Dhanteras, Diwali 2026 shopping guide: Buying gold coins, bars or Kundan? Know when hallmarking charges may not apply

With Dhanteras falling on 6 November and Diwali on 8 November, consumers are heading to jewellery stores to buy gold jewellery and other gold items. While checking the weight, purity, making charges and GST on your purchase, do not overlook the hallmarking fee added to your final bill.

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) made hallmarking mandatory for gold jewellery and artefacts in 2021. However, certain categories of gold articles are still exempt from this requirement. Here's what you need to know.

Gold hallmarking is a certification process intended to protect consumers against malpractice related to gold purity. It ensures that the buyer receives the stated purity of gold for the price paid.

A hallmark includes three components:

• BIS logo
• Purity of the gold article, indicated through caratage and fineness
• Six-digit alphanumeric HUID number

Under Indian Standard IS 1417:2016, gold jewellery and artefacts can be hallmarked in six purity categories: 14 carat (585 fineness), 18 carat (750), 20 carat (833), 22 carat (916), 23 carat (958) and 24 carat (995).

BIS also specifies that each article in a pair and every detachable part of jewellery must carry a hallmark with a different HUID. A detachable part means any item of a jewellery piece that can be easily removed or replaced.

According to the BIS FAQs, the following categories are exempt from the mandatory requirement under the Quality Control Order (QCO) in districts covered by the hallmarking order:

• Gold articles weighing less than two grams.
• Special categories of jewellery, including Kundan, Polki and Jadau.
• Gold watches and fountain pens.
• Gold bullion in any form, including bars, plates, sheets, foil, rods, wires, strips, tubes and coins.
• Any article made of gold thread.
• Any article intended for medical, dental, veterinary, scientific or industrial purposes.
• Any manufactured article that is not substantially complete and is intended for further manufacturing.
• Any article being transported from outside India to a BIS-recognised Assaying and Hallmarking Centre in India for hallmarking, as per the BIS (Hallmarking) Regulations, 2018.
• Any article meant for export that conforms to specifications required by the foreign buyer.
• Any article meant for export and re-import under the Government of India's trade policy.
• Jewellery intended for international exhibitions.
• Jewellery meant for domestic business-to-business exhibitions approved by a government agency.
• Jewellers with an annual turnover of up to ₹40 lakh.

According to the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution's PIB release dated 15 June 2021, mandatory hallmarking of gold jewellery came into force on 16 June 2021.

The mandatory hallmarking order applies only to gold jewellery and artefacts. It does not cover gold bullion and coins. However, gold coins and bullion with 999 or 995 fineness can be hallmarked through BIS-approved refineries and mints.

According to a BIS notification dated 14 September, the hallmarking fee payable by jewellers to recognised Assaying and Hallmarking Centres for gold articles is ₹75 per article, with a minimum charge of ₹200 per consignment.

If you are buying an item without a hallmark, ask the jeweller to confirm its exemption status and seek clarification if a hallmarking fee is added separately to your bill or included in other charges. However, exemption does not automatically mean that all charges are waived.

Vedant Gupte, Co-founder and CEO of investment platform Trackk, earlier told LiveMint that “Jewellers often bundle hallmarking charges into the gold value. If a charge is not on the bill, you should not pay for it.”

Sheetal Goel is a Content Producer at Livemint, where she covers corporate developments, personal finance, business trends, markets, and SEBI-related updates. She focuses on simplifying complex financial concepts and presenting them in a clear, reader-friendly manner, thereby helping audiences better understand investment trends, personal finance, and market developments. Her writing focuses on making finance more accessible to everyday readers while maintaining clarity, accuracy, and relevance. <br><br> She holds a degree in Economics (Hons.) along with an MBA in Finance, which has helped her develop a strong foundation in financial analysis, market understanding, and business reporting. Before joining journalism, she worked with finance and broking firms, where she closely followed market developments, investment strategies, and evolving industry trends. This practical exposure strengthened her understanding of financial markets. She has also written content across multiple formats and platforms, including YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram. <br><br> Over time, she has developed expertise in covering market-linked stories, investor-focused topics, and regulatory updates in a simplified yet informative style. She also enjoys reading and listening to Hindi poetry, reflecting her appreciation for literature and creative expression beyond the world of markets and numbers.

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