A horse moving from the EU to Great Britain needs its passport, a GB health certificate issued by an official vet in the exporting country, and a CHED-A pre-notification in IPAFFS at least one working day before arrival. Live animals from the EU can currently enter through any point of entry, with checks at the destination. A UK–EU SPS agreement intended for mid-2027 may change the process.
Check before you travel. This guide describes the rules published by the UK government as of October 2026. It is not legal advice. Import rules are changing as the UK and the EU negotiate a new agreement, so confirm the current position on GOV.UK and with your official vet before you book.
Since Brexit, moving a horse from an EU country to Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) has been a third-country import. It is more paperwork than a move inside the EU, but most of it follows a predictable sequence. Northern Ireland is different: under the Windsor Framework, horses moving between the EU and Northern Ireland follow the EU’s own movement rules (see our guide to moving a horse between EU countries).
What the horse needs
An up-to-date passport that travels with the horse.
A GB health certificate, often called an export health certificate. The EU exporter applies for it in their own country, and an official vet there signs it.
A pre-notification by the GB importer in the UK’s IPAFFS system before the horse arrives.
The health certificate
The certificate follows the GB model for the type of horse and journey. UK guidance for registered horses sets out the main conditions:
it is issued on the day of loading or, for registered horses, on the last working day before embarkation
it is valid for 10 days from issue
each registered horse needs its own certificate
it is written in English and in the language of the exporting country
If the exporting country issues the certificate as a verifiable PDF in an approved system, the original does not need to travel. If not, the original paper certificate must go with the horse.
Pre-notification in IPAFFS
The GB importer, or an agent acting for them, must submit a CHED-A notification in IPAFFS (Import of products, animals, food and feed system). It must go in at least one working day before the horse arrives. If the exporting vet issued the certificate in the EU’s TRACES system, IPAFFS can clone the details from it, which saves re-typing and errors. You receive a reference in the format CHEDA.GB.YYYY.XXXXXXX. Give it to the transporter.
Does the horse go through a border control post?
Not at the moment. This is the most common misunderstanding. Under the UK’s Border Target Operating Model, live animals from the EU are classed as high risk, but the UK government states that they can currently enter Great Britain through any point of entry. A border control post is not required for live animals coming from the EU. Germinal products such as semen and embryos are different and must enter through a border control post.
Instead, checks happen at the place of destination. Officials can carry out documentary, identity and physical checks there. The horse must stay at that address for 48 hours, or for the period stated on the health certificate. Within 24 hours of the journey ending, the vehicle must be cleaned and disinfected.
Customs and VAT
Horses are goods for customs purposes, so a sale into Great Britain normally needs an import declaration, and import VAT and any duty may be due. Many owners use a customs agent or the transporter’s broker. For temporary visits there are reliefs:
ATA Carnet. HMRC lists live animals for shows, competitions, training, breeding, veterinary treatment or a trial with a view to purchase as goods an ATA Carnet can cover, provided the animal is owned by someone resident outside the UK.
Exclusion. HMRC also states that goods imported with a view to sale by auction cannot use an ATA Carnet.
Tax treatment depends on your circumstances, so check HMRC guidance or ask a customs adviser.
When the horse comes back to the EU
The return journey is where border control posts do apply. A horse entering the EU from Great Britain must come in through an EU border control post with the correct EU certificate. For registered horses returning after a temporary stay, the European Commission lists models such as EQUI-RE-ENTRY-30, and EQUI-RE-ENTRY-90-COMP for horses returning from FEI competitions within 90 days. Your EU official vet will confirm which applies.
What is changing: the UK–EU SPS agreement
In 2026 the UK and the EU are negotiating a sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement. The UK government says it is intended to take effect in mid-2027 and that, once it applies:
export health certificates would in some cases be replaced by intra-trade animal health certificates
traders may be able to use TRACES
checks would no longer happen at border control posts, though some checks on live animals would continue
None of this applies yet. Until a date is confirmed, the current process above stands.
Checklist
[ ] Original passport, microchip checked
[ ] Exporter’s official vet booked to issue the GB health certificate
[ ] CHED-A submitted in IPAFFS at least one working day before arrival
[ ] CHED-A reference given to the transporter
[ ] Destination address ready for possible checks, horse kept there 48 hours or as certified
[ ] Customs declaration or ATA Carnet arranged
[ ] Vehicle cleaned and disinfected within 24 hours of arrival
Useful contacts
The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) handles imports. Its current contact details for animal imports are published on GOV.UK (linked below).