How to Get and Complete an Equine Health Certificate Form (CVI)

An equine health certificate is the document, signed by a USDA-accredited veterinarian, that proves your horse has been examined and meets the health rules for wherever it is going. Which certificate you need depends on the trip. Moving between U.S. states calls for a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI), governed largely by the receiving state. Shipping the horse out of the country calls for a USDA-endorsed export health certificate processed through the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).¹ Both start with the same two things: a veterinary exam and, in nearly every case, a current negative Coggins test.

Start With a Category II Accredited Veterinarian

Before you book anything, confirm that your veterinarian holds Category II accreditation from the USDA National Veterinary Accreditation Program. Under 9 CFR 160.1, Category I veterinarians work with companion animals and are specifically excluded from certifying horses, livestock, and birds. Category II veterinarians are authorized to work with all animals, including equines.² A certificate signed by a vet without the right category is not valid.

APHIS runs a free public search where you can filter accredited veterinarians by state, county, category, and species. Filter for “Equine” and “Category II” to see qualified vets near you.³ Checking accreditation before the appointment beats discovering the problem at a state checkpoint.

What the Exam Covers and What Goes on the Form

The accredited veterinarian performs a physical examination and completes the certificate, confirming the horse appears free of infectious or contagious conditions. Identification has to be exact so inspectors can match the paperwork to the horse in front of them. For international movement, APHIS requires all markings, tattoos, brands, and electronic identification be listed on the certificate.⁴ Thin identification is a common reason horses get held at the destination.

A standard CVI also records the consignor and their location, the consignee and destination, the number of animals covered, the purpose of movement, individual official identification for each animal, and the dates and results of any required tests.⁵ Improper completion is one of the most frequent accreditation violations APHIS records, so read every field before you leave the clinic.

The Coggins Test

Almost every state and most destination countries require proof of a negative Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) test before a horse can enter. The standard diagnostic is the agar gel immunodiffusion test, commonly called a Coggins test. A competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA) is also accepted in many jurisdictions.⁶ The blood draw has to be performed by or under the supervision of an accredited veterinarian, and the sample has to go to a state- and federally approved laboratory.

Most states treat the test as valid for 12 months from the date the sample was drawn. Both the test date and the laboratory accession number appear on the health certificate, and inspectors check them. Foals under six months of age traveling with a dam that has a current negative test are typically exempt.⁷ The receiving state’s window is the one that controls; some states and events require a shorter one, so verify before you travel.

Interstate Movement: The Standard CVI

For horse transport between U.S. states, the receiving state sets the entry requirements, not APHIS. Federal endorsement is not required for interstate movement.¹ Your accredited veterinarian examines the horse, completes the CVI, and gives you the document to travel with. The standard interstate CVI is valid for 30 days from the date of the veterinary inspection.

Rules vary by destination. Some states want a permit number issued by the state veterinarian’s office before the horse crosses the border. Others accept a CVI on its own as long as the negative Coggins is current. Contact the state veterinarian’s office at your destination well before your travel date, because their import requirements are the ones that control. A horse turned away at a state checkpoint usually needs a fresh exam and a fresh certificate before it can move again.

Frequent Haulers: The Extended Equine CVI

Owners who trailer to competitions, trail rides, or events across state lines several times a year should look at the Extended Equine Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (EECVI). The EECVI stretches the standard 30-day CVI window to six months from the inspection date, or until the horse’s EIA test expires, whichever comes first. It covers movement for purposes other than a change of ownership.⁸

Before each trip, the owner logs into the EECVI database and generates a Health Declaration and Movement Permit (HDMP). The HDMP and the EIA test form have to stay together, on paper or as official digital copies, for the document to remain valid. The system automatically submits movement records to both the origin and destination states. Many states accept the EECVI, including Texas, Kentucky, Florida, California, and Virginia. Confirm acceptance with your destination state before relying on it.

International Export Health Certificates

Exporting a horse from the United States is a heavier process with direct federal involvement. Each destination country sets its own import conditions — required tests, vaccinations, quarantine periods, and sometimes pre-export isolation — and your certificate has to address every one of them. APHIS publishes country-specific requirements through its International Regulations (IRegs) portal, where you select the destination and view the exact conditions.⁹ If your destination is not listed in IRegs, you or the buyer must obtain an import permit directly from that country’s veterinary authority; the permit will spell out the shipping conditions.

