Gold Guide
What Is a HUID Hallmark and How to Verify Your Jewellery
The Innocence team · 4 October 2026 · 3 min read
A HUID is a six-character code that identifies one hallmarked piece of jewellery. Here is what it tells you and how to check that it matches your purchase.
When you buy gold jewellery in India today, the piece should carry a small laser-engraved mark with a code made of letters and numbers. That code is the HUID, short for Hallmark Unique Identification. It is one of the simplest ways to check that what you were sold is what the bill says.
What is a HUID?
A HUID is a six-character alphanumeric code, for example a mix like "AB12C3". Every hallmarked piece gets its own code. Two pieces of identical design have different HUIDs. Think of it as a serial number for that one piece of jewellery, issued as part of the hallmarking process run under the Bureau of Indian Standards.
What does a full hallmark look like?
A current BIS hallmark on gold jewellery has three parts:
- The BIS logo.
- The purity grade, such as 18K750 or 22K916.
- The HUID.
Older pieces may show extra marks, such as a jeweller's identification mark and the assaying centre's mark. Newer hallmarking rules no longer require those, because the HUID takes over the job of tracing a piece.
Why does the HUID matter to you?
The HUID links a physical piece to a record. The record states what kind of article it is, its purity and the date it was hallmarked. If the code on your jewellery is missing, unreadable or does not match, you have a reason to ask questions before you pay. It also helps if you ever want to resell, exchange or insure the piece, because you can show that its purity was tested by an independent centre.
How to check a HUID
- Find the HUID on the jewellery. It is tiny, so ask the jeweller to show it under a magnifier. Check that it is a six-character code.
- Compare it with the bill. A proper invoice lists the HUID for each hallmarked article.
- Verify it using the BIS tools. BIS provides a verification option through its website and its BIS Care app, where you can enter the HUID and see the details recorded for it.
- Check that the details match the piece in your hand: the type of article and the purity.
If anything on the screen differs from what you were sold, raise it with the jeweller before the sale is complete.
What if my jewellery is old?
Jewellery bought before HUID became compulsory will not have one, and that does not mean it is not genuine. Many old pieces carry the earlier hallmark format. If you want a HUID on an old piece, a jeweller can get it hallmarked again through a BIS-recognised centre. This is a common step when families bring in inherited jewellery for exchange or redesign.
Does HUID apply to every piece?
The rules apply to gold jewellery and artefacts in specified purities, and they have been extended district by district. Items such as certain very light articles and some categories of special jewellery have been outside the mandate. If you are unsure whether a piece should have one, ask the jeweller. The page on whether hallmarking is mandatory in India explains the scope.
What to do before every purchase
Make HUID checking part of your routine, in the same way you would check the weight and the price breakup. When you visit, ask to see the HUID on the piece itself and read the purity mark beside it. If you want help reading a hallmark in person, book an appointment and ask the team to go through it with you. For more on the other marks, read BIS hallmark marks explained.