Exporting a horse from Great Britain
The lorry is the easy part. The paperwork has a timeline measured in weeks, and it has a fixed order, because each step depends on the one before it.
Since Brexit, taking a horse from Great Britain to the European Union is an export. So, for equines, is taking one to Northern Ireland. The physical journey might be a day. The paperwork is four to six weeks, and the sequence matters more than the effort: get the order wrong and you wait for a test window to come round again.
Work backwards from the travel date
Two requirements set the whole schedule, and both are measured backwards from departure:
- Residency or isolation: 30 to 40 days before travel. This is the earliest hard commitment, and it is why "next week" is usually not possible.
- Equine infectious anaemia test: within 30 days of travel for a permanent export, within 90 days for a temporary export returning inside 90 days. Lab turnaround is the usual reason people miss a sailing.
The order to do it in
- Fix the travel date and decide permanent or temporary. The answer changes the test window.
- Start the residency or isolation period, 30 to 40 days out.
- Book the vet for the EIA blood test inside the window, allowing for lab turnaround.
- Confirm the carrier holds EU-issued transport documentation, and the right UK authorisation tier for the journey time.
- Apply for the Export Health Certificate through the DEFRA form finder for the destination country.
- Book the crossing, after confirming that operator carries horses on that route.
- Book the Border Control Post appointment. Calais needs 72 hours.
- Submit the TRACES notification and, for a commercial long journey, the journey log to APHA.
What you need, by destination
| Requirement | Northern Ireland | Ireland and EU |
|---|---|---|
| Horse passport | Yes | Yes |
| Export Health Certificate | Yes, Authorised Veterinarian in GB | Yes, Official Veterinarian |
| TRACES NT pre-notification | Yes, CHED-A Part 1, at least 24 hours | Yes |
| EIA (Coggins) test | Per certificate conditions | Yes, 30 days permanent / 90 temporary |
| Residency or isolation 30 to 40 days | Per certificate conditions | Yes |
| Border Control Post appointment | Portal Inspector at Larne or Belfast | Yes, pre-booked, category must match the horse |
| Landing restricted | Larne or Belfast only | BCP-approved port for the right equine category |
| Customs documentation | Per current arrangements | Yes, plus T1 for transit movements |
| EU-issued transporter documentation | Not applicable | Yes, UK authorisation not recognised |
| Journey log (commercial, over 8 hours) | Per journey | Yes, APHA and first EU member state of entry. FEI card exempt. |
Sources: gov.uk export horses and ponies special rules; DAERA moving equidae; APHA guidance.
Northern Ireland catches people out
People who have moved horses around the UK for decades are often unaware that Great Britain to Northern Ireland now needs an Export Health Certificate. It does. You also need TRACES NT pre-notification at least 24 hours ahead, and the horse may only land at Larne or Belfast. On disembarkation the person in charge must report immediately to a Portal Inspector, and the horses may not leave the port until departure is authorised.
That last point affects your timings: the sailing arrival time is not the time you leave the port.
Registered or unregistered changes which border you can use
A registered equine, with a passport and studbook or FEI registration, may use a Border Control Post approved for registered equines. An unregistered horse is classified as an ungulate and needs a post approved for that category, and not every equine post accepts them.
This is not a formality. The horse’s status determines which crossings are available to you, so establish it before you book a ferry rather than after.
The Calais arithmetic
The Calais Border Control Post operates 08:30 to 18:00 and handles a maximum of 25 trucks a day, with appointments booked 72 hours ahead. Miss the appointment and the horse is refused entry to EU territory and turned back to the UK. During the sales and competition season those 25 slots are a real constraint, not a theoretical one.
Pick the crossing on policy, not on distance
Operators differ, and the differences are not intuitive. DFDS carries horses between Dover and Calais but not Dover and Dunkirk. Stena refuses bloodstock on its Rotterdam Europoort routes and directs horses via Hoek van Holland, because those vessels have stabilisers. Heysham to Belfast carries no bloodstock at all. On LeShuttle, horses travel on passenger shuttles only, never freight shuttles.
The planner shows the crossings for your route with each operator’s actual horse policy, including the ones that will refuse.
Common questions
How long does it take to arrange exporting a horse from Great Britain?
Four to six weeks for an EU destination. The binding constraints are the 30 to 40 day residency or isolation period and the equine infectious anaemia test window, which is 30 days before travel for a permanent move and 90 days for a temporary one. Work backwards from the travel date rather than forwards from today.
Do I need an Export Health Certificate to move a horse to Northern Ireland?
Yes. Despite Northern Ireland being part of the United Kingdom, this is still an SPS border for equines. You need an Export Health Certificate signed by an Authorised Veterinarian in Great Britain, plus TRACES NT pre-notification at least 24 hours before the movement, and the horse may only land at Larne or Belfast.
What is the difference between a registered and an unregistered horse at the border?
A registered equine, meaning one with a passport and studbook or FEI registration, may use a Border Control Post approved for registered equines, which is the lighter route. An unregistered horse is classified as an ungulate and needs a post approved for that category. Not every equine Border Control Post accepts unregistered horses, so the horse’s status determines which crossing you can use.
How far ahead must the Border Control Post appointment be booked?
For Calais, 72 hours before departure. The post operates 08:30 to 18:00 and takes a maximum of 25 trucks a day. Without the appointment the horse is refused entry to EU territory and returned to the UK at your cost.
Hoofline gives information, not legal or veterinary advice. The rules change, and the application depends on the specifics of your journey. Confirm requirements with your carrier, your vet and APHA before you travel.