A Coggins test is a blood test that screens a horse for equine infectious anemia (EIA), an incurable viral disease. Many states ask for a negative result dated within the past 12 months when a horse moves, changes owners, boards at a barn or goes to an event, but the details differ by state. Your veterinarian takes the sample, an approved laboratory runs it, and you get official Coggins papers back.
Key takeaways
- A Coggins test screens a horse’s blood for equine infectious anemia (EIA).
- Florida, Texas and Kentucky sources cite 12 months, but details differ.
- One Texas lab lists a $12.50 fee for the test itself.
- Only 15 of 554 equine vets on Barnmap publish any price.
- Confirm your state’s rules with the state veterinarian’s office.
Find equine vets near youPrices checked on each business's own website.
What is a Coggins test for horses?
The Coggins test is the blood test used to detect EIA, a viral disease that affects horses, ponies, mules, donkeys and zebras. USDA says the disease has been detected and controlled in the United States since the 1970s using this test. The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) describes the routine: a veterinarian collects a blood sample, a laboratory tests it, and the veterinarian issues a federal form, VS 10-11, known as “Coggins papers,” as official proof of testing.
Florida’s rules name two accepted tests, the agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID) test and the competitive ELISA (cELISA), and both must be run at a state and federally approved laboratory. One Texas A&M diagnostic laboratory lists its AGID test as a 2 mL serum sample with a turnaround of 1 to 3 days.
What does Coggins stand for?
Nothing: Coggins is not an acronym. It is the name attached to the blood test that screens for EIA, which does stand for equine infectious anemia. Rules and paperwork use the terms interchangeably, and Florida’s rules write “EIA or Coggins test” for the same requirement.
Why do horses need a Coggins test?
Because EIA has no vaccine and no treatment. USDA says infected animals that survive the disease become carriers that can infect other equids for life, and that they must be euthanized or permanently isolated from other equids. The virus moves from blood to blood: blood-feeding insects such as horseflies and deerflies can carry it, and USDA also points to human-facilitated spread, such as re-using needles, syringes or IV equipment between horses. TAHC adds that there is no evidence EIA is a threat to human health.
That is why state rules attach the test to the moments when horses meet other horses: moving, selling, showing and boarding.
How rare is a positive Coggins in horses?
Rare today. USDA estimates that national prevalence of EIA infection in the U.S. equine population dropped from nearly 4 percent in 1972 to 0.004 percent. The same USDA page explains that the disease has been controlled by detecting it with the Coggins test, so a low national number describes the result of testing, not a reason to skip it.
Watch out: A horse can be infected before it tests positive. USDA says it may take 60 days or more for the horse to test positive. If you are worried about a recent exposure, ask your veterinarian when to test.
What are the clinical signs of equine infectious anemia?
Signs vary with the horse’s resistance, the virus and stress factors, and EIA can appear as acute, chronic or inapparent, according to TAHC. Its list of the most common signs includes:
- Fever and depression
- Low platelet count and anemia
- Red or purple spots on the mucous membranes
- Edema, muscle weakness and muscle atrophy
Because some infected horses show no signs at all, states rely on a blood test rather than a visual check. Only a veterinarian can diagnose a horse. If yours shows signs like these, call your vet.
When do you need a Coggins test for your horse?
There is no single rule for every horse. Each state sets its own, and they differ in the time window, the age exemptions and the activities that trigger a test. The table summarizes what the sources we cite say for Florida, Texas and Kentucky, next to the number of equine vets Barnmap lists in each.
| State | Equine vets on Barnmap | What the cited source says |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | 42 | Horses moving within the state need an official negative EIA test dated within 12 months of the blood sample being taken. Imported horses also need an Official Certificate of Veterinary Inspection. Foals under 6 months with a dam that has an official negative test are exempt. |
| Texas | 51 | Equine 8 months or older need a negative test within the previous 12 months at a change of ownership. The same 12-month test applies at assemblies such as rodeos and trail rides, on public equestrian trails, and at boarding, training or breeding facilities. |
| Kentucky | 10 | University of Kentucky Extension guidance (2014) says horses traveling in the state need a certificate of a negative test within the previous 12 months. It gave a shorter six-month window for sales and ownership changes, so confirm today’s rule. |
Barnmap also lists equine vets in 44 other states, including California (57), Virginia (31), Oregon (24), Washington (21) and North Carolina (20); every state page is linked at the end of this guide. The sources cited here do not cover their rules, so ask the state veterinarian’s office before you test or haul.
