Cities Moving Away from Horse-Drawn Carriages.

All over the world, cities are deciding that horse-drawn carriages don’t belong in modern traffic. Some have banned them by law, others have phased them out, and many just stopped allowing new permits. The message is the same everywhere: this is an outdated practice, and it’s time to move on.

Full Ban in Effect

  • Chicago, Illinois (USA) – Licenses expired and not renewed (2021).

  • Salt Lake City, Utah (USA) – City Council ban after horse collapse.

  • Biloxi, Mississippi (USA) – Carriage rides prohibited for safety and welfare reasons.

  • Camden, New Jersey (USA) – Full ban enacted.

  • Asheville, North Carolina (USA) – Ban passed in 2016.

  • Florida Cities (USA): Key West · Palm Beach · Pompano Beach · Treasure Island · Kenneth City · Deerfield Beach · Panama City Beach.

  • Montréal, Québec (Canada) – Complete ban effective 2020.

  • Málaga, Spain – Ended carriage operations permanently in 2025.

Ban Adopted / In Active Phase-Out

  • San Antonio, Texas (USA) – Ban approved; phase-out by 2030 with humane alternatives.

  • Prague, Czech Republic – Carriages removed from Old Town and central routes.

  • Melbourne, Australia – Carriages banned from central business district; citywide restrictions expanding.

No Active Operations (Defunct / Ended Without Formal Ban)

  • Santa Fe, New Mexico (USA) – Last company closed; no current permits issued.

  • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (USA) – Licenses not renewed; final operator shut down in 2020.

  • Atlanta, Georgia (USA) – Downtown carriage operations discontinued for safety and insurance reasons.

  • Nashville, Tennessee (USA) – All companies ceased operations.

  • Dallas, Texas (USA) – No active operators; permits allowed to lapse.

  • Denver, Colorado (USA) – Service ended amid heat restrictions and public protests.

  • Toronto, Ontario (Canada) – Last carriage company closed over a decade ago.

  • Victoria, British Columbia (Canada) – Transitioning to electric alternatives; horse carriages effectively dormant.

  • Rome, Italy – Carriage trade drastically reduced; confined to limited tourist areas.

  • Vienna, Austria – Industry sharply reduced; companies closing under heat-safety rules.

  • Kraków, Poland – Seasonal restrictions and protests have nearly ended operations.

  • Sydney, Australia – Last horse-drawn carriage license expired in 2018.

  • Auckland, New Zealand – No active carriage operations since 2016.

Pending / Under Consideration

New York City, New York (USA) – Ryder’s Law introduced to end horse-drawn carriages and transition workers to humane, modern employment.