BIS Hallmark Registration for Jewellers

Overview of BIS Hallmark Registration

Gold and silver jewellery hold significant cultural and financial value in India. To protect consumers from adulteration and ensure the authenticity of precious metal jewellery, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) introduced the Hallmarking Scheme. Gold Hallmarking was launched in 2000, followed by Silver Hallmarking in 2005, establishing a standardized system to verify the purity of precious metals.

Today, BIS Hallmark Registration is mandatory for eligible jewellers engaged in the manufacturing or sale of gold jewellery and artefacts covered under the hallmarking regulations. Hallmarking certifies that the jewellery meets the prescribed purity standards, giving customers confidence in the quality of their purchase. Since the purity of gold or silver cannot be accurately determined through visual inspection alone, BIS hallmarking serves as a trusted assurance of authenticity, transparency, and compliance with Indian quality standards.

Meaning & Purpose of Hallmark

BIS Hallmarking is the official process of testing and certifying the purity of gold and silver jewellery. A BIS hallmark confirms that the jewellery meets the prescribed purity standards set by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), giving customers confidence in its authenticity and quality.

The main objective of the Hallmarking Scheme is to protect consumers from adulterated jewellery and ensure that jewellers maintain the required purity standards. Registered jewellers can get their jewellery tested and hallmarked at any BIS-recognised Assaying and Hallmarking (A&H) Centre.

Key Benefits

• Confirms the purity of gold and silver jewellery.
• Protects consumers from fraud and adulteration.
• Ensures compliance with BIS standards.
• Builds customer trust and confidence.
• Enhances the credibility of registered jewellers.

What are the Marks on a BIS Hallmark?

New Scheme in Gold Hallmarking

In 2019, the Government of India mandated the hallmarking of jewellery and artefacts crafted from gold and silver. In alignment with Regulation 5 of the BIS (Hallmarking) Regulations, 2018, exclusively precious gold items bearing the Hallmark are allowed to be sold by registered jewellers through authorized retail outlets, provided they adhere to the terms and conditions of the Hallmark Registration Certificate. Moreover, each marked item must carry a unique identification number along with a BIS hallmark and the metal's purity indication. The state or region, coupled with the IS number, can be used to access the roster of authorized jewellers.

Types of BIS Hallmark Registrations

Majorly, Bureau of Indian Standards issues Hallmark Registration for two types of business activities:

Jewellery Store or Showroom BIS Registration:

Prior to commencing their operations, jewellery manufacturers and sellers must secure BIS hallmark Registration. Under the Hallmarking Scheme, BIS is authorized to issue Hallmarking Registration to jewellers for specific areas. Before offering gold jewellery with the BIS hallmark for sale, each jeweller needs to obtain a BIS hallmark certificate or license for every sales outlet. Jewels owned by BIS-certified jewellers can be hallmarked at BIS Testing & Hallmarking Centers.

BIS Recognition of Assaying and Hallmarking Centers:

A hallmarking center is a BIS-accredited facility that acts as a marking centre or third-party assessment facility. Here, the purity of precious metals is verified and stamped. Such centres can apply for BIS accreditation through the BIS MANAK portal.

Applicability of Hallmark Registration

Jewellers intending to trade gold jewellery must initially acquire a hallmark license through BIS Hallmark registration for each location where they engage in the production, sale, or offer of gold/silver items. Jewellers who have previously obtained BIS certification have the option to get their gold/silver jewellery authenticated at BIS Testing and Hallmarking Centers. The evaluation of gold purity is conducted at BIS Assaying and Hallmarking Centers, which serve as assessment facilities.

However, certain conditions render individuals ineligible for submitting an application:

If a jeweller’s hallmark registration has been revoked in compliance with sub-regulation 1(e) of Regulation 7 of the BIS (Hallmarking) Regulations, 2018, that jeweller cannot apply for a new one until a cooling-off period of one year has passed since the issuance of such an order.

A jeweller found guilty in accordance with the provisions of the Act is barred from seeking registration for one year starting from the conviction date. The BIS authority retains the right to annul the registration of any individual or business entity attempting to pursue online registration through the MANAK portal if they are rendered ineligible to apply for Hallmark registration in India due to the aforementioned reasons.

Benefits of Hallmark Registration

1. Ensure unwavering quality standards: 

   BIS employs a comprehensive approach to ensure regulatory adherence among all manufacturers. Entities with BIS registration are required to follow a designated standard during their item manufacturing process. Surprise visits by BIS inspection personnel to the manufacturing sites are conducted. This practice enables BIS to closely monitor the compliance of production sites with regulations and the quality of their products.

2. Assures the genuineness of the product:

   While a product lacking a quality certification might vanish from the market abruptly, it can't gain genuine respect or confidence from customers. Products without certification have a higher chance of underperforming and presenting health hazards. Regrettably, most consumers are oblivious to these facts. On the other hand, BIS-certified products, ensuring exceptional performance and unparalleled reliability, have maintained an impeccable track record in this aspect.

