Why is Branding your cattle important?

Branding is the principal means of determining and verifying livestock ownership in the country of Belize in order to protect livestock from theft or loss. Under the Cattle Branding Act, chapter 207 of the Laws of Belize Brands must be recorded/registered to prove ownership and be considered legal evidence in a court of law. A brand can be any letter or combination of letters in conjunction with a number intended to be distinctly or permanently impressed or made upon any cattle. The word “cattle” includes any bull, cow, heifer, ox, steer, calf or any horse, gelding, colt or filly or any mule or ass.

Under the Current law, a brand is considered delinquent if not registered, recorded and approved at the Belize Livestock Producers Association. A time span of 30 days is allotted for the delinquent brand to be registered. In case no action is taken, the brand is open for the general public to apply. Failure to register brands within a 10-year period is considered abandonment of the brand upon which the brand becomes available for the general public to apply therefore, depriving the original owner from any legal claim.

Application for Brand Registration

It is a felony to brand someone else’s animals or obliterate any livestock brand. It is also illegal to use any brands for branding bull, cow, heifer, ox, steer, calf, or any horses, mare, gelding, colt or filly, or mules or asses unless the Brand has been registered, recorded and approved at the Belize Livestock Producer associations. Once brands are recorded with Belize livestock Producers Associations, they become the personal property of the owner.

Rules and regulations for registering a brand:

1. Applicant must be at least 18 years old and residing in the country of Belize.
2. Applicant must provide a copy of a valid passport or any valid ID card.
3. Applicant must provide the Brand design which he or she wishes to use before branding the animal.
4. Applicant must specify the livestock and branding position to which the brand will be applied.
5. Also, the time period for which the Brand is being applied for.
6. Brand registration Fee must accompany the application form.

Fees applied for brand registration

New registration/Renewal fee	$10 per year (maximum of 10 years)
Replacement for lost/damaged card	$10

Banking Info.

Name of Bank:  Belize Bank Limited
Branch Location:  Belmopan
Account Name:  BLPA
Account Number:  645 117424010120001

Brand ownership by multiple owners

Brands can be registered by multiple parties with clear separation of ownership or the shared ownership provided that there is a clear agreement that all owners are also responsible for authorizing the movement, sale or slaughtering of animal. All are liable to maintaining status of updating brand.

Corporate Brand Ownership

Brands can be applied and registered by a business entity, provided that the company is registered in Belize and provides proof of that registry along with a Belizean representative that is liable to the ownership of the brand by foreigners Brand ownership requires full documentation of a legal person that resides or is a Belizean national and forms part of said corporation.

Transfer of an existing brand to new owner

Brands are not transferred automatically. The registered owner(s) of the Brand must provide an agreement made between the person(s) to whom the transfer of brand will be made. In case of the owner's death a death certificate must be presented for transfer to be possible. In the event that a part owner is added or removed, an agreement should be signed by all parties involved and certified by a Justice of Peace and must be presented.

Necessary documents to transfer a brand:

• Brand transfer form
• A copy of social security card or any other identification document for both the transferor and transferee.
• Certified document where transferor agrees to give up any claims towards the brand.
• In case of the owner’s death, a death certificate must be presented along with the brand transfer form.
• In the event that a part owner is added or removed, an agreement should be signed by all parties involved

Documents must be certified by a Justice of Peace.

Apply brand online