The standard form for most destinations is VS Form 17-140, the United States Origin Health Certificate. Exports to Canada use a separate form, VS Form 17-145, tailored to Canadian requirements.¹⁰ Your Category II accredited veterinarian completes the appropriate form after examining the horse and verifying that all destination-country testing and vaccination requirements have been met. For exports to Canada, the certificate is valid for 30 days after inspection.¹¹ Other countries impose their own, sometimes shorter, windows.

USDA Endorsement and VEHCS

Unlike interstate certificates, international export certificates have to be endorsed by APHIS before the horse leaves the country. Endorsement is where federal officials review the veterinarian’s work, verify that testing and vaccination match the destination country’s rules, and apply the USDA seal that foreign authorities recognize.¹²

The preferred method is electronic submission through the Veterinary Export Health Certification System (VEHCS), the secure portal where accredited veterinarians create, sign, and submit export certificates. VEHCS allows real-time tracking, and APHIS accepts electronic signatures from accredited veterinarians for all live animal export health certificates regardless of destination.¹³ Paper certificates are still accepted but discouraged. If your veterinarian cannot use VEHCS, the completed paper certificate should be mailed to the APHIS paper endorsement office using overnight or Saturday delivery, with a prepaid return shipping label included so the endorsed document comes back quickly.¹² With tight validity windows on many export certificates, the extra days paper adds can jeopardize your schedule.

Endorsement Fees

APHIS charges user fees for endorsement based on the number of animals on the certificate and the number of laboratory tests the destination country requires. The fee schedule is published under 9 CFR Part 130, with a maximum fee capped at 12 times the hourly rate.¹⁴ Budget at least $100 per certificate for a straightforward export; complex destinations that require verification of multiple tests will cost more.

Timing the Certificate Correctly

The most common mistake owners make is bad timing. Exam too early and the certificate expires before you arrive. Exam too late and you miss your shipping window. Work backward from your departure date:

Interstate CVI: valid 30 days from inspection. Schedule so the certificate covers your full trip, including any re-entry requirement at home.
EECVI: valid six months from inspection or until the EIA test expires, whichever comes first. Generate a fresh HDMP before each trip.
Export to Canada: valid 30 days from inspection. Fit USDA endorsement inside that window.¹¹
Export to other countries: validity varies. Some countries require inspection within a narrow window before departure. Check IRegs and build endorsement processing time into your plan.

If a certificate expires before the horse reaches its destination, you start over: new exam, new certificate, and for international shipments a new endorsement fee. Coordinate the exam, the endorsement, and the departure so all three land inside the destination country’s timeline.

Common Problems That Void a Certificate

Improper completion is one of the most frequent accreditation violations APHIS identifies.⁵ The recurring problems:

Wrong vet accreditation category. A certificate signed by a Category I veterinarian is not valid for horses.³
Incomplete horse identification. Missing markings, tattoos, brands, or microchip numbers give inspectors a reason to hold the horse.
Expired or missing Coggins. The EIA test is the single most checked item at state checkpoints and border crossings. The test date and lab accession number must be on the certificate.
Wrong destination requirements. For international shipments, the certificate must reflect the specific tests and vaccinations the destination country demands. A form that satisfies one country’s rules may be useless for another.
Expired certificate. A 30-day CVI that has lapsed by one day is not valid. Plan with a buffer.

For the owner, the practical consequence of a bad certificate is simple: a horse without valid paperwork gets turned back or quarantined at your expense.

1
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Take a Pet From One U.S. State or Territory to Another
2
eCFR. 9 CFR 160.1 – Definitions
3
USDA APHIS. VSPS – Find Accredited Veterinarians
4
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. NVAP Reference Guide – International Animal Movement
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Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. NVAP Reference Guide – Issuing Interstate Animal Movement Documents
6
United States Department of Agriculture. Equine Infectious Anemia – Uniform Methods and Rules
7
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Equine Movement Requirements
8
Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries. Extended Equine Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (EECVI)
9
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Live Animal Exports – Resources and Guidance
10
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. NVAP Reference Guide – Appendix D – Forms
11
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Export Live Animals to Canada
12
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Working With an APHIS Endorsement Office
13
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Using the Veterinary Export Health Certification System (VEHCS)
14
eCFR. 9 CFR Part 130 – User Fees