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Equine Passports and Microchips
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Published on
Last updated on
All equine animals including horses, ponies and donkeys must have a valid passport recording specific identification details of the animal . Once issued, a passport is valid for the lifetime of the equine.
The rules on the identification of equine animals help to protect the food chain.
All equines born in the EU must be identified and issued with a passport no later than 12 months from their date of birth.
In order to ensure that the 12 month identification deadline can be met, the keeper of an equine must submit a completed application form for a passport to an appropriate approved passport issuing organisation (PIO) not later than 6 months from the date of the animal’s birth.
All equine animals born in, or imported into, the European Union are required to be identified in accordance with equine identification legislation.
The keeper of the equine, who may or may not be the owner, is responsible for ensuring that the equine is properly identified. Keepers are also responsible for ensuring that the information recorded on an equine passport is up to date at all times. A person who keeps an unidentified equine or who does not inform the relevant PIO of any change to the information recorded on the passport within 30 days of the change occurring commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of up to €5,000.
The premises at which the equine is to be kept must be registered with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and this premises registration number (PRN) must be supplied to the passport issuing organisation, with the application for an equine passport. Applications for premises registration numbers (PRNs) are processed in the department’s Regional Offices.
To comply with equine identification rules, a keeper must engage a veterinary practitioner to complete an official marking chart and implant a transponder into the neck area of the animal at the time of initial identification. The keeper must then submit the completed marking chart (which includes details of the transponder) as part of an application for an equine passport to an appropriate approved equine passport issuing organisation (listed below) when applying for a passport for the animal.
All equines issued with a passport since 1 July 2009 must have a corresponding microchip inserted by a veterinary surgeon. Whenever an equine is moved, it must be accompanied by the passport issued for it. Unweaned foals under 12 months of age, accompanied by the dam or foster mare, can be moved and transported without a passport.
Any animal issued with a passport later than 12 months from the date of the animal’s birth can only be issued with a duplicate/replacement passport. These animals are automatically excluded from the food chain and this status on the equine passport. The department has issued detailed advice on equine passport regulations. An information leaflet outlining the responsibilities of owners and keepers of equine animals is available here.
Proper identification is comprised of 4 elements, all of which must be in place within 12 months of the date of birth of the animal. These are:
The administration of veterinary medicinal products to an equine is recorded at Section II of the passport. Where an equine is not intended for slaughter for human consumption, the signed declaration to this effect is recorded at Part II of Section II of the passport.
The cost of registration will vary. It will consist of a combination of the fees charged by the veterinary practitioner identifying the animal, the approved passport issuing body processing and issuing the document, as well as any additional costs such as DNA verification incurred as part of the registration process for stud book animals.
There are currently seven passport issuing organisations (PIOs) approved by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) to maintain studbooks and to issue passports for registered equines (with pedigree – eligibility for entry into a studbook). Two of these PIOs are also approved to issue passports for equines for breeding and production( where parentage is not recorded).
A list of the organisations approved by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to issue equine passports, as listed below. The PIOs will advise you of the steps necessary to identify an equine.
| Passport issuing organisation | Approved to issue passports for studbook equines | Approved to issue passports for Equines for Breeding and Production | |
| Connemara Pony Breeders Society Ltd | YES | NO | Tel: 095-21863 |
| Horse Sport Ireland | YES | YES | Tel: 045 – 850800 |
| Irish Harness Racing Association Ltd | YES | NO | Tel: +353 15310365 |
| Irish Piebald & Skewbald Assoc, T/A Leisure Horse Ireland | YES | YES | Tel/Fax: 091 577577 |
| Irish Warmblood Studbook Ltd | YES | NO | Tel: 087- 2229701 |
| Kerry Bog Pony Co -Operative Society | YES | NO | Tel: 086 8148356 |
| Weatherbys Ireland Ltd | YES | NO | Tel: 045 879979 |