Free Texas Horse Bill of Sale
Horse sales in Texas combine federal-style health rules (Coggins) with one of the country's strongest brand-inspection regimes. Move a horse out of a designated brand-inspection county — most of West Texas and the Panhandle — without a TSCRA brand inspection certificate and you can be cited under Chapter 144 of the Agriculture Code. Layered on top: Texas Animal Health Commission requires a negative Coggins (EIA) test within 12 months for any sale or transport, and breed registries (AQHA in Amarillo, APHA in Fort Worth, the Jockey Club) handle the actual ownership records via transfer of registration papers.
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Texas Horse Bill of Sale — What You Need to Know
Sales Tax Details
Horses sold for use in agricultural operations may qualify for Texas sales tax exemption (Form 01-924, Texas Agricultural Sales and Use Tax Exemption Certification). Horses purchased for pleasure, racing, or showing are taxable at 6.25% state plus local rates.
Exemption: Agricultural-use horses under Form 01-924 (with valid Ag/Timber number from the Comptroller). Breeding stock used in a farming/ranching operation typically qualify.
Inspection Requirements
Negative Coggins test (EIA) within 12 months required for sale, transport, or any change of ownership. Texas has MANDATORY brand inspection in certain counties — particularly West Texas and the Panhandle — administered by the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) special rangers.
Texas Horse Sale — Step-by-Step Checklist
- Negative Coggins test (EIA) drawn within 12 months — required for sale and transport
- Bill of sale: horse name, registration number, breed, color, markings, age, sex, sire/dam, both signatures
- Brand inspection via TSCRA special ranger if selling/moving from a brand-inspection county
- Transfer breed registry papers (AQHA, APHA, Jockey Club, ApHC) with both signatures
- Health certificate (CVI) from a licensed vet if shipping across state lines
- Pre-purchase exam (PPE) by an independent vet — recommended for any horse over $2,000
- Sales tax: pay 6.25% + local unless agricultural use with Form 01-924 ag exemption
Common Pitfalls
- Selling without a current Coggins — TAHC and any boarding facility, show, or trail will refuse the horse
- Skipping TSCRA brand inspection in brand-inspection counties — Class C misdemeanor and the horse can be impounded
- Forgetting to file the breed registry transfer — buyer cannot show, breed, or resell as registered until papers are in their name
- Claiming ag exemption without a valid Ag/Timber Registration Number from the Texas Comptroller
- No pre-purchase exam — chronic lameness, ulcers, and prior surgeries hide easily
- Verbal "sound horse" guarantees with no written warranty in the bill of sale — Texas treats horses as goods under UCC, but as-is clauses control
Pro Tip
Texas horse rule: current Coggins, TSCRA brand inspection if selling from West Texas/Panhandle counties, and transfer the registry papers — without those three, the bill of sale alone won't make the buyer the recognized owner.