The hallmark’s 6-digit number is really a 6-character code. Letters and numbers both sit in it. The name is HUID. It is laser-pressed on the gold piece. Put it in the BIS Care app, and purity, the shop’s registration, the testing centre and the date come up. If it does not open, do not buy.
A lone 916 is not a full hallmark. 916 is what 22 carat uses. The BIS triangle and the HUID should be with it.
How to read it in the app
Get the BIS Care app from the Play Store or the App Store. The publisher should be the Bureau of Indian Standards. A fake icon can look close. Login is a mobile number and an OTP. Tap Verify HUID on the home screen. Type the 6-character code. Search. You need a network. A list saved on the phone does not run.
The screen shows purity. 916 means 22 carat. 750 means 18 carat. 999 means 24 carat. The shop’s BIS number, the testing centre, the hallmark date and the piece type can also show. If it says ring and you are holding a chain, the code is not for that piece.
Where the number sits
On the inside, near the hook, or on a link. It is small. Ask for the shop lens. A mark on the clasp and none on the rest, show the whole piece. A real clasp can be fixed on a fake chain.
An old piece at home from before 2023 can be without HUID. New sales after 1 April 2023 are asked for HUID. If you want to sell an old piece, a testing centre can mark it. Old gold without a mark does not become fake. Weigh and test are separate.
Match the bill
App purity and bill purity should be one. The shop name should sit close in the app and on the bill. The date should be near the bill. One line off, do not sign. The cut is in the old gold post. This page only checks the code.
The hallmark fee is small. The old practice was 45 rupees. A 4 October 2026 report says 75 rupees, after a 14 September 2026 notice. If the bill says 500 rupees as a hallmark fee, ask.
If it does not open
If the code comes up empty, stop the buy. The letter O and the number 0 are different. Type it once more. Still empty, another shop. A complaint sits in the BIS Care app. The helpline 1800-11-4000 is the one in use. A WhatsApp screenshot is not proof.
bis.gov.in also writes a verify path. The app and the site should both carry the government name. Do not open a link from a group.
Advice:
Before you buy, put the 6-character code in the BIS Care app. 916 alone is not enough. App purity and the bill should match. If the number does not open, do not take it. No HUID on an old home piece is not the new-sale rule. Do not send money ahead.
Sources: the BIS Care Verify HUID practice, the BIS hallmark, HUID on new sales after 1 April 2023. An app button can move after an update. The site does not guarantee a code.