3. Offers legal safeguards against counterfeit products:

   Offers the rightful legal safeguard for buyers of counterfeit products. Similarly, enterprises dealing in hallmarked gold and silver also enjoy protection from unsubstantiated allegations as manufacturers and sellers.

4. Means of sustainable business growth:

   Retailers establish the foundation for continuing business success when they sell hallmarked jewellery.

Documents for Hallmark Certification

• ​​​​​​Layout of the business premises
• Copy of SPCB Consent CTE CTO
• Copy of Fire NOC & Factory License
• Copy of trademark registration certificate
• Photographs of Showroom in JPG/PNG format
• Google map location of the business premises
• Electricity Bill, Water Bill, Landline Bill. Telephone Bill
• Proof of registered business address through a rent agreement with last rent receipt, Sale or Lease Deed agreementGST Registration certificateIT Assessment orderProperty Tax receipts, etc.
• Copy of the GST Returns from the preceding Financial year serves as verification of annual turnover. However, in the case of a recently established business organization, an affirmation from the company, along with an estimate of the business turnover and an assurance to submit GST returns, shall be submitted.
• Proof of identification of the authorized legal representative (Copy of Aadhar Card/PAN Card/Passport/Driving License/Voter ID or any similar Photo ID card issued by Gazetted Officer on official letterhead).
• Proof of incorporation or registration of the business entity (Certificate of Incorporation for company/Registered Partnership Deed (if the applicant is a partnership firm) or CA Certificate (if the applicant is a Proprietorship firm).

Process for Hallmark Registration

Step 1: Create a login ID along with the password: 

To get login credentials, applicants need to go to the MANAK portal online and click Signup. Fill in basic information such as name, email ID, date of birth, nationality, and phone number to register themselves on the BIS MANAK portal.

Step 2: Re-login and fill in the details:

Once you log in, go to the home page, go to My Approvals, and select Central Approvals from the menu. Click Jeweller Registration for Sale of Hallmarked Jewelry or Artifacts and click Add to My Approvals.

Step 3: Complete and submit the application:

Select the application and complete the form by entering all the necessary information. Once completed, upload the relevant papers in PDF format. The successful submission will be acknowledged with a display.

Step 4: Application Verification:

A BIS inspector will conduct an initial examination at the factory before testing samples of the product. After the inspection, the examining officer will monitor the factory to conduct a comprehensive inspection.

Step 5: Grant of a Registration Certificate:

Following the necessary evaluation procedure, a comprehensive report is generated. Once a BIS inspector is fully satisfied with the results of the inspection, the applicant will receive a Hallmark Registration Certificate through email.

Timeline, Cost, and Validity 

Below are the important details of BIS Hallmarking: 

• Timeline: For BIS hallmark registration online, approval is typically instant once the application is submitted correctly on the portal. There's no waiting period built into the registration step itself.

• Cost: BIS grants jeweller registration free of charge, with no application or registration fee payable to BIS for this specific approval.

• Validity: This is where it's worth being precise, since a lot of confusion circulates online: the official BIS jeweller registration, once granted, is valid for life. There's no fixed expiry date and no mandatory renewal cycle for the registration itself, as long as the jeweller stays compliant with hallmarking rules.

Focus of BIS Hallmarking

• Any change in business address, ownership or contact details must be updated on the portal through the profile amendment process.

• BIS conducts periodic market surveillance checks of HUID authenticity and hallmarking compliance at registered outlets.

• If a registration is cancelled for non-compliance, a one-year cooling-off period applies before a fresh application can be filed.

• BIS hallmark charges apply separately at the Assaying & Hallmarking Centre for each batch of jewellery tested and marked. This is different from the registration.

Since the gold hallmark registration online and hallmarking for silver both run through the same Manakonline/NSWS system, jewellers dealing in both metals only need one registration to cover their outlet for either. According to the Hallmarking Regulations of 2018, the BIS hallmarking registration fees must be paid by the 10th of the month following registration. If the payment is not made on time, appropriate actions will be taken as per the regulations. For more information about BIS Hallmark Registration fees in India, feel free to reach out to us at +91 8178731176.

Compliances post acquiring Hallmark Registration

Upon obtaining a BIS Manak online hallmarking certificate, adhere to the following guidelines:.

• Generate GST invoices separately for each individual jewellery piece that is sold.
• Registered vendors must exclusively offer items that precisely correspond to the indicated carat value.
• Every individual item should display the carat weight, and each gem should exhibit the original hallmark.
• In the event of a change in the premises' address, the property owner is required to inform the Bureau of Indian Standards by completing a change of address form.
• The proprietor must clearly indicate the weight, carat value, and hallmarking details on the invoices provided to customers.

Agile Regulatory as Hallmark Consultant

Obtaining the BIS Hallmark registration online could be a bit challenging due to the amount of paperwork required and the processes involved. However, with the right amount of guidance, you could easily acquire BIS Registration within the prescribed time. Agile Regulatory is the best BIS Hallmark Consultant in India. We are committed to helping budding entrepreneurs by enabling them to acquire business licenses smoothly and carry on their businesses.