Horses being transported to Mexico are not required to be microchipped, said Jim Barrett, public affairs specialist with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, an agency within the USDA.

Clarification on the requirements took place the week of Aug. 17, after misinterpretation of the wording in The Import Health Requirements of Mexico for Horses for Permanent Entry Exported from the United States of America.  

“There was no recent change in the document, just a clarification of existing requirements in regards to identification of the animal on the health certificate,” Barrett said. “The clarification was necessary to address concerns over interpretation of the requirements.”

No microchip or tattoo is mandatory but either can be included in any of the requirements. Horses entering Mexico can be identified by any of the following three options: marks, tattoo, or microchip. All or one are acceptable, according to Barrett