Watch out: Rules change and this is not legal advice. Your state veterinarian’s office, usually part of the state department of agriculture, has the current rules, including those for horses entering from another state. Check the destination state before you haul.
Do boarding barns require a Coggins test?
In Texas, yes by rule: horses housed at a boarding, training or breeding facility need an EIA test within the previous 12 months, and TAHC says the stable is responsible for making sure each horse arrives with valid papers. The Florida and Kentucky pages cited here do not address boarding, so ask each barn what it requires before move-in. Browse barns in our horse boarding directory or on a state page such as Florida, Texas, Kentucky or California, and see our guide to choosing a horse boarding barn for questions to ask.
- Confirm the test date on your papers is still inside your state’s window.
- Keep a copy of the VS 10-11 form in the truck or trailer, as TAHC advises.
- Ask the destination state for any extra paperwork, such as a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (Florida requires one for imported horses).
- Ask the barn or event organizer what proof they require, in writing.
Planning a trip? Our guide on how to ship a horse covers the rest of the trip.
How much does it cost to get a Coggins test for a horse?
The laboratory fee for the test itself can be small: Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory lists $12.50 for its equine infectious anemia (AGID) test. That figure covers the lab work only. What a horse owner pays is set by the veterinary practice that collects the sample, and it varies, so ask for the total before you book.
We cannot show a Coggins price range from the prices we list. Of the 554 equine vets listed on Barnmap, only 15 publish any price on their own websites, as of October 2026. Fees change, so confirm the current price with the practice.
Tip: When you call for a quote, ask what it includes: the farm call or clinic visit, the blood draw, the lab fee and the paperwork. Then compare quotes on the same basis.
How do you get a Coggins test for your horse?
- Call an equine vet
Ask whether the practice runs the test and issues papers valid in your state. Of the 554 equine vets listed on Barnmap, 424 say they travel to the client.
- Have the blood drawn
Your veterinarian collects the sample and sends it to an approved laboratory with a completed USDA form VS 10-11.
- Wait for the lab
Turnaround depends on the laboratory. One Texas lab lists 1 to 3 days for its AGID test.
- Receive your papers
The veterinarian gives you the form as proof of testing. These are your Coggins papers.
- Keep a copy handy
TAHC advises owners to keep the document on hand when traveling with the horse.
What happens if a horse tests positive?
A positive result involves the state, not only the owner, and the details vary by state. Here is the Texas process described in the TAHC fact sheet.
- Positive test
- Report to TAHC
- Premises quarantined
- Exposed horses tested
- Lifetime quarantine or euthanasia
TAHC asks that suspected and confirmed cases be reported within 24 hours of diagnosis. All equine on the shared premises, or otherwise exposed, are quarantined and tested, and quarantines are released when TAHC requirements are met. Confirmed positive horses can be quarantined for life but are usually euthanized. Unless euthanized, they must be identified with a “74-A” freeze or firebrand within 10 days, and they may not leave their premises except to an approved diagnostic or research facility with TAHC approval. Ask your veterinarian about any horse in this situation.
Where can you find an equine vet for a Coggins test?
Barnmap lists 554 equine vets across 47 states, as published by the establishments on their own websites and listed on Barnmap as of October 2026. Start with the equine vet directory, or go straight to your state: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin or Wyoming.
The chart shows the 16 states with 12 or more equine vets listed. Confirm services and fees with the practice, and use Barnmap Picks if you want recommendations. If you are also planning routine care, our guide to the horse vaccination schedule is a good next read, and your vet can set the schedule for your horse.
Sources
- Equine Infectious Anemia, USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
- Equine Movement Requirements, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
- Equine Infectious Anemia Fact Sheet, Texas Animal Health Commission
- Equine Infectious Anemia Virus (AGID), Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory
- Time to think about Coggins test for horses, University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service
This guide is general information for horse owners, not veterinary or legal advice. Prices come from what establishments publish on their own websites, as listed on Barnmap on the date shown. How we check