$BillOfSale.app

Free New York Horse Bill of Sale

New York is a major horse state — Saratoga, Belmont, Aqueduct, plus a dense Hudson Valley and Long Island sport-horse community — and the paperwork reflects that mix. Horses are not titled, so ownership rides on the bill of sale, breed-registration transfer (Jockey Club, AQHA, USEF), and a current negative Coggins test (mandatory within 12 months for any sale or transport in NY). Bring an out-of-state horse into NY and you also need a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection issued within 30 days. Pre-purchase exams are standard for any horse over $5,000 — vet flexion tests, radiographs of hocks/stifles/coffin bones, and bloodwork — and the bill of sale should record exactly what the buyer relied on. NY thoroughbreds sold for NYRA-track racing are sales-tax exempt under § 1115; pleasure horses technically owe ~8% sales tax, though enforcement on private-party transactions is rare. Document the medical records, registration transfer, and any soundness representations carefully — horse-fraud lawsuits are time-consuming and depend almost entirely on what the bill of sale says.

New York Requirements: Transfer title within 180 days. 8% sales tax.

Seller Information

Buyer Information

Horse Details

Sale Information

Condition & Warranty

Free PDF includes a small watermark at the bottom. Remove it for €4.99. Already subscribed? Sign in.

Unlike motor vehicles, horses aren't titled by the DMV — making a written bill of sale your primary legal proof of ownership transfer. Our guide explains what a bill of sale must include to be legally binding and enforceable. Read: What Is a Bill of Sale? →

New York Horse Bill of Sale — What You Need to Know

Primary Form
Standard bill of sale
Agency
NY Ag & Markets
New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets — Division of Animal Industry
Primary ID Field
Registration Number
Sales Tax
0.04%
Title Required
No
Horses are not titled in New York — ownership is established by the bill of sale, breed-association registration papers (Jockey Club, AQHA, USEF, etc.), and Coggins/health records. For registered horses, the seller signs the breed-registration transfer form on the back of the certificate; for grade horses, the bill of sale is the only document of record, so detail matters.
Inspection
Not required

Sales Tax Details

Horse sales in NY are subject to 4% state sales tax plus county/local tax (~8% effective), but most working/breeding/racing horse transactions qualify for agricultural or thoroughbred-racing exemptions. Pleasure horses sold privately to NY residents technically owe sales tax; in practice, private-party horse transactions rarely generate a tax bill unless the buyer registers the horse for boarding-tax purposes. Sales tax is collected by the seller if the seller is a licensed business; private seller-to-private buyer transactions follow Form ST-130 self-assessment rules.

Exemption: Thoroughbreds sold for racing in NY (registered with the Jockey Club and intended for NYRA-licensed tracks) are sales-tax exempt under NY Tax Law § 1115(a)(6-a). Horses used exclusively for agricultural/farm work are exempt with a Form ST-125. Horses gifted between immediate family members are exempt.

Inspection Requirements

NY does not require a pre-sale brand inspection. However, NY law and most boarding facilities require a NEGATIVE Coggins test (EIA) within 12 months of any sale, transport, or change of premises — and a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (health certificate) for any horse crossing into NY from out of state, valid 30 days. Many high-value sales also require pre-purchase exams (vet evaluation + radiographs) which the buyer pays for and the seller permits.

Registration

Registration for this vehicle type is handled by Breed registry (Jockey Club, AQHA, etc.) — no NY state registration — not the same agency that handles cars in New York. Plan for separate filings.

New York Horse Sale — Step-by-Step Checklist

  1. List the horse's registered name, barn name, breed, color, markings, sex, foaling date, sire, and dam
  2. Record the breed-registration number (Jockey Club, AQHA, USEF, etc.) and have the seller sign the transfer on the back of the registration certificate
  3. Attach a NEGATIVE Coggins test (EIA) within the past 12 months — required by NY law for any sale or transport
  4. For out-of-state horses, attach a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (health certificate) issued within 30 days
  5. Document the pre-purchase exam (PPE): vet name, exam date, flexion tests, radiograph results, bloodwork
  6. Specify whether the sale is "as-is" or with seller representations about soundness, vices (cribbing, weaving, kicking), and training level
  7. List included tack, blankets, shipping boots, supplements, and feed — horses often come with thousands in gear
  8. Address training mid-sale (who pays the trainer through closing date) and shipping arrangements
  9. For breeding horses, document stallion contract obligations, mare's reproductive history, and foal commitments
  10. Both parties keep the bill of sale, Coggins, registration transfer, and PPE indefinitely — disputes can surface years later

