Horse Passports and Microchips in the EU: The 2026 Rules Explained
Travel & paperwork · 8 min read · · MyHorseBase team
Who needs an equine passport, what the microchip requirement means, deadlines for new foals, and what to do when a passport is lost or a horse moves country.
Equine identification in the EU is governed by the Animal Health Law and its implementing rules, applied through each member state's own central database and issuing bodies. The principles are the same everywhere; the paperwork, fees and deadlines are national. This article explains the shared framework — always confirm the detail with your national issuing body.
Who needs a passport
- Every equine — horse, pony, donkey, mule — kept in the EU, whether ridden, retired, or a companion
- Foals, within the deadline set by their member state (commonly 12 months from birth, or before leaving the holding of birth, whichever is first)
- Imported horses, which must be re-registered in the member state where they are now kept, usually within 30 days of customs clearance
What is in the document
- A unique life number (UELN) and the horse's identity details, silhouette diagram and markings
- The microchip transponder code
- Ownership and issuing body details
- Section on veterinary medicines and food-chain status
- Vaccination records, where recorded by the vet
The food chain declaration
The passport contains a declaration of whether the horse is intended for human consumption. Certain medicines can only be given to horses signed out of the food chain, and once signed out the decision is irreversible. Vets will check this before treating, and an incorrect or missing declaration can delay urgent treatment — make sure the section is completed and the passport is available at the yard.
Microchipping
The chip is implanted in the nuchal ligament on the left side of the neck by a vet, and the code is recorded in the passport and the national database. Chips implanted in the EU should be ISO 11784/11785 compliant so they read on standard scanners. If a horse identified before microchipping was mandatory has no chip, most member states require one to be implanted when the passport is replaced or the horse changes keeper.
Moving between member states
| Situation | What you need |
|---|---|
| Domestic move within one country | Passport, plus any national movement document (Spain: guía de traslado; France: DAB) |
| Move to another EU member state | Passport, health certificate, TRACES notification, transporter authorisation for commercial transport |
| Change of keeper or country of residence | Notify the issuing body / central database, usually within 30 days |
| Lost passport | Apply for a duplicate; the horse is normally excluded from the food chain permanently |
For the full cross-border procedure, including health certificates and journey logs, see our TRACES guide to transporting horses in the EU.
Common mistakes
- Passport left at home when the horse travels — it must physically accompany the animal
- Ownership never transferred after a sale, so the database still lists the previous keeper
- Duplicate passports in circulation after a 'lost' original resurfaces — illegal, and a serious welfare and food-safety issue
- Foals identified after the national deadline, which usually triggers a food-chain exclusion
- Microchip present but never recorded against the passport number
This guide is general information, not legal advice, and national rules change. Confirm current requirements with your member state's issuing body or competent authority before travelling or registering a horse.
Frequently asked questions
Does every horse in the EU need a passport?
Yes. Every equine kept in the EU must have an identification document, including retired horses and companion donkeys, and it must accompany the animal when it moves.
By when must a foal be microchipped and registered?
Deadlines are set nationally, but commonly within 12 months of birth or before the foal leaves its holding of birth, whichever comes first. Check your national issuing body.
What happens if I lose my horse's passport?
Apply to the original issuing body for a duplicate. In most member states a duplicate results in the horse being permanently excluded from the human food chain.
Do I need a new passport if I move my horse to another EU country?
The existing EU passport remains valid, but you generally must register the horse with the central database of the new country of residence, usually within 30 days.
Is a microchip enough on its own?
No. The microchip must be linked to a valid identification document and recorded in the national database; the chip alone does not satisfy the identification requirement.