It only comes around about once a decade, so it is critical you don’t miss it. The renewal period for your mark, brand or tattoo is Aug. 31, 2021, through Feb. 28, 2022. Any previously recorded marks, brands or tattoos which have not been re-registered by the deadline will be considered unclaimed and eligible for registration by another. The good news? Once re-registered, your brand will be good until Aug. 30, 2031.
We understand you may have some questions related to this process, so we sat down with Michelle Carlile, Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association’s assistant director of law enforcement, brand and inspection services to address them.
Do members of the Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association mail their brand registration form to the association?
No. All brands are registered through the county clerk’s office in the county or counties where you run livestock. The county clerk will forward an official copy to the TSCRA office.
Can two people own the same brand in the same county?
Yes, if the brand is on a different location on the animal. (Example: one rancher brands a heart on the left hip, and another can brand a heart on the right hip.)
How does a person transfer ownership of their brand to another?
This requires a notarized affidavit signed by the current brand holder that relinquishes the title of the brand to the transferee. TSCRA has a standard form for your use.
My parents passed away and left all property to me and my sibling. My sibling does not want the brand, how can I register it in my name only?
The heir must provide proof of will or family agreement along with a death certificate. If there is not a will, then a Letter of Testamentary or a Letter of Administration will suffice.
What happens when two brands are the same or similar?
The county clerk has the right to determine if the brand is too much like another one.
What happens when there is a dispute of ownership over the same brand?
When there is a dispute of ownership, the person who has owned the brand the longest according to the County Clerks’ records will prevail.
See section 144.043 of the Agriculture Code.
Now you are equipped with all the information related to brand re-registration, so head out to your county clerk’s office to mark this off your list today!
-Kayla
Kayla Jennings is the proofreader for and a regular contributor to The Cattleman magazine.