Livestock movements, identification and tracing: horse passports - questions and answers
Please note that Horse passport regulations apply in England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland. The Welsh and Scottish regulations are slightly different to those in England – See questions 35-39.
Q1. How does the horse passport Regulations affect owners of horses?
A1. The Horse Passports (England) Regulations 2004 requires all owners to obtain a passport for each horse they own. This includes ponies, donkeys, and other equidae. Owners cannot sell, export, slaughter for human consumption, use for the purposes of competition or breeding, a horse which does not have a passport.
Any owner who has not applied for a passport for their horses should apply to a Passport Issuing Organisation now.
Q2. Why are passports required?
A2. The introduction of the legislation brought the UK in line with laws across the whole of the European Union, including the accession states. The aim of the legislation is to ensure that horses, which have been treated with veterinary medicines not authorised for use in food-producing animals cannot be slaughtered for human consumption. If the UK had not complied, we ran the risk of losing 70% of horse medicines. The UK Veterinary authorities have stressed the importance of this measure for horse welfare in the UK.
Q3. What are the other benefits of the horse passport legislation?
A3. The Government and the horse industry believe that other benefits will be realised if all horses have a passport. For example, by discouraging the indiscriminate breeding of horses and ponies that may be of low quality or value. Further benefits will be realised from the National Equine Database (NED) that will record details of every horse issued with a passport in the UK. Our capability to monitor disease and prevent outbreaks will be improved because we will have information about the numbers of horses and contact details for owners. NED will provide the equine industry with information for enhanced breeding programmes and research – see question 41.
Q4. How do I get a passport?
A4. Horse owners must obtain a passport for each horse they own. This is done by application to one of the Passport Issuing Organisations (PIOs) that have been authorised by Defra or the devolved administrations (Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales) to issue horse passports. Some of these organisations deal with only one particular breed of horse; others will issue passports for all types of horses. A list of recognised Organisations and Associations that have been authorised to issue horse passports in the UK which are recognised under Commission Decision 92/353/EEC and under Domestic Passport Regulations, can be found on the Defra website.
Information may also be obtained from the Defra helpline Tel: 08459 335577.
If your passport is urgently required, you may wish to check the processing time with the PIO.
Q5. How much does a passport cost?
A5. The cost of a passport is the individual decision of the private sector equine organisations authorised to issue them. However, the cost incurred will include a fee from the Passport Issuing Organisation (PIO) plus the fee from the vet (if this is applicable - see question 8.) Some organisations may offer discounted rates for riding schools and charities or for bulk applications. Owners may wish to check this on application.
Q6. How long are passports valid for?
A6. Passports are valid for the entire lifetime of the horse.
Q7. Are there any restrictions on the use of horses without passports, and if so from when do they apply?
A7. Yes. There are restrictions on the use of horses that should have been issued with a passport. These are:
- When it is moved into or out of Great Britain;
- When it is used for the purposes of competitions;
- When it is moved to the premises of a new keeper;
- When it is presented at a slaughterhouse for slaughter;
- When it is sold; or
- When it is used for breeding purposes
These restrictions applied from 28 February 2005, and continue to apply until a passport has been issued for the horse.
Q8. How are horses identified in the passport?
A8. From 1 February 2004, completed passport applications must contain silhouettes that have been verified and signed by either a veterinary surgeon or a competent representative from a recognised PIO. We have taken this measure to ensure that silhouettes are completed to a high standard and are verified independently. They will therefore more effectively identify the horse to which the passport relates.
If the rules of the PIO allow, a horse owner may complete and verify the passport silhouette providing that the animal is microchipped at the time the passport application is made. At present, microchips can only be used in addition to completed silhouettes. Any microchip inserted must not begin with the 826 UK code. Passport Issuing Organisations will provide guidance on the type of microchip that can be used.
Some PIOs will also transfer a silhouette to the passport from other existing certification e.g. vaccination certificates or documentation. These silhouettes can be accepted at the discretion of the PIO and providing that it contains the same information as required by European rules and that it has been signed by a veterinary surgeon or person with proven competency to do the job. Freezebranding cannot be used in place of the silhouette as a method of identification for passport purposes.
Q9. I have already got a passport – why do I need to do anything else?
A9. Only passports issued by authorised PIOs are valid under the passport legislation. If you have a horse passport that has been issued by an authorised PIO, it will need to be updated if it doesn’t include a Section IX. If you have been issued with a passport or identification papers (with completed silhouette) by an organisation that is not authorised, you may be still able to send these papers to an authorised PIO for insertion into a passport. Your passport will then meet the requirements of the passport legislation. Vaccination Certificates and Joint Measurement Board (JMB) Certificates are not passports.
