Transporting animals in Great Britain
Find out what documents you need, and records you must keep, to meet animal welfare in transport requirements.
Applies to England
For this guidance, a transporter is anyone who transports animals for themselves, or for a third party in connection with an economic activity.
If more than one transporter is used for different parts of the journey, each transporter is responsible for ensuring they meet animal welfare in transport regulations.
To transport animals in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales), check if you need a:
- transporter authorisation
- certificate of competence
- certificate of vehicle approval
- animal transport certificate
- navigation system
Transporter authorisation
You must have a UK-issued transporter authorisation if you transport animals over 65km by air, road, rail, or sea. You’ll need a:
- type 1 transporter authorisation for journeys over 65km and up to 8 hours
- type 2 transporter authorisation for journeys over 8 hours
Contact the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) to apply for a transporter authorisation.
You should submit your completed application as far in advance as possible. Applications can take up to 10 working days to process.
Transporter authorisations are valid for up to 5 years. Contact APHA for a renewal form before your authorisation runs out.
Transporter authorisations issued by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) are also valid for use in Great Britain.
You must carry a copy of your authorisation when transporting animals and make it available on request.
Certificate of competence
You must have a certificate of competence if you transport animals over 65km by road and you’re transporting:
- cattle, sheep, pigs or goats
- horses or other equines
- poultry
If an attendant is travelling with you, they must also have a certificate of competence. An attendant is someone directly in charge of the welfare of the animals during a journey.
Your certificate of competence will be specific to:
- your role as a transporter or attendant
- the length of the journeys you take
- the species you transport
To receive a certificate of competence, contact an accredited course provider for training and assessment:
- City & Guilds Land Based Services
- Lantra
- 1st4sport (horses and equines only)
Your course provider may provide you with 2 versions of the certificate, one will be a ‘block format’ certificate.
You must carry a copy of your block format certificate when transporting animals and make it available on request .
Recognition of qualifications from other countries
You can apply to APHA for a certificate of competence if you hold an equivalent qualification issued in:
- Republic of Ireland
- Norway
- Iceland
- Lichtenstein
- Switzerland
You’ll need to provide:
- evidence of your training and assessment
- your valid certificate of competence or equivalent qualification
If you have a certificate of competence issued in Great Britain and want to apply to the Republic of Ireland for an EU issued equivalent, contact the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).
Certificate of vehicle approval
Transport by road
Your vehicle must have a certificate of approval to transport animals for journeys over 12 hours (within Great Britain), or over 8 hours (to any other country) if you’re transporting:
- cattle, sheep, pigs or goats
- horses or other equines
To receive a certificate of vehicle approval, contact one of these certifying bodies to check vehicle requirements and arrange an inspection:
Certificates of approval are valid for up to 5 years, or until you modify the vehicle in a way which affects animal welfare.
You must carry a copy of your certificate when transporting animals and make it available on request.
Transport by air
Find information on transporting animals by air on the International Air Transport Association (IATA) website.
Animal transport certificate
If you transport animals, you must have a written record which confirms the animals’:
- origin and ownership
- place of departure
- date and time of departure
- intended place of destination
- expected duration of the intended journey
This is your animal transport certificate.
You must carry a copy of your certificate when transporting animals and make it available on request. You must keep a copy of your certificate for at least 6 months from the date the journey ends.
Navigation system
Your vehicle must have a navigation (tracking) system for journeys over 12 hours (within Great Britain), or over 8 hours (to any other country) if you’re transporting:
- cattle, sheep, pigs or goats
- unregistered domestic horses or other equines
The navigation system must be able to record:
- the geographical position of the vehicle
- departure and arrival times
- any stops and their duration
- opening and closing of entry points for loading and unloading of animals
- the name and authorisation number of the transporter
- the number of animals that have been injured or died during and after the journey and the reasons for their injury or death
You must keep all records from the navigation system for at least 3 years.
Animal welfare in transport
Find out how to meet your animal welfare in transport requirements.
Find out what documents you need, and records you must keep, to meet animal welfare in transport requirements when transporting animals to, from or through Great Britain.