GST on Gold and Silver in India

Where the 3% comes from

The rates of central GST on goods are set by Notification No. 9/2025-Central Tax (Rate), published in the Gazette of India on 17 September 2025 and in force from 22 September 2025. Its Schedule IV sets central tax at 1.5% for a short list of precious metal goods, including:

• silver, unwrought or in semi-manufactured form (heading 7106),
• gold, unwrought or in semi-manufactured form (heading 7108),
• platinum (heading 7110),
• articles of jewellery of precious metal (heading 7113),
• goldsmiths' and silversmiths' wares (heading 7114),
• coins (heading 7118).

State GST is charged at the same rate as central GST, so the buyer pays 3% in total. The same schedule covers bars, coins and jewellery, which is why purity does not change the rate. A 999 gold bar, a 916 coin and an 18 karat ring are all taxed at 3% on the metal side.

GST, making charges and the IBJA rate

The daily rates published by the India Bullion and Jewellers Association (IBJA) are stated without 3% GST and without making charges. A dealer's price adds both. On the coin listings we checked from large Indian online jewellers, the 3% was charged on the metal value and the making charges together, and some dealers show this split in a price breakup while others show only an all-inclusive MRP.

Fixed-number example, using round illustration figures:

In this example you pay 8.15% more than the published rate, and less than half of that gap is tax. The rest is the dealer's making charge, which is where offers differ most. That gap is the premium over spot, and comparing it across dealers is what our ranking of the cheapest gold coins in India does, with the final price in INR.

What this means when you buy

• Compare totals, not headline rates. A low making charge matters more than any difference in tax, because the GST rate is the same everywhere.
• Silver follows the same rule. Silver bars and coins also carry 3% GST. Check the cheapest silver coins for final prices.
• Keep the invoice. It shows the purity, weight, making charges and GST you paid, which helps when you sell or ask for a buy-back quote; see bid-ask spread.
• Purity still matters for value. Tax is equal, but a 916 coin holds less gold than a 999 coin of the same weight; see fineness.

Income tax on a gain when you sell is a separate question that this entry does not cover. The Income Tax Department publishes the current rules, and a tax adviser can explain how they apply to your holdings.