What are the actual gold ownership regulations in India?

On legal grounds, there is no cap on the amount of physical gold you can own. However, the income tax department requires you to have a crystal clear paper trail, and the moment your gold holdings appear disproportionate to your declared income, you step into a regulatory inspection. For compliance with the income tax rules on gold, you have to understand the specific guidelines set by the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), which includes specific limits based on gender and marital status.

There is no specific limit on how much gold you can store in your household legally in India, if you can show proof of income. You can still keep gold at home up to the following limits, depending on your marital status and gender. And, of course, how much gold a married woman can have in India will differ from that of a married man.

Married woman: 500 grams of gold

Unmarried woman: 250 grams of gold

Men (Married or Unmarried): 100 grams of gold

However, if your gold possessions are below the above limits, tax authorities cannot confiscate them, even if you fail to show any proof.