Updating the database of the Illinois Compiled Statutes (ILCS) is an ongoing process. Recent laws may not yet be included in the ILCS database, but they are found on this site as Public Acts soon after they become law. For information concerning the relationship between statutes and Public Acts, refer to the Guide.

Because the statute database is maintained primarily for legislative drafting purposes, statutory changes are sometimes included in the statute database before they take effect. If the source note at the end of a Section of the statutes includes a Public Act that has not yet taken effect, the version of the law that is currently in effect may have already been removed from the database and you should refer to that Public Act to see the changes made to the current law.

510 ILCS 40/1

(510 ILCS 40/1) (from Ch. 8, par. 33.61)

Sec. 1.

This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Illinois Brand Act".

(Source: P.A. 79-880.)

510 ILCS 40/2

(510 ILCS 40/2) (from Ch. 8, par. 33.62)

Sec. 2.

As used in this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, the
terms specified in Section 2.01 through 2.05 have the meanings ascribed to them
in those Sections.

(Source: P.A. 79-880.)

510 ILCS 40/2.01

(510 ILCS 40/2.01) (from Ch. 8, par. 33.62-01)

Sec. 2.01.

"Department" means the Department of Agriculture of the State of Illinois.

(Source: P.A. 79-880.)

510 ILCS 40/2.02

(510 ILCS 40/2.02) (from Ch. 8, par. 33.62-02)

Sec. 2.02.

"Director" means the Director of the Department of Agriculture, or his
duly appointed representative.

(Source: P.A. 79-880.)

510 ILCS 40/2.03

(510 ILCS 40/2.03) (from Ch. 8, par. 33.62-03)

Sec. 2.03.

"Person" means any individual, firm, association, partnership,
corporation, or other
legal entity, any public or private institution, the State of Illinois,
or any municipal corporation or
political subdivision of the State.

(Source: P.A. 79-880.)

510 ILCS 40/2.04

(510 ILCS 40/2.04) (from Ch. 8, par. 33.62-04)

Sec. 2.04.

"Livestock" means bison, cattle, swine, sheep, goats, or equidae.

(Source: P.A. 79-880.)

510 ILCS 40/2.05

(510 ILCS 40/2.05) (from Ch. 8, par. 33.62-05)

Sec. 2.05.

"Brand" means an identification mark burned into the hide of
a live animal by a hot
iron or another method approved by the Department.  Each character in a
brand shall, at the time
of application, be not less than 3 inches in diameter and each shall be
a distinct character.  Brands
of lesser dimensions may be approved by the Department for goats, sheep,
and swine.  Arabic
numerals alone are not acceptable characters for such ownership brands.

Such brands shall be applied to the shoulder, ribs, or hip on either the right
or left side as determined by standing behind the animal.  No brand, except those for
livestock disease control purposes, may be applied to the head or neck area.

(Source: P.A. 79-880.)

510 ILCS 40/3

(510 ILCS 40/3) (from Ch. 8, par. 33.63)

Sec. 3.

Any person having livestock in this State shall have the right to adopt
a brand for his exclusive use in this State; provided, such brand is recorded
as required under this Act.

(Source: P.A. 79-880.)

510 ILCS 40/4

(510 ILCS 40/4) (from Ch. 8, par. 33.64)

Sec. 4.

By November 1, 1975, each County Clerk shall forward to the Department
legible copies of brands registered in his county under the provisions of "An
Act in regard to marks and brands".  Thereafter, the Department shall publish notice
of the provisions of this Act and shall notify each person entered in these
records as having
a brand recorded that re-recording is required.  Each such person shall forward to the
Department a facsimile brand, a recording fee of $15, and completed
application on forms prescribed by the Department.  If 2 or more facsimile
brands are submitted which so
closely resemble each other that they cannot be readily distinguished, the
one first recorded
in one of the brand books furnished by County Clerks shall be accepted and
all others shall be returned
as provided in this Act.  If such brands have not been previously recorded
in a brand book, the
Department shall accept the one bearing the earliest postmark.  All other brands
shall be returned to the applicants together with explanation.

The date a brand is re-recorded with the Department shall be the official date utilized
in determining renewal date of a brand as required in Section 7 of this Act.

All brands which are not re-recorded with the Department by January 1, 1976,
shall be cancelled immediately.

(Source: P.A. 79-880.)

510 ILCS 40/5

(510 ILCS 40/5) (from Ch. 8, par. 33.65)

Sec. 5.

Beginning January 1, 1976, any person desiring to adopt a brand
shall forward to
the Department a facsimile brand, a recording fee of $15, and completed
application on forms
prescribed by the Department.  If the brand is accepted, the Department
shall file the brand in its official
brand book, shall furnish the applicant a brand certificate, and shall inform
the applicant that he
has exclusive right to the use of such brand in the State of Illinois from
the date of filing by
the Department.  Additional brand certificates of a recorded brand may be
obtained from the
Department upon payment of a $15 fee for each certificate.

If the Department determines that the submitted brand is already on record
for another person or
that it so closely resembles the brand of another person that they cannot
be readily distinguished,
the Department shall notify the applicant and shall return the facsimile
brand and recording fee.

(Source: P.A. 79-880.)

510 ILCS 40/6

(510 ILCS 40/6) (from Ch. 8, par. 33.66)

Sec. 6.

