Laws on Transporting Horses in the State of Florida

Transporting horses involves more than just loading a horse into a trailer. In addition to preparing the vehicle and trailer, you have to ensure your horse is fully prepared to travel. This does not just mean making sure you have the horse ready to load and is healthy for the trip. It also means having all the paperwork in order. Knowing what you need is imperative before you haul or ship horses.

  1. Negative Coggins

    • The most important step in having your horse ready for legal transport in Florida is to have a current Coggins test. This must be the original document, signed by a veterinarian, showing the horse has tested negative for Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA). It must be dated within the last year.

    Health Papers

    • Also required are health papers from the veterinarian within the past 30 days, stating that the horse is healthy and safe for travel. This is required to show that you are not transporting sick livestock that could carry illness to another part of the country.

    Legal Vehicles

    • Florida requires all vehicles that pull horse trailers be registered and carry insurance. All horse trailers must be licensed and have a sticker that shows registration with the state. Drivers of unlicensed trailers are subject to citation and payment of a fine.