How to Check a Silver Hallmark in India in 2026: HUID, BIS Care App, 925 vs 999 and What the Grades Mean

To check a silver hallmark in India, look for three marks laser-printed on the item: the BIS standard mark with the word SILVER, a purity grade such as 925 or 999, and a six-character alphanumeric HUID code. Then enter that HUID in the free BIS Care app, which shows the purity, item type, jeweller and testing centre on record.

That check takes under a minute at the counter, and it matters this week. Dhanteras falls today, and silver coins, diyas, payals and puja items are among the most common buys in Pune markets from Laxmi Road to Pimpri. Silver hallmarking is still voluntary, so plenty of silver on sale carries no hallmark at all. What changed in 2025 is that any piece that is hallmarked must now carry an HUID that you can verify yourself.

What a genuine silver hallmark looks like

Under the scheme the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) started on 1 September 2025, a hallmarked silver article carries three marks:

• The BIS standard mark (the triangular BIS logo) with the word SILVER.
• The purity grade, written in parts per thousand, for example 925 or 999.
• The HUID (Hallmarking Unique Identification), a six-character alphanumeric code unique to that piece.

The marks are laser-engraved and very small, so ask the shop for a loupe or use your phone camera’s zoom. A stamp that looks punched by hand, a grade with no BIS logo, or a code that is not six characters long are all reasons to ask more questions before you pay.

How to verify the HUID in the BIS Care app

1. Install BIS Care from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. It is published by the Bureau of Indian Standards and is free.
2. Register with your mobile number and the OTP.
3. Open Verify HUID and type the six-character code exactly as it appears on the item.
4. Check the result against the piece in your hand: the article type (anklet, coin, diya and so on), the purity grade, the jeweller’s registration details and the Assaying and Hallmarking Centre (AHC) that tested it.
5. If the app shows a different item type or purity, or says the HUID does not exist, do not buy. You can file a complaint from the same app.

The app is available in 12 languages. According to official figures reported in December 2025, more than 17 lakh silver items were hallmarked with an HUID in the first three months of the scheme, so the database is already large.

Silver purity grades: what 999, 925 and 800 mean

The revised standard, IS 2112:2025, allows these grades for hallmarked silver. The number tells you how many parts in 1,000 are pure silver.

Reports from the first months of the scheme said grades 925 and 800 together made up close to 90% of all hallmarked silver, and that payals and anklets were the biggest single category, mostly in 800 grade. The older 900 grade was dropped in the 2025 revision.

925 or 999: which should you buy?

Neither is “fake”. They are made for different uses. Pure 999 silver is soft and bends or scratches easily, which is fine for a coin that sits in a box but not for a ring worn every day. That is why jewellery is usually 925, where 7.5% copper or another metal adds strength.

• Buying as an investment or for puja: 999 coins or bars give you the most silver per gram. Ask for the purity certificate or assay card that comes with branded coins.
• Buying jewellery to wear: 925 sterling silver is the sensible choice. Paying 999 prices for a 925 piece is the real risk, so match the grade on the bill to the grade on the item.
• Buying payals or traditional pieces: 800 grade is common and legitimate. Just make sure you are paying the 800 rate, not the 925 or 999 rate.

Is unhallmarked silver illegal?

No. Silver hallmarking is voluntary for now, so a jeweller can legally sell silver without a hallmark. Hallmarking became compulsory only for gold jewellery, in phases from June 2021 (our Dhanteras gold buying guide covers the gold rules). The rule that is mandatory for silver is narrower: if a piece carries the BIS hallmark, it must also carry a valid HUID.

Unhallmarked silver is not necessarily impure, but you are relying on the shop’s word. For an expensive purchase you can ask the jeweller to get the piece hallmarked, or buy from a shop that already stocks hallmarked items.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Accepting a “92.5” or “925” stamp on its own. Without the BIS logo and HUID, it is just the seller’s claim.
• Not checking the HUID until after you get home. Verify it in the shop, before you pay.
• Ignoring the item type in the app. An HUID registered for a coin should not appear on a bracelet.
• Buying silver coins sold in sealed packs without opening the app to check the code printed on the pack or coin.
• Comparing prices only per piece. Always compare weight times rate, plus making charges.

This article is for general information and is not financial advice. Silver prices change daily; check the current rate and the bill carefully before you buy.

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