Calling pro riders and transporters: is your authorisation about to expire?

Those who transport horses as part of their business have been reminded to check when their transporter authorisation is up for renewal.

Defra has contacted British Equestrian to make the organisation and its member bodies aware that a “significant number” of transporter authorisations are due to expire in 2022. Transporter authorisations last for five years and apply to those who move horses on journeys of over 65km (40 miles) within Great Britain in connection with professional riding and competition, livery and stabling and transporters who move horses for charities and/or animal rescues.

People travelling their own horses, not in the course of business or trade, to a competition or for any other purpose for pleasure do not need transporter authorisation. But a professional rider, or a transporter taking a horse to a show on behalf of an owner, must have authorisation.

There are two types of transporter authorisation; type one (short journey), which are required for journeys over 65km and up to eight hours in duration, and type two (long journey), required for those transporting animals for journeys over 65km and lasting more than eight hours. A journey is defined as the time from when the first animal is loaded on to a means of transport at the premises of departure until the last animal is unloaded at the final destination. Transporters travelling more than 65km must also have a valid certificate of competence and vehicle approval certificate.

The Government website states that to comply with current welfare-in-transport regulations, animal transporters must submit an application to renew their authorisation if it has expired. Failure to do so risks heavy penalties if transporters are found to be operating without valid authorisation. A renewal application can be obtained from the Animal and Plant Health Agency.

You might also be interested in:

Drivers forced to wait a little longer for law change to allow trailer towing

Pressure on Government to remedy horse smuggling, equine ID and cross-border movement

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now