To import and register a horse into Great Britain or Ireland you need to fulfil the following.

1. Imported horses will in general arrive with a Common Entry Veterinary Document (CVED) and Veterinary Health Certificate (VHC) showing that the animal is fit, healthy and has served the quarantine required before leaving the country of origin.

The originals of these documents must be supplied to STAGBI at the time of registration application. DEFRA Regulation require that registration should be done within 30 days for any horses being imported on a permanent basis and may enforce a non movement order on horse/s that do not hold a compliant passport.

Note: Horses moving between GB, Ireland and France are not required to have (VHC) under an existing bilateral agreement between these countries.

2. STAGBI must receive an export certificate, from the national regulatory body of the country of export. The export certificate must contain details of the breeding, ownership, earnings, raceline summaries and the DNA markers confirming parentage verification.

The Export Certificate must be in place before a horse may be registered and will come direct to STAGBI for the controlling body in the country of origin.

3. STAGBI will require a full veterinary mark up of the horse completed by your vet, that the horse be microchipped and a DNA sample to be collected by your vet at the time of identification and mark up for verification purposes.

To obtain a registration pack for send a fee of £10 and details of the horse concerned to STAGBI registration (see contact information).

Note: Horses coming from some countries (particularly those in Europe) may already be microchipped please verify if your horse has one implanted.

4. On completion of the above send the completed registration application with the above documents and any existing passport, with a fee of £60 if within 30 days of import or £100 thereafter to STAGBI Registrations office.

STAGBI will register the horse and either issue a DEFRA passport or endorse an existing compliant passport, verify DNA where required, making available race records and monies won to such racing bodies as required. Note existing passports will be posted to owners by recorded delivery in order to track them.