Buying gold in Dubai: making charges, invoice and resale
What to check when buying gold in Dubai: the hallmark, the invoice, how making charges and VAT add up, and what you lose when you sell it back.
Checked 5 November 2026
Short answer
- Check the hallmark on the piece: karat, maker's mark and certification number.
- The invoice should show karat, weight, gold rate, making charge, and VAT if applicable.
- The gold price isn't negotiable, but making charges are, according to Gulf News.
- Selling back often pays only the gold value, so making charges and VAT are usually lost.
When you buy gold in Dubai, check three things before you pay: the hallmark on the piece, the making charge, and an invoice that itemises both. The gold price isn't negotiable, according to Gulf News, but the making charge is. It's also the part you usually don't get back if you sell, so it decides how much the piece really costs you.
We don't run a live price page, and this isn't investment advice. Any price below is a dated example.
What the hallmark should show
Gulf News reported in July 2025 that licensed retailers must put a certified hallmark, approved by Dubai Central Laboratory, on the items they sell. It shows:
- the karat
- the maker's mark
- a certification number
Dubai Central Laboratory is part of Dubai Municipality. According to the same report, it carries out unannounced inspections and calibrates shop scales.
What the numbers on gold mean
| Marking | Purity |
|---|---|
| 24K | 99.9% |
| 22K ("916") | 91.6% |
| 21K | 87.5% |
| 18K | 75% |
Source: Gulf News, July 2025. A rate quoted for 24K isn't the rate for your 22K bracelet, so make sure you're comparing the same karat.
What the invoice should show
Gulf News lists these items for the invoice:
- karat and weight
- the gold rate used
- the making charge
- VAT, if applicable
Ask for these as separate lines before you pay. A single total doesn't tell you what you were charged for making the piece, and you can't compare it with another shop or check it against an exchange offer later. Keep the invoice with the piece. If you ever sell it, exchange it or need to complain, it's your record.
How the price adds up
Gulf News published an illustrative example in October 2026 for 20g of 22K gold with a 20% making charge. The figures are theirs and aren't a quote.
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Gold value | Dh5,785 |
| Making charge at 20% | Dh1,157 |
| VAT at 5% on both | Dh347.10 |
| You pay | Dh7,289.10 |
Using the same example, here's the effect of a smaller making charge. This part is our arithmetic on their gold value, for illustration:
| Making charge | Making cost | VAT at 5% | You pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20% | Dh1,157 | Dh347.10 | Dh7,289.10 |
| 15% | Dh867.75 | Dh332.64 | Dh6,985.39 |
| 10% | Dh578.50 | Dh318.18 | Dh6,681.68 |
So on this piece, each five percentage points off the making charge saves about Dh304, including VAT.
How to compare two shops
Comparing two quotes takes a minute if you get them in the same form. Ask each shop for the same karat and a similar weight, then work out the total per gram:
- Note the gold rate and the making charge, either as a percentage or an amount.
- Add VAT at 5% on both, if it applies.
- Divide the total by the weight.
Here's an example with invented figures, not real quotes. Shop A offers 10g at Dh450 a gram with a 20% making charge, which comes to Dh5,670 with VAT, or Dh567 a gram. Shop B offers 10g at Dh446 a gram with a 25% making charge, which comes to Dh5,853.75, or about Dh585 a gram. Shop B's lower rate on the board turns out to be the more expensive piece.
Bear in mind that a heavier chain and a detailed bangle aren't the same work, so a higher making charge isn't always unreasonable. It's the comparison that needs to be fair.
Questions to ask at the counter
- What karat is this, and where's the hallmark?
- What's the weight, and can I see it on the scale?
- What gold rate are you using right now?
- What's the making charge on this piece, and is there room on it?
- Will the invoice show those as separate lines?
If a shop won't itemise, that tells you something too. You're free to walk away and compare elsewhere.
What VAT applies
Gulf News says VAT generally applies to the selling price, including making charges, for consumers buying from VAT-registered retailers. ClearTax says retail jewellery has 5% VAT, and that investment gold of 99% purity or more may be zero-rated, with conditions. Its wording isn't fully consistent, so if you're buying bars or coins for investment, confirm the VAT treatment with the seller or a tax adviser before you rely on it.
