3-Day Quarantine
Importing a Horse into the United States
USDA Guide Sheet for Horses that Require a 3-Day Quarantine
Horses may be imported into the United States provided they are accompanied by a proper veterinary health certificate issued by a full-time veterinary officer of the National Government of the exporting country stating that the horses have:
- Been in that country for 60 days immediately preceding importation. If not, they must be accompanied by a like certificate issued by a full-time salaried veterinary officer of the National Government of each country in which the horses have been during the 60 days immediately preceding shipment to the United States.
- Been inspected and found to be free of contagious diseases and, insofar as can be determined, exposure thereto during the 60 days immediately preceding exportation.
- Not been vaccinated with a live or attenuated or inactivated vaccine during the 14 days immediately preceding exportation.
- Not been on a premises where African horsesickness, dourine, glanders, surra, epizootic lymphangitits, ulcerative lymphangitis, equine piroplasmosis, equine infectious anemia (EIA), contagious equine metritis (CEM), vesicular stomatitis, or Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis has occurred during the 60 days immediately preceding exportation, nor have these diseases occurred on any adjoining premises during the same period of time.
- Not been in a country where CEM is known to exist, nor have had any contact, breeding, or otherwise, with horses from such country, for the 12 months preceding exportation.
- Been inspected and found to be free from ectoparasites.
Horses imported into the United States are required to be detained at the United States port of entry while tests for dourine, glanders, equine piroplasmosis, and EIA are conducted. The official tests are complement fixation for dourine and glanders, cELISA for piroplasmosis, and AGID for EIA. For specific information about import requirements, please contact the Area Veterinarian in Charge, the USDA Animal Import Center, the Regional Office, or the National Center for Import and Export.
Test results from NVSL are generally available 3 days after the date of arrival of the horses. Horses that test positive for any of these diseases will be refused entry into the United States. Quarantine charges are $270 per day for each horse with a 3-day minimum charge of $810 (prices subject to change without prior notice).
To reserve space at a USDA-operated quarantine facility the importer or agent should contact the port veterinarian at one of the following USDA operated Animal Import Centers (AIC):
New York Animal Import Center
474 International Blvd
Rock Tavern, NY 12575
(845) 564-2950
Los Angeles Import Center
11850 S. La Cienega Blvd.
Hawthorne, CA 90250
(310) 725-1970
Miami Animal Import Center
6300 NW 36 Street
Miami, FL 33122
(305) 526-2926
It may be prudent to check with the State of destination as to any additional State health requirements that must be met. Some States have health requirements that are in addition to those required by the Federal Government.
THREE-DAY QUARANTINE HORSES
Countries That Require a 3-Day Quarantine for Horses
| Afghanistan | Israel |
| Albania | Italy |
| Australia | Japan |
| Austria | Jordan |
| Belgium | Lebanon |
| Bermuda | Luxenburg |
| British Virgin Islands | Malta |
| Czech Republic | Mexico |
| Denmark | The Netherlands |
| England | Norway |
| Estonia | New Zealand |
| European Union Countires | Pakistan |
| France | Poland |
| Germany | Portugal |
| Greece | Romania |
| Holland (The Netherlands) | Russia |
| Hong Kong | Scotland |
| Hungary | South Korea |
| Iceland | Switzerland |
| Ireland | Turkey |