Business EconomyPosted at: Sep 17 2026 2:03PM


Gold hallmarking fee hiked 67 percent to Rs 75 ahead of festive season

New Delhi, Sep 17 (UNI) The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has increased the hallmarking fee for gold jewellery and other gold articles from Rs 45 to Rs 75 per article, a move that comes just ahead of the festive buying season. The revised charges have taken effect immediately following the notification of the BIS (Hallmarking) Amendment Regulations, 2026, dated September 14.
The hallmarking fee for silver articles, however, has been left unchanged at Rs 35 per article.
Under the revised Schedule IV, jewellers will now pay Rs 75 for hallmarking each gold article at recognised Assaying and Hallmarking Centres (AHCs). A minimum charge of Rs 200 will apply to each consignment. For silver, the existing Rs 35 per article fee continues, with a minimum consignment charge of Rs 150.
Hallmarking is the BIS certification system used to indicate the purity of precious metal articles. Hallmarked gold jewellery carries the BIS standard mark, the purity or fineness indication and a six-digit alphanumeric Hallmark Unique Identification (HUID) number.
The increase represents a nearly 67% jump in the per-article hallmarking charge for gold. Importantly, the fee is linked to the number of articles rather than their weight. This means a lightweight 1-gram gold item and a significantly heavier piece can attract the same Rs 75 hallmarking charge.
This weight-independent fee structure could make the increase more noticeable in the case of low-weight jewellery. For consumers buying smaller gold articles, the fixed compliance cost represents a larger proportion of the overall value of the item compared with high-value or heavier jewellery.
The development also comes at a time when gold prices remain elevated, increasing attention on any additional costs across the jewellery supply chain. While the hallmarking fee is paid by jewellers to AHCs, industry stakeholders have raised concerns that higher compliance costs could eventually be reflected in retail prices.
The All India Gem and Jewellery Domestic Council (GJC) has urged the government and BIS to reconsider the hike. The industry body has also called for the existing fee to continue until consultations are held with stakeholders.
Meanwhile, jewellery stocks reacted negatively to the announcement. Shares of Kalyan Jewellers, PC Jeweller and several other jewellery companies declined by up to 4% during Wednesday's trading session. Newly listed Lalithaa Jewellery Mart also hit its 5% lower circuit.
For consumers, the key takeaway is that the higher hallmarking charge does not directly mean a Rs 30 increase in the price of every piece of jewellery. However, because the fee is charged per gold article, the impact could be proportionately higher on lightweight jewellery if jewellers pass the additional compliance cost through the supply chain.
With the festive season approaching, the fee revision adds another cost consideration for India's jewellery industry at a time when consumers are already dealing with high gold prices.UNI VK AAB
Tags: #Gold hallmarking fee hiked 67 percent to Rs 75 ahead of festive season
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