Horse Bill of Sale Template

By Mohamed SkhiriUpdated November 10, 2026Checked against state animal health and livestock agency rules

When you sell a car, the state title does the heavy lifting and the bill of sale backs it up. When you sell a horse, there's no state title to sign. That leaves the bill of sale, the breed registration papers if the horse has them, and in some states a brand inspection certificate as the whole record of who owns the animal. A clear, specific document protects both sides: the buyer can prove the horse is theirs, and the seller can prove what was and wasn't promised.

How to fill in the horse bill of sale template

1. Start with the state and date. They print at the top, which matters if a brand inspector, a registry or a court ever reads the document.
2. Name both parties in full. Use the name on the registration papers for the seller; a farm or business can be the seller or buyer.
3. Describe the horse so it can't be confused with another. Registered name and number if it has them, plus breed, sex, color, markings, height and any microchip, brand or tattoo.
4. Record the health papers. The date of the last negative Coggins test and the lab or accession number, and whether a health certificate goes with the horse.
5. Set the price and terms. Payment method, what's included, any known problems, and whether the sale is as-is.
6. Print two copies of the horse bill of sale form and sign both. Each side keeps an original; the buyer keeps theirs with the Coggins and registration papers.

Identifying the horse beyond doubt

A vehicle has a 17-character VIN; a horse has whatever you write down. Two bay geldings of the same breed and age can look alike to anyone but their owners, which is why the horse bill of sale form asks for identification before it asks for a price. The strongest identifiers are permanent and checkable: a registration number, a microchip number that a vet can scan, a freeze or hot brand, or a lip tattoo on a Thoroughbred. Markings come next. Describe each one precisely ("star, strip and snip; left hind sock to the fetlock"), the way the registration certificate or a vet's drawing would.

For a grade horse with no papers, the markings, photos and the Coggins certificate (which often includes a drawing or photo of the horse) become the main identification on the bill of sale for a horse. Attach clear photos of both sides and the face to your copy, and note on the form that they're part of the sale record.

Coggins tests and health certificates

A Coggins test screens for equine infectious anemia (EIA), a disease with no cure that's spread by biting insects and shared needles. States control it largely at the point of sale and movement. Texas, for example, requires a negative EIA test within the previous 12 months for most horses 8 months of age or older that change ownership, documented on the official VS 10-11 laboratory form. The Texas Animal Health Commission exempts horses sold to slaughter and nursing foals sold with a dam that tested negative.

A certificate of veterinary inspection, often called a health certificate, is a separate document a vet issues after examining the horse. It's usually needed when the horse crosses state lines. Each state sets its own entry rules, so the buyer should check with the animal health office of the state the horse is going to before the trailer is loaded.

The horse bill of sale template records the test date and the lab or accession number from the Coggins paperwork. Buyers should look at the original certificate, not just the date on the bill of sale, and confirm the description on it matches the horse in front of them.

Brand inspection in western states

In much of the West, a horse sale isn't complete until a brand inspector has seen the animal and the paperwork. Colorado's Brand Inspection Division must inspect and verify ownership before any change of ownership, whether by sale or gift, even when the horse carries no brand, and registration papers don't exempt it. Wyoming's Livestock Board requires inspections for ownership changes and issues title certificates during the inspection. Montana's Department of Livestock requires a brand inspection before a horse changes owners and makes the seller responsible for getting it; it accepts a bill of sale or the most recent brand inspection as proof of ownership.

If you're buying or selling in a brand-inspection state, arrange the inspection before the horse leaves, and bring the signed horse bill of sale form to it. Inspectors compare the description, the brand and the seller's proof of ownership, so a detailed form makes the visit quicker.

Breed registration papers

A breed registry's certificate is not a government title, but it's the record buyers of registered horses care about most. Registries keep their own ownership records and usually need the seller's signature on their transfer form before the buyer can show, breed or sell the horse under its registered name. Tick the papers box so the document says the seller will sign them over, and agree on who pays the registry's transfer fee. If the papers aren't ready at the sale, write in the terms when they'll be delivered.

As-is, disclosures and warranties

Most private horse sales are as-is, and the form defaults to that wording. As-is doesn't mean anything goes, though. Write down what you know: stall vices such as cribbing or weaving, past injuries, lameness, allergies, behavior problems under saddle or on the trailer. The disclosure box prints on the document, so the buyer can't later say they weren't told, and you can't be accused of hiding something you put in writing.

Buyers who want more than as-is have two tools. The first is a pre-purchase exam by a veterinarian the buyer chooses, before money changes hands; the as-is clause on the form says the buyer had that chance. The second is a written warranty in the terms box, such as "sound for trail riding as of the sale date" or "safe for a beginner rider," which turns a promise into part of the contract. Untick the as-is box if you add one.

Deposits, trial periods and payment plans also belong in the terms. A short line like "Buyer pays a $500 nonrefundable deposit; balance due on pickup by May 1" prevents most of the disputes that end friendships at the barn.

Horse bill of sale example

Use this horse bill of sale example as a model. Here's how a finished one might read in plain language: On June 14, Ann Smith of Fort Collins, Colorado, sells to David Lee of Loveland, Colorado, the bay Quarter Horse gelding "Dun It Right," AQHA registration number shown on the papers, foaled 2016, 15.1 hands, star and left hind sock, microchip number recorded, for $8,500 by cashier's check. Negative Coggins dated March 2 with the lab accession number. Registration papers signed over at sale; halter and two blankets included. Seller discloses the horse cribs. Sold as-is after a vet check by the buyer's veterinarian. Brand inspection arranged for the day of pickup.

Every fact a stranger would need to identify the horse, confirm its health papers and understand the deal is on the page. That's the test for any bill of sale for a horse.

Printable horse bill of sale form, PDF or Word

When the form is filled in, print it on letter paper, save it as a PDF from the print window, or download the horse bill of sale form as a Word file you can edit. You can also print a blank copy and fill it in by hand at the barn; the blank version keeps every line and checkbox. It's a free horse bill of sale with no sign-up and no watermark, and the blank copy works as a reusable horse bill of sale template, and because it runs in your browser, nothing you type is sent anywhere.

Selling a trailer along with the horse? Use our trailer bill of sale for the trailer; it has the VIN, weights and title details a horse form doesn't. For a tractor, mower or other farm equipment, the general bill of sale fits better.

Horse bill of sale FAQ