So you finally did it – you moved to sunny Florida and bought a horse, no doubt with the intention of making big money in the racing industry. Well, what you also need to do is obtain the proper license for that horse. In Florida, owners of racing horses must obtain a license granted to them by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. The racing profession, like all gambling occupations and businesses in Florida, is directly regulated by the Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering. In this guide, we'll walk you through the steps needed to enter the horse racing profession as an owner, and show you how to stay in step with current laws and regulations governing the profession.

Obtaining a License

In Florida, race horses are classified as “business animals,” and fall into the same regulatory category as greyhounds, for example. Florida lumps all of its gambling professions (cardroom operator, etc.) into the same licensing category: the Business Occupational License. Here's how to obtain one.

• First, you're going to need to actually purchase the horse. You may not “pre-apply” for a license to own a racing horse prior to purchase. So, go and pick up We Didn't Start The Fire or whatever crazy name your horse has, then get to the regulatory requirements. If you want to own a racing horse but do not wish to engage in the business of racing yourself, you'll be filling out a different form, called a PMW-3120 Individual Occupational License. However, if you follow the steps in this guide to obtain an actual license to race – a “business” license – you will not need to also obtain an Individual occupational license.

• Register a business corporation in Florida for the purpose of horse-racing. This is perhaps worthy of a Fact Sheet all on its own, but it is a necessary prerequisite to racing a horse that you own in Florida. The key thing to remember is that every racing horse is a “business” in and of itself, and so must conform to the typical requirements of a business. Thankfully, the incorporation process in Florida is not too difficult – you can find out more about it and begin the process here.

• Finally, obtain your Pari-Mutuel License. This is also a simple process – fill out the application and pay a fee of 120 dollars, and you'll have your license. To take a look at the application form, click on the second link to this Google search (it's a PDF of the application). The application is fairly straightforward – note that the same form is used for cardroom licenses, so make sure you check the box stating that you're applying for a “Pari-Mutuel License.”

Another thing to note is that this process is very specific to owning a race horse. If you want to work as a jockey or jockey agent, or as a racing or game official, you will have to submit the above-referenced PMW-3120 form to obtain an Individual Occupational License. The above process is for owning and operating a racing horse, which again, is considered a business in Florida.

Maintaining a License

Florida horse racing licenses are valid for three fiscal years – they expire if not renewed on June 30^th of the third fiscal year. The renewal application is fairly simple, and can be done online here.

As you might imagine, gambling professions in general are subject to a fair amount of regulation, which you can see for yourself at this link. Horse ownership and racing, though, has heavy regulations for the owner (not necessarily the bettor) in only one area: the medications allowed to be given to the horse. This is to prevent cheating and fraud in the horse race industry by shooting the horse up with anabolic steroids. If you've bought a horse, you're certainly going to want to consult with a veterinarian as to its proper care and treatment, but you can get a general overview of what is and isn't allowed at this link.