Cattle Passports & BCMS: The UK Farmer's Guide (2026)

Quick answer: Every bovine animal in the UK must have a cattle passport, issued by the British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS). You must apply within 27 days of birth, after ear-tagging the calf with two official tags. The passport records the animal's identity and every movement during its life, tracked centrally in the Cattle Tracing System (CTS). It underpins disease control (BSE, TB, foot-and-mouth) and food traceability. Animals without correct passports cannot be moved, sold, or enter the food chain — and non-compliance can hit your farm payments.

What a cattle passport is

The cattle passport is the bovine equivalent of a person's passport — the official lifelong identity document for every cow, bull, calf, and other bovine in the UK. Issued by BCMS, it records:

• The animal's unique ear tag number (UK + herd mark + check digit + individual number)
• Date of birth, breed, sex
• The dam (mother)
• Every keeper and every movement during the animal's life

It exists primarily for disease control and food chain traceability — a legacy of the BSE crisis and essential for TB and foot-and-mouth management.

The registration timeline

1. Ear tagging — two official ear tags within 20 days of birth (36 hours for dairy calves)
2. Passport application — apply to BCMS within 27 days of birth
3. Passport issued — BCMS sends the passport; it must accompany the animal on movements

Miss the 27-day deadline and the animal's registration is "late" — restricting movement and permanently excluding it from the food chain.

BCMS and the Cattle Tracing System (CTS)

The British Cattle Movement Service:

• Issues cattle passports
• Runs the Cattle Tracing System (CTS) — the central database of all bovine identity and movements
• Provides CTS Online for farmers to report births, deaths, and movements

Recording movements

Every time a bovine moves between holdings:

• Report the movement to BCMS/CTS within the required timescale (usually 3 days)
• Both sending and receiving keeper record it in their herd register
• The passport accompanies the animal
• A standstill period may apply (movement restrictions after bringing animals on)

The herd register

Separate from passports, every cattle keeper must maintain a herd register recording all animals, births, deaths, and movements. It must be available for inspection by APHA (Animal and Plant Health Agency) and kept for at least 3 years (often longer).

When a bovine dies

Report the death to BCMS within 7 days and return or destroy the passport as instructed. Fallen stock must be disposed of via an approved route (knacker, hunt kennels, incinerator) — not buried on farm.

Why it matters beyond compliance

• Farm payments — cross-compliance links identification/traceability to subsidy eligibility
• Disease control — TB testing, movement restrictions, outbreak tracing all rely on accurate records
• Food chain — only properly-passported animals can be slaughtered for human consumption
• Sale — buyers and markets require valid passports

Common cattle passport mistakes

1. Missing the 27-day registration deadline (permanent food-chain exclusion)
2. Ear tag errors or lost tags not replaced promptly
3. Not reporting movements within the timescale
4. Herd register not kept up to date for APHA inspection
5. Not reporting deaths within 7 days

FAQs

What if I lose a cattle passport?

Apply to BCMS for a replacement. The animal cannot move or be sold without its passport, so act promptly.

Do I need to tag both ears?

Yes — cattle need two official ear tags (one can be an electronic/EID tag). Replace lost tags within the required period.

Is the system the same across the UK?

BCMS covers Great Britain. Northern Ireland uses APHIS. The principles (passports, tagging, movement recording) are equivalent but administered separately.

How long must I keep cattle records?

The herd register and movement records should be kept for at least 3 years; some guidance recommends longer for traceability.

Related guides

• Cattle passports & BCMS: farmer's guide
• Animal movement records UK
• Veterinary medicine records for farms
• Pesticide application records (PA)

Last reviewed 2026-06-08 by Jamie Dawson, Editor.