Export horses and ponies: special rules

Guide

Last updated 24 July 2024

Current rules for exporting horses and other equines, including ponies and donkeys, to the EU and Northern Ireland (NI).

Exporting or moving equines from Great Britain (GB) to the EU or NI

To export or move horses and other equines from GB (England, Scotland and Wales) to the EU or NI, you need to contact:

your official vet to book an appointment so you can get blood tests taken in time
an agent or transporter and tell them when you plan to travel – you may require more time to plan travel through an EU border control post (BCP)

Find the contact details of BCPs in the EU.

You also need to:

Apply for an export health certificate (EHC)

You need to complete an EHC and some supporting documents to export or move a live animal from Great Britain to the EU or Northern Ireland.

The EHC is an official document that confirms your export meets the health requirements of the destination country.

You’ll need to use EHC:

8431 to export or move equines that are not intended for slaughter from Great Britain to the EU or Northern Ireland
8432 to export or move equines that are not intended for slaughter from Great Britain to a non-EU country (transiting the EU or Northern Ireland)
8433 to export or move equines from Great Britain to the EU or Northern Ireland after temporary import to Great Britain for less than 30 days to participate in racing, competition or cultural events
8434 to export or move equines from Great Britain to the EU or Northern Ireland after temporary import to Great Britain for less than 90 days to participate in an event organised by the Fédération Équestre Internationale (FEI)

If you’re moving equines to Northern Ireland, you do not need to pay for them to be inspected and certified. The certifier invoices the government for these costs as part of the Movement Assistance Scheme.

Tests for equines before export

You must get your equines tested to prove they’re free of certain diseases.

You need to get your equine tested for equine infectious anaemia within 90 days of travel if the animal is both:

going to remain in the EU or Northern Ireland for less than 90 days
registered with either a national branch of an international body for sporting and competition purposes, or an EU-recognised UK studbook

For permanent and all other temporary exports and movements, you need to get your equines tested for equine infectious anaemia within 30 days of travel.

You also need to get your equine tested for equine viral arteritis. You must have any uncastrated male equines that are older than 180 days tested within 21 days of travel, unless they meet vaccination requirements.

If you’re using EHC 8431 or 8432 you need to get your equines tested for equine infectious anaemia within 90 days of travel.

Isolation and residency requirements

Registered horses belong to either:

an EU-recognised studbook
a national branch of an international racing or competition organisation

All other horses are classified as unregistered.

Before you export or move a registered horse to the EU or Northern Ireland, you need to keep it on a holding in Great Britain, the EU, Northern Ireland or a country with a similar health status either:

for 40 days
since birth (if the horse is less than 40 days old)
since its entry into Great Britain (if the animal was imported or moved directly from the EU, Northern Ireland or a country with a similar health status to Great Britain less than 40 days before you export)

You must keep your registered horse under veterinary supervision either:for 90 days

for 30 days
since birth (if the animal is younger than 90 days old)
since its entry into Great Britain (if the horse was imported or moved directly from the

Your supervising vet does not need to be an official vet. However, an official vet must confirm that you have met these requirements before you export the equine.

EHC 8431, 8432, 8433 or 8434: isolation and residency requirements

Registered horses belong to either:

an EU-recognised studbook
a national branch of an international racing or competition organisation

All other horses are classified as unregistered.

for 40 days
since birth (if the horse is less than 40 days old)
since its entry into Great Britain (if the horse was imported or moved directly from the EU, Northern Ireland or a country with a similar health status less than 40 days before you export it)

You must keep your registered horse under veterinary supervision either:

for 30 days
since birth (if the horse is less than 30 days old)
since its entry into Great Britain (if the horse was imported or moved directly from the EU, Northern Ireland or country of similar health status less than 30 days before you export it)

Your supervising vet does not need to be an official vet. However, an official vet must confirm that you have met these requirements before you export the equine.

Before you export or move an unregistered horse or other equine, you must keep the animal on a holding in Great Britain either:

for 40 days
since birth (if the equine is younger than 40 days old)
since its entry into Great Britain (if the equine was imported or moved directly from the EU, Northern Ireland or Norway)

Before you export or move your equine into the EU or Northern Ireland, you must keep it separate from other equines either:

for at least 30 days (unless you have a foal that’s at foot with their dam or foster mare)
since birth (if the equine is younger than 30 days old)
since its entry into Great Britain (if the equine was imported or moved directly from the EU, Northern Ireland or Norway)

Check you have the right equine ID

You can use the horse passport (industry-issued equine ID) to export or move equines registered with one of the following:

an EU-recognised studbook
a national branch of an international racing or competition organisation

To export or move all other equines, you need a government-issued supplementary travel ID from:

APHA if you’re in GB – this is sent to your official vet along with the EHC
DAERA if you’re in NI

Your official vet will give you the supplementary travel ID with the EHC when they check the animal before travel.

You need to keep the supplementary travel ID together with the horse passport and the EHC with the animal during travel.

The supplementary travel ID is valid for a single journey to the EU or NI and return to GB. You must get a supplementary travel ID every time you move an unregistered horse to the EU or NI.

EU Border rules

You need to complete a customs declaration form before the equine arrives at the EU border.

Plan your trade route so that your animal can be inspected at an EU BCP. Some BCPs accept both registered and unregistered equines but not all do. You need to check the correct BCP to go through.

Make sure you or your EU-based import agent have notified the BCP on TRACES, in advance, that your consignment is arriving. Check with the BCP for how much notice needs to be given.

NI boundary rules

Equines moving from GB to NI need to enter NI at a designated point of entry, where they may be subject to controls. Pre-notification requirements also apply.

