I don't know the rules. but I do travel between Utah and Wyoming a lot during the summer. I stop at the Port of Entry, show my Health Certificate, Coggins, and proof of ownership ( Brand Inspection or Registration), Fill out the form about where I'm from and where I'm going, how many horses I have in the trailer, vehilce license plate and dscription and drive off.

I was stopped once by a County Sheriff, who actually looked at the horses and compared them to the papers I presented. Back on the road again in 15 minutes.

We took the mules from Arkansas to Montana 2 years ago to hunt. Got a import # from our local vet on the health certificate, then got brand inspection when we got to Montana.  Ours are branded with our registered brand, so had their registration papers, health certificate, proof of brand ownership, and coggins papers.  The temporary brand inspection we got was repciprical and good for 30 days.  Your local vet should give you the info you need ...

So, if I wanted to get a lifetime brand inspection for SD, I could contact somebody here: http://www.sdbrandboard.com/contactus.asp ? And it would be good in any state?

Edit: Okay, I did some checking on my own state.  I can get a Lifetime Horse Permit here in ND.  http://www.ndstockmen.org/mod.php?mod=userpage&menu=1400&page_id=34  Look at the "Penalty for removal of livestock" paragraph.  Second offense is a FELONY.  Holy Crap Batman.  Probably better do that before long.

jd, the website you linked to, says that North Dakota recognizes 3 methods of proof of ownership.

'One way is to brand the animals with a legally recorded brand".

" Second is to obtain a bill of sale, often called a brand release, complete with the signatures of the seller and one witness. "

"Third is to obtain an inspection certificate from a North Dakota Stockmen’s Association brand inspector."

I would assume that a horse's registration papers would serve as the Second method.  Most breed registration papers show the current ownership and have a signature of the selling party when they transfered the papers to the new owner, and usually a signature or stamp of the Breed association secretary showing the transfer was recorded at the Breed association. They also contain a description of the horse, ( and probably a picture with newer papers)

Since most registration papers are filed when the foal is under 6 months old, I usually get a brand inspection to go along with my registration papers when I start using a horse. A lot of 4+ year old horses don't match what their 6 month old papers describe. They been gelded, Grey colors bleach out to white. Stars, snips and other marks change as the young grow up.

Here in Utah a Brand Inspection is required when:

A. Changing Ownership of the horse

B. Leaving the State.  "Lifetime travel permit (honored in all states and Canada; good for lifetime of horse); cost $25.00 "

C." When traveling anywhere within the state, always carry proof of ownership. This may include:

1. Brand inspection certificate or auction invoice showing where you purchased the animal. A bill of sale will not be accepted as proof of ownership.
2. Wallet-size brand card matching brand of horse.
3. Lifetime or yearly travel permit.
4. Registration papers in name of current owner. "

D.  "If you are transporting horses belonging to someone other than yourself, carry written permission from owner"

Based upon Item "B" above from the State of Utah website,  The travel permit is good in all states and Canada.

The term "travel permit" as used above is refering to what the Brand Inspector gives me after he conducts the brand inspection. It's basically a Proof of Ownership card.

I also found

Wyoming accepts out of state lifetime horse permits. A Wyoming Brand inspection is not required to move horses in State or out-of State if this permit accompanies the horse.   This would be the same permit discussed in Item "B" above as the travel permit.

Thanks for the help, all, especially Painted Horse.  Even though we always carry the registration papers with us, a brand inspection would be good for the reasons Painted Horse mentioned.

I copied this from the ND website I posted:

What is a Lifetime Horse Permit?
Lifetime permits for horses are also available. These permits allow horse owners to travel anywhere in the United States and Canada without having a new brand inspection conducted each time they leave the state. There is a one-time inspection and permit fee of $10 per horse.

The second sentence seals the deal for me.  Now, too bad the part of that website that allows you to find a local brand inspector doesn't work.  Ha ha.

Nevermind, I got it to work.  The link at the left of the screen works, but not the one in the body text.

Turns out my vet is a brand inspector.  Whadayaknow?!

Seems I have been summoned.  In Jan, I got on the internet, found out who we needed to contact, about the BI.  Talked to them in great detail, was told that the BI would meet us at the campgroung in SD.  And we would get our permanent brand inspection done, which would be good for the rest of our trip, since we would be traveling through serveral western states.  When I ended the conversation, I told her I would call back when we were ready to leave and set everything up.  At this time, she gave me the number of the BI that I was to contact, I was assured that they would meet us at the campground, as it was one of their regular stops.  There was a BI that worked that particular area.  Anyway, I contacted the BI when we got close, and he said he couldn't do it, can't remember why, but as Rose said could meet us on our way out, at some town, or whatever, anyway, I was terrible dissapointed that we couldn't do at the campground that I had been assured that we could.  Maybe we could have done it at that little town, and maybe that wouldn't have been a big deal, but at the time it sounded like a pretty big deal to us, since we had tried so hard to take care of all of this and make sure we knew what we needed to do.  As luck would have it we made our trip had a great time and made it back home without any problems.  When you are on vacation and you have a limited amount of time to travel so far, you should be able to get this done in your own state, before we leave, so you can have all the paperwork everybody needs.  But we can't.  And the reason that we should have been able to get it done in SD at the campground is because it was a STATE campground, not federal.  And that was why I was assured that he would meet us there.  Anyway, I'm heading back out there this year, and will try to figure it out again.  If I must meet them at a Flying J, so be it.  Question?Everyone says that they mail you your permanent one home, so, the temporary one they give should be good to get us through each state, not just SD, right?????   

