Register land you use to keep livestock

This page tells you how to get a county parish holding (CPH) number (sometimes known as a holding number) in England.

Find out how to get a CPH number:

• in Wales, on the Welsh Government website
• in Scotland - you’ll need to contact your local area office

The rules are different in Northern Ireland. Read the guidance for animal identification, registration and movements.

What you need a CPH number for

You must get a CPH number for land and buildings used to keep livestock for any purpose, including those kept as pets.

This is so that the government knows where the animals are kept and can trace them to help prevent and control disease.

Livestock includes:

• cattle, bison and buffalo (bovine animals)
• pigs
• goats
• sheep
• deer
• poultry (if you have 50 or more birds)

You do not need a CPH number if you keep fewer than 50 poultry. But you can choose to register with the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) using the voluntary poultry registration form (IRA82).

By registering:

• APHA will be able to contact you if there’s a disease outbreak (such as bird flu) in your area
• you’ll help prevent the spread of disease and protect the national poultry flock

CPH numbers for other purposes

You do not need a CPH number if you’re only making a claim for rural payments.

There’s a different process to get a CPH number if, for example, you plan to:

• set up a slaughterhouse
• register as a racing pigeon establishment

Call the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) if you’re unsure what type of CPH number you need.

Before you start

You must be over 18 years old to apply. Apply a maximum of 6 weeks before the livestock arrive.

Get the National Grid field numbers for your land or buildings

RPA need accurate National Grid field numbers to know exactly where animals will be kept.

You must provide the National Grid field numbers for:

• the main area where you’ll keep livestock
• any other land or buildings where you’ll keep livestock

For example, if you’re a pet owner, the main area you keep livestock might be a back yard, garden or piece of land attached to your house.

If you keep livestock as a hobby, the main area might be a community allotment, back yard or a piece of land you own. For farmers, the main area is the gathering point on your farm yard or main field.

Use the multi-agency geographic information for the countryside (MAGIC) map to find the National Grid field numbers for your land or buildings. Follow these instructions:

1. Select ‘Get Started’.
2. Search for a place or postcode.
3. Using the map, locate the land or building. Use the +/- icons to zoom in and out.
4. In the top toolbar, select the fourth icon along (‘Where am I?’) – it looks like a target.
5. Click on the land or building.
6. A pop-up box will appear showing the land details for this location. The National Grid field number is the fourth number down and comes after the ‘Grid Ref’ (Ordnance Survey grid reference). It’s made up of 2 letters and 8 numbers, for example, AB 1234 5678.

Other information you’ll need

You’ll need to say if you own or rent the land or buildings where you’ll keep the livestock.

If you rent it, you’ll need to confirm if:

• you have a tenancy agreement to rent it for more than one year
• the landowner already has a CPH number

Apply for a CPH number

You should get a CPH number before you move livestock onto land or into buildings.

If you need it urgently, tell RPA when you apply.

You must be on the RPA’s registration system – the Rural Payments service – to get a CPH number.

If you’re already registered on the Rural Payments service

Call RPA to apply for a CPH number.

If you are not registered on the Rural Payments service

RPA will register you on the Rural Payments service and process your CPH number application at the same time.

You can either:

• apply for a county parish holding number (CPH) online
• call RPA through the Defra rural services helpline

What happens next

RPA will send you an email with a validation link to confirm your email address. You must click on this link within 12 hours. If you do not do this within 12 hours, contact RPA to get another email validation link.

You should get your CPH number by email within 10 working days. It may take longer during busy periods, or if the information you provided is incorrect.

The email will also include a single business identifier (SBI) and customer reference number (CRN) to use when contacting RPA in future.

When you get your CPH number

Depending on your circumstances, you’ll either get a:

• permanent CPH number
• 7000 series (landless keeper) CPH number

If you have a 7000 series (landless keeper) CPH number

You must either get a:

• temporary land association (TLA)
• temporary county parish holding number (tCPH)

This is because this type of CPH is for your home address (rather than where the animals are to be kept). A TLA or tCPH links the land where you’ll be keeping livestock with your 7000 CPH number.

What to do next

Before you move livestock to where you plan to keep them, you must register with the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) to get a flock or herd mark.

You do not need a flock mark for poultry.

You must use the flock or herd mark to identify animals born on your holding. You can also choose to use it for sheep or goats born elsewhere which have lost their original tags.

If you’re going to keep cattle, bison or buffalo

You must also register as a cattle keeper with the British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS).

If you’re going to keep poultry

You must also complete the compulsory poultry registration form (IRA81) if you’re going to keep 50 or more birds.

Update your details

You must let RPA know if there are any changes to the details you gave when you applied for your CPH number.

You must also contact APHA if there are any changes to the details you gave when you registered with them.

Find out how to update your details.

Divide a business into smaller holdings

A livestock business is usually considered one holding with one CPH number.

If you wish to register a second holding nearby, or divide a holding into smaller holdings to separate your herds, contact APHA.

Using extra land or buildings temporarily

If you plan to use extra land or buildings for less than one year and your livestock will not mix with someone else’s livestock, you must apply for either a:

• temporary land association (TLA) - if they’re within 10 miles of the main area where you’ll keep livestock
• temporary county parish holding (tCPH) number) - if they’re more than 10 miles from the main area you’ll keep livestock

Livestock movement rules

Anytime livestock move off or on your holding, you must:

• report the movement to the relevant organisation
• record the movement in your holding register

You do not need to report poultry movements but you should keep a record of them.

Find out more about reporting and recording:

• cattle, bison and buffalo movements
• sheep and goat movements
• pig movements
• deer movements

If your livestock will not mix with someone else’s livestock

You do not need to record and report movements onto land and buildings within 10 miles of the main area you’ll keep livestock:

• contact RPA to add the land or buildings to your CPH (if you’ll use them for more than a year)
• get a TLA (if you’ll use them for less than a year)