To sell silver jewelry in the UK, any piece over 7.78 grams must carry a UK hallmark struck by a UK Assay Office or a recognised Common Control Mark; a factory stamp alone is not enough. In the EU, hallmarking rules vary by country, all jewelry must meet REACH limits for nickel, lead and cadmium, and import VAT is charged on every shipment. You will also need an EORI number. This guide covers hallmarking, VAT, customs and the questions to ask your supplier.
Part of our Jewelry Import Guides by Country
The United Kingdom will stop your sterling silver jewelry at the border if it weighs more than 7.78 grams and lacks a UK hallmark. Not a Chinese assay stamp, not a "925" mark from the factory — a hallmark struck by a British Assay Office. This single requirement catches more first-time importers than every other European compliance rule combined.
Europe is the second-largest destination for wholesale silver jewelry after North America, and it is also the most fragmented regulatory environment in the business. This guide covers hallmarking, VAT, and the customs changes that took effect in 2026. Deechy Jewelry Manufacturing & Design offers DDP shipping to the UK and EU, and the sections below cover the requirements that decide whether a shipment clears and can be sold.
UK Hallmarking: The Rule That Catches Everyone
Under the Hallmarking Act, it is an offence to describe or sell an article as silver in the UK unless it carries a hallmark from a UK Assay Office. The exemption threshold for silver is 7.78 grams — below that weight, an article may be sold as silver without a hallmark. Above it, the hallmark is mandatory.
That threshold sounds generous until you weigh actual product. A pair of small studs is comfortably exempt. A solid chain necklace, a signet ring, a wide cuff, or a pendant with a substantial bail will frequently exceed it. Many brands discover the rule only when a retailer or a Trading Standards officer raises it.
A complete UK hallmark has three compulsory parts: the sponsor's mark (registered to you, the person or company submitting the goods), the fineness mark showing 925, and the Assay Office mark identifying which office struck it. There are four UK Assay Offices — London, Birmingham, Sheffield, and Edinburgh.
You have two practical routes. Either register your own sponsor's mark with an Assay Office and submit each production run for hallmarking after import, which adds cost and lead time but gives you a mark that is genuinely yours; or work with a supplier whose goods carry a Common Control Mark under the Vienna Convention, which the UK recognises. The first route is what most established UK brands do.
The EU Is Not One Market for Hallmarking
There is no EU-wide hallmarking regime. Each member state sets its own rules, and they differ substantially.
| Approach | Typical markets | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Mandatory national hallmarking | Netherlands, Ireland, Portugal, Poland, Hungary, Czechia | Assay office marking required above stated weight thresholds |
| Vienna Convention members | Includes UK, Ireland, Netherlands, Portugal, Austria, Denmark and others | The Common Control Mark is mutually recognised between signatories |
| No mandatory hallmarking | Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Belgium | Fineness marking is voluntary, but if you mark it, the claim must be accurate |
Selling into Germany or France, a factory "925" stamp is legally sufficient provided it is truthful. Selling into the Netherlands or Ireland, it is not. If you distribute across multiple EU markets from one inventory pool, plan to the strictest market you serve rather than the average.
Customs and VAT After the 2026 Changes
The EU abolished its €150 customs duty exemption for low-value consignments effective 1 July 2026. Until then, goods below that value entered without customs duty even though VAT was still owed. That gap is now closed, and duty applies to consignments of any value.
VAT itself has been due on all imports into the EU since the 2021 e-commerce reforms, with no low-value threshold. For B2C sales below €150 the Import One-Stop Shop lets a seller collect VAT at checkout and remit it through a single registration rather than having it charged at the border. For B2B wholesale, the normal position is that the importing business pays import VAT and recovers it through its VAT return — a cash-flow question rather than a cost, provided registration is in order.
The UK operates its own system. Import VAT at 20% applies, and the £135 consignment threshold determines whether VAT is collected at the point of sale or at the border. The UK has announced an intention to remove customs duty on consignments below £135 by March 2029, but that is a future change and does not affect current shipments.
For a wholesale buyer, the practical checklist is short: hold a valid EORI number for the market of import, be VAT-registered where you have an obligation, and make sure your supplier's commercial invoice states full transaction value and accurate goods descriptions.
Product Compliance: REACH Applies to Jewelry
Hallmarking and VAT are the administrative layer. Underneath sits product compliance, and for silver jewelry entering the EU and UK that means REACH — specifically the restrictions on nickel release, cadmium, and lead in jewelry articles.
These are not optional and they are not the supplier's problem alone. As the importer placing goods on the market, you carry responsibility for compliance. Request test reports for nickel release, cadmium content, and lead content with each new style development, and keep them on file. We cover the specific limits and test standards in a separate article linked below.
What to Ask Your Manufacturer Before Shipping to Europe
Four questions separate a supplier who can support European distribution from one who cannot.
Can you provide nickel release, lead, and cadmium test reports for the styles I am ordering? Can you provide documentation confirming the silver content? Will the commercial invoice state full transaction value with per-style descriptions including metal, plating microns, and stone type? And can you ship DDP into the UK and EU with duty and VAT handled at origin?
A factory-direct manufacturer with export experience answers all four without needing to check. A trading intermediary usually cannot answer the first two at all, because it does not control the production it is reselling.
Lighter pieces under the UK weight threshold, such as most earrings and fine pearl jewelry like this pearl strand necklace, are simpler to import. The glossary explains hallmarks and REACH, and our nickel, lead and cadmium guide covers testing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does silver jewelry need a UK hallmark?
Yes, if the article weighs more than 7.78 grams and is described or sold as silver. Below that weight it is exempt. The hallmark must be struck by a UK Assay Office and includes a sponsor's mark, a 925 fineness mark, and the Assay Office mark. A "925" stamp applied at the factory does not satisfy the requirement.
Is a Chinese factory 925 stamp accepted in the EU?
It depends on the member state. Germany, France, Italy, Spain and Belgium have no mandatory hallmarking, so an accurate factory fineness mark is acceptable. The Netherlands, Ireland, Portugal and several others require assay office marking above stated thresholds.
Did the EU remove the €150 duty-free threshold?
Yes. The customs duty exemption for consignments under €150 was abolished effective 1 July 2026. Import VAT was already due on all consignments regardless of value following the 2021 e-commerce VAT reforms.
Do I need an EORI number to import silver jewelry into the EU or UK?
Yes. An EORI number is required for any business importing goods commercially into the EU or the UK, and customs cannot process an entry without one.
Can Deechy ship silver jewelry DDP to the UK and EU?
Yes. DDP is available to the UK and EU, so duties and customs clearance are included in the delivered price. REACH testing, which covers nickel, lead and cadmium limits, is available at an extra cost.
Part of our Jewelry Import Guides by Country
This article is general information for wholesale buyers, not customs or legal advice. Hallmarking and tax rules differ by country and change over time — confirm current requirements for your market before importing.
