NVAP Reference Guide: Issuing Interstate Animal Movement Documents

Last Modified: March 20, 2024

Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI)

When a CVI is required, it must accompany each shipment and list the following information: 

  • Consignor and location from which the animals have been moved;
  • Name and address of the owner at the time of movement;
  • Consignee and destination of the animals;
  • Number of animals covered by the certificate;
  • Purpose for which the animals are to be moved;
  • Individual official identification of each test-eligible animal;
  • Dates and results of the official tests;
  • Age;
  • Official calfhood vaccination (OCV) status of each animal (OCV tattoo); and
  • If required, a permit number issued by the State of destination.

Note: The most common veterinary accreditation violations include the improper completion and/or issuance of Certificates of Veterinary Inspection for the interstate movement of animals. Compliance action resulting from improper certi ficate completion can affect a practioner’s accreditation status. 

Other Interstate Movement Documents

As an alternative to writing individual animal identifications on a CVI, you may use another document to provide this information but only under the provisions specified in 9 CFR part 78.1 or in the case of sheep or goats 79.5. Test dates and results must be recorded on the CVI. All of the following requirements must be met: 

  • The document must be a State form or an APHIS form that requires individual identification of animals. 
  • A legible copy of the document must be stapled to the original CVI and each copy of the CVI. 
  • Each copy of the document must identify each animal to be moved with the inspection certificate, but any information pertaining to other animals and any unused space on the document for recording animal identification must be crossed out in ink.

The following information must be written in ink in the identification column on the original CVI and each copy of the document and must be circled or boxed, also in ink, so that no information can be added: (1) the name of the document and (2) either the serial number on the document or, if the document is not imprinted with a serial number, both the name of the person who prepared the document and the date that the document was signed.