How to register a sheep holding (CPH number) in the UK

If you’re keeping sheep — even one pet ewe — in England, Scotland or Wales, you legally need a CPH number (County Parish Holding number) for the land they live on. It’s free, it’s not complicated, and you need it before you can buy or move animals.

This guide walks through exactly how to get one.

What a CPH number actually is

A CPH is a 9-digit identifier for a piece of agricultural land. The format is AA/BBB/CCCC:

• AA — county code (2 digits)
• BBB — parish code (3 digits)
• CCCC — holding number (4 digits)

It’s how government departments link your animals to a physical location. Movements, medicine records and assurance audits all hang off it.

Who to apply to

It depends where in the UK your land is:

• England: Rural Payments Agency (RPA) — online via gov.uk
• Wales: Rural Payments Wales (RPW)
• Scotland: Rural Payments and Inspections Division (RPID)
• Northern Ireland: DAERA (you’ll get a different identifier)

For England, the quickest route is the “Register a land parcel” service on gov.uk. Search for “register a holding for keeping livestock”.

What you’ll need

• Your name and contact details
• The full postal address of the holding
• The land area (acres or hectares — a rough figure is fine)
• A map or grid reference if the address is ambiguous
• The species you’re planning to keep

If you don’t own the land, that’s fine — you can register a CPH as a tenant or with the landowner’s permission.

How long it takes

Typically 2–4 weeks. Sometimes faster in spring/summer when the RPA is less busy. Apply before you commit to buying animals.

What comes next

Once your CPH lands, you’ll also need:

1. A flock number (sheep) or herd number (cattle) — from APHA. This is a different identifier and it’s a separate application. You can apply online once you have your CPH.
2. A medicine book — paper or, much better, a digital one like Tractr.
3. A movement record for every animal that comes on or off the holding.

Setting up your records the right way

Once you have your CPH and flock number, set up your record-keeping system before the animals arrive. It’s vastly easier to start with a clean digital medicine book and movement log than to retro-fit one six months later when you’ve got paperwork in three notebooks and a phone full of photos of tag numbers.

Tractr is built for exactly this moment — first holding, first animals, no prior experience. Try it free →

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Government processes change. Always check the current guidance on gov.uk before you apply.