Register land to keep livestock

What is a CPH number?

A County Parish Holding (CPH) number is a unique 9-digit reference that identifies a specific piece of land registered for keeping livestock. It's formatted as: 12/345/6789

Who needs a CPH number

You must register for a CPH number if you intend to keep:

• Cattle (including cows, bulls, calves, bison, buffalo)
• Sheep
• Goats
• Pigs
• Deer (farmed deer, not wild deer)
• Poultry and game birds (all bird keepers must register with APHA, whatever the flock size)

This requirement applies regardless of whether you're farming commercially, keeping animals as pets, or breeding rare breeds. There is no minimum number threshold—even one sheep requires CPH registration. Since 1 October 2024 all bird keepers in England and Wales must register their birds with APHA regardless of flock size (the previous 50-bird threshold no longer applies) and confirm their details annually.

When to register

Apply for your CPH number before any livestock arrive on your land. The registration process typically takes 10 working days, though complex applications (such as commons, shared land, or large holdings) may take longer.

Recommended timeline:

• 6 weeks before animals arrive: Apply for CPH number
• 2-3 weeks before animals arrive: CPH number issued; register herd/flock marks (see below)
• 1-2 weeks before animals arrive: Order identification tags using CPH number
• Day animals arrive: Record movement in holding register using CPH number

What information you'll need

When applying for a CPH number, have the following information ready:

• Personal details: Full name, address, contact telephone number, email address
• Land details: Full address including postcode, OS grid reference (if available), total land area in hectares
• Land ownership: Whether you own, rent, or have grazing rights on the land (you may need landlord permission if renting)
• Species you'll keep: Which types of livestock you intend to keep (cattle, sheep, etc.)
• Business details: If operating as a business, your business name and structure (sole trader, partnership, limited company)
• SBI number (if applicable): If you already have a Single Business Identifier from rural payments or agri-environment schemes

How to apply for a CPH number

The application process varies depending on your location and whether you already have rural payment registrations:

England: Online application (recommended)

Use the Rural Payments service to apply online:

1. Sign in (or create an account) at the Rural Payments service
2. Select 'Register land' or 'Land details'
3. Add the land parcel where you'll keep livestock
4. Complete the CPH registration form
5. Submit and await confirmation (10 working days)

England: Telephone application

If you cannot apply online, contact the RPA helpline to register by telephone (there is no paper application form):

Tel: 03000 200 301
Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm (except public holidays)

After you receive your CPH number

Once the RPA issues your CPH number, you'll receive written confirmation containing:

• Your CPH number (format: 12/345/6789)
• The registered land address and grid reference
• Your Single Business Identifier (SBI) if you didn't already have one

Keep this confirmation safe. You'll need your CPH number constantly for:

• Ordering identification tags (cattle tags, sheep EID tags)
• Registering herd marks and flock marks (see below)
• Recording livestock movements in your holding register
• Reporting movements to BCMS (cattle), LIS (sheep/goats), or eAML2 (pigs)
• Dealing with Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) inspections
• TB testing appointments (if in a TB testing area)
• Applying for licences and movement exemptions

Registering herd marks and flock marks

After obtaining your CPH number, you must register species-specific marks before ordering identification tags or receiving animals:

Cattle: Herd mark registration

Contact APHA to register a herd mark (also called a herd number). This 6-digit number is unique to your holding and appears on all cattle ear tags born at or kept on your holding. APHA will allocate a herd mark when you register.

Contact: APHA Customer Service Centre, 03000 200 301

Registering as a cattle keeper with the British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS) is a separate step: contact BCMS on 0345 050 1234 to register before you order tags or apply for cattle passports.

Sheep and goats: Flock mark registration

Contact APHA to register a flock mark. This is a 6-digit number unique to your holding that appears on all sheep and goat EID tags. Your flock mark is allocated by APHA when you register.

Contact: APHA Customer Service Centre, 03000 200 301

Pigs: Herd mark registration

Contact APHA to register as a pig keeper—you must tell APHA within 30 days of pigs arriving on your holding. APHA will allocate a pig herd mark, which is one or two letters followed by four digits (it is not derived from your CPH number). The herd mark appears on ear tags, tattoos, or slapmarks applied to your pigs.

Contact: APHA Customer Service Centre, 03000 200 301

Deer: Herd mark registration

Deer use the same flock mark system as sheep and goats. Register with APHA as above if keeping farmed deer.

Multiple holdings and temporary land

If you keep livestock at more than one location, each physically separate site needs its own CPH number. 'Physically separate' typically means different addresses or non-contiguous land parcels.

When you need multiple CPH numbers

• You own a farm and separately rent grazing land across the road
• You have fields split by a public highway (may need separate CPH numbers depending on configuration)
• You keep breeding stock at one location and fattening stock elsewhere
• You rent seasonal grazing in the uplands for summer while keeping stock at a lowland base

When you DON'T need multiple CPH numbers

• Adjacent fields under the same ownership/tenancy agreement (use one CPH)
• Buildings and paddocks on the same farmstead
• Fields connected by private tracks or lanes (typically one CPH)

If uncertain whether separate locations require different CPH numbers, contact the RPA for advice before applying. Incorrectly combining or splitting holdings can cause movement reporting problems and put you in breach of the terms of any farm payment scheme agreements.

Temporary land and seasonal grazing

If you rent land for short-term grazing (e.g., summer grazing licences), the land still needs a CPH number. Options include:

• Landowner has existing CPH: Animals can move under the landowner's CPH number if they agree (common for agistment arrangements)
• No existing CPH: You must register the land and obtain a new CPH number before moving livestock onto it
• Shared grazing commons: Commons typically have a CPH number managed by the commoners' association; check with the association

Keeping your CPH registration up to date

You must notify the RPA if:

• You change your contact details (address, phone, email)
• The business structure changes (e.g., sole trader becomes partnership)
• Ownership or tenancy of the land changes
• You no longer keep livestock at the registered location
• The land area registered increases or decreases significantly

Update your details via the Rural Payments service online or by calling 03000 200 301. Keeping registrations current is essential for disease control (APHA must be able to contact you urgently during outbreaks) and for farm payment schemes (incorrect details can lead to payment recovery or termination of scheme agreements).

Deregistering a CPH number

If you permanently stop keeping livestock at a location, inform the RPA to deregister the CPH number. This prevents confusion during disease control tracing and ensures you don't receive unnecessary correspondence.

Contact the RPA on 03000 200 301 or update via the Rural Payments service to confirm you no longer keep livestock at the holding.

What happens if you keep livestock without a CPH number

Operating without a CPH number is a serious breach of livestock traceability regulations. Consequences include:

• Prosecution: Keeping livestock without CPH registration is a criminal offence punishable by fines
• Movement restrictions: You cannot legally move animals on or off the land without a CPH number
• Unable to order tags: Tag suppliers require a valid CPH number; you cannot identify animals legally without tags
• Disease control issues: During outbreaks, APHA cannot trace animals or impose controls on unregistered holdings
• Farm payment scheme consequences: Unregistered holdings cannot enter delinked payments, the Sustainable Farming Incentive, or other farm payment schemes, and breaches can lead to payment recovery
• Assurance scheme non-compliance: Farm assurance schemes require valid CPH registration

If you've been keeping livestock without a CPH number, register immediately and contact APHA to regularise your records. Late registration is preferable to continued non-compliance.