Coop Companion

NPIP in California

Verified September 2026

The short version

California participates in the National Poultry Improvement Plan, administered in-state by the California Poultry Health Board, headquartered at the California Poultry Federation (California's Official State Agency in the NPIP directory). Separately, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Animal Health Branch sets the state's avian entry requirements and runs the CAHFS testing labs. As in most states, moving hatching eggs or birds across state lines generally requires NPIP participation or pullorum-typhoid-clean testing. Exact fees, testing procedures, clean-status details, and in-state sale rules are set by the state agency — confirm current details with them using the official links below.

California Official State Agency

California Poultry Health Board / California Poultry Federation (NPIP Official State Agency)

Official website →NPIP contact →

Joining NPIP in this state

  • NPIP is administered in California by the California Poultry Health Board / California Poultry Federation — apply to join through that Official State Agency, as listed in the NPIP state directory.
  • Hobbyist, exhibition, and breeding-to-sell flocks fall under the federal rules in 9 CFR part 145 (Subpart E); the state agency handles enrollment and testing locally.
  • The base classification is U.S. Pullorum-Typhoid Clean; other classifications (e.g. Avian Influenza Clean) may apply depending on your birds and where you ship.

Pullorum-typhoid testing

  • Poultry moving interstate generally must be pullorum-typhoid clean (via NPIP participation) or test negative before leaving the state — most destination states require it.
  • Testing in California is performed by an authorized tester, and NPIP samples may be processed through the California Animal Health and Food Safety (CAHFS) laboratories; the state agency can tell you who can test and how to arrange it.
  • Whether California currently holds a state-wide U.S. Pullorum-Typhoid Clean designation should be confirmed against the official NPIP clean-states listing (linked below) rather than assumed.

Selling & shipping eggs and birds

  • Shipping hatching eggs or live birds to another state generally requires NPIP status or pullorum-typhoid-clean testing, because most states bar entry otherwise.
  • Bringing poultry or hatching eggs INTO California is governed by CDFA Animal Health Branch avian entry requirements — check those before importing or shipping in.
  • Rules for selling within California, and any permits or flock-size thresholds, are set by the state agency and CDFA — confirm them directly.

Show testing requirements

  • Many California shows require pullorum-typhoid testing or NPIP participation for entry; the exact requirement is set by each show and state animal-health rules.
  • Confirm a specific show's testing requirement with the show secretary and the state agency before entering.

Record-keeping

  • Keep your NPIP flock/certificate number, testing dates and results, and buyer/sales records — you'll need them for shipping, shows, and inspections.
  • A printable testing log and sales ledger makes this painless — see the NPIP record pack below.

Confirm these with the state agency

  • Current NPIP fees in California (if any) and the exact enrollment/testing procedure — set by the California Poultry Health Board / California Poultry Federation; confirm via the official contact sheet.
  • Whether California holds a state-wide U.S. Pullorum-Typhoid Clean State status — we could not confirm this from official text (the NPIP clean-states list is published as a map image), so verify it directly with the state agency or the NPIP clean-states page.
  • Rules for selling poultry within California (permits, thresholds, farmers-market rules) and CDFA avian entry requirements for bringing birds in — confirm with the state agency and CDFA rather than relying on any national summary.

Frequently asked questions

Who administers NPIP in California?
The California Poultry Health Board, headquartered at the California Poultry Federation — California's Official State Agency for the National Poultry Improvement Plan, as listed in the NPIP state directory. (The CDFA Animal Health Branch is the state animal-health authority for avian entry requirements and lab testing, but it is not the NPIP administering agency.)
Do I need NPIP to sell hatching eggs from California?
To ship across state lines, generally yes — most states require poultry and eggs to be pullorum-typhoid clean (via NPIP) to enter. For sales within California, confirm the current rules with the state agency and CDFA.
Is California a Pullorum-Typhoid Clean State?
We can't confirm a state-wide clean designation for California from official text here — the NPIP clean-states list is published as a map image. Check the official NPIP clean-states page or ask the state agency directly before relying on it.
How much does NPIP cost in California?
Fees and procedures are set by the state agency and can change, so we don't quote a figure here — contact the California Poultry Health Board / California Poultry Federation (links above) for current costs.

Sources

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