Guidance

Rules for transporting horses in horseboxes and trailers

Updated 23 September 2025

When you transport a horse with a horsebox or trailer you need to make sure you:

• have the right driving licence for the weight of your vehicle or trailer
• have an operator licence if you need one
• are qualified to transport horses if you’re travelling for over 8 hours
• follow the weight limits for your vehicle or weight limits for towing and do not overload your vehicle or trailer
• follow speed limits - horseboxes must follow the limits for goods vehicles
• carry out regular safety checks
• have a valid MOT for your vehicle or trailer
• follow rules on animal welfare

Check you have the right driving licence category

You must have the correct driving licence category. This will depend on the size, type of vehicle you’re using, and when you passed your driving test.

A horsebox will usually count as a medium or large vehicle.

You can check online to see what vehicles you can drive and how much you can tow.

Horseboxes over 3,500kg

You’ll need to get an HGV licence if your horsebox has a maximum authorised mass (MAM) over 3,500kg.

You’ll need to pass some Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) tests to get your HGV licence.

If driving is not the main part of your job, or your vehicle is exempt, you’ll need to pass:

• part 1 (theory)
• part 3a (off-road exercises)
• part 3b (on-road driving)

If driving is the main part of your job, you’ll also need to pass:

• part 2 (case studies)
• part 4 (practical demonstration)

Tow a trailer with a car

You can tow trailers up to a certain weight with your car driving licence. The weight you’re allowed to tow depends on when you got your licence. If you got your licence:

• before 1 January 1997, you can usually drive a vehicle and trailer with a combined weight of up to 8,250kg MAM
• from 1 January 1997, you can tow a trailer that weighs up to 3,500kg MAM

If you want to tow a vehicle and trailer combination that weighs more than 3,500kg MAM you’ll need to get a heavy goods vehicle (HGV) licence.

You can check online to see what vehicles you can drive and how much you can tow.

When you need an operator licence

You’ll usually need a goods vehicle operator licence if you use a horsebox or horse trailer for commercial purposes with a combined gross plated weight over:

• 2,500kg in Europe
• 3,500kg in the UK or internationally

You need an operator licence even if you only use your vehicle for commercial purposes for a short period, such as one day or more.

Commercial purposes can include:

• being paid directly or indirectly to transport horses
• getting payment as a result of transporting horses, for example, getting prize money for taking part in competitions
• using horseboxes for a business

Being paid indirectly could include a membership subscription to a club, or paying for another service that includes transport of the horses.

You do not need an operator licence if you’re only transporting horses or goods for non-commercial purposes, such as leisure activities.

What type of operator licence you need

The type of licence you need depends on your vehicle, where you use it and who the horses belong to.

Restricted licence

You need a restricted operator licence if you:

• are using a vehicle and horsebox trailer combination or a horsebox that has a maximum authorised mass (MAM) more than 3,500kg
• own the horses you’re transporting
• are only transporting horses within the UK and the EU

Standard national licence

You need a standard national licence if you:

• are using a vehicle and horsebox trailer combination or a horsebox that has a MAM more than 3,500kg
• do not own the horses you’re transporting
• are only transporting the horses within the UK

Standard international licence

You need a standard international licence if you:

• are using a vehicle and horsebox trailer combination or a horsebox that has a MAM more than 3,500kg
• do not own the horses you’re transporting
• are transporting the horses outside the UK

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) carries out regular roadside vehicle checks and can impound your vehicle if you do not have the correct operator licence.

Drivers’ hours and tachograph rules

There are rules on how many hours you can drive and the breaks that you need to take. You must follow drivers’ hours rules if you either use:

• a vehicle that weighs more than 3,500kg
• your vehicle for commercial purposes

You can be prosecuted or fined if you break drivers’ hours rules.

Drivers’ hours rules if your vehicle weighs more than 3,500kg

Depending on the country you’re driving in, you’ll usually need to follow either:

• EU rules
• AETR rules

You’ll need to make sure you follow drivers’ hours rules for goods vehicles.

Drivers’ hours rules if you are using your vehicle for commercial purposes

If your vehicle weighs 3,500kg or less and you use it for commercial purposes, you’ll usually need to follow Great Britain domestic drivers’ hours rules for goods vehicles.

When you need to use a tachograph

You must use a tachograph if the vehicle you’re driving weighs more than 3,500kg.

Qualifications you need to transport horses

You must get an animal transportation certificate of competence if you want to transport horses for commercial reasons on journeys of 65km and over.

Horsebox maintenance

Every year, you must get an MOT for your horsebox. The type of MOT depends on the weight of your horsebox:

• MOT for a horsebox that weighs 3,500kg or less
• MOT for a horsebox that weighs more than 3,500kg

You should also regularly:

• have your horsebox checked and serviced by a qualified mechanic
• carry out safety checks of vehicle components that are likely to become defective
• inspect the floor of your horsebox and check under matting or plates

Carry out daily walkaround checks for horseboxes

You should carry out either:

• heavy goods vehicle (HGV) daily walkaround checks for horseboxes weighing more than 3,500kg
• van daily walkaround checks for horseboxes weighing 3,500kg or less

You must also check:

• internal stalls
• partitions
• breast bars
• loading ramps

Horse trailer maintenance

Every time you tow a horse trailer you should carry out trailer safety checks.

You should also check:

• internal stalls
• partitions
• breast bars
• loading ramps

You should also regularly check:

• your trailer for damage
• the floor of your trailer
• under matting or plates

You can find authorised repairers to carry out trailer checks through your trailer manufacturer’s website.

You can get a free safety check for a trailer that weighs 3,500kg or less from the National Trailer and Towing Association.

Follow animal welfare rules

You should not transport a horse in a way that may cause it harm or distress. You must follow welfare regulations for transporting live animals.

You should check that your breakdown cover includes the trailer and recovery of horses.

Documents you need

You must make sure you have the correct documents to transport horses, depending on where you are taking them:

• horse passports
• documents to transport horses in England, Scotland and Wales, including transporter authorisations
• documents to transport horses between England, Scotland or Wales and another country, including transporter authorisations
• heavy goods vehicle (HGV) and trailer documents to cross international borders
• trailer registration certificate for some European countries