Starting farming: complete compliance journey
- 5 steps
UK Statutory Instrument
2007
United Kingdom
Cattle Identification Regulations 2007
At a glance
Who this Act binds
Business-side actors with duties under this Act, ranked by how often they appear.
- Any Person 21
- Occupier 1
- Director or Officer 1
- Operator 1
Plus 1 non-business duty on Crown ministers, regulators, local authorities or tribunals — shown collapsed under each section below.
Step-by-step journeys using this legislation
Walkthroughs that take you from a real business situation to compliance.
Becoming a livestock keeper: complete compliance guide
- 7 steps
Livestock movement issues: how to resolve
- 3 steps
What regulations apply to my farm?
- 4 steps
Moving livestock: quick compliance check
- 4 steps
Farm compliance calendar
- 1 step
Relevant guidance
Practical guides for businesses affected by this Act, ordered by how closely they engage with it.
Supporting — topic alignment
5 guidesMentioned in related content
1 guidesOther Acts binding the same actors
For each actor bound by this Act, the other UK Acts that bind them most often. Useful for understanding the full compliance landscape facing each role.
Any Person also bound by 2338 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Human Medicines Regulations 2012 2012 169 duties
- Merchant Shipping Act 1995 1995 144 duties
- Insolvency (England and Wales) Rules 2016 2016 101 duties
- Road Traffic Act 1988 1988 95 duties
- Air Navigation Order 2016 2016 95 duties
Occupiers also bound by 259 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- The Water Resources (Control of Agricultural Pollution) (Wales) Regulations 2021 2021 39 duties
- Avian Influenza and Influenza of Avian Origin in Mammals (England) (No. 2) Order 2006 2006 34 duties
- The Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) Regulations 1995 1995 34 duties
- Highways Act 1980 1980 23 duties
- Nitrate Pollution Prevention Regulations 2015 2015 18 duties
Directors and Officers also bound by 425 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Insolvency (England and Wales) Rules 2016 2016 161 duties
- Companies Act 2006 2006 108 duties
- Insolvency Act 1986 1986 72 duties
- The Large and Medium-sized Companies and Groups (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 2008 55 duties
- The Housing Administration (England and Wales) Rules 2018 2018 26 duties
Operators also bound by 730 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Regulation (EU) No 965/2012 (Air Operations) 2012 138 duties
- Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2066 of 19 December 2018 on the monitoring and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions pursuant to Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and amending Commission Regulation (EU) No 601/2012 (Text with EEA relevance) 2018 121 duties
- Commission Regulation (EU) No 601/2012 of 21 June 2012 on the monitoring and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions pursuant to Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (Text with EEA relevance) (repealed) 2012 112 duties
- Space Industry Regulations 2021 2021 75 duties
- Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 2016 on transmissible animal diseases and amending and repealing certain acts in the area of animal health (‘Animal Health Law’) (Text with EEA relevance) 2016 66 duties
What this Act requires
Sections that create concrete duties on businesses or carry penalties. Procedural and definitional sections are folded into the “Browse other sections” expander at the bottom of each group. Click any section title to read the source text on legislation.gov.uk.
Part 1
Browse 2 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Title, application and commencement
Interpretation
Part 2
Notification of holdings
2 years imprisonment- Fail to notify cattle holding details Any Person
Part 3
Browse 5 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Ear tags
Registration of cattle
Cattle passports
Notification of movements or death
Records
Part 4
Powers to restrict movements
2 years imprisonment- Fail to comply with cattle movement restriction notice Any Person
Obstruction etc.
2 years imprisonment- Obstruct or mislead officials enforcing cattle identification Any Person
Offences by bodies corporate
2 years imprisonment- Corporate and officer liability for cattle ID offences Director or Officer
Penalties
2 years imprisonment- Fail to comply with cattle identification and movement rules Any Person
Review
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Secretary of State must review the Cattle Identification Regulations Crown / Minister / Government department
Browse 5 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Charging for information
Powers of inspectors
Slaughter of unmarked animals
Enforcement
Revocations
Schedules
Enforcement of Articles 4 to 4d of Regulation (EC) No. 1760/2000
Unlimited fine- Fail to tag cattle within legal time limits Any Person
Alteration and storage of ear tags
- Tamper with ear tags or fail to store them securely Any Person
Movement from a holding
- Move cattle without correct identification tags Any Person
Replacement ear tags
- Fail to replace or misuse cattle ear tags Any Person
Imports from third countries
- Fail to apply ear tags to imported cattle within deadline Any Person
Registration
- Fail to register cattle Any Person
Registration of birth
- Register your calf within 7 days of tagging (or birth for bison) Any Person
Cattle from outside the European Union
- Register cattle imported from outside the EU within 15 days of tagging deadline Any Person
Transporting cattle
- Ensure each animal has a valid passport during transport Any Person
Movement on to a holding
- Complete cattle passport on arrival at your holding within 36 hours Operator
Markets and animal gatherings
- Accept cattle without valid passport Any Person
Lost cattle passports and replacements
- Notify APHA of lost cattle passport within 14 days and apply for replacement Any Person
Alterations
- Alter or deface a cattle passport Any Person
Misusing a passport
- Use a cattle passport for the wrong animal Any Person
Movement off a holding
- Mark and sign cattle passport before moving cattle off holding Any Person
Notification of movement
- Notify movement of cattle on or off your holding within 3 days Any Person
Notification of death
- Notify cattle deaths to APHA within 7 days Occupier
Making a record
Unlimited fine- Fail to complete cattle register on time Any Person
Provision of information
Unlimited fine- Fail to provide cattle information when required Any Person
Browse 18 other Schedules — structural / supplementary
Notification of movement or death
Logo for ear tags
Form of ear tags
Change of ear tag number
Ear tags for animals kept for cultural or historical purposes
Temporary marks
Intra-Community trade
Method of registration
Registration of cattle brought in from a member State etc.
Issue of a passport
Imported cattle
Exports
Licences
Retention of cattle passports
Fees
Confiscation of cattle passports
Stolen animals
Retention of records
Official guidance
Authoritative sources published by regulators or government explaining this legislation.
- DAERA animal health and welfare (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- Welsh Government animal health and welfare (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- Soil Association technical information (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- Rare Breeds Survival Trust (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- DAERA - Farm animal identification (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- DAERA Farm Business Registration (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- Welsh Government Rural Payments Wales (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- Rural Payments and Services Scotland (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- EID Cymru sheep and goat reporting (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- APHIS NI cattle movement reporting (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- ... and 3 more
Enforcement and responsible bodies
The regulators that administer or enforce this legislation.
APHA
PrimaryAnimal and Plant Health Agency
Safeguards animal and plant health for the benefit of people, environment and economy. Issues export health certificates, manages disease outbreaks, operates veterinary …
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Government department responsible for environmental protection, food production and standards, agriculture, fisheries, and rural communities. Sets environmental policy and works with agencies …
Connected legislation
parent Act
These instruments amend, apply, or refer to this Act. They may not all create direct business obligations.
Made under
Animal Health Act 1981 1981 Primary Act
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Browse legislation
Find other UK business legislation with related guidance.
Regulators
Learn more about the bodies that enforce this legislation.