What paperwork you need to ship a horse across state lines.

The Coggins, the health certificate, the brand inspection — what each one is, when you need it, how long it's good for, and how to avoid the paperwork mistakes that delay shipments.

If your horse is crossing a state line, federal law requires paperwork. Some of it you've probably heard of — Coggins, health certificates. Some of it you might not have known existed — brand inspections, entry permits, equine event passports. Here's everything you need to know, organized in the order you'll actually deal with it.

I see paperwork problems at pickup more often than any other delay. Most are preventable. Here's how to get it right the first time.

The two universal documents

Before we get into state-specific requirements, two pieces of paperwork are required for nearly every interstate horse movement in the United States:

1. Negative Coggins test (EIA)

The Coggins test detects Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA), a viral disease that's been a federal concern since the 1970s. Every state requires a current negative Coggins for interstate transport. Most states want it dated within 12 months of the trip. Some require it within 6 months for sale or change of ownership.

What you need to know:

• Only an accredited veterinarian can pull the blood draw
• Lab turnaround is typically 5-10 business days, sometimes faster with rush options
• The result is a paper certificate (or electronic equivalent) showing the horse's identification, the test date, and the negative result
• You'll need to provide the Coggins to the carrier before pickup, and a copy travels with the horse

Plan ahead. Don't schedule transport for next week and then call your vet for a Coggins. By the time the lab returns results, your transport date will have come and gone. A current Coggins should be one of the first things you sort when you start planning a move.

2. Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI / Health Certificate)

The CVI — commonly called a "health certificate" — is issued by an accredited veterinarian who has examined the horse and certified it is healthy enough to travel and free of contagious disease. This document is the actual permit for interstate movement.

Standard CVIs are typically valid for 30 days from the inspection date, though some states accept them for shorter windows (10-14 days for certain conditions). Some states have implemented Extended Equine Certificates of Veterinary Inspection (EECVI), which are valid for six months and cover multiple trips — a useful option for owners who travel frequently.

State-specific requirements that catch people off guard

Federal rules are the floor. Each state can — and does — add additional requirements on top. The big ones:

Brand inspections (Western states)

Several Western states require a brand inspection for horses leaving the state. This is a holdover from the cattle industry that still applies to horses. Generally affected: Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming. The inspection certifies ownership and is checked at exit.

If your horse lives in or is leaving one of those states, contact the state Department of Agriculture early — brand inspectors aren't always available on demand and you may need to schedule.

Entry permits

Some states require an entry permit on top of a CVI. The permit is typically obtained by the issuing veterinarian (the one filling out your CVI) by calling the destination state's animal health office. Common permit-required states include California, Florida, Texas, and others, though specifics change. Your vet should know — and if they don't, that's a flag to ask the destination state directly.

Equine Piroplasmosis (EP) testing

Certain states require a current negative EP test for horses entering for racing or training, particularly Quarter Horses. If your horse falls into these categories, check destination requirements specifically.

Recent disease outbreak quarantines

States can implement temporary import restrictions when there's a regional outbreak. Equine Herpes Virus (EHV-1), West Nile, vesicular stomatitis, and other diseases trigger temporary quarantine zones. Always confirm requirements with the destination state's animal health office within a few days of shipping. Don't rely on what was true six months ago.

The order to do everything

Here's the practical timeline I'd recommend if you're planning a move:

4-6 weeks before pickup

• Confirm your destination address and stable contact
• Identify the destination state and check its current requirements with its Department of Agriculture (links at the bottom)
• If you're in or leaving a brand-inspection state, schedule the brand inspector
• If you'll need an entry permit, ask your vet about it

2-3 weeks before pickup

• Schedule the Coggins blood draw if your existing one isn't current (allow time for lab return)
• If your Coggins is current, gather your existing copy

5-10 days before pickup

• Schedule the vet visit for the CVI / health certificate
• Don't do this earlier — most CVIs are only valid for 30 days, so you want the inspection within the validity window of your transport date
• Confirm with destination state if anything has changed (outbreak status, etc.)

Day of pickup

• Original Coggins paperwork in hand for the carrier
• Original CVI / health certificate in hand
• Brand inspection certificate if applicable
• Any entry permits, EP test results, or special documentation required by the destination state
• Copies of everything for your records

Common paperwork mistakes I see at pickup

"My vet was supposed to email it"

This is the #1 day-of problem. The vet sent the Coggins or CVI to "the office" and the owner doesn't have a paper copy. Many states still require physical or printed copies for the carrier and for inspection at state lines. Get printed copies before pickup day.

The Coggins describes the wrong horse

If you've owned multiple horses, it's surprisingly common for the Coggins document on file to be for the previous one. The paperwork has to match the actual horse traveling. Verify the Coggins matches the horse's name, color, markings, and brand.

The CVI is expired by pickup day

If you got a 30-day CVI on a day that's now 32 days ago, it's not valid. Many shipments have been delayed because someone scheduled the vet too early. The CVI's clock starts at the inspection date, not at the transport date.

The destination state requires something the vet didn't include

If you're shipping to Texas and your CVI doesn't include the EP test that Texas requires for racing horses, the inspection at port of entry can refuse the shipment. Always confirm destination requirements with the actual destination state, not just rely on the issuing vet to know everything.

Trying to fix paperwork at the state line

You can't. There is no fix. If a state inspection station finds that paperwork is missing or invalid, the truck is turned around or the horse is held until proper documentation arrives. This is expensive, stressful, and entirely preventable with planning.

The day before pickup is the day to verify paperwork — not the day of.

Where to confirm requirements

Three authoritative sources I recommend, in this order:

• The destination state's State Veterinarian's office. The single most reliable source. Call them and confirm what's currently required. Find contact info via the USAHA State Animal Health Officials directory.
• USDA APHIS. Federal-level guidance on interstate horse movement. USDA APHIS interstate movement page.
• Your accredited veterinarian. Should know the basics, but always cross-check destination-state-specific requirements with the destination state directly.

The ten-second summary

For a typical interstate horse move, you need:

1. Negative Coggins, dated within 12 months
2. Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI / health certificate), valid for 30 days from inspection
3. Brand inspection if leaving a Western state that requires it
4. Entry permit if the destination state requires one
5. Any state-specific or breed-specific testing (EP for racing Quarter Horses to Texas, etc.)

Plan early. Print copies. Confirm destination requirements with the actual destination state within 7 days of shipping. Don't get caught with paperwork problems on pickup day.

And if you'd rather not manage all of this on your own — keeping track of timing, confirming requirements with multiple parties, finding a carrier who knows the rules — that's the kind of thing HTS is built to help with. Carriers on our platform are professionals who've moved horses through every state. Drop your email below to be notified when we launch.