The government has expanded the geographical coverage of mandatory gold hallmarking to six more districts, taking the total number of districts covered under the framework to 398.
The Department of Consumer Affairs issued the Hallmarking of Gold Jewellery and Gold Artefacts (Fourth Amendment) Order, 2026, through notification S.O. 5997(E), dated November 2.
The amendment replaces the existing district-wise Annexure under the Hallmarking of Gold Jewellery and Gold Artefacts Order, 2020, with a revised list.
Which districts have been added?
The revised list includes the following six districts:
- Bihar: West Champaran
- Delhi: South West Delhi
- Gujarat: Panchmahal
- Uttar Pradesh: Bulandshahr and Sant Kabir Nagar
- Uttarakhand: Rudraprayag
With these additions, the coverage of mandatory hallmarking has increased from 392 to 398 districts across 26 states and Union Territories.
What does mandatory hallmarking mean for gold buyers?
Mandatory hallmarking requires applicable gold jewellery and artefacts sold in the districts covered by the order to comply with the prescribed hallmarking requirements.
Hallmarking is a certification of the purity of gold. It helps buyers verify the purity of the gold they purchase.
Hallmarked gold jewellery carries a Hallmark Unique Identification (HUID) number, which consumers can use to check the details of the item through the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Care mobile application.
The BIS hallmarking framework covers six grades of gold jewellery and artefacts: 14-carat, 18-carat, 20-carat, 22-carat, 23-carat and 24-carat. A provision for 9-carat hallmarking is also available as a voluntary grade.
How has mandatory gold hallmarking expanded?
The government has expanded mandatory hallmarking in phases since its initial rollout in June 2021.
The latest amendment is another expansion of the district-wise coverage. It does not mean that hallmarking has become mandatory across every district or city in India.