NLIS Livestock Tags — Complete Australian Guide

Whether you're tagging calves at marking time, moving a mob of sheep to agistment, or getting ready for the saleyards, NLIS compliance isn't optional — it's the law. This guide covers everything Australian farmers need to know about the National Livestock Identification System, from how it works to which tag you need for your state.

Farm & Acre Co is an official Allflex supplier. We stock the full range of NLIS-approved cattle and sheep tags, with custom PIC printing on every order and fast dispatch across Australia.

 

What Is NLIS?

The National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) is Australia's official system for identifying and tracking livestock from birth through to slaughter. It was first introduced for cattle in 1999, extended to sheep and goats in 2009, and now also applies to pigs.

At its core, NLIS uses RFID (radio frequency identification) technology embedded in approved ear tags or rumen boluses to give each animal a unique, permanent identification number. Every time an animal moves off a property — to a sale, to agistment, to a feedlot, or to an abattoir — that movement is recorded in the central NLIS database, creating a complete life history for every tagged animal.

The system was built in response to major biosecurity threats — most notably the global foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks of the early 2000s, which demonstrated how quickly disease can spread through an untracked livestock supply chain. Australia exports roughly 70% of its livestock production, and a robust, verifiable traceability system helps protect that market access.

Why Is NLIS Mandatory?

Compliance with NLIS is a legal requirement under state and territory livestock legislation. Failure to tag animals correctly, failure to record movements, or removing an existing NLIS device can all result in penalties.

Beyond legal compliance, NLIS benefits producers directly:

Faster, smoother saleyard transactions — buyers can instantly verify tag history

Disease traceability — if an issue is detected, you can prove where your animals have been

Premium market access — many processors and export programs require verified NLIS history

On-farm management — integrate EID data with weighing, drafting and record-keeping systems

Proof of ownership in the event of theft or dispute

Which Animals Need NLIS Tags?

Cattle

All cattle (including buffalo) must be identified with an approved NLIS device before being moved off a property. Calves born on-property should be tagged before their first movement. NLIS cattle devices are typically electronic ear tags (EID), but approved rumen boluses paired with a matching ear tag are also permitted in most states.

Sheep and Goats

From 1 January 2025, all sheep and managed goats in Australia must carry an individual NLIS-approved electronic identification (eID) device before being moved off a property. This national standard replaced the previous mob-based system and now requires every animal to have its own unique electronic tag.

Visual NLIS tags (without an electronic component) are still used for on-farm colour coding and management purposes, but are no longer sufficient on their own to meet the movement requirement. 

NLIS-approved visual-only ear tags will be removed from the market - producers can continue to buy and use management tags, but no visual tags will bear the NLIS logo after 1 January 2027.

Sheep and goat eID is available in pink as a post-breeder

Sheep and goat eID must be the year of birth colour in Western Australia, but all other states and territories producers can use any colour that suits

Pigs

Pigs must be identified with an NLIS-approved visual tag (property-specific) before moving off-property. Electronic identification is not currently mandatory for pigs, though it is available.

Understanding NLIS Cattle Tag Colours

One of the most common questions we get at Farm & Acre Co is: 'Which colour NLIS tag do I need?' The answer depends on where the animal was born.

Important: Only one NLIS device is ever required per animal. When ownership changes, the database is updated — a new tag is NOT applied each time.

Understanding NLIS Sheep & Goat Tag Colours

For sheep and goats, the NLIS colour coding system is used to track the year of birth and manage mob traceability. The national year-of-birth colour sequence rotates on a regular cycle, with each new cohort assigned a specific colour. The colour system allows producers and buyers to quickly identify how old a mob is at a glance.

Contact Farm & Acre Co to confirm the current year-of-birth colour for your state — colours can vary slightly between jurisdictions. Pink tags are generally used for introduced sheep post-breeder (animals that arrive from another property). 

Year	Colour	Letter

2025

White

W

2026

Orange

X

2027

Light Green

Y

2028

Purple

Z

2029

Yellow

A

How Do NLIS Electronic Tags Work?

NLIS-approved electronic tags (EID tags or eID tags) contain a small RFID transponder that stores a unique 15-digit identification number (the NLID number). This number is linked to your Property Identification Code (PIC) in the NLIS database.

When the tag is scanned with an RFID reader — at the saleyards, at an abattoir, or on your farm — the reader captures the NLID number and connects it to all recorded movements and history. Modern wand readers and panel readers can scan hundreds of animals per hour.

HDX

Allflex NLIS cattle tags use HDX (Half Duplex) technology, which is the standard required for NLIS accreditation in Australia. HDX offers superior read distances and read rates. 

What Is a Property Identification Code (PIC)?

Your PIC is a unique 8-character code assigned to your property by your state's agriculture department. It identifies where your animals are located and is printed on all NLIS tags ordered for your property. You must have a current, valid PIC before you can order NLIS-approved tags.

If you don't yet have a PIC, contact your state agriculture department to register. Links to each state authority are provided in our State Requirements section below.

How to Order NLIS Tags from Farm & Acre Co

Ordering NLIS tags through Farm & Acre Co is straightforward. Here's how it works:

Choose your species — cattle, sheep, goat, or pig

Select your tag type — NLIS electronic (EID) or visual management

Choose your colour — white (breeder) or orange (post-breeder) for cattle; year-of-birth colour for sheep

Select your quantity and preferred size (for cattle tags: Mini, Small, Standard, Large, Maxi, Super Maxi)

Enter your PIC — this is printed on every tag at no extra cost

Complete checkout — we dispatch quickly across all states

For Queensland orders, an approved DAF form is required before dispatch. For Victoria, some tags must be ordered through the AgVic portal. Contact us if you need assistance with state-specific ordering requirements.

FAQ — NLIS Tags

Can I order NLIS tags without a PIC?

No — all NLIS-approved tags must be printed with a valid PIC. You'll need to register your property with your state agriculture department before ordering.

Do I need to record animal movements in the NLIS database?

Yes. All movements of cattle, sheep and goats to properties with a different PIC must be recorded in the NLIS database. You can do this through the NLIS website (nlis.com.au) or through approved livestock management software.

Can I remove an existing NLIS tag?

No — it is an offence to remove or tamper with an existing NLIS device. If a tag is lost or unreadable, contact your state agriculture department for replacement procedures.

Are Allflex tags approved for NLIS?

Yes. Allflex NLIS cattle and sheep tags have held full NLIS accreditation since 1999. Farm & Acre Co is an official Allflex authorised reseller.

Are Fofia tags approved for NLIS?
Yes. FOFIA NLIS cattle tags are fully approved for use within the National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) and meet all Australian traceability requirements.

Are Leader Products tags approved for NLIS?
Yes. FOFIA NLIS cattle tags are fully approved for use within the National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) and meet all Australian traceability requirements. Leader has been supplying livestock identification products for many years and is widely used across the industry.