What happens when you sell it back
This is the point most buyers don't think about at the till. Using the example above, if you receive only the gold value of Dh5,785, you've lost Dh1,504.10, or about 20.6% of what you paid. Gulf News calculates that the gold price would need to rise by about 26% for you to break even.
Gulf News also notes that published retailer terms can exclude making charges and taxes from exchange valuations, and that a cash buyback may carry a separate deduction.
So before you buy, ask:
- Will you buy this piece back, and on what terms?
- What deduction do you apply for cash?
- Does an exchange credit the making charge, or only the gold value?
Get the answers in writing if you can. Terms differ, and we don't compare individual jewellers.
Why a lower gold rate doesn't always mean a cheaper piece
Gold has been moving recently. Khaleej Times gave 24K at Dh486.50 and 22K at Dh450.50 per gram on 28 October 2026. Angel One gave 24K at AED 481.50 and 22K at AED 445.75 on 30 October. These are dated examples only. Shop prices differ, and they change during the day.
A drop of a few dirhams per gram can be wiped out by a higher making charge. On 20g, a Dh5 fall in the gram rate saves Dh100 before VAT. A 5-point higher making charge on the same piece costs about Dh289 before VAT. So compare the total, with making charges itemised, rather than the rate on the board.
This is our own arithmetic for illustration, using the Gulf News example's gold value.
If you're visiting Dubai
Tourists may claim VAT on gold from retailers in the scheme if it's validated and exported within 90 days, according to ClearTax. We couldn't find a source that says whether making charges are refunded as well, so ask Planet before you count on it. The tourist VAT guide has the fee and time limits.
Customs rules on carrying gold are separate. See customsdubai.com for the UAE side, and check your home country's rules too.
Where people buy it
The Gold Souk in Old Deira is the best-known place, and festival dates are when it gets busiest. We don't name or rank shops. If a shop advertises an offer, ask whether it's on the gold rate or on making charges, and compare the final total.
If you think you've been misled over a piece, start with the shop and then see how a complaint works.
What to check before you act
- Is there a hallmark showing karat, maker's mark and certification number?
- Are the gold rate, making charge and VAT on separate lines?
- Are you comparing the same karat at each shop?
- What are the buyback and exchange terms, in writing?
- Today's rate has changed since this page was written. Ask for it at the shop.
Questions people ask
What is a making charge on gold in Dubai?
It's the amount charged for making the piece, added on top of the gold value. Gulf News says making charges are negotiable, while the gold price itself is not.
What does 916 mean on gold?
It means 22 karat, or 91.6% pure. Gulf News lists 24K as 99.9%, 22K as 91.6%, 21K as 87.5% and 18K as 75%.
Do you pay VAT on gold jewellery in Dubai?
Generally yes for consumers. Gulf News says VAT applies to the selling price including making charges when buying from a VAT-registered retailer. Investment gold of 99% purity or more may be treated differently, with conditions.
Can tourists get VAT back on gold?
Tourists may claim VAT on gold from scheme retailers if it's validated and exported within 90 days, according to ClearTax. We found no source that says whether the refund covers making charges, so ask Planet.
Do I get my making charges back when I sell gold?
Usually not. Gulf News says published retailer terms can exclude making charges and taxes from exchange valuations, and a cash buyback may carry a separate deduction.
General information, not legal or financial advice. Rules and fees change, so check the sources below. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
Sources
- Buying gold in the UAE: what hallmarking rules mean (Gulf News, 26 Jul 2025) checked 5 November 2026
- Buying gold in Dubai: what buyers should always ask (Gulf News, 28 Jun 2025) checked 5 November 2026
- How making charges affect your profits when selling (Gulf News, 1 Oct 2026) checked 5 November 2026
- VAT on gold in UAE (ClearTax, 8 Apr 2026) checked 5 November 2026
- Dubai gold loses Dh10.75 in one month (Khaleej Times, 28 Oct 2026) checked 5 November 2026
- Dubai gold rate on October 30, 2026 (Angel One) checked 5 November 2026