Who needs to register?
If you keep livestock or bees, whether they are kept as pets or for commercial purposes, you are required to register.
The following animals are considered livestock under the BAM (IMSA) regulations:
- cattle
- buffalo
- sheep
- goats
- pigs
- horses (ponies, donkeys, hybrids)
- deer
- South American camelids (alpaca, llama, vicuna)
- camels
- emu and ostrich*
- poultry* (including chickens, turkeys, geese, ducks, guinea fowls, quails, pigeons, pheasants and partridges)
* The requirement for poultry owners with 50 or more birds or owners of 10 or more emus and/or ostriches to register was introduced on 1 April 2022. Existing registered livestock owners are encouraged to update their details with the Brands Office at their next renewal if they also run poultry, emus or ostriches. Poultry, emu or ostrich owners with fewer birds can register if they wish to, but it is not mandatory.
Registration fee
A fee is payable upon registration and re-registration. Registration is valid for a period of three years and a renewal notice will be issued to the last recorded postal address /email / mobile phone number prior to the expiry date.
The following also attract a fee:
- application for transfer of identifiers and PICs
- application to withdraw or renew mortgage notice
- notice of a mortgage over stock or apiary
How to register
There are 2 avenues to register: via the online Brands Portal or with the existing paper-based forms.
Register using the Brands Portal
The Brands Portal is a secure website that allows Beekeepers, Livestock owners and supply chain location operators to manage their registrations online. It is the preferred option for submitting registrations, re-registrations, updating property and contact details and for beekeepers to pay APC fees. The benefits of the portal include a reduction in the use of paper forms and associated manual procedures, automated correspondence and improved data management capabilities.
Log in to the Brands Portal online to manage the following applications:
- New Livestock Owner Registration
- New Beekeeper Registration
- New Buyer Identification Code Registration
- New Non-Farming Property Operator Registration
- Update trading name, contact and property details on an existing registration
- Re-registration for Livestock Owner, Beekeeper, Non-farming PIC (NFOP) operator and Buyer Identification Code (BIC) operator
- Beekeeper APC Payments
You will be taken to the Welcome page which will guide you through the Digital Identity setup and Brands Portal login procedures. Note: For Transfers, Cancellations and Notification fo a mortgage over stock or apiary and/or withdrawal of that notification, you will need to continue to use the paper forms.
Please see further information on using paper forms below.
Register using manual forms
If you are unable or prefer not to use the Brands Portal, you can download and send in the completed paper forms via email or post.
View paper forms. See guidance below to reference when completing the forms.
Confirmation of registrations
Upon receipt of your application through the Brands Portal, payment will be taken and then your details processed. This means that there may be a short delay between payment and your registration or changes being activated and visible to you.
If you need to move stock around the same time you register or re-register, please check with the Brands Office to confirm the status of your application.
T: 1300 926 547 and follow the prompts.
Completing the application for registration as an owner of stock
Use either the Brands Portal to complete your registration as an owner of stock or the paper form see the forms page.
Applicant details
This section is to be completed by the person/s or organisation that wishes to register. The name that you use to register is the name/s that will be used in any dealings with your stock.
Signatures
Ensure that all parties who are signatory to the registration (recognised as owners of the registration) have signed the form.
The signatures on the most recent application (registration or re-registration) will be required to transfer or cancel the registration in the future. Please keep this in mind and consider whether one or more signatories will best suit your circumstances, and if the existing signatories are still involved with the registration or need updating. ie: consider your livestock or beekeeper registration in succession planning.
If there are multiple signatories to the registration, they are all required to sign the Authorised Signature form.
For companies, the signature of a duly authorised officer is required along with the position they hold.
Select stock identifier/s required
In your application you can request preferred choices as your stock brand. The Stock Brand and PIC Register search guide explains how to search for available brands on the Stock Brand and PIC Register. If neither choice is available, a similar brand will be allocated where possible.
Property details
The physical address of the location of the stock is required. In instances of disease outbreak, it may be necessary to visit you, rather than sending notifications by post.
This property detail section must be signed by the property owner, who may not necessarily be the applicant, to confirm that they have given permission for your stock to be on their land.
Completed registrations
Once your registration is processed, you will be issued with the following registered identifiers:
- stock brand
- earmark
- pig tattoo
One or more property identification codes (PICs) will be issued to indicate the properties that you have nominated to run your stock on. A registration certificate and PIC card/s will be issued and returned to you via post. Your certificate will also be issued by email if you have applied online.
Completing the application for registration as a beekeeper
Use either the Brands Portal to complete your beekeeper registration or the paper form see the forms page.
Registration details
This section is to be completed by the person/s or organisation that wishes to register. The name that you use to register is the name/s which will be used in any dealings with your hives.
Signatures
Ensure that all parties who are signatory to the registration (recognised as owners of the registration) have signed the form.
The signatures on the most recent application (registration or re-registration) will be required to transfer or cancel the registration in the future. Please keep this in mind and consider whether one or more signatories will best suit your circumstances, and if the existing signatories are still involved with the registration or need updating. Ie: consider your livestock or beekeeper registration in succession planning.
