AlpacaGram 12.03 | Animal Transportation and Premise ID Requirements

AlpacaGram 12.03
AlpacaGram 12.03January 15, 2025

Animal Transportation and Premise
ID Requirements

On behalf of the Government and Industry
Relations Committee (GIRCom)

Are you planning to transport your alpacas to another state? Does that state require your alpacas to have an official USDA 840 microchip? Does your state require a Premises Identification Number (PIN) or Location Identification Number (LID)?

Each state has its own livestock importation requirements. Always check the specific requirements of your destination state before anticipated travel. For example, camelids over six months of age being transported to Nebraska must be tested for brucellosis and tuberculosis and found negative within 60 days prior to entry. During outbreaks of vesicular stomatitis, some states require livestock to be examined within 48 hours of importation. This requirement includes camelids, though the disease rarely affects them.

Be sure to verify requirements every time an animal is transported, as states can change them with little to no warning. For instance, Colorado recently mandated new microchip requirements. Like New Mexico, Colorado now requires USDA Official Identification (840 microchips or 840 RFID tags) for alpacas and llamas traveling into their state. To purchase 840 microchips, you must first obtain a PIN or LID.

A PIN or LID is a unique code that is permanently assigned to a single physical location. This enables animal health officials to promptly locate animals during an animal health or food safety emergency. PIN and LID requirements are determined by each state, and some states require registration of any location where livestock, including alpacas, are kept. Wisconsin was the first state to mandate livestock premises registration. Their definition of livestock includes alpacas, and other states may do the same. You should be aware of the requirements in your individual state.

States also have the right to modify entry requirements under specific, limited circumstances. For example, in the past there were issues with transporting alpacas from Oklahoma to Texas for veterinary care. GIRCom worked with a Texas state veterinarian to establish the following procedure: Livestock requiring medical care, including llamas and alpacas, are permitted to enter Texas with a specific VetCare permit in lieu of the normal entry requirements (CVI, Official ID, and entry permit). To obtain a VetCare permit and legally transport animals into Texas for medical care, the owner should call the Program Records Department, Texas Animal Health Commission at 512-719-0777 and receive this permit over the phone. The information the owner needs to provide is the state of origin, the destination clinic in Texas, and the appointment date. An after-hours permit may be requested via voicemail for weekend or emergency situations. When using the VetCare permit, the animals must go to the Texas veterinary clinic, receive care, and go directly home afterward. The veterinarian issuing a CVI needs to be licensed and accredited in both Texas and Oklahoma.

With travel requirements subject to change, it is important to talk to your veterinarian about anticipated interstate travel.

List of State Animal Health Offices
Applewood Lane Alpacas, IncAOA Gold BenefactorsAmber Autumn Alpacas
Address: 8300 Cody Dr, Ste A, Lincoln, NE 68512  |  Call: (402) 437 8484

© 2025 Alpaca Owners Association, Inc.