Federal · Livestock traceability
Which cattle and bison need official identification before interstate movement?
Federal traceability rules identify specific classes of cattle and bison, provide movement exceptions, and allow more than one identification method in defined circumstances.
Short answer
Four classes are subject to the federal official-identification requirement, unless a movement exception applies.
Under 9 CFR 86.4(b)(1)(iii), official identification is required before interstate movement for:
- all sexually intact cattle and bison 18 months of age or older;
- all dairy cattle;
- cattle and bison of any age used for rodeo or recreational events; and
- cattle and bison of any age used for shows or exhibitions.
“Interstate movement” means movement from one State into or through another State. “Dairy cattle” includes all cattle, regardless of age, sex, or current use, of a breed—or offspring of a breed—used to produce milk or other dairy products for human consumption.
How this page was checked
- Review method
- AI source review
- Sources last checked
- Attorney or subject-matter expert review
- None
- Jurisdiction reviewed
- Federal
- State and Tribal rules reviewed
- No
- Source set
- 9 CFR Part 86 as published by eCFR, Title 9 issue dated July 20 and current through July 24, 2026.
Unresolved: This page does not classify an animal, validate an identification device, approve a movement route, or determine origin- and destination-jurisdiction requirements.
9 CFR 86.2 and 86.3
Part-wide exceptions and separate actor duties still matter
Part 86 does not apply when covered livestock move entirely within Tribal land that straddles a State line and the Tribe has a traceability system separate from the surrounding States. It also does not apply to movement to a custom slaughter facility when the movement complies with Federal and State rules for preparation of meat. Those are part-wide exceptions; they are different from the cattle-and-bison movement pathways listed below.
When Part 86 does apply, § 86.2(d) separately requires covered livestock moved interstate to comply with applicable APHIS program-disease regulations. Identification under this page therefore does not replace disease-specific movement duties.
Section 86.3 assigns additional records to particular actors. Anyone distributing official identification devices must keep for five years the names and addresses of recipients and enter distribution records in an acceptable Tribal, State, Federal, or other database. A federally accredited veterinarian applying an official identification device to a client animal must keep the application record in a readily accessible record system. Those actor-specific duties are separate from the replacement-tag records discussed below.
9 CFR 86.4(a)(1)
An electronic eartag is not the only possible federal method
For cattle and bison that must be officially identified, the regulation permits these listed methods:
- An official eartag. Beginning November 5, 2024, all official eartags sold for or applied to cattle and bison must be readable both visually and electronically.
- A brand registered with a recognized brand-inspection authority and accompanied by an official brand-inspection certificate, when the shipping and receiving State or Tribal animal-health authorities agree.
- A tattoo or other identification method acceptable to a breed association for registration, accompanied by a breed-registration certificate, when the shipping and receiving authorities agree.
- Group or lot identification when a group/lot identification number may be used.
The electronic-readability requirement applies to official eartags sold or applied beginning on the stated date. It does not rewrite the regulation’s separately listed brand, tattoo, or group/lot methods, and it does not mean every animal in every interstate movement must receive a new RFID tag.
Movement exceptions
Section 86.4 lists routes that may proceed without ordinary prior official identification
The identified classes may move without ordinary prior official identification when:
- moving as a commuter herd with the required agreement or other agreed documents;
- moving from one location in a State, through another State, to a second location in the original State;
- moving directly to an approved tagging site and being identified before commingling, with identity maintained until tagging; or
- moving with another form of identification agreed to by the shipping and receiving State or Tribal animal-health officials.
Another pathway applies to movement directly to a recognized slaughtering establishment, or directly to no more than one approved livestock facility and then to slaughter, when the animals are harvested within three days and the backtag conditions are met. If the animals are held longer, leave the slaughter route, or move onward, additional identification and document conditions apply.
Tag integrity
Do not add, remove, or replace official devices casually
The rule generally permits no more than one official eartag, with stated exceptions. It prohibits removal of official identification devices except at slaughter, on death, or with specified animal-health approval when replacement is needed.
When a new visually and electronically readable tag is applied to an animal already carrying a non-electronic official tag, the person applying the new tag must record the application date and both official identification numbers and retain the record for five years. Replacement with a different official number and authorized device replacement likewise carry event-specific five-year record duties.
Identification is only one part of an interstate movement
A compliant device does not by itself authorize movement. Separate federal documentation rules commonly require an interstate certificate of veterinary inspection or an allowed substitute. Origin, destination, and Tribal authorities may impose animal-health testing, entry permits, disease restrictions, or documentation requirements beyond this page.
Section 86.8 also limits State, Tribal, and local traceability rules: when Part 86 allows multiple official identification devices or methods, those jurisdictions may not require a particular one, and a destination jurisdiction may not force the origin jurisdiction to build or change its traceability system. Additional entry and disease-control requirements must operate within those federal limits.
Before loading animals, confirm the animal class, age, sex, dairy status, intended use, exact route, destination, approved device or alternative, and documentation with the responsible animal-health authorities.
Official authority
Read 9 CFR Part 86
9 CFR 86.2 — scope and general requirements ↗
9 CFR 86.4 — official identification ↗
The retained official Part 86 XML is 39,880 bytes with SHA-256 e3ac2b7d024d6d015a468d0187e2205a38de75087722f26bd3c5313d3ce175af.
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