Q10a. I have more than one passport for my horse - what should I do?
A10a. Duplicate horse passports issued prior to 1 January 2007
An owner whose horse has duplicate passports issued prior to 1 January 2007 may choose which document to retain.
However, the Section IX on the retained document must be signed as 'not intended' for human consumption, as there is a possibility that medicines may have been recorded in the passport that the horse owner does not wish to retain. This measure helps protect the food chain and is in keeping with the requirements concerning duplicates contained in the Draft Regulation on ID of Equidae. The unwanted passport must be returned to the issuer for cancellation.
Duplicate horse passports issued post 1 January 2007
An owner whose horse has duplicate passports issued post 1 January 2007 must retain the original document on every occasion.
The original document must be retained with no exceptions and the Section IX must be signed as 'not intended'. The unwanted passport must be returned to the issuer for cancellation.
Q10b. Inclusion of verified breeding/pedigree information, in horse passports issued by Passport Issuing Organisations not representing a specific Breed (ID only)
A10b. When a horse with an ‘ID only’ passport, is found to be eligible for registration with a Breed Society, that Society may add a Certificate of Origin to the passport, thus adding pedigree information to an ‘ID Only’ horse passport.
The procedure is as follows;
Firstly, the owner should notify the ‘ID only’ issuer of the requirement for additional breeding information. If the requirements are satisfactory, the owner can send the ‘ID Only’ horse passport to the relevant Breed Society. The Breed Society should issue a Certificate of Origin.
The Certificate of Origin would then either be attached to the horse passport or given to the owner as a separate document. Breed Societies may wish to laminate this document to prevent tampering. Any charges for the Certificate of Origin are at the discretion of the issuing Breed Society.
The means by which each Breed Society verifies the breeding details is a matter for that individual Breed Society. Defra are aware that a number of Breed Societies do use DNA testing. The Breed Society should include the UELN of the ‘ID only’ passport on the Certificate of Origin. This would enable the Certificate of Origin and the horse passport to be linked.
Q11. I have a British Horse Database (BHD) passport – is it still valid?
A11. Yes, if updated to current standards. All passports issued by an organisation on the list of passport issuing organisations are valid. In addition, although the BHD are no longer issuing passports, Weatherbys will be updating passports issued by them with the required veterinary medication pages and changes of ownership for a small fee.
Q12. I have an F.E.I. passport – what shall I do?
A12. Owners of horses with F.E.I. passports should contact the British Equestrian Federation directly, to confirm that the passport meets the current requirements.
Ex-competition horses with an ‘out of date’ FEI passport can continue to use the passport after the horse has ceased competing. The passport remains valid for the purposes of the EU regulations but not for competition purposes. The passport will need to be sent to the British Equine Federation (BEF) with a note explaining that the horse will no longer compete internationally. The BEF will record this and update the passport accordingly.
Q13. I have an identification document issued by a studbook approved by the International Studbook Committee (ISBC), what should I do?
A13. Identification documents issued by studbooks approved by the International Studbook Committee (ISBC) should be updated by Weatherby’s.
Q14. I am permanently importing a horse into England from a country outside the EU – will I need to obtain a passport?
A14. Yes. You will need to apply for a passport from one of the authorised PIOs in the UK within 30 days of importing the horse. However, if you have identification papers with a completed and certified silhouette these may (at the discretion of the individual PIO) be added to a new passport issued to comply with the new requirement.
Q15. What do I do if I am permanently importing a horse into England from another EU Member State?
A15. Horses imported from other EU Member States should be accompanied by a passport, which complies with the EU legislation. If your passport needs updating (to include a Section IX), you should send it to the issuing organisation. This may be an organisation based either in the UK or in another Member State. However, it must be an approved organisation. If the organisation is not approved (either in the UK or elsewhere in the European Union), you should get your passport updated by an authorised organisation in the UK. If a passport has not been provided you will need to apply for one.
Q16. I am temporarily importing a horse into England from a country outside the EU – will I need to obtain a passport?
A16. Horses which remain in the UK for less than 30 days do not need a passport. However, a valid passport must accompany horses that are moved from the UK to other EU Member States. If such horses are exported directly to a Third Country, they may require a passport if this is a particular requirement of the importing country.
Q17. What shall I do if the passport requires updating with change of address or new ownership details?