Address
Your postal and residential address is required. In instances of disease outbreak, it may be necessary to visit you, rather than sending notifications by post.
Hive brand
In your application you can request a preferred choice as your hive brand. The Stock Brand and PIC Register search guide explains how to search for available brands on the Stock Brand and PIC Register. If your choice is not available, a similar brand will be allocated where possible.
Completed registrations
Once your registration is processed, you will be issued with a hive brand. A registration certificate and hive brand card will be issued and returned to you via post. Your certificate will also be issued by email if you have applied online.
Updates, transfers and cancellations
Use the Brands Portal to complete updates to contact or property details or the paper form see the forms page.
Transfers and cancellations can only be carried out by submitting the paper application, complete with all the signatures of the registered owners, or the executor of an owner if a person has passed.
Updating trading name, contact and property details on an existing registration
If any of your contact or property details change, you are required by law to update these within 7 days for contact details, and within 2 days of your stock arriving on a property that is not registered to you. You can use the Brands Portal or paper forms.
There is no charge for these changes to be made and properties can be added or removed at any time.
Changing a trading or owner name is the same as registering a new entity and will incur a new registration charge. This can be done at re-registration if it fits with your business operating to avoid additional costs.
Transferring a registration and identifiers
Transfer of identifiers to a new trading entity or owner can only be carried out using the paper form Application for Transfer of Identifiers, see the forms page.
The PIC and the registered identifiers belong to the registered owner. They do not belong to the property on which you operate. If you sell your property, it is your choice whether you retain the brand and other identifiers (if you intend farming elsewhere), or whether you transfer ownership of the identifiers to the new property owners. (Note: new owners will be allocated a new PIC.)
Any change to the legal ownership of registered identifiers requires the completion of this form.
A transfer will not be processed without all the current owner signatures. If the owner is a company, evidence that the signatories are duly authorised officers of that company will be required. Where a person is deceased, the executor must sign on behalf of the deceased person.
A registration fee is payable for transfers. The updated registration is then valid again for a period of three years and a renewal notice will be issued to the postal address, email or mobile prior to the expiry date.
Cancelling a registration
The registration cancellation/death of an owner procedures can only be carried out using the paper form Application for Cancellation of Registration, see the forms page.
To cancel a registration of ownership, complete this form. All parties who are signatory to the current registration must sign. If the owner is a company, evidence that the signatories are duly authorised officers of that company will be required. Where a person is deceased, the executor must sign on behalf of the deceased person.
If a registration is cancelled, the associated identifiers become immediately available to other livestock owners and can no longer be used by the previous owner.
Death of an owner
When a registered owner of livestock dies and there is no livestock on hand and no intention to have any in the future (ie: the registration is not going to be transferred to another entity), then an Application for Cancellation of Registration needs to be completed, see the forms page. All parties who were signatories to the current registration must sign. The executor must sign on behalf of the deceased person.
If there is livestock on hand and the intention is that they will be sold off, this can be done under the current registration. Once all the livestock has been sold, an Application for Cancellation of Registration needs to be completed. The executor must sign on behalf of the deceased person.
If there is livestock on hand and the intention is for a new entity to continue to own livestock into the future, an Application for Transfer of Identifiers form can be completed, see the forms page. A transfer can be completed during the normal re-registration process. By transferring identifiers, the existing brand, earmark and pig tattoo will be allocated to the new owner.
Registering as a non-farming (supply chain) property operator
Use the Brands Portal to complete this registration application or paper form. To complete the paper form, Application for Registration of a Non-Farming Property see the forms page.
Under the BAM (IMSA) regulations, the following are recognised as a non-farming property and require registration with a PIC:
- a saleyard
- an abattoir
- an export depot
- a holding or transit yard
- a pound
- a feedlot
- a showground/event location
- a vet clinic.
Once your application has been processed, you will be issued with a registration certificate and PIC card, which will indicate your PIC and the expiry date. Registration is valid for a period of three years. A renewal notice will be issued to the recorded postal address and via email and mobile phone number prior to the expiry date. Registration information can be checked online on the Brands Public Search.
Buyer identification code (BIC)
Use the Brands Portal to submit this registration or paper form. To complete the paper form, Application for a Buyer Identification Code see the forms page.
Buyers - Stock agents, export buyers and abattoir stock buyers - who purchase livestock from a saleyard but do not know the immediate destination for the stock may apply for a buyer identification code (BIC). They can give their BIC to the saleyard operator for stock they purchase instead of the PIC of the destination.
The agent/buyer is responsible for transferring any stock off their BIC and onto the destination PIC within 24 hours.
To apply for a buyer identification code, use the links below.
Notifications regarding a mortgage over stock or apiary
The notification of a mortgage over stock or apiary, or renewal or withdrawal of that notification can only be carried out using the paper form, see the forms page. Refer to either Notice of a Mortgage Over Stock or Apiary, or Notice of Renewal or Withdrawal of Mortgage.
A financial institution can give notice of a mortgage over the stock or apiary of a registered owner and they can withdraw that notice. This information will be recorded in the Stock Brands and PIC register, however, it will not be available as public information. This process is to prevent the registration from being cancelled or transferred to another entity.