Happy Trails!

The Utah website says a "Lifetime Brand Inspection is good in all 50 states and Canada"  I assume this is a reciperical agreement between all states.

It doesn't say anything about the one time or 1 year BI being accepted by other states. Only the Lifetime.

In the old west all livestock was branded and each ranch had a registered brand.  Often times livestock was run together from several ranches. At the end of the grazing season when the livestock were collected, the brands were inspected and the animals sorted by each brand. If you were in possesion of an animal with a brand not registered to your ranch, you needed to prove ownership. If the brand appeared doctored or changed, You would have to tell why.  You often see horses and cattle with 2-3 brands. One from where the animal was born, one from where the animal lived as it grew up and one from where it ended up as using stock. All Livestock requires a brand inspection. Sheep, goats, Llamas, cattle, equine. A brand inspection may detail that it's a Hot brand, a Freeze brand or that no brand is visable. A brand inspection usually details what the brand sysmbols are and where they are located on the animal. If the animals has no brand it details all the markings, color, height, breed, scars etc. Just as a police officer may look for a felon by describing him as a White male about 30. 5'10" , 180lbs and a tatto that says Mom on his right upper arm and a "Z shaped" scar on his left palm.

In today's world a lot of us Kinder - Gentler folks don't want to brand and re-brand our horses with hot irons.  So the horse may have only one brand or no brand on it, but we posses some kind of ownership that proves we have bought and paid for the animal. Since bill of sales can be forged. A brand inspection is a way to get a more recognized form of ownership papers. Here you call the brand inspector, he comes out and inspects the animal. He diagrams the animals markings, looks at your bill of sale, auction reciept, registration papers etc and compares the horse to anything listed in the stolen horse list the state department of agriculture keeps. If everything checks out they send you a laminated piece of paper with a description of your horses markings, which may or may not include a brand.

This Brand Inspection, basically just says, I've had a state agent review my ownership, inspect the brand and verify that it's original.  Kinda like a title for a car.

If you bring an animal into an auction, You will have to prove you have the right to sell that animal. You would present your ownership papers (which may include a BI) and the State Brand Inspector would inspect the animal and make sure it is the animal described. Since brand inspections are usually registered with state agencys. States require you submit for for inspection before crossing state lines.  By this I mean a -BQ  brand on the left hip may be registered to Browning ranch in Utah, but the same -BQ  brand could be registered to the Bennett ranch in Colorado.  So by carrying a brand inspection with you, you basically make it much easier to prove your ownership. As a horse owner traveling from Tennesse to Wyoming, the Wyoming brand inspector has no idea what brands have been registered with the State of Tennesee Department of Agriculture. It could take days to get days to get information back from the Tennesee Department of Agriculture as to whether you really own a certain brand.

Here in Utah, all vehicles transporting livestock are required to stop at the Port of Entry. I think most states have similar laws. Its a $250 fine to not stop. If you stop they want to see your brand inspection, health certificate, coggins, they also casually look at your weight. They can and sometimes do give tickets for horse trailers being too heavy for the tow vehicle, or other safety issues.   But the highway patrol is usually not too worried about horses. When they have a line of semi's lined up on the scale.  Each semi is writting a check for $400 to $600. To miss collecting money from a semi, because they were fussing with a couple of horses is not in their interest. So the burden of checking usually falls on the Department of Agriculture, usually the Brand Inspector. They occassionally hang out at the Port of entry. I've seen them drop in on large equine events, ie Rodeos, Endurance races where they spot check.  And of course they are always present at any kind of livestock auction.

Add NM to that list too. Every county has its own livestock inspector and you can stopped in each county you cross, not just at the state line.   

I've found the inspector in Dona Anna county to be quite thorough.  Right after we moved he stopped me and I'd never heard of travel papers.  They didn't tell me about it at the state POE, of course they didn't tell me anything except get out of the way, so he didn't give me a ticket, but he told me I need them and the next day called the live stock inspector in my county to make sure I'd made an appt and to let her know I didn't have papers if I hadn't.

Well I hope the Flying J is either getting some rebate on taxes or rent from the states that use them for brand inspections.  IMO that is a load of crap.  Reminds me of the old jokes about where to to find a policeman.....at the donut shop.    I could have understood it if they wanted us to stop at the state weigh station or something like that.....or is the Flying J  state property?  And what the h---l do I want with a plastic card mailed to my home long after the trip is over?  That assumes I will be traveling out west with my horse again.....NOT.

BBSmfg.....I did not miss anything.....I just do not like arid areas with bare rocks and 25 year old trees that are 2 feet tall.  Nor do I like manual pitcher water pumps that have to be primed (since I am physically unable to operate them).

The rampant poverty in SD, WY and CO was very sad to see....also the strip coal mines.....  JMO

Cloud9   Let me refer you to Izzy's post as that explains it  better than I do.  Anyway I cannot see where there would be a lot of money in stolen horses and most thieves want to steal stuff they can readily turn into cash.....but what do I know.....most thieves are not over run with brain power either.....

Anyway, for me and mine, we will stay east of the Missouri River.