Health Certificate FAQ:
1. When do I need a health certificate (also know as a CVI – certificate of veterinary inspection):
a. You will always need a CVI when transporting any livestock, including horses, across
state lines or out of the country. You may also need a health certificate when travelling
within the state if the destination requires or requests one.
2. Who can issue a health certificate?
a. Only a veterinarian who is licensed in your state of origin can legally issue a CVI. In
addition to a veterinary license, the veterinarian issuing the CVI must also be accredited
nationally with the USDA and have accreditation within the state of origin as well.
Continuing education is required for all veterinarians to maintain their USDA
accreditation. In order to write CVI’s for livestock, a veterinarian must have a higher
level of accreditation than for issuing CVI’s for dogs/cats and other companion animals,
so in many cases, your dog or cat veterinarian cannot issue a CVI for livestock.
3. Why does my veterinarian need to examine my animals to issue a CVI?
a. Legally a veterinarian cannot issue a CVI unless they have personally examined the
animals within 10 days of issuing the CVI. This is important to examine the animals prior
to transport to ensure that they are not showing signs of infectious disease. In times of
certain disease outbreaks, such as recent Vesicular Stomatitis, the destination may
require a shorter time frame from exam to issuing the CVI. The USDA takes CVI
regulations very seriously and issuing a CVI without examining the animals could result
in loss of accreditation, loss of veterinary license, and other penalties.
4. How long is a CVI good for?
a. In most cases, a CVI is good for 30 days from the date that it is issued. During certain
infectious disease outbreaks, the destination may require a shorter time frame for CVI
acceptance.
5. What if I am going to multiple destinations within a 30-day period?
a. If you have multiple destinations, other than stopovers on your way to a single
destination, you will need a CVI for each state/destination. Each state has different
requirements and a separate CVI is legally required for each destination in which you
will spend time, other than travel through. Your veterinarian will have to contact each
state that you are planning to visit and obtain current requirements and/or entry permit
numbers for each destination separately.
6. What if I will be gone for more than 30 days?
a. If you are planning to travel with your horse or livestock for more than 30 days, you will
need a new CVI issued at your destination location prior to return home.
7. Why does it cost so much for a CVI?
a. Recent changes and stricter enforcement of CVI regulations, as well as switching to a
digital format and the institution of mandatory ongoing continuing education to
maintain accreditation to write health certificates have all played a role in some price
increases for health certificates. An accredited veterinarian MUST examine EACH animal
in order to issue a CVI – a process that requires time, skill, and specialized training. Then
a significant amount of time is spent ensuring that your animals meet the requirements
of the destination, and that all information is correctly entered into the CVI. In some
cases, it is time consuming to call to confirm regulations, as they are constantly changing
in light of infectious disease status. Each state has their own individual requirement and
it is the veterinarian’s responsibility to make sure each CVI is correct when it is issued.
Then the CVI must be sent to the local USDA office for approval and review.
Unfortunately this time must be accounted for.
8. What else do I need in order to travel with my horses besides a CVI?
a. All horse who travel across state lines and often to many destinations within the state
will need a negative EIA test (Coggin’s test), usually within 12 months of the date of
travel. In addition, you will need a brand inspection or a permanent travel card if you
are travelling more than 75 miles from home. We strongly recommend all clients obtain
a permanent travel card for each horse and take it whenever you travel. If a horse is
bought or sold in Colorado, it should have an EIA test performed and a brand inspection
performed to establish transfer of ownership. Without this, it can be very difficult to
obtain a permanent travel card in the future.
9. How can I save money when I need to travel with my horses?
a. The best way to save money when travelling with your horses and you need a CVI is to
plan ahead and be as organized as possible. We recommend having your Coggins’ test
performed at least 1 week before your CVI appointment. Having to “rush” an EIA test
costs more. Prior to your CVI appointment, you will need to know where you are
travelling to, when, how, etc. The most time consuming and frustrating part of issuing
CVI’s for clients is spending time trying to figure out all of the detailed information
required to issue a CVI. The more organized and prepared that you are, then smoother
the process will run.
10. I have several horses, do they each need their own CVI?
a. If the horses all have the same destination, the same date of travel, and the same origin
address, they can all be placed on one CVI if they will be travelling together, regardless
of whether they are owned by different people. However, each horse or animal will
need its own EXAMINATION prior to issuing a CVI.