Common Pitfalls

  • Buying without a current negative Coggins — NY law prohibits transport, and any boarding facility will refuse the horse
  • Skipping the pre-purchase exam on a horse over $5,000 — vet defects (kissing spines, navicular, hock arthritis) can be career-ending and invisible at trial
  • Vague descriptions like "bay gelding" — without registration number and markings, you cannot prove which horse you bought
  • Failing to get the breed-registration transfer signed at closing — without it, you cannot show or breed under the registered name
  • Ignoring vices — cribbing, weaving, and kicking can disqualify a horse from boarding facilities and cause property damage; require seller disclosure in writing
  • Assuming the trainer relationship transfers — most NY trainers require a new contract, and unpaid training bills can become a stable lien against the horse
  • Taking the seller's word on soundness without a vet PPE — NY recognizes implied warranties only when the seller is a horse dealer, not a private owner
  • Not addressing thoroughbred-racing tax exemption — non-racing thoroughbreds sold privately may owe ~8% sales tax that surprises the buyer

Pro Tip

Coggins within 12 months, breed-registration transfer signed, PPE documented, vices disclosed in writing, and tack itemized — NY horse deals live or die on the paperwork.

New York Horse Bill of Sale — FAQs

Do I need a Coggins test to buy a horse in New York?
Yes — NY law (1 NYCRR § 64) requires a negative Coggins test (EIA) within the past 12 months for any horse sold, transported, or moved between premises in NY. The seller pays for the test (~$30-50) and provides the original certificate to the buyer at closing. No Coggins, no boarding — every NY barn, show ground, and trail head will refuse a horse without one. If the test is more than 12 months old or expires within 30 days of your closing date, ask the seller to pull a fresh one before signing. For out-of-state horses entering NY, you also need a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection issued within 30 days.
Should I get a pre-purchase exam, and what does it cover?
For any horse over $5,000, yes — and for sport horses, breeding stock, or anything you intend to compete on, absolutely. A standard PPE costs $400-1,200 and covers a hands-on vet exam, flexion tests on all four legs, basic bloodwork, and digital radiographs of hocks, stifles, and front feet (more for high-value horses). The PPE catches navicular, kissing spines, hock arthritis, and other career-ending conditions that don't show up on a 20-minute trial ride. The buyer pays and the seller permits — never let the seller's vet do the PPE; always use an independent vet. Reference the PPE date and findings on the bill of sale so you have a record of what soundness representations the seller backed.
Do I have to pay sales tax on a horse I buy privately in NY?
Technically yes for pleasure horses — NY's ~8% sales tax applies to horse sales between private parties, and the buyer self-assesses on Form ST-130. In practice, enforcement on private horse transactions is rare and most pleasure-horse buyers don't pay. However, three exemptions are clearly documented: (1) thoroughbreds sold for NYRA-track racing are exempt under NY Tax Law § 1115(a)(6-a); (2) horses used exclusively for farm/agricultural work are exempt with Form ST-125; (3) family gifts (spouse, parent/child) are exempt. If you're buying a high-value show horse and want a paper trail, file ST-130 and pay the tax — it protects you in any future dispute.
The horse comes with tack and blankets. How do I handle that on the bill of sale?
Itemize everything separately. A typical horse sale includes saddle, bridle, halter, lead rope, blankets (turnout, stable, cooler), shipping boots, supplements, grain bins, brushes, and sometimes a trailer. List each item with brand and condition: "Antares jumping saddle, 17.5", brown, used 2 seasons" rather than "saddle." Tack adds thousands to the deal and is the #1 source of post-sale disputes ("I thought the saddle was included"). Photograph everything before transport, both parties initial the photos, and attach copies to the bill of sale. If the seller is keeping any item ("blankets convey, saddle does not"), state that explicitly.
The horse has cribbing/weaving/kicking issues. Should the seller disclose?
Yes — and you should require it in writing on the bill of sale. NY courts treat undisclosed stable vices as actionable misrepresentation if the seller knew and concealed them, but proof requires evidence. Add a section to MV-912's narrative (or a separate addendum) listing every known vice: cribbing (with or without strap), weaving, stall walking, kicking, biting, bucking under saddle, rearing, separation anxiety, or food aggression. Cribbing alone can disqualify a horse from many NY boarding barns and devalue resale by 30%. Weaving and kicking can damage stalls (the seller eating those repair bills shifts to you). Get the vice disclosure in writing, signed by both parties — verbal "no, he's perfect" promises are worthless in court.

Other New York Templates

Vehicle Bill of SaleCar Bill of SaleUsed Car Bill of SaleMotorcycle Bill of SaleBoat Bill of SaleTrailer Bill of SaleATV Bill of SaleGun / Firearm Bill of SaleRV Bill of SaleGeneral Bill of SaleFree Printable Bill of SaleOdometer Disclosure Bill of SaleAs-Is Bill of SaleGift Bill of Sale

Horse in Other States

TexasFloridaGeorgiaColoradoOregonUtahArkansasIowaOklahomaKansas

How to Fill Out

Step-by-step guide for New York

View Fill-Out Guide →

Go Pro

Clean, watermark-free PDFs.

View Pricing