The AQHA Lease Authorization Form is the document the American Quarter Horse Association uses to record a breeding lease, giving the lessee authority to sign breeder certificates, stallion breeding reports, and registration applications for a horse they do not own. To submit it, download the form from AQHA, fill in the horse, owner, and lessee information exactly as it appears on the certificate of registration, set a lease term of no more than three years, sign without any alterations, and mail it with the $100 member fee to AQHA’s office in Amarillo, Texas.
What the Form Authorizes
Once filed, the Lease Authorization lets the lessee sign all registration-related paperwork for the horse during the lease period. That covers breeder certificates when a mare produces a foal, stallion breeding reports, and registration applications, all submitted under the lessee’s name rather than the owner’s. When the lease period ends, that signing authority ends with it.
One boundary matters before you file anything. The form itself states, “This is not a show lease.”1American Quarter Horse Association. Lease Authorization Form If the goal is amateur or youth show eligibility, you need the separate Showing Lease Form. A Lease Authorization does not let anyone compete and earn points on a leased horse, and a Showing Lease does not let the lessee sign breeding or registration paperwork. If you need both, you file both.
Information You’ll Need Before Starting
Keep the horse’s certificate of registration in front of you. The form draws its key fields directly from that document, and mismatches get forms rejected.
- Horse’s registered name and AQHA registration number, copied exactly from the certificate. A missing suffix or misspelling can send the form back.
- Owner’s name and AQHA ID number. The owner listed has to match the current certificate of registration. If the horse was recently transferred and the new certificate hasn’t arrived yet, wait for it before filing.
- Lessee’s name, AQHA ID number, and full mailing address. The lessee must be a current AQHA member, or must join at the time of filing by paying the combined lease-and-membership fee.
- Lease period, with start and end dates in month/day/year format.
- Owner’s signature, address, and daytime phone number.
- Lessee’s signature and ID number.
- Payment information. The form includes fields for Visa, Mastercard, or American Express, or you can enclose a check or money order.
Signatures Have to Match the Certificate
The owner’s signature must appear the way the name is printed on the current certificate of registration. If the registered owner reads “Jane M. Smith,” sign as “Jane M. Smith,” not “Jane Smith” or “J.M. Smith.” AQHA treats this strictly, and a mismatch is one of the quickest routes to a returned form.
Don’t Alter the Form
The form warns that “alterations or added conditions may make this form unacceptable.”1American Quarter Horse Association. Lease Authorization Form That rules out white-out, crossed-out text, and handwritten additions to the printed terms. Mistakes mean starting fresh with a clean copy. Any private side agreements between owner and lessee belong on a separate document, not scribbled in the margins.
How Long the Lease Can Run
A breeding lease filed with AQHA can be as short as you need, but it cannot exceed three years. AQHA will not record an indefinite term. If the end date is left blank, or if it falls more than three years after the start date, AQHA will set the term at three years from the start.1American Quarter Horse Association. Lease Authorization Form
Any breeding or registration activity that happens outside the recorded dates will not be recognized under the lessee’s name. If the lease runs out and you need more time, file a new Lease Authorization with a new fee. The original cannot be amended or extended.
Filing Fees
The cost depends on membership status:2American Quarter Horse Association. AQHA Fees
- Current AQHA or AQHYA member: $100
- Non-member, including membership enrollment: $165
- Rush processing: $100 on top of the standard fee
AQHA accepts check, money order, or credit card (Visa, Mastercard, or American Express). A 2.5% nonrefundable transaction fee applies to card payments, and that fee may be waived for check or money order.
Where to Send the Completed Form
Mail the signed form and payment to AQHA in Amarillo. Use the address that matches your shipping method:3American Quarter Horse Association. Contact Info
- Standard mail: AQHA, P.O. Box 200, Amarillo, TX 79168
- Overnight delivery: American Quarter Horse Association, 1600 Quarter Horse Dr., Amarillo, TX 79104
AQHA also runs a member portal, myAQHA, that handles certain transactions online, but not every form type is available digitally. If you want to know whether a lease authorization can be filed through the portal, contact AQHA directly before putting paper in the mail.
How Long Processing Takes
AQHA cites a typical turnaround of 7 to 10 business days for registration-related paperwork when the documentation is complete and in good order.4American Quarter Horse Association. AQHA Papers in a Hurry Rush service, for an added $100, typically brings that down to about two business days. Missing signatures, name mismatches, or unsigned payment fields will stall everything, so review each field once more before the envelope goes out. If breeding season is bearing down, time the filing with the standard turnaround in mind, or budget for the rush fee.