Guidance

Register temporary use of land or buildings to keep livestock

Use this service to apply for a temporary land association (TLA) or temporary county parish holding (tCPH) number. This is needed when you temporarily keep livestock on someone else's land.

Applies to England and Northern Ireland

Use this service to apply for either a:

  • temporary land association (TLA)
  • temporary county parish holding (tCPH) number

You must read the guidance on getting a TLA or tCPH number before you use this service.

Before you start

You must get a county parish holding (CPH) number for your main holding in England before you can get a TLA or tCPH number.

You cannot apply for a TLA or tCPH number if your main holding is in Wales. Log into Rural Payments Wales (RPW) Online instead.

You must also register with the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) to get a flock or herd mark.

When not to use this service

Do not use this service if you:

  • have had a TLA for the same land or building in the past and the landowner has not changed
  • want to renew a TLA or tCPH number that has not yet expired

Call APHA to reactivate your TLA or renew your TLA or tCPH number instead. 

Animal and Plant Health Agency
Telephone (Defra rural services helpline): 03000 200 301
Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm
Find out about call charges

What a TLA and tCPH number are for

TLA  is for land and buildings within 10 miles of the main area you keep livestock. It associates the land or building you’re using with your CPH number, so you do not need to record and report livestock movements.

tCPH number is for land and buildings more than 10 miles from the main area you keep livestock. It can be used for land and buildings within 10 miles if:

  • you want to register, and will operate, your holdings separately
  • the land you wish to use is in a different TB risk area from your CPH number

If you need advice, contact APHA.

Animal and Plant Health Agency
Telephone (Defra rural services helpline): 03000 200 301
Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm
Find out about call charges
Email: temporaryland@apha.gov.uk

Apply online

You can apply online to register the temporary use of land or buildings to keep livestock.

Start now

How to find an OS grid reference

For each field or building, you must provide an Ordnance Survey (OS) grid reference. This is 12 characters - 2 letters followed by 10 numbers.

If you’re applying for a tCPH number for a group of fields or buildings, you’ll also need the OS grid reference for the main area you keep livestock.

Use the Ordnance Survey website. Follow these instructions:

  1. Search for a county, place or postcode.
  2. Using the map, locate the field or building. Use the +/- icons to zoom in and out.
  3. Right click on each individual building or field to find the OS grid reference.

How to provide a parcel ID

You can provide a parcel ID for fields (not buildings) instead of an OS grid reference if the landowner has given you this. A parcel ID is a unique 10-character ID number given to a land parcel when it’s registered with the Rural Payments service (for example, ST 6789 6789).

Do not use Magic Maps to find grid references for this service. A land parcel ID is not the same as a National Grid field reference number, which you may have used when applying for a CPH number. Your application will be delayed if you provide a National Grid field reference number.

If you’re providing more than 10 OS grid references or parcels IDs

You can choose to provide up to 100 OS grid references or parcels IDs in bulk using the ‘Provide land details in bulk’ PDF document. You must upload the PDF using the online service. To upload in bulk:

  1. Save the ‘Provide land details in bulk’ PDF document to your device.
  2. Add the OS grid references or parcels IDs.
  3. Select the ‘I’ll upload the land details in bulk’ option within the online service to upload the PDF document with the rest of your information.

Provide land details in bulk

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email contentteam@defra.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

What happens next

APHA aims to process applications within 10 working days. It may take longer if:

  • your application is inaccurate
  • APHA need to carry out a bovine TB veterinary risk assessment

You will receive a confirmation email when you submit your application.

Other ways to apply

You can also apply by email or post. Send the IRA75 form to the email address or postal address within the form.

IRA75: Application to register temporary use of land or buildings to keep livestock (email and post version)

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email contentteam@defra.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Get help

For help using this service, contact APHA:

Animal and Plant Health Agency
Telephone (Defra rural services helpline): 03000 200 301
Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm
Find out about call charges
Email: temporaryland@apha.gov.uk

Updates to this page

Published 12 November 2025

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