To compete in USEF licensed competitions, every horse must have a unique USEF Horse ID number (this can be inactive).

Horses must be actively recorded (Annual or Lifetime) in order to:

• To be eligible for USEF Awards and Championship programs (GR1111).
• To be eligible to compete in a USEF Computer Ranking List class (GR1102.2).
• To be eligible to compete in USEF/USDF qualifying and championship classes and USEF National Championships for Dressage (DR127).
• To acquire an FEI Passport or National Passport and FEI Registration Number (GR1103-1104)

For points to count with respect to any competition, the required materials and fees must be received by the Federation office (or by the Competition Secretary) on or before the first licensed day of such competition. See GR1110 for more information.

Your horse's current membership status can be verified via the USEF Horse Search HERE.

Step 1: Join USEF

A Competing Membership is required to compete at USEF competitions.

Step 2: Search for your Horse

Find out if your horse is currently recorded with USEF and complete an ownership transfer if necessary.

Step 3: Apply/Renew a Horse ID or Recording

Apply for a new horse ID or recording or renew your horse’s existing recording.

The recording fee is discounted to $35 for the life of a horse if applied for from birth to December 31st of year foaled. 

To qualify for the foal discount one of the following documents must be provided:

• Signed letter from the veterinarian
• Breed registration papers
• Breed passport

Name Changes/Updates:

• Submit a Horse Name Change application if the change is to a completely different name with the $100 name change fee.
• Adding/removing a suffix/prefix to or from your horse’s name is free! This can be completed through the Horse Name Change application
• Correcting the spelling of a horse’s name is free! If you are submitting a name spelling correction, please email the Horse Services Department

Update or Add a Microchip:

• Any member can submit a horse's microchip through the Horse Microchip Update page

Foal Date Correction:

• Email the Horse Services Department with proof to correct a foal date
• Acceptable documents (GR1102.6): breed registration papers, breed passport, or a signed letter from a veterinarian

Deceased, Retired, or Sold

• Complete on your USEF Member Dashboard
• Navigate to the horse and select the corresponding tile
• Marking the horse as one for the above options will remove the horse from your USEF dashboard

For other changes or questions, please contact the Horse Services department at [email protected]. 

Read the Ownership Transfer & Lease Guide for helpful information and instructions. Transfers become effective the date that the proper forms (with required signature(s)) and fees are received at the USEF office (GR1105).

A Bill of Sale is not required but is an acceptable transfer document. A document that authorizes the transfer of ownership from one party to another is required. This document must be signed by both parties. USEF does not accept agent's signatures as authorization for an ownership transfer. Parent/guardian signatures are required for minors.

Breed registration papers in the new owner's name can be accepted to complete a transfer.

If the signature of the last recorded owner is not available, a Federation Transfer Certification must be submitted. It must explain why the required signature is not available and submitted with proof of ownership (bill of sale, cancelled check, donation papers, or registration papers). 

For horses with a Life Recording:

• Submit a Horse Ownership Transfer application and the $100 transfer fee
• Submit written authorization or the Bill of Sale signed by both parties

For Horses with an Active Annual Recording: 

• Submit a Horse Ownership Transfer application and the $100 transfer fee
• Submit written authorization or the Bill of Sale signed by both parties
• The transfer fee will be waived if the member is upgrading the Annual Recording to a Life Recording when transferring

For horses with an Inactive (Horse ID or Expired Annual) Recording:

• Submit a Horse Ownership Transfer application (there is no transfer fee)
• Submit written authorization or the Bill of Sale signed by both parties
• The fee of $95 for Annual Recording or $300 for Lifetime Recording must be submitted with the Horse Application if recording/renewing the horse

Family Transfers:

• Family is as defined in GR123
• Submit a Horse Ownership Transfer application (there is no transfer fee)
  • Select the family transfer option and identify the relationship
• Submit written authorization that is signed by the previous owner(s) and the new owner(s)

Organization Transfers:

• From your Individual account to your Organization's account (and vice versa)
• Submit a Horse Ownership Transfer application (there is no transfer fee)
  • Select the organization transfer option
• Submit written authorization that is signed by the owner(s)

The Federation encourages all lessors of horses competing in Federation competitions to register the lease with the Federation. Read the Ownership Transfer & Lease Guide for helpful information and instructions. 