A17. Changes of ownership or change of permanent address of owner must be notified to the organisation that has issued the passport. The PIO may require that the passport be returned for updating. Similarly, the death of a horse should also be notified to the PIO. Both of the above should be notified to the relevant PIO within 30 days of occurrence.
Q18. I am the permanent keeper of a horse – am I responsible for obtaining the passport?
A18. No. It is the responsibility of the horse owner to obtain a passport. However, owners can authorise an agent to act for them in applying for passports and this may be the person who keeps the horse. The ‘keeper’ means a person who is not the owner of a horse but is appointed by the owner to have day-to-day charge of that horse. There is no minimum age limit for applying for a horse passport.
Q19. Do I need a passport before I sell my horse?
A19. Yes. A requirement of the legislation is that a passport must accompany a horse being sold. A potential buyer will be able to check that the identifying particulars are correct; and this may lead to a reduction in the sale of stolen horses. After the sale you should hand over the passport to the new owner who should notify the Passport- Issuing Organisation of the new ownership within 30 days.
Q20. What is the purpose of the section IX in the passport?
A20. Section IX is for the owner to declare whether or not the horse is ultimately intended for human consumption. In England, the declaration does not need to be signed upon issue of the passport. However the declaration must be signed before:
- any medication containing a substance specified in Annex IV of Council Regulation 2377/90 is administered (in this case the declaration must be signed as ‘not intended for human consumption’). Additionally, Bute (phenylbutazone) cannot be administered to a horse intended for the food chain. The Section IX declaration must be signed as ‘not intended for human consumption’ if administered.
- the horse is consigned for slaughter for human consumption (declaration must be signed as ‘intended for human consumption’)
- the horse is sent outside the UK (The declaration can be signed either way but must also be countersigned – see Question 33)
The owner can at anytime prior to one of the above events choose to sign the declaration. It must be remembered that once the declaration has been signed as ‘not intended for human consumption’, this can never be changed in order to protect the human food chain. Signing the ‘not intended’ declaration removes any option of slaughtering the animal for food at a later point in its life. Offering horse owners this new flexibility may help prevent potential welfare problems associated with animals nearing the end of their lives which previously could not be sent to an abattoir. However, one consequence of this greater flexibility is that people administering medicines may need to record their use in the passport.
If the declaration that the horse is ultimately intended for human consumption is signed, the date that certain veterinary medicines are administered to the horse must be recorded on the relevant pages. Before administering any medication, which contains a substance listed in Annex IV of Council Regulation 2377/90 a vet or other person administering the medicine will need to see the passport to ensure that the declaration has been signed as ‘not intended for human consumption’. This is because by law no medicines not approved for food animals must be given to horses declared as intended for the human food chain. An ‘intended for human consumption’ declaration can be reversed.
Please note that the rules in Wales regarding signing the Section IX declaration are different – see Questions 35 – 39.
Q21. What medications must be recorded within the section IX pages?
A21. The Veterinary Medicines Directorate website provides guidance about which medicines need to be recorded in the passport. A link to the European Commission website, where a list of these medications can be found is also on the VMD website.
Q22. If I sell my horse, can its new owner change the declaration?
A22. Once a horse has been declared as not for human consumption, a subsequent owner cannot change this. This is in order to prevent animals entering the human food chain if they have been administered with medicines that must never be used in a food animal. However, a declaration that a horse is ultimately intended for human consumption can be reversed by a subsequent owner, as there are no human health implications.
Q23. Will I need a passport if my horse is never intended for human consumption or will not travel abroad?
A23. Yes, all horses will need a passport irrespective of whether or not the horse is ultimately intended for human consumption or is not expected to leave the UK. However, if the owner declares in the passport that the horse is not intended for human consumption, there will be no requirement to record the date of administration of certain veterinary medicines to the horse.
Q24. Do semi-feral horses require a passport?
A24. Yes. However, the ponies on Dartmoor and in the New Forest will only need a passport when they move from these areas. The New Forest Verderers and the Dartmoor Commoners Council have detailed agreements with Defra and are obliged to maintain a list of all such horses and ponies which includes individual identification and all other details as required for the issue of a horse passport. Full details are contained in Schedule 2 of the Regulations.
Q25. Are passports required for foals?
A25. Yes. A foal must be issued with a passport by the 31 December of the year of birth or by 6 months of age, whichever is the later. However, if the foal is sold or sent for slaughter it will require a passport regardless of its age. Foals that are accompanying their dams either to stud or to a show will be able to travel without a passport providing a passport accompanies the dam and they are returning to their holding of birth with their dam. This rule will also apply if, for example, a Welsh owner is showing his or her foals in England and vice versa.
