When a horse stays at a location for 30 days or longer, that location must be registered with the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO). This requires two steps:

  1. The keeper of the location applies for a UBN (Unique Business Number) via mijn.rvo.nl.
  2. The horses at that location are linked to this UBN.

This applies to all horses, whether kept for recreational or commercial purposes.

A business with several separate stable locations can apply for a separate UBN for each location. An existing UBN can also be extended to include equines.

Linking a Horse to the UBN

The keeper of the horse reports the animal under the correct UBN via mijn.rvo.nl under ‘Report Horses’.

The following information is required:

  • the UBN of the location;
  • the microchip number or life number of the horse;
  • the date of the notification.

If an animal cannot be found, the RVO always advises using the microchip number. If the horse is listed in the KWPN database but cannot be found by the RVO, the KWPN can provide assistance.

on the website of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO).

Meer informatie identificatie en registratie van paardachtigen

Local Records

In addition to the registration with the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), the keeper of the location must maintain local records of:

  • Horses permanently residing at the location (name and microchip number).
  • Horses temporarily arriving at the location (date, name, microchip number and UBN of origin).
  • Horses temporarily leaving the location (date, name, microchip number and UBN of destination).

Movements lasting longer than 30 days must also be reported to the RVO. For breeding locations, such as stallion stations, a period of 90 days applies. Local records must be retained for three years. Short-term movements, such as competitions, hacking or training sessions, do not need to be recorded locally.