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The federal government issued final regulations in January 2013 that require most animals moving interstate (unless going directly to slaughter) to have official identification. States are required by this rule to implement and oversee individual official animal identification for animals moving in interstate commerce.
As of May 5, 2026: Lactating dairy cattle moving interstate from states classified as Unaffected under the National Milk Testing Strategy (NMTS) are no longer required to be tested for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 prior to movement.
Maryland was granted Unaffected State Status (Stage 4) under NMTS in November 2025. This means:
Premises registration is key to help respond to and minimize the impact of an animal disease outbreak. The first step in implementing an animal identification system is identifying and registering premises where livestock is congregated.
Animal Health officials work with federal and state partners along with producers to establish a successful identification program that will enable rapid traces to disease suspects and therefore rapid and more effective disease control.
The Maryland Department of Agriculture provides free metal official identification tags to producers upon request. Learn more by clicking on a link below.
If you would like to request tags, or have any questions regarding official identification or premises registration, please contact us via email [email protected] or call 410-841-5810.