Q26. Can a veterinary surgeon treat a horse that is not accompanied by its passport?
A26. Yes. For welfare reasons a vet is able to treat a horse in the absence of a passport. However, details of the relevant medication administered [see question 20] must be passed to the owner for inclusion in the passport when it becomes available. If a banned substance is administered a note to the effect that the passport must be signed as ‘not intended’ must be passed to the owner or keeper.
Q27. Who is enforcing the requirements?
A27. The Meat Hygiene Service (MHS) will be responsible for enforcing the checks carried out at slaughterhouses, and the Local Authorities (e.g. Trading Standards Departments) will be responsible for enforcing the law elsewhere. As with all Government legislation, there are penalties that can be applied by the courts for non-compliance. Most offences attract a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum £5,000 or two years imprisonment or both.
Q28. What is the Unique Equine Life Number (UELN) that is included on the passports?
A28. This is the number that appears on the passport (or the Section IX pages if these were issued separately) and which identifies the horse within the PIO records. This number will be supplied by the organisation that issues the passport. The first three digits will be a country code (826 for the UK) and the next three digits a code belonging to the organisation issuing the passport. The last nine digits will be issued by the passport-issuing organisation to identify each horse or pony registered with it. In November 2004 Defra advised all English PIOs that they should start issuing new horse passports with a UELN. This applies to all horse passports issued after November 2004. Older horse passports without the UELN will remain valid.
Q29. What do I do if I lose my passport?
A29. Ask the passport-issuing organisation to issue you with a replacement. Any such passport will be stamped ‘duplicate’ and will state that the horse cannot be slaughtered for human consumption. You may be charged for the duplicate passport.
Q30. Disposal routes for horses
A30. Information on the disposal routes for horses can be obtained by calling the dedicated Defra helpline number 0845 9335577 or by accessing the following webpage on the Defra website.
Q31. Whose responsibility is it to remove a dead horse from private land if the horse does not have a horse passport?
A31. If a horse dies at a competition the owner is responsible for its removal. In the circumstances where a carcass is dumped or found on private land, wherever possible the owner of the animal will be identified and held responsible. However, if ownership cannot be proven, responsibility for disposal rests with the landowner. Local Authorities have powers, under the statutory nuisance provisions of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, to deal with such a situation and can take appropriate action against the owner of the carcass.
Q32. I am exporting my horse to France/Ireland – do I need to take my horse’s passport?
A32. Yes. Since 28 February 2005 it is an offence for an owner to move their horse outside the UK without a passport. The declaration at section IX must be both signed and counter-signed – see Question 33.
Q33. Do I need to sign the Declaration when I export my horse?
A33. Yes. The Section IX Declaration must be signed before the horse is exported. The Passport Issuing Organisation or Local Veterinary Inspector (LVI) must also countersign it.
Q34. Import, Export of Horses, Route Plans and Export Licenses
A34. Information on importing or exporting horses and whether your horse will require a route plan or an export license can be obtained by e-mail or by calling the following telephone numbers:
- Export Controls and Procedures
Web: http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/int-trde/general/contacts.htm
International Animal Health Division
Service Delivery Unit
Ceres House
2 Searby Road
Lincoln, LN2 4DT
Tel: 01522 563132
Email: Lincoln.iahsdu@animalhealth.gsi.gov.uk
- Import Controls and Procedures
Tel: 01245 358383
Email: ahitchelmsford@animalhealth.gsi.gov.uk
- Government Policy and Implementation of Import and Export Legislation
Web: http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/int-trde/general/contacts.htm
International Animal Health Division
Import / Export Policy Branch
Area 407, 1A Page Street
London
SW1P 4PQ
Tel: 08459 335577
Email imports: iah-imports@defra.gsi.gov.uk
Email exports: iah-exports@defra.gsi.gov.uk
- Route Plans and Transport
Web: http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/welfare/farmed/transport.htm
Telephone: 08459 335577
E-mail: aw-transport@defra.gsi.gov.uk
Q35. I live in Wales/ Scotland/ Northern Ireland. Does the Horse Passport Regulation still apply?
A35. Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland have introduced their own legislation. In Scotland, the Horse Passport Regulations came into force on 16 May 2005 and owners of horses born before this date must apply for passports before 16 June 2005. Enforcement restrictions on the movement of animals without passports will come into effect on 16 August 2005. The following questions [35 – 39] on this Q&A should cover the main concerns that horse owners may have.
