Sport licences and insurances

  • A sport licence is a permit issued by the Leagues (Paardensport Vlaanderen or LEWB) that allows individuals to participate in equestrian sports competitions in Belgium.
  • To obtain a licence, an athlete must have a valid membership in one of the equestrian clubs affiliated with the Leagues. The sport licence includes basic insurance coverage, and the Leagues also offer additional insurance options to assist individuals in various roles and situations, such as acting as a trainer or official, or competing abroad.
  • The duration of the sport licence is from the date of issuance until the 31st of December of the current season. Licence checks during the entry process are conducted based on the date of competition.
  • Licences are categorized from 01 to 16, where 16 is the highest level and 01 is the lowest level. Additionally, level 20 is positioned between 01 and 02 and is exclusively intended for grooms. These categories are progressive, with the highest level granting access to international events and the lowest level allowing for participation in single starts at lower-level competitions.
  • When entering a competition, licence requirement varies depending on the level of competition, discipline and age of the athlete. For instance, athletes aged 18 and above who compete in Jumping at the international level are only required to have a level 16 licence. However, young athletes are allowed to compete with a lower level of licence. In Dressage and other disciplines, the licence category requirements for international events are lower. It is advisable to consult the information provided by the Leagues prior to acquiring a licence.
  • Only one sport licence can be valid at a time. The licence is upgradable. In the case of an upgrade, the previous licence will be terminated and a new one will be issued. Any fees already paid for the current season's licence(s) can be deducted from the price of the new level.
  • The licence has the following affiliations: league, regional organization, and a club. When obtaining a licence, the athlete also selects the main discipline. The league, regional organization, and club usually cannot be changed during the season. However, the main discipline can be changed with the upgrade of the licence category.
  • An athlete's affiliation can be verified during the entry process. There are competitions that are open exclusively to athletes from specific leagues, regional organizations (such as regional championships), and certain clubs (such as interclub championships). The parameters of the licence are also used in the calculation of ranking points for various charts, as well as for statistical purposes.
  • Duration of insurance: from the date of issue (purchase) until the specified end date for the insurance type. The end date may differ from the duration of the licence (e.g., until 15.01).
  • Insurances are categorized, such as C, I, L, R, etc. Individuals can hold multiple valid categories simultaneously. Certain insurances may have additional conditions for accessing specific categories, such as already purchased certain type of insurance for the season, reaching a certain age, or obtaining a trainer's diploma.
  • Insurances can be purchased together with licences or separately (without upgrading licence category).

The main changes starting from the 1st of January in the new Equibel:

  • There are no longer any restrictions regarding the ordering of first-time licences versus renewals. If all conditions (valid club membership, age, diplomas, etc.) are satisfied, first-time licences can be ordered as a self-service from Equibel for both LEWB and Paardensport Vlaanderen athletes.
  • Licence letters (disciplines, such as J, D, E, etc.) are now detached from licence levels (numbers, such as 02, 03, 06, etc.). Discipline-specific letters are considered the person's "main discipline" and can be changed during the season with a licence upgrade.
  • A full history of licences and a history of insurances is now introduced and will be available under the athlete's profile.

Check out a short video to learn more about how to order licences and insurances in Equibel:

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