When a horse is sold or transferred to a new owner, the new owner must receive the passport of the newly acquired horse. For more information on equine passports and the law, please visit our Equine Passport and the Law section, the DEFRA website.
On receipt of the passport please check all details are correct and sign it on the owner’s page. Unauthorised entries anywhere else in the passport will render the passport invalid.
If the horse has a BMHS passport then it must then be returned to the BMHS Head Office, along with the Transfer of Registered Owner/Keeper form (to be completed by the previous owner and sent by the new owner) and the correct fee.
This needs to be done within 30 days of the sale/transfer. It is an offence to miss this deadline and you could be fined by DEFRA. (Forms and current list of fees is in the 'Downloads' button on this website).
You do not need to register your horse to change ownership, but if you would like to register it, you will either have to already be a member, or apply to join and your horse must be eligible for registration.
If your horse is already registered with us but has a non-BMHS passport, then you have to send us a Transfer of Registered Owner/Keeper form if you want to keep it registered. The passport must be sent to the PIO that issued your passport so that it can be changed.
Please ensure you have read our Passport & Registrations: Terms & Conditions and our Privacy Statement before you apply (available from the ‘Downloads’ on our website). By signing a Transfer of Registered Owner/Keeper form, you are agreeing to these Terms & Conditions.
When the form is complete, please send it with the passport (if necessary), and the correct fee to the BMHS Head Office.
Once the transfer has been recorded, you will receive your passport back and registration documents where applicable.
The BMHS Head Office, Stretcholt Farm, Bridgwater, TA6 4SR| +44 (0)1278 685 943