Property identification codes and their role in emergency responses

Property identification codes (PICs) play an essential role in responses to emergency disease incidents and natural disasters, because they identify where at-risk animals are located.

PICs are also used for emergency relief and recovery activities within an impacted zone.

Victorian law requires people to have a PIC for the properties on which they are, or are intending to, graze or keep any of:

• one or more cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, alpaca, llamas, deer, horses or camels
• more than 50 poultry (domesticated fowl, chickens, ducks, geese, turkey, guinea fowl, pigeons, quail or pheasants)
• 10 or more emus or ostriches.

Are your PIC details up to date?

Victoria’s PIC register can only be relied on if people keep their PIC details up to date. The property owner and manager are responsible for ensuring that Agriculture Victoria is notified within 28 days of changes to any of the following details relating to a PIC:

• Owner contact details, including name, address and contact phone number
• Manager contact details, including name, address and contact phone number
• Changes to property boundaries involving their expansion through acquisition or agreement to graze sheep or goats, or their reduction through sale or the relinquishing of a lease or agistment right
• The livestock species that are or will be kept on the property

You can apply, update, or cancel a PIC by contacting the Agriculture Victoria helpdesk on 1800 678 779 during business hours, or online at pic.agriculture.vic.gov.au.