Premises ID

Download Premises ID brochureAs of July 1, 2022 Premises ID registration will become mandatory for poultry and livestock owners and commingling site operators in BC. 

Premises Identification (ID) is a way of linking poultry and livestock, including bees, to specific geographic locations. Premises ID information, which includes contact information for the premises, is used to inform planning and response to animal disease events or natural disaster emergencies like floods or fires.

A premises is any parcel of land where livestock animals are kept, assembled or disposed of. Types of premises registered with the program are wide-ranging, from small-scale or hobby farms with a few animals to large commingling sites such as feedlots, auction yards and abattoirs.

Premises ID is an important tool for protecting the health and safety of your livestock and is one of the three pillars of Canada’s national livestock traceability system, along with animal identification and animal movement reporting. In the event of an emergency affecting livestock, premises ID improves our ability to rapidly identify potentially affected premises and more effectively contain animal disease outbreaks or facilitate natural disaster response and recovery.

Beekeepers can now register their apiaries through the premises ID program.

There is no cost to participate in the program.

Who needs to register?

Animal owners or individuals with animals under their care and control must obtain a Premises ID number for at least one location where their animals are regularly kept (either their property, or someone else’s property) and are encouraged to register any other locations where animals may be regularly or temporarily kept (e.g., a range tenure, temporary pasture). Similarly, commingling site operators (e.g., boarding stable owner, abattoir operator, fairground manager, veterinary clinic, etc.) must obtain a Premises ID number for the premises for which they are responsible.

Individuals or commingling site operators that are already registered with the program do not need to re-register. 

Animals that need to be registered

The list of animals that must be registered under the regulation is consistent with Canada’s national livestock traceability standards and includes:  

  • Alpacas
  • Bees
  • Bison
  • Cervid (e.g. farmed deer)
  • Cattle
  • Donkeys
  • Doves
  • Ducks
  • Fowl (quail, peafowl, pheasants,
    guinea fowl and pigeons)
  •  Fur-bearing animals (chinchilla, mink, fox) 
  • Geese
  • Goats
  • Horses
  • Llamas
  • Mules
  • Poultry (broilers, pullets, layers,
    turkeys, exhibition breeds)
  • Rabbits
  • Ratites (Emu/Ostrich)
  • Sheep
  • Swine
    (pigs, hogs, miniature pigs)
  • Vicuna
  • Water Buffalo 
  • Wild boars
  • Yaks

Types of premises

A premises is any parcel of land where animals, bees, plants or food are grown, kept, assembled or disposed of and includes such places as:

  • Farms/stables
  • Apiaries (beekeepers)
  • Hobby Farms
  • Feedlots
  • Pastures
  • Community pastures
  • Hatcheries
  • Abattoirs
  • Assembly yards
  • Auction/Livestock sale facilities
  • Rendering plants
  • Zoos/petting zoos
  • Exhibition/fair grounds
  • Race tracks/competition facilities
  • Veterinary hospitals/labs
  • Insemination centres
  • Research facilities

How to register

Or

Submit completed forms

By Mail:

BC Premises ID Program
1767 Angus Campbell Road
Abbotsford, BC V3G 2M3

By Email:

BCPID@gov.bc.ca

By Fax:

604-556-3030

CAP