Guidance

Apply for a county parish holding (CPH) number

Apply online for a CPH number for land or buildings you'll use to keep livestock, including those kept as pets, in England.

Applies to England

Save time registering as a livestock keeper

To register as a livestock keeper, you must contact the Rural Payments Agency (RPA), Animal & Plant Health Agency (APHA) and if you keep cattle, the British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS).

You can take part in a trial in which keepers will only need to contact the听RPA.听听if you鈥檙e applying for a听CPH听number for the first time and would like to take part.

You must get a county parish holding (CPH) number for land and buildings used to keep livestock for any purpose, including those kept as pets. It鈥檚 sometimes referred to as a holding number.

You must do this so that the government knows where livestock are kept and can trace them to help prevent and control disease.

Livestock includes:听

  • cattle, bison and buffalo (bovine animals)听
  • 辫颈驳蝉听
  • 驳辞补迟蝉听
  • 蝉丑别别辫听
  • 诲别别谤听
  • poultry (if you have 50 or more)

Before you start

You can only apply for a听CPH听number a maximum of 6 weeks before the livestock arrive.

You must get a听CPH听number if your business听uses animal by-products.

There鈥檚 a different process to get a听CPH听number if, for example, you plan to:

Call the听RPA听if you鈥檙e unsure what type of听CPH听number you need.

Rural Payments Agency听
Telephone (Defra rural services helpline): 03000 200 301
Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm听

Registering less than 50 poultry or other captive birds

If you鈥檙e a keeper of less than 50 poultry or other captive birds, you must register with听APHA. This includes any birds you keep as pets. APHA will provide you with a CPH number when you register. You should not apply for a CPH number from RPA separately.

If you already have a CPH number from keeping other livestock, call the RPA to get your CPH number updated to include keeping 50 poultry or other captive birds.

Rural Payments Agency听
Telephone (Defra rural services helpline): 03000 200 301
Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm听

Who can apply for a听CPH听number online听

You can apply for a听CPH听number using the online form if you鈥檙e:

  • not already registered on the听Rural Payments service听(the听RPA鈥檚 registration system)
  • over 18 years old
  • keeping livestock in England

Do not use the online form if you鈥檙e already registered on the Rural Payments service.听RPA听already has much of the information it needs to process your application. Apply by phone instead.

Rural Payments Agency
Telephone (Defra rural services helpline): 03000 200 301
Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm
Find out about call charges

Find out how to apply for a听CPH听number:

  • in Wales, on the听
  • in Scotland - you鈥檒l need to听

Call听RPA听if your land crosses a border.

The rules are different in Northern Ireland. Read the听.

Get the National Grid field numbers for your land or buildings

You must provide accurate National Grid field numbers so that听RPA听know exactly where animals will be kept.

You must provide the National Grid field numbers for:

  • the main area where you鈥檒l keep livestock
  • any other land or buildings where you鈥檒l keep livestock

For example, if you鈥檙e a pet owner, the main area you keep livestock might be a back yard, garden or piece of land attached to your house.

If you keep livestock as a hobby, the main area might be a community allotment, back yard or a piece of land you own. For farmers, the main area is the gathering point on your farm yard or main field.

A National Grid field number is not the same as an Ordnance Survey grid reference.

Use the听听to find the National Grid field numbers for your land or buildings. Follow these instructions:

  1. Select 鈥楪et Started鈥.
  2. Search for a county, place or postcode.
  3. Using the map, locate the land or building. Use the +/- icons to zoom in and out.
  4. In the top toolbar, select the second icon along (鈥榃here am I?鈥) - it looks like a target.
  5. Click on the land or building.
  6. A pop-up box will appear showing the land details for this location. The National Grid field number is the third number down and comes after the 鈥楪rid Ref鈥 (Ordnance Survey grid reference). It鈥檚 made up of 2 letters and 8 numbers, for example, SO 0418 8589.

Other information you鈥檒l need

You鈥檒l need to say if you own or rent the land or buildings where you鈥檒l keep the livestock. If you rent it, you鈥檒l need to confirm if:

  • you have a tenancy agreement to rent it for more than one year
  • the landowner already has a听CPH听number

Apply online for a CPH number

If you cannot complete the form

If you鈥檙e unable to complete the form, call听RPA听to complete your application over the phone.

Rural Payments Agency
Telephone (Defra rural services helpline): 03000 200 301
Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm
Find out about call charges

After you鈥檝e applied

RPA听will send you an email with a validation link to confirm your email address. You must click on this link within 12 hours. If you do not do this within 12 hours, you must contact听RPA听to get another email validation link.

Rural Payments Agency
Telephone (Defra rural services helpline): 03000 200 301
Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm
Find out about call charges

You should get your听CPH听number by email within 10 working days. It may take longer during busy periods, or if the information you provided is incorrect.

The email will also include a single business identifier (SBI) and customer reference number (CRN) to use when contacting听RPA听in future.听

Other ways to apply

Call听RPA听if you鈥檇 prefer to apply for a听CPH听number by phone.

Rural Payments Agency
Telephone (Defra rural services helpline): 03000 200 301听
Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm听
Find out about call charges

Updates to this page

Published 9 October 2024
Last updated 11 October 2024 show all updates
  1. If you鈥檙e a keeper of less than 50 poultry or other captive birds, you must register with听APHA. This includes any birds you keep as pets. APHA will provide you with a CPH number when you register. You should not apply for a CPH number from RPA separately.

  2. First published.

Sign up for emails or print this page