Any recorded brand shall be considered the personal property of the person
in whose name it is filed and shall be subject to sale, assignment, transfer,
legacy, and descent
as personal property.  Instruments of writing evidencing the sale, assignment,
or transfer of
a brand shall be forwarded to the Department to be recorded in the official
brand book.  The fee for such
transaction shall be $15.  As soon as such transaction has been recorded,
the Department shall
furnish the new owner one certified copy of the sale, assignment, or transfer
of the brand.
Additional brand certificates denoting such transaction may be obtained
from the Department
upon payment of a $15 fee for each certificate.

(Source: P.A. 83-388.)

510 ILCS 40/7

(510 ILCS 40/7) (from Ch. 8, par. 33.67)

Sec. 7.

By January 1 of each fifth year following original recording with the
Department, each owner of a brand of record shall submit to the Department a renewal fee
of $15.  For the purpose of determining renewal date, the period between
the date a brand is
recorded with the Department and January 1 of the next year shall constitute
the first year of the
5-year period.  If the owner of a brand of record fails, refuses, or neglects
to pay such fee
by June 30 of the year in which it is due, the brand shall be forfeited
and no longer carried in the
record.  A forfeited brand shall not be issued to another person for a period
of 5 years following the
date of forfeiture.  During this 5-year period, the owner of record may
make application to the Department
for restitution of a forfeited brand.  Such application shall be accompanied
by a facsimile brand and
a reinstatement fee of $25.  The renewal date for a reinstated brand shall
remain the same and
renewal fees on such brands shall be due on January 1 of each fifth year
following original recording.

(Source: P.A. 79-880.)

510 ILCS 40/8

(510 ILCS 40/8) (from Ch. 8, par. 33.68)

Sec. 8.

Except as otherwise provided in this Act, it shall be unlawful to use
any brand for identifying any livestock, unless such brand has been recorded
as provided in this Act.  When a recorded brand is applied to livestock which have been
branded by a previous owner, such brand shall be applied so as not to overlap,
disfigure, or
mutilate the existing brand or brands.

Brands consisting of letters only, arabic numerals only, or a combination of both,
may be used for "in-herd" identification; provided, they are located at least 10 inches
away from any recorded brand.  Such "in-herd" brands are not to be recorded
and shall not be
considered evidence of ownership.

(Source: P.A. 79-880.)

510 ILCS 40/9

(510 ILCS 40/9) (from Ch. 8, par. 33.69)

Sec. 9.

In any civil or criminal proceedings in which the title to animals
is an issue, the brand certificate as provided for in this Act shall be prima facie
evidence of the ownership of the animal by the person in whose name the
brand is recorded.  When
requested to do so, disputes in custody or ownership of branded animals shall be
investigated by State or county law enforcement officials or representatives
of the Department.
This Section 9 shall take effect on January 1, 1985.

(Source: P.A. 79-880.)

510 ILCS 40/10

(510 ILCS 40/10) (from Ch. 8, par. 33.70)

Sec. 10. Brand information.

The Department shall make available in electronic format all recorded brands.  This document shall contain an image of all brands recorded, the owner's name,
and legal mailing address.

(Source: P.A. 100-114, eff. 8-15-17.)

510 ILCS 40/11

(510 ILCS 40/11) (from Ch. 8, par. 33.71)

Sec. 11.

The Department shall place all fees collected, under the provisions
of this Act, in the General Revenue Fund.

(Source: P.A. 79-880.)

510 ILCS 40/12

(510 ILCS 40/12)

Sec. 12. (Repealed).

(Source: P.A. 79-880. Repealed by P.A. 100-114, eff. 8-15-17.)

510 ILCS 40/13

(510 ILCS 40/13)

Sec. 13. (Repealed).

(Source: P.A. 79-880. Repealed by P.A. 100-114, eff. 8-15-17.)

510 ILCS 40/14

(510 ILCS 40/14) (from Ch. 8, par. 33.74)

Sec. 14.

The Department shall enforce this Act and may make and adopt reasonable and
necessary rules and regulations to carry out the provisions of this Act.
No rule or regulation made,
adopted, or issued by the Department pursuant to the provisions of this
Act shall be effective
unless such rule or regulation has been submitted to and approved by the Advisory Board
of Livestock Commissioners.

(Source: P.A. 79-880.)

510 ILCS 40/15

(510 ILCS 40/15) (from Ch. 8, par. 33.75)

Sec. 15.

Any authorized representative  of the Department or any law enforcement
officer may, for the purpose of enforcing this Act, enter during usual working hours
any premise, building, or other place where livestock may be present; provided,
sanitized
footwear furnished by the responsible agency is used as well as any other
reasonable disease prevention
procedures or equipment as may be furnished by the owner or operator of the premise.
These sanitation precautions apply only to an individual farm operation
or management facility.

(Source: P.A. 79-880.)

510 ILCS 40/16

(510 ILCS 40/16) (from Ch. 8, par. 33.76)

Sec. 16.

Any person who, without permission of the rightful owner, willfully
and knowingly
brands or causes to be branded with his brand, or any brand not the recorded
brand of the owner, any
livestock being the property of another, or who shall willfully or knowingly
efface, deface,
or obliterate any brand upon any livestock, is guilty of a Class 3 felony.

Any person knowingly or intentionally violating any other provision of
this Act is guilty
of a Class C misdemeanor.

(Source: P.A. 79-880.)

510 ILCS 40/17

(510 ILCS 40/17) (from Ch. 8, par. 33.77)

Sec. 17.

If any provision of this Act is declared unconstitutional, or the
applicability thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, by
a court of competent jurisdiction,
the constitutionality of the remainder of the Act and the applicability
thereof to other persons
and circumstances shall not be affected thereby.

(Source: P.A. 79-880.)