Anyone keeping cattle, sheep, goats, pigs or horses must, under the new Animal Health Law, ensure that every animal is individually identified with a physical means of identification, that the animal is accompanied by the prescribed document when moved, and that movements out of and into the holding are recorded in the computer database. The law entered into force in June 2026 and applies from 1 January 2027, when the current Law on Identification and Registration of Animals ceases to apply. Holdings registered under the old rules have six months from that date to comply. An individual who breaches the identification obligations faces a fine of 30 to 4,000 euros.
This guide brings together the new law's rules for selling and moving livestock in one place.
What does the law require for each species?
| Species | Identification | Document when moved | Database |
| cattle | each animal individually, by physical means | identification document issued by the Administration, kept up to date and travelling with the animal | movements, births and deaths |
| sheep and goats | each animal individually, by physical means | correctly completed movement document | movements out of and into the holding |
| pigs | each animal individually, by physical means | movement document following the prescribed model | movements out of and into the holding |
| horses and other equines | unique code in the database and a physical means or other method | unique lifetime identification document | details of each animal |
- The Administration may exempt keepers of sheep, goats and pigs from the paper movement document if the data were entered in the database beforehand and the system ensures equivalent traceability.
- Detailed rules on identification means, documents and exemptions are adopted by the Government in a separate regulation.
What does this mean when you sell or buy livestock?
- Before selling, check that every animal is identified and that its record in the database is correct.
- Cattle must travel with the identification document, and sheep, goats and pigs with the movement document, unless the Administration grants an exemption.
- The move to a new holding is recorded in the database.
- The buyer should ask for the document and check that the mark on the animal matches it.
- If an animal is not identified or has no accompanying document, an official veterinarian may ban movements out of and into the holding during an inspection (Article 230).
When do the new rules apply?
| Date | What happens |
| 17 June 2026 | the law enters into force |
| 1 January 2027 | the law applies; the Law on Identification and Registration of Animals and part of the Veterinary Law cease to apply |
| by 1 July 2027 | existing registered operators and holdings comply, within six months |
| by June 2027 | implementing regulations are adopted; until then existing rules apply if they do not conflict with the law |
How high are the fines?
| Who | Fine |
| individual | 30 to 4,000 euros |
| sole trader | 150 to 12,000 euros |
| company | 500 to 40,000 euros |
| responsible person in a company | 30 to 4,000 euros |
- The fines in Article 231 also cover unidentified cattle, sheep and goats and documents that do not accompany animals when moved.
In Podgorica livestock is sold at the livestock market covered in the guide to markets. How to register a farm is explained in the guide to the farm register, per-head support in the guide to the agri-budget, and selling farm cheese and kajmak in the guide to homemade cheese and kajmak.
Frequently asked questions
When does the new Animal Health Law apply? It entered into force on 17 June 2026 and applies from 1 January 2027.
Must every sheep be identified? Yes. Under the new law every sheep and goat is individually identified with a physical means of identification.
What must accompany a cow when I sell it? The identification document issued by the Administration, correctly completed and up to date, and the move is recorded in the database.
What is the fine for unidentified livestock? 30 to 4,000 euros for an individual, 150 to 12,000 euros for a sole trader and 500 to 40,000 euros for a company.
What applies until 1 January 2027? Until then the 2007 Law on Identification and Registration of Animals, as amended, applies.
How long do existing farms have to comply? Six months from the date the law starts to apply, that is from 1 January 2027.
Sources
The rules are set by the Animal Health Law (Official Gazette 79/2026), Articles 99 to 104, 230, 231, 234, 236, 239 and 240. The current rules are in the Law on Identification and Registration of Animals (Official Gazette 48/2007, as amended). Information checked on 29 September 2026. Fijaka is a classifieds platform; this text is not legal advice.