece |
Note: Purity grades and fineness codes shown are as notified under BIS hallmarking standards and are indicative of the grades commonly hallmarked in India; the applicable standards may be updated by BIS from time to time.
The marks hide in predictable places. Check the inner band of a ring, the clasp of a chain, or the back of a pendant. The engraving is tiny, and a magnifying glass helps. Jewellery hallmarked before 2021 followed an older system with more symbols, including the jeweller's own mark and a year letter, and those pieces carry no HUID at all. That is a dating clue, not a defect.
How to Verify HUID Using the BIS Care App: 4 Steps
The BIS Care app HUID check runs in four steps:
- Download the BIS Care App. It is free on the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store, published by the Bureau of Indian Standards.
- Register or log in. A mobile number and the OTP sent to it complete the sign-in.
- Tap Verify HUID on the home screen.
- Type the six-character code and tap Search.
The results screen does the talking. It shows the purity grade, say 916 for 22K. It shows the BIS registration number of the jeweller who sold the piece, the name of the assaying and hallmarking centre, the hallmarking date, and the article type, whether ring, chain, or bangle. Match each field against the piece and the bill. An active internet connection is needed throughout, since the app queries the live database rather than anything stored on the phone.
One point confuses many first-time users. The app shows the jeweller's registration number, not the shop's name, so confirming the piece came from the right seller takes one extra step: the registration number can be cross-checked against the licensed jewellers list on bis.gov.in, or matched with the BIS registration displayed at the shop and printed on the invoice.
BIS Care App Not Working? Use the HUID Web Portal Instead
Sometimes the app returns a blank screen even for a genuine code. Connectivity, server load, or an outdated app version can all cause it. The fix is the HUID web portal at huid.manakonline.in. Open it in any browser, select the Verify HUID option, and enter the same six-character code. Both the app and the portal draw from one central database, so a genuine piece returns identical details on either.
And if neither route returns a result? Then the code may not be registered, which is a genuine warning sign to check HUID gold genuine status further. Contact the jeweller for an explanation first, and if the answer does not hold up, a complaint can be raised through the Complaints feature in the BIS Care App itself.
How Hallmark Purity Affects Your Gold Loan Value
Purity is money when gold is pledged. Lenders work out the eligible amount from the net gold weight and the applicable reference rate for the verified purity, subject to the loan-to-value limits prescribed under RBI directions, so a 22K (916) piece yields a higher per-gram value than an 18K (750) piece of the same weight, simply because it contains more gold. Under the RBI (Lending Against Gold and Silver Collateral) Directions, 2025, applicable from April 1, 2026, the reference rate is applied according to the assessed purity of the gold, taken as the lower of the previous day's closing price or the average of the preceding 30 days published by the India Bullion and Jewellers Association (IBJA), and only the metal counts: stones and making charges are excluded. Jewellery whose HUID has already been checked gives the borrower a ready reference point during assessment, since the declared purity and the assay reading can be compared on the spot. Readers who have run this check and need funds can consider a gold loan from IIFL Finance, with eligibility and terms governed by the guidelines prevailing at the time.
Conclusion
Two minutes with a free app removes most of the doubt from a gold purchase. Find the three marks, enter the HUID in the BIS Care App, and read the database record against the piece and the bill; where the app stalls, the huid.manakonline.in portal answers from the same records. A code that returns nothing deserves questions, and the complaint route sits inside the same app. The habit pays twice over: once at the counter, where a mismatch is caught before money changes hands, and again years later at a lender's branch, where verified purity supports a purity-based per-gram valuation. Assessment outcomes and loan terms remain the lender's call under whatever guidelines then apply, and nothing in this guide fixes them in advance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do if the HUID is not visible on my gold jewellery?
Look harder before worrying. The code is laser-engraved and very small, so a magnifying glass on the inner surface of rings, the clasp of chains, or the back of pendants usually finds it. If it is genuinely absent, the piece may have been hallmarked before April 2023 under the older multi-symbol system, which carried no HUID, or it may be unhallmarked. Tip: an older hallmarked piece can be re-hallmarked with a HUID through a BIS-recognised centre, which can be considered before selling or pledging it.
Can I verify silver jewellery using the BIS Care App?
Yes, where the silver piece carries a HUID. Silver hallmarking in India is currently voluntary rather than mandatory, though since September 2025 any silver article a jeweller chooses to hallmark carries a HUID, so newer hallmarked silver can be checked in the app exactly the way gold is: enter the code and match the record. The absence of a HUID on silver remains common and is not by itself a red flag. Tip: for silver bought as an investment, asking the seller for hallmarked stock gives a verifiable record.
Is HUID verification free?
Yes, completely. The BIS Care App costs nothing to download or use, the HUID web portal at huid.manakonline.in is free as well, and no charge applies to consumers at any stage of checking hallmark details. Any person or website demanding payment for HUID verification is a warning sign, since BIS levies no consumer fee for this service. Tip: verification needs no purchase bill and no ownership proof, so a piece can be checked before buying, at the counter, with the jeweller watching.
What does the BIS Care App show after I enter the HUID?
Five details come back. The results screen displays the purity or fineness grade (916 for 22K, for instance), the BIS registration number of the jeweller who sold the piece, the name of the assaying and hallmarking centre, the date of hallmarking, and the article type such as ring, chain, or bangle. Each field can be matched against the physical piece and the invoice. Tip: a screenshot of the results screen, saved with the bill, builds a small ownership file that helps later at resale or pledge.
Does hallmarked gold get a better gold loan rate?
Not a better interest rate as such, but a surer valuation. Verified purity lets the lender price the metal accurately, and a 22K (916) piece typically commands a higher per-gram loan value than an 18K (750) piece of equal weight, since its gold content is higher. Under RBI directions, the borrower is present at assaying and receives a certificate itemising purity, weights, and value, so the hallmark and the assay can be compared on the spot. Tip: carrying the HUID verification screenshot to the branch can smooth that comparison.
Disclaimer : The information in this blog is for general purposes only and may change without notice. It does not constitute legal, tax, or financial advice. Readers should seek professional guidance and make decisions at their own discretion. IIFL Finance is not liable for any reliance on this content. Read more
