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Guidance

Rules for transporting horses in horseboxes and trailers

The licences and qualifications you need to transport horses and rules you must follow to keep your horses and vehicles safe.

Updates to this page

From:
Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
Published:
20 December 2012
Last updated:
23 September 2025
Show all updates

  1. Updated the the guidance to include rules about using a tachograph.

  2. Replaced the PDF with a webpage version of the guide. Updated the information and provided links on operator licences you need, drivers’ hours, qualifications you need to transport horses, and keeping your vehicles and horses safe on the road.

  3. Added information about car and trailer driving tests ending from 20 September 2021.

  4. First published.

Documents

Rules for transporting horses in horseboxes and trailers

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Details

This guide tells you about:

  • driving licence rules
  • operator licence rules
  • qualifications you need to transport horses
  • keeping your horsebox or horse trailer safe on the road
  • keeping your horses safe during your journey

It aims to offer general help and is not a legal document so for full details of the law you‘ll need to refer to the relevant legislation or seek independent legal advice.

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