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Horse Passports (England) Regulations 2009.

The passport contains information which identifies the horse for which it was issued and can contain up to nine sections of which sections I, II, III, IV and IX are compulsory.

Section I Owner: The name of the owner or his agent.

Sections II and III Identification: The horse must be identified by the competent authority. This section should include, where present, the electronic microchip number. If no microchip is present, this section should include a written description and/or a diagram showing the markings of the horse.  

Section IV Recording of identity checks: Whenever laws or regulations require, checks on the identity of the horse must be recorded by the competent authority.  

Section IX Medicinal treatment and declaration: If your horse is not intended for human consumption, please sign the appropriate section. If this section is not completed, your vet will need to complete the other section with details of any medicines your horse may be prescribed or administered. Please ensure this section is completed before presenting the passport to the vet.  

Other sections may include information such as Vaccinations Records (V and VI) and Laboratory Health Tests (Section VII). These sections are not compulsory for every horse but may be required by some Stud Book Authorities or other recognised organisations.

If the horse is not accompanied by a valid passport it is an offence for an owner to:

• export a horse

• use a horse for the purposes of competitions

• move a horse to the premises of a new keeper

• present for slaughter for human consumption

• sell a horse

• use a horse for breeding purposes  

Foals born after 1st July 2009 must be microchipped when first identified.  This must be done before 31st December in the year of its birth, or by 6 months after its birth, whichever is later. Insertion of a microchip is an act of  veterinary surgery and can only be carried out by a registered veterinary  surgeon. 

Older horses born before 30th June 2009 that have not yet been issued with a  passport must also be microchipped when identified for the first time  

Detailed guidance notes can be found on the BEVA website (www.beva.org.uk).