Guidance

Register cattle imported or moved into England or Wales

What cattle keepers must do when they import or move cattle into England or Wales, including passport and ear tagging rules.

From:
British Cattle Movement Service and Rural Payments Agency
Published
6 May 2014
Last updated
28 June 2023 — See all updates

Applies to England and Wales

Cattle, bison and buffalo must be registered when you import or move them to England or Wales so their movements can be traced at all times. This is to prevent and contain the outbreak of disease.

To register cattle, you must:

  • make sure they have the correct ear tags
  • apply for a cattle passport

Without the correct ear tags or passports, you cannot sell or move the animal.

When you do not need to apply for a passport or replace ear tags

You do not need to apply for passports or replace ear tags if:

Cattle imported from the EU or moved from Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man

When to replace ear tags

Animals from the EU, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man will keep the ear tags from their country of origin for life.

You do not need to replace ear tags from the country of origin unless one is missing. You must order a replacement within 28 days of noticing that one is missing. Contact an approved ear tag supplier to get a replacement.

When to apply for a passport

You must apply for a cattle passport within 15 days of the animal arriving at your holding. Send to the British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS):

British Cattle Movement Service
Curwen Road
Derwent Howe
Workington
Cumbria
CA14 2DD

Cattle moved from the Republic of Ireland

Cattle born and registered in the Republic of Ireland since 1 January 2018 have the country code ‘372’ on their ear tags. But the country code will show as ‘IE’ on:

  • Cattle Tracing System (CTS) Online
  • the passport issued by BCMS
  • any replacement tags ordered while the animal is in England or Wales

This is because the systems BCMS use to trace animals can only accept 2-letter codes.

Either code is correct and will be accepted when moving and selling animals.

Ear tags ordered through the Livestock Unique Identification Service (LUIS) will show ‘IE’ as the country code.

Cattle imported from outside the EU, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man

Update your holding register

Within 36 hours of the animal arriving on your holding, you must update your holding register.

Remove and replace ear tags

Within 20 days of the animal leaving the border control post, or before it leaves your holding if sooner, you must:

  • remove any original ear tags - you may need a vet to do this
  • tag the animal with official UK ear tags from an approved ear tag supplier

You must also update your holding register again with the new UK ear tag information within 36 hours of the animal’s new identity being given.

Apply for a cattle passport

Within 15 days of the ear tagging deadline, you must apply for a cattle passport.

This means that BCMS must receive your passport application within 35 days of the animal leaving the border control post. Your application will be refused if it arrives after 35 days.

You need to send:

Send your documents to:

British Cattle Movement Service
Curwen Road
Derwent Howe
Workington
Cumbria
CA14 2DD

What happens next

You’ll usually get your cattle passport within 14 days.

Read the guidance on how to get, correct or update a cattle passport if there’s a problem with your passport, or it does not arrive.

Contact BCMS

You can contact BCMS for advice.

British Cattle Movement Service
Email: bcmsenquiries@rpa.gov.uk
Telephone (England): 0345 050 1234
Telephone (Wales): 0345 050 3456
Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm
Find out about call charges

Updates to this page

Published 6 May 2014
Last updated 28 June 2023 + show all updates

  1. Added translation

  2. The Livestock Unique Identification Service (LUIS) has replaced the Ear Tagging Allocation System (ETAS).

  3. Clarified what cattle keepers need to do when they've imported or moved cattle into England or Wales.

  4. This guidance has been updated to show it no longer applies to Scotland.

  5. BCMS email address updated on form CPP16.

  6. Change to format of Republic of Ireland ear tag numbers.

  7. Minor amendment to form CPP16

  8. Version 6 of the CPP16 added

  9. New version of application for cattle passports form (CPP16) published

  10. New version of Application for cattle passports form (CPP16) published

  11. First published.

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