Missouri Laws & Regulations for Animals & Livestock

Use this page as a resource of helpful links to Missouri laws and regulations specifically related to animals & livestock.

*New* - Out-of-state veterinarians now have 24 hour access to online permitting

Livestock Import Regulations

Permits are required to import some animals to Missouri. If you have questions about the animals you are importing to Missouri, or need a permit, please call 573-751-3377.

The livestock import permit office can provide specific information on all of the entry requirements for any animal species, Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Central Standard Time.

Check out https://www.interstatelivestock.com/ for import regulations.

Regulations

For further information on requirements, contact the Division of Animal Health at (573) 751-3377.

Missouri Exhibition and Livestock Transport Requirements

MDA recommends you check with exhibition leadership, as some exhibitions may have more stringent requirements.

Exhibition Rule Change Resources

Animal Disease Traceability (ADT) Rule Change

On Thursday, May 9 USDA-APHIS amended its animal disease traceability regulations for certain cattle and bison.

The rule requires official eartags to be visually and electronically readable for official use for interstate movement of certain cattle and bison, and revises and clarifies certain record requirements related to cattle. The final rule applies to all sexually intact cattle and bison 18 months of age or older, all dairy cattle, cattle and bison of any age used for rodeo or recreation events, and cattle or bison of any age used for shows or exhibitions.

See here a copy of this rule.This rule will be effective 180 days after publication in the Federal Register – Nov. 5, 2024. After that date, NUES 9 tags will no longer be acceptable forms of official identification, except in those animals with tags applied before November 5, 2024.

The Jefferson City lab has white producer RFID tags that can be allocated to accredited veterinarians. Producers can get tags through their veterinarian or directly from the manufacturer if they have a federal premises ID. Producers cannot get tags from our lab. If you are an accredited vet seeking RFID tags, call the MDA lab at (573) 751-3460.

USDA will continue to provide tags to producers free of charge to jumpstart efforts to enable the fastest possible response to a foreign animal disease. For information on how to obtain these free tags, please visit APHIS’ Animal Disease Traceability webpage.

Enforcement Citation Powers

Under the Diseased Animal Law, the department has the authority to enter any premises, barns, stables, sheds, vehicles, or other places to check for livestock disease or animal health violations. If a violation is discovered, a citation can be issued. An alleged violator found guilty of violating animal health laws is subject to civil penalties of up to $10,000 per violation. Potential violations include failure to secure required tests on animals, failure to secure a health certificate, alteration of official documents, removal of or tampering with official animal identification, etc.

For further information, contact the Division of Animal Health at (573) 751-3377 or e-mail animal.health@mda.mo.gov.