Moving and exporting livestock

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Moving livestock into the NT

NT regulation update: agriculture and livestock changes

From 22 May 2025, the Agriculture Legislation Amendment Regulations 2025 came into place, amending:

Hemp Industry Regulations 2020
Livestock Regulations 2009
Pastoral Land Regulations 1992
Plant Health Regulations 2011.

Read about these changes.

If you want to bring interstate livestock into the Northern Territory (NT), the following requirements apply.

Type of livestock	NT PIC	Health certificate and waybill	Brand	NLIS device	Johne’s disease clearance	Transport standards apply	Treatment for cattle tick, when moving out of tick zones	Wildlife permit required
Alpaca and llama	✔	✔	n/a	n/a	✔	✔	✔	✔
Bison	✔	✔	n/a	n/a	✔	✔	✔	✔
Buffalo	✔	✔	n/a	✔	✔	✔	✔	n/a
Camel	✔	✔	n/a	n/a	✔	✔	✔	n/a
Cattle	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	n/a
Crocodile	✔	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	✔	n/a	✔
Deer	✔	✔	n/a	n/a	✔	✔	✔	✔
Emu and ostrich	✔	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	✔	n/a	✔
Goat	✔	✔	n/a	✔	✔	✔	✔	n/a
Horses (all equine)	✔	✔	n/a	n/a	n/a	✔	✔	n/a
Pigeon	✔	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	✔	n/a	n/a
Pigs	✔	n/a	n/a	n/a	✔	✔	n/a	n/a
Poultry (domestic fowl)	✔	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	✔	n/a	n/a
Sheep	✔	✔	n/a	✔	✔	✔	✔ and **	n/a

In this table, n/a stands for not applicable.

**Sheep are subject to disease controls and can only be brought into the NT with written permission from the chief inspector of livestock. To apply to move sheep into the NT, read keeping and moving sheep. If approved, you will be notified in writing.

Poultry includes domestic fowl and is not limited to chickens, ducks, geese, guinea fowl, peafowl, quail, turkeys.

Horses and all equine, includes miniature horses, ponies, mules, donkey.

Permits from Parks and Wildlife NT

You must get a Parks and Wildlife NT permit to keep or permit to import and export the animals marked in the table above. For more information, call 08 899 4814 or email pwpermits@nt.gov.au.

Treatment for cattle tick

Treatment for cattle tick is required when moving out of tick zones. Read more about cattle tick control.

Property identification code (PIC)

Every NT property/parcel of land where livestock are kept must have a property identification code (PIC). Read more about PICs and how to get one.

Registering a PIC is not a permit giving permission to keep livestock, if regulated by local government or council.

Health certificate and waybill

Some species of livestock entering the NT must have a health certificate. If entering from Western Australia, Queensland or New South Wales, the certificate must be endorsed by an inspector of livestock.

You must have a health certificate for the animals marked in the table above.

You need a health certificate and waybill specific to the type of animal. In some cases livestock will need to be tested and treated to stop Johne's disease or cattle ticks being brought into the NT.

Health certificate and waybill forms

Use the following species-specific forms:

For instructions about how to fill in the form, read the Agnote health certificates and waybills for cattle entering the NT PDF (261.0 KB).

NLIS devices

Read about the National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) and how to order devices or transaction tags.

Johne's disease

Movement conditions for Johne's disease changed on 1 July 2017. Read more about the national Johne's disease program.

Land transport standards

Read about livestock welfare and land transport standards.

Honey bees

There are rules for importing honey bees. Read about honey bees and beekeeping.

More information

For more information, call livestock biosecurity and speak to your regional livestock biosecurity officer or the principal livestock regulatory officer.

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