The $100 lease registration fee must be submitted to the USEF office with a copy of the lease agreement signed by lessee and lessor. USEF does not accept agent signatures for the purposes of registering a lease (GR1108.5). Parent/Guardian signatures are required for minors. 

The lease agreement must indicate a start date and end date of the lease period. For competition purposes, the lease registration is effective the date that the proper fee and documentation (with required signatures) are submitted online for processing. Once the lease is registered with USEF, the horse/pony must be entered under the ownership of the lessee.

Lessor or lessee must renew the USEF Annual Recording by the annual renewal date. The Federation does not intervene on the terms of the lease. USEF must have written confirmation signed by both parties if a lease is terminated prior to the expiration date.

If the lease is extended beyond the previously submitted end date, a lease extension application must be submitted within 30 days (before or after) its original expiration. If the application is not received within those 30 days, the lease must be registered again as stated above (with new signed agreement and fee). (GR1108) 

Age can only be verified through the following identification documents (HU133.5/JP117.1):  

• Breed registration papers, Certificate of Pedigree, or passport issued by a breed or sport horse registry approved by the Federation.
• Horse Identification Document issued by a breed or sport horse registry approved by the Federation that states the registered name of the horse, the registration number of the horse and age of the horse.

Age verification is only required to compete in age-restricted classes. It is not required otherwise.

Changes to the USEF website are completed overnight.

Yes! The following horse applications can be rushed for an additional $100 fee: 

• Annual/Lifetime Recordings 

• Transfers of Ownership 

• Lease Registrations

• Age Verifications

Rushed applications are given higher priority and guaranteed processing within 3 business days of submission.

*Microchips, APH, and Lease Extensions cannot be expedited*

Submit a written statement signed by both parties to [email protected]

Yes. The owner must be a USEF member. A parent/guardian signature is required to transfer ownership of a horse to a minor.

Log in to your My USEF account. Navigate to the Horse Options section, then click on the "My Horses" tile. Click on the Horse Certificate or Horse Card icons to download/print these documents.

Sign in to your USEF Account and navigate to your horse's page.

Click on the "Details & Results" tile then "Horse Report" at the top of the page.

You can also Search Horses then click on "Horse Report" to pull up the horse's full competition report.

Horses that compete in FEI competition must have an official Federation issued passport. A national passport is valid for lower-level competition within the United States. An FEI passport is valid for any level of FEI competition both nationally and internationally.

The American Performance Horse (APH) was created in December 2009 to promote American-bred horses. The goal for the APH is to spotlight performance horses bred in the United States. Below is a link to a separate FAQ for more information on this program:

American Performance Horse FAQ

In order for points to count toward USEF Horse of the Year Awards, the horse must be actively recorded and owned by an individual member of the Federation or a recorded Farm/Business.

If a horse(s) is owned by a farm or organization, at least one of the owners must be a Federation Senior (18+) Active Competing Member in good standing (GR202). Create a Farm/Business Recording here.

Per GR1106, entries may be made in a name other than that of an individual for Horse of the Year Awards, provided such name (Stable/Farm, Corporation, etc.) is registered with the Federation. All applications for registration of a Stable/Farm, Corporation, etc. must be signed be each of the bona fide owners of the Stable/Farm, Corporation, etc.

The fee for each (Stable/Farm, Corporation, etc.) registration is $80 (Annual Recorded/12 months from the start date) and $2500 (Life Recorded/no expiration date). 

USEF does issue refunds for horse applications that could not be processed, if requested. If the request was processed, a refund will not be issued. A processing fee of $5 is withheld from all refunds.