# Info needed



## bobbym60 (Apr 13, 2014)

I'm starting a horse hauling business,buying a 3 or 4 horse slant trailer w/LQ,and a 1 ton dually want I need dto know is what do I need to make it dot legal,do I need dot number,for hire on truck,do I need ifta,and irp plates or can I use commercial plates on truck,and regular trailer plates on trailer or do they have to be commercial,also what type of insurance do i need,I've been an Otr driver for over 30yrs this is all new to me,need to know everything I need to get to be legal,me and wife wants to do this together and enjoy doing things in between delivering and picking up,and visiting different parts of the U.S,any and all help will be deeply appreciate


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## Chasin Ponies (Dec 25, 2013)

Since horses are considered livestock by the Department of Agriculture (and we horse lovers totally disagree with that!) it would probably help if you went to the DOT website and checked to see if there are rules/regs listed for livestock hauling. It sounds like a fun way to see the country and there is definately a demand for horse hauling.
Good luck & have fun!


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## Tazmanian Devil (Oct 11, 2008)

Chasin Ponies said:


> Since horses are considered livestock by the Department of Agriculture (and we horse lovers totally disagree with that!)



Sorry it's off topic, but I found your comment curious. Having horses classified as livestock provides many advantages (especially tax advantages in some states). My state recently floated a bill which would have had the effect of declassifying horses as livestock... all the local horse organizations fought it hard.


To be on topic... in addition to the already provided good advice, you should also check your own state DMV. You will probably need a DOT number and commercial tags for your vehicle since your are hauling for hire.

Check with your insurance agent as they would best know the requirements in your state. They can also advise on the most appropriate coverage for your situation.

For the trailer tags, you may want to look at Maine. You can register (and title) your trailer in Maine and likely save some money.


You should also check out your state's rules for paperwork. You will typically need a negative coggins report when traveling in-state. When crossing state lines you will usually need a 30-day health certificate as well. These rules can vary, so you need to know what you will need for your own state as well as the destination and any states you are passing through. The owner of the horse would provide that to you, but you are still the one who is responsible for having it when you are hauling.

Also be aware of what paperwork your destination requires. Let's say the require a rabies certificate and the owner didn't provide one... you could be stuck with a horse you cannot deliver. 

If you are out west you also need to learn about Brand Inspection requirements for various states. Basically if you are traveling from, to or through a Brand state, you will need additional paperwork. If you are in a Brand state, check your local office for details and requirements. If you plan to drive through to to one, check with that state's office. Again, this is something the owner would provide, but you will be the one in trouble if you are hauling without the required paperwork.


Hope this helps.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Chasin Ponies said:


> Since horses are considered livestock by the Department of Agriculture (and we horse lovers totally disagree with that!).


No, the majority of informed horse lovers/owners DON'T disagree with them being classified as livestock. It'll be a horrible travesty and cause terrible consequences for all horse owners if they're ever classified as anything other than livestock.


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## Chasin Ponies (Dec 25, 2013)

Ah, but you say informed horse owners-I was making a joke of it as I am surrounded by very inexperienced horse people who get in a "huff" when they find out they own livestock!
Personally, I don't really care what they are classified as!


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## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

bobbym60 said:


> I'm starting a horse hauling business,buying a 3 or 4 horse slant trailer w/LQ,and a 1 ton dually want I need dto know is what do I need to make it dot legal,do I need dot number,for hire on truck,do I need ifta,and irp plates or can I use commercial plates on truck,and regular trailer plates on trailer or do they have to be commercial,also what type of insurance do i need,I've been an Otr driver for over 30yrs this is all new to me,need to know everything I need to get to be legal,me and wife wants to do this together and enjoy doing things in between delivering and picking up,and visiting different parts of the U.S,any and all help will be deeply appreciate


If you need IRP, then you need IFTA. Whether you one or both or not depends on where you will be hauling. Check out the websites for both. Commercial plates because you are "for hire." Also depends on registered weight. You will need commercial insurance on the vehicle and a rider for liability of the horses (if the horses got loose somehow) to be covered properly You should have a CGL policy for the business itself. Whether you have insurance on the horses themselves is up to you - likely I would say not - that the owner is responsible for the horse's value and injury in case of accident. Talk to a broker about that. You need a clear for hire contract that spells out this out.

You said you were an "otr" driver for 30 years? What is "otr?" I just know that as "over the road" or "on the road". If you've done long haul then you'll know about log books and hours of rest and all that bologna. If not, then start reading rule books on all of this stuff. It can be a regulatory nightmare and some of the county mounties are really not all that nice to haulers. :-(


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Chasin Ponies said:


> Ah, but you say informed horse owners-I was making a joke of it as I am surrounded by very inexperienced horse people who get in a "huff" when they find out they own livestock!
> Personally, I don't really care what they are classified as!


Didn't appear to be a joke, as you said 'we'. Plus, you really DO need to care that they stay classified as livestock. If you do some research, you'll better understand why we long term horse owners are fighting as hard as we can to keep their livestock classification.


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