Equine Passports

All horses and ponies must have a passport identifying the animal. Any applications for a passport received since 1st July 2009, the horse must also be microchipped.

Owners of foals need to obtain a passport for it on or before 31st December of the year of its birth, or by six months after its birth, whichever is later. Owners of older horses who have yet to apply for a horse passport should do so immediately.

Further information about horse passports can be found on the DEFRA website.

All passport-issuing organisations have been D.E.F.R.A. approved and there are over 50 to choose from depending on the suitability of your equine. A list is provided below.

If your horse does not have an appropriate passport, your insurance may be invalid and you may be liable to prosecution if you attempt to sell the horse. Additionally there will be the possibility of a fine or even a month’s prison sentence for those with horses not having a passport. If a passport is unavailable there is also the possibility that certain drugs such as Phenylbutazone (Bute) will be unable to be prescribed.

List of Registering Societies

Please note that any passports not issued by one of the above societies (including those issued by JMB or British Horse Database) are not valid.

The legislation states that no horse must be issued with more than one passport.