Changes to the VAT treatment of Horses and Greyhounds

Following the signing of a Commencement Order by the Minister for Finance, changes to the Value-Added Tax (VAT) treatment of horses and greyhounds will come into effect from 1 January 2015. The changes are summarised as follows:

The "Second Reduced Rate" of VAT (currently 9%) will apply to the:

• supply of live horses, other than those normally intended for use in the preparation of foodstuffs or in agricultural production;
• hire of horses; and
• supply of greyhounds

The "Reduced Rate" of VAT (currently 13.5%) will apply to insemination services for all animals, including livestock, horses and greyhounds (including nominations in studs and "no foal, no fee" inseminations), and also to the supply of livestock semen and horse semen.

Further details are outlined in Chapter 3 (Part 03-27) of the VAT Manual and in the Information Leaflet (Supplies of Live Horses, Greyhounds, Insemination Services and Hire of Horses – VAT rates applying from 1 January 2015).

25 November 2014