Within Europe, the identification and registration (I&R) of all equidae is mandatory. This system records where horses are kept, allowing authorities to act quickly and effectively in the event of an outbreak of a contagious animal disease. Therefore, all horses must be registered in the central database of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO).

Authorized Body

The KWPN is an authorized body. This means that we automatically submit the details of new foals and horses registered with us to the RVO database.

Owners of horses with a foreign passport must have that passport registered with a Dutch Passport Issuing Organization (PIO), such as the KWPN, within 30 days. This also applies when only an import notification is submitted. Since 2024, the KWPN has charged a fee for this service in accordance with national regulations.

Responsibility

Every horse keeper is responsible for ensuring that their horse is properly registered. All horses (except foals younger than nine months of age) must have a microchip, an equine passport, and a registered location where they are kept.

Roles within the I&R Regulations

The legislation distinguishes between three different roles. It is important to understand which role applies to you.

Owner of the horse

The legal owner of the animal.

Keeper of the horse

The person who makes the day-to-day decisions regarding training, feeding, and veterinary care. This is often, but not always, the owner.

Keeper of the location

The person responsible for the stable or pasture where the horse is kept.

The registration obligations apply to both the keeper of the horse and the keeper of the location.

Microchip and Passport

Horses must have both a microchip and an equine passport. When a foal is registered through a Passport Issuing Organization (PIO), such as the KWPN:

  • the foal is microchipped;
  • an equine passport is issued;
  • the horse's details are automatically submitted to the RVO database.

The passport must always be present at the location where the horse is kept. It is not proof of ownership, but a mandatory document that must be available for inspection by a veterinarian or during checks carried out by the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA).