Property identification codes (PICs)

Queensland livestock owners need property identification codes (PICs) to:

• purchase National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) devices
• access other national systems such as national vendor declarations or waybills
• report movements to the NLIS database.

The PIC system operates nationally to allow animals to be traced throughout Australia if an animal disease outbreak or contamination incident occurs. PICs are a critical part of Australia's animal biosecurity.

How to get a PIC

When you register as a biosecurity entity you will be allocated the PIC that is associated with the land where you keep your animal(s).

Who has to register as a biosecurity entity?

You must register if you own or keep:

• 1 or more:
  • cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, bison, buffalo, deer
  • or
  • alpacas, llamas, or other animals from the Camelidae family
  • or
  • horses, ponies, donkeys, mules, zebras, or other animals from the Equidae family.

• 100 or more birds that:
  • are raised for human consumption (e.g. poultry)
  • or
  • are raised for the production of eggs for human consumption (e.g. poultry)
  • or
  • have been released into free flight since they started being kept in captivity (e.g. pigeons)

• 1 or more beehives.

Read more about who must be registered with Biosecurity Queensland.

You might already be registered

If you had a PIC before 1 July 2016, you automatically became a registered biosecurity entity from that date. Your PIC number would have stayed the same.

You can check if you are registered.

What if you need a PIC but don't own the property?

PICs are not owned by the landowner. They are allocated to the land where you keep your animal(s). Biosecurity Queensland will allocate you the appropriate PIC once you are registered as a biosecurity entity. More than one biosecurity entity can be registered to a property.

If you don't own the property on which your animals are kept, you still need to register as a biosecurity entity. You don't need the landowner's permission to register as a biosecurity entity.

However, to access industry systems such as NLIS and National Vendor Declarations, you will need the landowner's permission. To grant permission, the property owner will need to complete the landowner authorisation form (PDF, 581KB).

Renewing and updating your registration details

It is your responsibility to keep your registration details up to date, and to renew your registration every 3 years.

Find out how to renew or update your registration with Biosecurity Queensland.

Cancelling your biosecurity entity registration

If you no longer meet the registration requirements for a biosecurity entity, you should cancel your registration.

Depending on the circumstances, further action may be taken concerning the PIC for that property.

You can cancel your registration by logging into your biosecurity entity registration portal online account, completing and returning the application to deregister form (PDF, 33KB), or by phoning our Customer Service Centre on 13 25 23.

Also consider...

• Read more about becoming a registered biosecurity entity.
• Learn more about the National Livestock Identification System (NLIS).
• Read about national vendor declarations or waybills.