Animal Transport Vehicle Certificate

The animal transport vehicle certificate (dierenvervoersvoertuigcertificaat) is a mandatory document for vehicles used to transport live animals over longer distances (more than 65 kilometers) within the European Union. The certificate proves that the vehicle meets the technical requirements for animal transport and is suitable for animal welfare during transport.

This certificate is issued by the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) after inspection of the vehicle. It is required in addition to the animal transport license and must be present in the vehicle during each transport.

Requirements

  • Technical requirements: The vehicle must meet construction requirements such as adequate ventilation, sufficient space per animal, and protection against weather conditions.
  • Hygiene: The vehicle must be easy to clean and disinfect.
  • Safety: Vehicles must have provisions to prevent injuries to animals (no sharp edges, stable partitions).
  • Long-distance transport: For transports longer than 8 hours, additional requirements apply such as drinking water systems and resting areas for animals.

Procedure

  • Submit application: Submit an application to the NVWA for inspection of your transport vehicle.
  • Vehicle inspection: An NVWA inspector verifies that the vehicle meets all technical and welfare requirements according to Regulation (EC) No 1/2005, Article 18.
  • Obtain certificate: Upon approval, you will receive a vehicle certificate valid for the specific vehicle.
  • Re-inspection: The certificate must be renewed periodically, depending on changes to the vehicle or after a certain period.