What is an EECVI (equine health certificate)?
It’s mandatory to carry Veterinary Health Certificates, also known as Certificates of Veterinary Inspection (CVIs), when transporting animals across state lines, according to legal requirements.
CVIs play a crucial role in controlling the spread of diseases by confirming that an animal has been checked by a certified veterinarian for any sicknesses and meets the regulations for movement.
Equine transport requirements by state will vary. However, traveling with horses often requires an up-to-date Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI / health certificates), sometimes current within the last month.
In most cases, a CVI is valid for 30 days after the date of issue. Extended Equine Certificates of Veterinary Inspection (EECVIs), on the other hand, conveniently allow veterinarians and horse owners to obtain a six-month equine health certificate (as long as a current Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA)/Coggins test has been provided.)
GlobalVetLink EECVIs
At GlobalVetLink, we worked closely with state veterinarians to develop a streamlined digital solution for equine health certificates. On January 1, 2019, we launched Extended Equine Certificates of Veterinary Inspection (EECVIs) through the GlobalVetLink platform!
GlobalVetLink’s Extended 6-Month Program allows users to travel frequently and compliantly - without worrying about scheduling multiple veterinary visits.
What makes EECVIs a superior solution?
Equine practitioners and owners now have an easy solution for compliant travel with horses in multiple states. EECVIs function the same as regular health certificates but allow horse owners to move for up to six months.
There are three forms of official ID accepted for an EECVI, and each state has their own rules for what forms are accepted:
- Current Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) test (photo Coggins or EIA test accession number)
- Lifetime brand inspection
- Microchip
Through the GlobalVetLink Compliance Assistant platform, veterinarians can create an EECVI online, submit it to their state animal health official digitally, and provide owners with online access to retrieve their travel permits anytime!
Frequently Asked Questions about EECVIs
Q: “What states are participating in the EECVI program?”
A: As of May 2023, the states that are currently participating in the EECVI program include:
Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wyoming.
Many additional states plan on participating but are not able to at this time due to legislation in place that prevents the use of extended health certificates. We will continue to update this list as more states begin participating in the EECVI program.
If you have questions about your state participating, please contact your state animal health official. Contact information for each state may be found here: https://www.globalvetlink.com/resource-center/regulations/.
Q: “Will a movement permit be needed for each horse?”
A: Yes, each horse will need to have an EECVI issued and corresponding movement permits in order to travel.
Q: “Can there be multiple horses on one EECVI?”
A: Each horse will need to have its own EECVI, which allows for accurate traceability in the event of a disease outbreak.
Free Owner Information Handout
Questions may arise from clients on how the process of obtaining and completing their six-month equine health certificate.
Download this PDF below to share EECVI information with your equine owners.
Free Veterinary CE Webinar
EECVIs: Updates for Equine Practitioners
Extended Equine Certificates of Veterinary Inspection (EECVIs) are gaining popularity across the United States, with multiple states currently participating in the EECVI program. In this webinar, Dr. Marty Zaluski, Dr. Katie Flynn, and Dr. Janemarie Hennebelle joined us to discuss the development and growth of EECVIs. (Recorded on 11/29/22)
Q&A from the webinar
We compiled the questions and answers from the webinar on our blog.