Free Livestock Bill of Sale (Cattle, Sheep, Goats)
Bill of sale for cattle, sheep, goats, or pigs. Records head count, breed, brands, ear tags or RFID numbers, and any brand inspection or health papers.
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State rules change. We check these requirements against official state sources, but details can go out of date. Confirm with your state's motor vehicle agency before you rely on them. If you notice anything wrong or outdated, email support@billofsale.app.
About the Livestock Bill of Sale
A livestock bill of sale records the sale of cattle, sheep, goats or pigs between a seller and a buyer. Unlike a car, livestock has no title. Ownership is shown by brands, ear tags, inspection papers and the bill of sale. A good one lists the head count, species, breed, sex and age, every brand and ear tag number, the price and the date. Horses have their own form: use the horse bill of sale for them.
When to Use This Form
Use it for any private sale, trade or gift of cattle, sheep, goats or pigs, from a single bottle calf to a pen of bred heifers. In a brand-inspection state, the bill of sale goes along with the brand inspection certificate; it does not replace it. Fill in the inspection certificate number if one was issued.
Legal Tip
In the western brand states, book the brand inspection before the cattle change hands or leave the place. Washington and Utah say a bill of sale alone is not proof of ownership for cattle, so a buyer who skips the inspection may not be able to prove the cattle are theirs.
Fields Included in This Form
- Animal Type (required)
- Number of Head (required)
- Breed (optional)
- Sex and Age (optional)
- Brands, Ear Tags or RFID Numbers (required)
- Weight (total or average) (optional)
- Brand / Livestock Inspection Certificate No. (if your state requires one) (optional)
- Health Papers (CVI / test results) (optional)
Brand inspection states (examples we checked)
- Colorado: brand inspection is required for cattle, horses, mules and donkeys before any change of ownership, including gifts, and before hauling more than 75 miles. Give the inspector two to three days' notice; the seller or an agent must be there.
- Montana: the seller arranges the cattle brand inspection before the sale. It costs $1 per head and is done in daylight. Lenders can file liens on branded livestock, and buyers can search the brand records for them.
- Wyoming: every change of ownership, sale or gift, needs a brand inspection, and Wyoming inspects sheep as well as cattle and horses. Fees are a $12 surcharge plus $1.85 per head for cattle.
- Washington: after a private in-state cattle sale, the buyer must present the cattle for inspection within 15 days. Inspection is $4.00 per head, or $1.21 if the cattle carry the owner's recorded brand or an electronic tag.
- Nebraska: inspection applies inside the state's brand inspection area. From August 1, 2026, it costs $1.40 per head plus $30 per stop. A bill of sale only replaces it for calves 30 days old or younger and purebreds kept since birth.
- Utah: cattle need a brand inspection before a private sale, even if unbranded. Dairy calves under 60 days old sold from the farm of origin skip inspection but must have a bill of sale. For sheep, a bill of sale is accepted as proof of ownership in transit.
- Oregon: cattle need an ownership inspection at a change of ownership. Expect $3.25 per head ($1.75 inspection plus $1.50 Beef Council fee), plus $35 if the inspector travels. Oregon does not require horse inspections.
Federal rules that touch a livestock sale
- Moving cattle to another state usually needs a health certificate (ICVI) from a vet, with exceptions such as going straight to slaughter. States can agree to accept a brand inspection certificate instead.
- Sheep and goats that need scrapie ID must be identified to their flock of origin no later than the change of ownership. Interstate sellers keep sale records for 5 years: head count, date, the other party's name and address, species, breed and class.
- Beef checkoff: whoever buys cattle from a producer collects $1 per head from the seller. The pork checkoff is 0.35% of market value.
What to write on a livestock bill of sale
- Seller and buyer names and addresses, and the date and place of sale.
- Animal type and the number of head.
- Breed, sex and age (for example "10 bred Angus heifers, 2 years").
- Every brand (with its location on the animal) and every ear tag or RFID number.
- Weight, and price per head or per hundredweight, if that is how you priced them (optional).
- The brand inspection certificate number and any health papers, if your state or the move requires them.
- Any known health problems, and whether the animals are sold as-is.
- Signatures, plus a witness where your state's form asks for one.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a livestock bill of sale?
It is a signed paper that moves ownership of livestock from the seller to the buyer and describes the animals: how many head, the species, breed, sex and age, brands and ear tag numbers, and the price. Montana's Department of Livestock accepts a bill of sale as proof of ownership if the seller signed it and it describes the livestock well enough to identify them.
Do you need a bill of sale to sell cattle?
No single federal law requires one, but it is the standard record of the sale, and you should always write one. In brand-inspection states the inspection certificate matters even more. Montana accepts a seller-signed bill of sale as proof of ownership, while Washington and Utah say a bill of sale alone does not prove ownership of cattle.
What is a brand inspection?
A state brand inspector looks at the animals and checks who owns them, by brand or, for unbranded animals, by papers and description. The inspector then issues a certificate that travels with the animals. Several western states require one when cattle are sold, given away, or moved out of a county or the state.
Does a bill of sale for cattle need to be notarized?
Generally no. None of the official sources we checked require a notary on a cattle bill of sale. Nebraska's official livestock bill of sale asks for at least one witness to the seller's signature instead. In a brand state, the inspection certificate is the document that counts most.
Do cattle need ear tags to be sold?
Not for every sale, but for many moves across state lines they do. Federal rules require official ID for intact cattle 18 months or older, all dairy cattle, and rodeo or show cattle moving interstate. Since November 5, 2024, official cattle ear tags must be readable by eye and electronically. A registered brand plus a brand inspection certificate can stand in for a tag if both states agree.
Sources we checked
- 9 CFR 86.4 and 86.5, animal disease traceability (eCFR) (read 2026-10-13)
- 9 CFR 79.2, scrapie identification and records (eCFR) (read 2026-10-13)
- 7 CFR 1260.172, beef checkoff (eCFR) (read 2026-10-13)
- Livestock inspection, Colorado Department of Agriculture (read 2026-10-13)
- Inspection requirements, Montana Department of Livestock (read 2026-10-13)
- Brand inspection FAQs and fees, Wyoming Livestock Board (read 2026-10-13)
- WAC 16-610-020 and RCW 16.57.160, Washington (read 2026-10-13)
- Fee schedule and forms, Nebraska Brand Committee (read 2026-10-13)
- Requirements for the sale and movement of livestock, Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (read 2026-10-13)
- Livestock identification, Oregon Department of Agriculture (read 2026-10-13)