BIS hallmark silver means a purity mark applied under a Bureau of Indian Standards scheme by an accredited hallmarking centre. As of October 2026, press reports describe India's silver hallmarking scheme as voluntary, with a unique identification number (HUID) required on any silver piece that is hallmarked. Confirm the current position with BIS or your broker, because the rules have changed recently.
For exports, a 925 hallmark in India is useful evidence of purity, but the rules of your destination country decide what marking you must have. Do not assume an Indian hallmark satisfies foreign requirements.
What the hallmark shows
A BIS silver hallmark is reported to carry three parts: the BIS mark, the purity grade and a six-digit HUID. The purity grades reported for the revised standard include 800, 835, 925, 958, 970, 990 and 999. The 925 grade is sterling silver.
The HUID lets anyone trace a piece to the hallmarking centre and the jeweller. Source: the Bureau of Indian Standards revised hallmarking standard IS 2112:2025, as reported in the legal news service SCC Online. Check the BIS site for the current text.
Domestic and export silver: what differs?
Indian hallmarking schemes have traditionally focused on domestic sales, and exports are often handled differently. Whether a piece destined for export must be hallmarked, and whether it may carry an Indian hallmark at all, depends on the scheme's current rules and your destination.
Do not rely on a supplier's statement. Ask your Indian exporter and your customs broker in writing whether the pieces need hallmarking, and what mark your importing country expects. Many countries have their own assay or marking rules for precious metals, and the UK, for example, has its own system of hallmarking for precious metal articles sold there.
What buyers should ask for
Whether or not a hallmark is legally required, ask for evidence of purity:
- An independent assay or XRF test on the production lot, not just a sample.
- A hallmark on the pieces if the supplier can arrange it, with the hallmarking centre's record.
- A packing list that gives the weight of fine silver in the shipment.
- A written confirmation of the purity grade on the commercial invoice.
Hallmark versus other claims
A hallmark applies only to silver of the stated purity. Silver-plated pieces on brass do not qualify and should not carry a purity stamp. Read silver purity testing and hallmarking in India and 925 sterling silver jewellery in Rajkot for background.
If a supplier quotes a hallmark, check it independently. Fake stamps exist, and the point of a traceable hallmark is that it can be verified.
What should you do before ordering?
Write down the answers to three questions with your broker and supplier: what purity do you need, what marking does your importing country require, and what evidence will you hold in case customs or a customer asks. Put the answers in the purchase order.
Do not pay the final balance until the test result for the production lot has arrived. If a supplier offers a hallmark as the only proof, ask who the hallmarking centre is and whether the record can be checked. This protects you whichever way the Indian scheme develops, and whatever your destination requires. Official BIS notices are the place to confirm the current rules.
Next step
Because the rules are changing, confirm requirements with a broker before you order. We arrange testing and document checks for silver lots. To discuss yours, book a free sourcing review. See also what we source.