Cowboy Riding Herd

Brand Registration Information

Bureau of Livestock Identification

Recording a Brand

To tape a livestock brand, please complete the enclosed awarding signed in ink by the applicant or applicants and return it to the Department of Food and Agronomics with the $lxx.00 recording fee.

Department 20662

Section 20662 of the Nutrient and Agricultural code states the proposed brand design must meet the following requirements:

  • It is not in conflict with any other recorded brand in this State.
  • Information technology is capable of producing a similar pattern when practical to the hide of an animal.
  • It is capable of readily symbolizing the intended design to whatsoever person who views information technology.
  • It lends itself to mutual verbal clarification.

Please indicate on the application the choices of brand design, location on the animal in order of preference, and any earmarks desired. At that place are six branding positions for legal proof of ownership of cattle. They are the left or correct shoulder, rib or hip.

To record the brand to a company, partnership, fictitious business organisation etc., a copy of the legal document showing registration with the Secretarial assistant of Land's part or county office, which names all officers, partners or owners must be provided.

When the brand is approved for registration, a Document of Cattle Brand Registration is issued to the applicant along with a cartoon that may be used in the structure of your branding iron. The brand may not be used until the document of registration has been issued.

The $seventy.00 recording fee entitles the applicant to use the brand until the post-obit Apr 1. At that time, the brand owner shall pay the biennial renewal fee of $lxx.00 by April 30 of that year. Renewing the brand is the applicant'due south responsibility.

If the renewal fee is not paid, the brand is placed in suspense and may non be used to brand livestock. If the brand possessor wishes to reinstate the suspended make, an additional punishment fee of $30.00 is required.

At the end of one year's suspension, the brand is and so canceled. Subsequently cancellation, anyone may apply for the registration of the canceled make. If the original owner(s) wish to re–tape the make, a new application and a $140.00 re–recording fee must exist submitted.

Transferring a Brand

  • The purpose of the Transfer of Brand form is to change the buying of a Livestock Brand. Brand ownership changes tin can consist of the addition or deletion of a proper noun, or the modify of make ownership to or from a corporation, partnership, fictitious business or a trust.
  • Transfer of Brand forms are only available upon asking from the Bureau of Livestock Identification function. When requesting a Transfer of Brand class, delight notify the Brand Registration office if any changes in address have occurred.
  • A completed transfer course and a $70.00 transfer fee must be submitted when a change in brand buying occurs.
  • The transfer class, signed by all current owner(s) and all new possessor(south), must exist submitted. If signed by a legally appointed representative such as an executor, ability of attorney, trustee(s), partners or officer(southward) of a corporation, a copy of the document indicating this authority must exist provided.
  • All signatures must be notarized.
  • The new owners of the make may not use the make until the Brand Document citing the transfer has been received.
  • Transfer of Brand forms cannot be processed unless the renewal status of the make is current.

Important Notation:

Change of brand ownership does non constitute modify in buying of cattle bearing that brand. The modify of ownership of cattle requires a Brand Inspection and Nib of Sale or Consignment (Yellowish Slip) or written instrument from the owner or his/her agent with clear definition of number, kind, brood, sex and, if branded, brand and location on each animal. Delight refer to California Food & Agronomics Codes 21051 and 21702.

Transfer forms are available upon request from the Bureau of Livestock Identification function. Please notify the Make Registration office if whatever changes in address accept occurred.

Bureau of Livestock Identification
Section of Food and Agronomics
1220 Due north Street
Sacramento, California 95814
Telephone: (916) 900-5006
Fax: (916) 900-5335

Renewing a Make - Agricultural Lawmaking Sections

Section 20754. The owner of a brand shall, on or earlier Apr 30th after its recordation, pay to the bureau a biennial menstruum renewal fee of Seventy Dollars ($70) for the right to continue to utilize the brand.

Department 20722. If the renewal fee is not paid past April 30th following the recordation of the brand, or by April 30th of the year that follows the concluding year for which the renewal fee has been paid, the right to use the brand is suspended as of Apr 1st of that year.

Department 20756. If the right to use a make is suspended for failure to pay the renewal fee, it may be reinstated within one yr from the date of suspension upon the payment of the biennial renewal fee of Lxx Dollars ($70) plus a Thirty Dollar ($30) penalization fee.

Section 20723. If the correct to use a make is suspended for more than 1 yr, it becomes forfeited on April 1st following the year of suspension. The brand may, thereafter, be rerecorded by the former owner or it may be applied for by any other person pursuant to this chapter.

Section 20222. Whatsoever person who uses an unrecorded, forfeited, or canceled brand shall pay a penalty upon a first violation of i hundred dollars ($100); upon a second violation inside the aforementioned 12–month flow, a penalty of two hundred dollars ($200); and upon a third or subsequent violation within the same 12–month menstruum, a penalty of v hundred dollars ($500), which is in addition to any other penalisation provided by constabulary.

Section 20757. (a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), the fee for rerecording a forfeited or canceled brand shall be One Hundred 40 Dollars ($140). This amount shall back-trail the application to rerecord. (b) When a punishment has been paid pursuant to Section 20222, within thirty days of the date the application to rerecord is received past the director, the fee to rerecord shall exist 70 Dollars ($70).

Brands: Bovine

"Brand" means a design that is permanently impressed on the hibernate of an fauna by called-for with acrid, a chemic compound, or a hot iron. Freeze brands cannot be used on cattle to betoken ownership.

Brands: Horses, Mules, Burros, Sheep & Swine

Any person that owns a registered cattle brand may use the same brand on the aforementioned location on horses, mules, burros, sheep or swine.

A super cold iron (freeze brand) equally divers in Section 23251.one may be used on horses, mules, burros and sheep.


Contact Information

California Department of Food and Agriculture
Animal Wellness and Food Safety Services, Bureau of Livestock Identification
1220 N Street
Sacramento, California 95814
Phone: 916-900-5006
Fax: 916-900-5335
Or send an electronic mail to the agency: bliinfo@cdfa.ca.gov

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