For further information please contact:
- Welsh Assembly (NAWAD) on 029 20 823592 or 029 20 801499
- Scottish Executive (SEERAD) on 0131 244 6555
- Northern Ireland (DARDNI) on 028 9052 4733.
Q36. How do the English, Welsh and Scottish Regulations differ?
A36. The Welsh regulations require that the Section IX declaration must be signed on receipt of the passport. The Scottish Regulations require that the Section IX declaration must be signed, if the horse was located in Scotland on the date when the passport was issued, before the horse first moves off the premises on which it was located as at that date. English regulations require the declaration to be signed in certain situations. See question 20.
Q37. If a passport is issued in Wales to an owner in England must the owner in England sign the declaration on receipt?
A37. No. The Welsh Regulations do not apply in England, so the Welsh requirement for the declaration to be signed doesn't need to be met by the owner in England - and the English Regulations do not impose such a requirement either.
Q38. If a passport is issued in England to an owner in Wales must the owner in Wales sign the declaration on receipt?
A38. Yes. If an owner in Wales receives the passport then the obligation to sign the declaration arises, it does not matter that an English PIO issued the passport, or any other kind of PIO described in regulation 3 of the Welsh Regulations.
Q39. If a passport is issued in England to an owner in England, is the owner committing an offence if the horse is then taken into Wales/Scotland to a competition but has not signed the declaration for human consumption?
A39. No. The Welsh Regulations state that the obligation to sign the declaration arises when the owner receives the passport. The person who receives the passport in England without signing the declaration did not commit an offence simple because they visit or move to Wales without a signed declaration in their passport. The Scottish Regulations state that the owner is required to sign the declaration if the horse was located in Scotland on the date the passport was issued.
Q40. How do I update a passport issued by a recognised Passport Issuing Organisation in the European Union?
A40. The owner should first attempt to contact the original issuer of the passport. Contact details for PIOs can be located on the following websites:
www1.haras-nationaux.fr/ueln
http://circa.europa.eu/irc/sanco/vets/info/data/breeding/br-eq.html
Should the owner be unable to make contact, or there are circumstances preventing the passport from being sent for updating. The owner can approach an aligned society in the UK e.g. Trakehner Breeders Association, Poland can be referred to Trakehner Breeders Fraternity, England.
Q41. I organise competitions, do I have to check passports when competitors arrive?
A41. No. It is the responsibility of the owner to ensure that they horse passport accompanies any horse competing at an event. The organiser or the Society holding the competition may state, as part of its own rules that competitors must be in possession of their horse’s passports in order to compete. At competitions and shows, Local Authorities will be checking horse passports and enforcing the Horse Passport Regulations.Q42. What is the National Equine Database?
A42. The Horse Passports legislation has created an opportunity for the Government to develop a National Equine Database (NED) in partnership with the UK equine industry. In January 2008 Defra and the British Equestrian Federation (BEF) signed a contract passing the management and development of NED into the hands of the BEF.
NED is a large database, developed to meet the needs of both Government and Horse Industry. It consists of a ‘core’ horse passport based element and a commercial arm providing breeding and performance information that will be accessible by Internet website for a fee. The internal NED system, which contains horse identification details from passports issued, has been up and running for over a year, the public launch is planned for this year, although a date has not yet been confirmed.
There is a statutory requirement placed on PIOs to provide information, such as the horse’s name, breed, sex, age, UELN and owner details on a monthly basis to NED. If we do not have accurate information on the overall size of the UK horse population and its geographic distribution, we cannot plan effective monitoring of equine diseases, or develop effective control strategies in the event of an outbreak of a notifiable or exotic disease of horses, such as African Horse Sickness or West Nile Fever.
The UK horse industry has proposed that better access to breeding and performance information will lead to an improvement in the efficiency of breeding management of horses in GB. It is envisaged that this will result in an increase in the quality of GB sports horses which, in future years, may raise the overall standard of horses used for competition. PIOs and competition organisations may pass breeding and performance information to NED on a voluntary basis.
Further details can be found by logging onto the NED website at: http://www.nedonline.co.uk/
Q43. Who should I contact for further information?
A43. For information on the procedures about applying for a passport, contact the appropriate organisation - a list of these can be found on the Defra website.
For further information call: Defra Helpline on 08459 33 55 77
Email: helpline@defra.gsi.gov.uk
Equine Passports, NED & Zootechnics Team (EPNAZ)
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs.
March 2008
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Page last modified:
April 22, 2008
Page published: February 12, 2007