Guidance

Transporting horses in horseboxes and trailers

Updated 16 December 2021

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
• do not overload your vehicle or trailer
• carry out regular safety checks
• have a valid MOT for your vehicle or trailer
• follow rules on animal welfare

Driving licence rules

You need to make sure you 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.

You can check online to see what vehicles you can drive.

You should check if you need a Driver Certificate of Professional Competence if you’re driving a horsebox that has a maximum authorised mass (MAM) over 3,500kg.

Operator licence rules

New rules for international road haulage in 2022

There will be new rules for transporting goods to or through Europe from 2022. These will affect you if you use cars and trailers, vans or heavy goods vehicles (HGVs).

Prepare for new rules for transporting goods to or through Europe

You’ll usually need an operator licence if you use horseboxes or a vehicle and horse trailer and you either:

• are paid money (directly or indirectly) to transport horses
• receive payment (directly or indirectly, for example from prize money) as a result of transporting horses
• use the horseboxes for a professional activity

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

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.

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.

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.

Restricted licence

You need a restricted operator licence if you:

• are using a vehicle and horsebox trailer combination or a horsebox that has a MAM over 3,500kg
• own the horses you’re transporting

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 over 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 over 3,500kg
• do not own the horses you’re transporting
• are transporting the horses outside the UK

Drivers’ hours rules

There are rules on how many hours you can drive and the breaks that you need to take if your horsebox or vehicle and trailer either:

• has a maximum authorised mass (MAM) of 3,500kg or more and is used for commercial purposes
• has a MAM of 7,500kg or more

You’ll need to make sure you:

• follow drivers’ hours rules for goods vehicles
• use a tachograph

You do not need to follow drivers’ hours rules if your horsebox or vehicle and trailer has a MAM less than 7,500kg and is used for non-commercial purposes (such as leisure activities)

Qualifications you need to transport horses

You need to make sure you have the right qualifications to transport horses.

Keeping your horsebox or horse trailer safe on the road

Many horseboxes and trailers are only used occasionally, so users need to be extremely vigilant to basic vehicle maintenance. It’s good practice to form the habit of regular basic checks of your horsebox or trailer. Good vehicle maintenance will ensure conformance to legal requirements and the improved safety of your horse.

Horseboxes

You must get an annual test (MOT) for your horsebox.

Having your horsebox properly checked and serviced by a qualified mechanic before the annual test will help to ensure it is in good enough condition to pass. Similarly, frequent checks on the vehicle components which are more likely to become defective, should also prevent enforcement action should your vehicle become the subject of a routine inspection.

You should also inspect the floor of your horsebox. The floor can deteriorate without you noticing if it is covered with matting or plates.

You should carry out heavy goods vehicle (HGV) daily walkaround checks for large horseboxes.

You must also check:

• internal stalls
• partitions
• breast bars
• loading ramps

You must follow:

• weight limits for heavy goods vehicles
• speed limits – horseboxes must follow the limits for goods vehicles
• guidance for carrying passengers in larger coach-built horseboxes

Horse trailers

You should carry out safety checks when you tow a horsebox with a car.

You must also check:

• internal stalls
• partitions
• breast bars
• loading ramps

You should regularly inspect your trailer for damage. You should also inspect the floor of your trailer. The floor can deteriorate without you noticing if it is covered with 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 up to 3,500kg from the National Trailer and Towing Association.

You must:

• make sure you have not overloaded your vehicle or trailer
• not use the right-hand lane on a motorway that has 3 or more lanes
• follow the correct speed limits for towing a trailer

Keeping your horses safe during your journey

You should not transport a horse in a way that may cause it harm or distress. There are welfare regulations for transporting live animals, including for commercial reasons.

You should:

• make sure whoever accompanies the horse is capable of handling horses
• check that your breakdown cover includes the trailer and recovery of horses

Documents you need to transport horses

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
• transporter authorisation to transport live animals into the EU
• heavy goods vehicle (HGV) and trailer documents to cross international borders
• trailer registration certificate for some European countries