Contact the Movement Assistance Scheme helpline for advice on moving equines to NI.

Recognition of UK studbooks

The EU has recognised the UK studbooks that applied for listing.

Contact details for horse passport issuing organisations in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

If you’re exporting a horse that belongs to an EU-recognised UK studbook, your horse can use EHCs that are only available to registered horses. Your horse can then follow the same rules for blood testing, residency and isolation as those registered with a national branch of an international body for racing or competition. These rules apply to horses that are moving to the EU for less than 90 days.

In addition, horses belonging to an EU-recognised UK studbook:

do not need a government-issued supplementary travel ID to move from the UK to the EU or NI
can enter the EU or NI via BCPs or points of entry approved for registered equines

If you’re exporting a horse that does not belong to an EU-recognised UK studbook, you’ll need to follow the rules for exporting unregistered horses.

Documents to transport live animals

You’ll need certain documentation to transport live animals. You may also need journey logs.

Export welfare declarations

You do not need an export welfare declaration if you are exporting a horse or other equine to any destination. This came into effect on 22 July 2024.

Get a county parish holding (CPH) number

You need to include the CPH number for your premises on the EHC. If you do not have a CPH number, an official vet will not certify that you can export or move equines from your premises to the EU or Northern Ireland.

To get a CPH number if you’re in England or Scotland:

Complete the CPH number application form.
Email your completed form to equine.registration@apha.gov.uk.

If you’re in Wales, you can apply for a CPH through Rural Payments Wales (RPW). When you have signed into your account, select ‘Manage my CPH’ and follow the instructions.

If your premises already have a CPH number, you do not need to register again.

Exporting equines from NI to the EU

To move horses, ponies or donkeys from NI to the EU (except the Republic of Ireland), you must:

apply for an Intra Trade Animal Health Certificate (ITAHC)
check if you need an export welfare declaration

Apply for an ITAHC

You’ll need to follow these steps when applying for an ITAHC:

Nominate an official vet to inspect your horses. To find one, ask at your local vet or contact DAERA.
Register with the TRACES system if you have not used it before.
Sign in to TRACES and fill in the details of the animals you’re exporting.
Your ITAHC will be sent to your official vet via TRACES. If your official vet does not receive your ITAHC, contact DAERA.
Inform DAERA that your official vet has received your ITAHC and provide them with details of your official vet.
Include your ITAHC when you export your consignment.

Your ITAHC will be valid for 10 days after it has been signed.

There’s no fee for an ITAHC but you’ll be charged for your vet’s services.

Moving horses between NI and the Republic of Ireland

You can move horses and other equines freely between NI and the Republic of Ireland unless they’re transported for slaughter.

Keep the horse passport with the animal during travel.

You do not need an ITAHC but you must comply with welfare legislation.

Returned horses and other equines rejected from a BCP

APHA carry out a risk assessment of horses and other equines rejected at EU BCPs or Northern Irish points of entry. APHA then decide which point of entry they may use to re-enter GB.

To return a consignment, submit an import notification on the import of products, animals, food and feed system (IPAFFS).

If your equines are rejected at a point of entry in Northern Ireland, you do not need to submit a notification on IPAFFS. You should instead email APHA'S Centre for International Trade (CIT) at imports@apha.gov.uk. You must state in your email that you wish to return your equines to Great Britain.

Attach these documents to the IPAFFS notification (or to your email if your equines are rejected at a point of entry in Northern Ireland):

the original export certificate and related documentation
statement from the EU BCP or NI point of entry BCP of the reasons why the horses or other equines were refused by the EU BCP
statement from the EU BCP or NI point of entry with details of the premises in which the horses or other equines were kept since leaving GB, for example in quarantine or in isolation
declaration by the person responsible for the returned horses or other equines that the import conditions relating to transport have been complied with, such as animal welfare requirements
declaration by the person responsible for the horses or other equines that they have not been in contact with any other animal of a lesser health status since leaving GB

For the IPAFFS notification, the ‘country of origin’ is the country where the rejecting BCP is located.

Email APHA Centre for International Trade (CIT) at imports@apha.gov.uk to tell them that you have submitted an IPAFFS notification.

In the title of the email:

state that the message is about an IPAFFS notification for the return of a consignment
include the Unique Notification Number that IPAFFS generates when the notification is submitted

APHA will assess this information to decide:

the conditions of import
if the consignment will have to be returned through any point of entry or a BCP

APHA will issue you with a written authorisation. The consignment cannot be returned until you have received this authorisation. You must comply with the conditions of the authorisation.

The imports@apha.gov.uk email address is monitored Monday to Friday, 08:30 to 17:00 (excluding public holidays).

Returned horses and other equines rejected from an EU BCP from 1 July 2022

From 1 July 2022, returned horses and other equines must enter GB at an appropriately designated BCP for checks on entry.

You must notify on IPAFFS and present the relevant documents to the BCP.

Follow guidance on returned goods processes for animal products and live animals.

Moving horses from GB to Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Iceland

If you want to move horses from GB to Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Iceland, you should consult your transporter or the competent authority in the country you’re exporting to.

Moving equines from GB to third (non-EU) countries

You usually need to complete an EHC and supporting documents to export a live animal.

The EHC is an official document that confirms your export meets the health requirements of the destination country.

Find out how to apply for an EHC.

In some cases, you:

cannot export your type of horse or pony – for example, there’s a ban on exporting pure-bred horses to Syria and North Korea
do not need an EHC – contact APHA Centre for International Trade: Carlisle to check

You should also check if you need an export welfare declaration.

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