Carnet de Passage en Douanes (CPD): Frequently Asked Questions

The Alliance Internationale de Tourisme, founded in 1898, and the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile founded in 1904 are the two international non-governmental organisations that control the CPD process on behalf of more than 220 affiliated motoring clubs and associations in some 130 countries around the world, in compliance with the UN Conventions and the Istanbul Convention. The AIT provides material support to the FIA and manages the international AIT /FIA customs document network with the aim of facilitating international travel and touring.

You should call the CARS Carnet department on +44 (0)1284 333 812, or email us at carnetservices@carseurope.net to discuss your plans.

A completed Carnet application form/terms & conditions, a copy of your passport, driving licence (paper & photo card version) and vehicle registration certificate should be emailed to CARS Carnet Services. A quotation will then be prepared & sent via email.

Fees can be paid by credit/debit card (additional charges may apply when using certain cards) or directly into the CARS bank account. The Carnet will be dispatched by courier at your request (the cost of the courier will be added to your quotation).

Depending on your plans, CARS will either issue a new Carnet to cover further countries, or it may be possible to extend the Carnet locally with of the countries’ Customs authority and overseas motoring club.

It is advisable to discuss your travel plans with CARS before your departure to ensure you are aware of any restrictions and to enable the Carnet team assist you with the correct advice and to make the necessary notes and arrangements to manage your Carnet requirements. 

Further fees will apply for the extension / renewal. Please be aware the Carnet De Passage is for the use of temporary import of a vehicle and a renewal is not guaranteed.

Each page is divided into three sections; the lower section is removed by Customs on entry into a country; the middle section is removed on exit; the top, counter-foil section, is stamped once on entry and once on exit. A country re-visited during a return journey will require a new page to be stamped.

It is vital that the holder gets these endorsements, particularly on exit, as they prove that a vehicle has complied with temporary import conditions and discharge responsibility for any possible future import charges providing the Carnet is correctly discharged from each territory where the Carnet is used during your journey.

Payment can be made with either a credit or debit card by calling CARS Carnet department on +44 (0)1284 333 812 (additional charges may apply when using certain cards).

Alternatively, a bank transfer can be made to CARS bank account. Bank details will be supplied on the bottom of the invoice. Payment must be received in full prior to CARS sending out your Carnet.

5 page – GBP 233.00, 10 page – GBP 248.00 or 25 page GBP 273.00 (from January 2024). Each page represents an entry and exit from a country. Therefore, for an overland journey across Africa a 25-page document would be required.

The applicant must also provide a security amount in the form of either a non-refundable insurance indemnity or a part-refundable deposit guarantee (a percentage of the deposit guarantee will be charged to cover administration and bank fees) to cover the temporary import of the vehicle against the duties and taxes applicable.

Complete and sign CARS Carnet application form/terms & conditions and submit to CARS Carnets, along with copies of your passport, driving licence & vehicle registration certificate. All must be legible, up to date and in the name and address of the applicant. There is no need to send any fees at this point.

The application can be found here…

CARS and its insurers reserve the right to decline Carnet issue according to risk and vehicle suitability for the journey to be undertaken.

It takes approximately four weeks after the receipt of a correctly completed application form and all supporting documents to process a CPD application.

The CPD is valid for 12 months, but each country has its own rules on the period and the amount of time you can spend in that country. The period of temporary importation is fixed by the laws and regulations of the country visited. These must be strictly respected to avoid any incidents or claims as a result of breaking local laws. Therefore the duration spent in the country is out of CARS control. 

CARS can advise on particular countries’ requirements at the time of application. However, these are liable to change at any time. We are unfortunately unable to guarantee current information. It is advised that you check each country’s rules on temporary importation prior to travelling as the CPD and CARS is not liable for any changes the country makes or if entry is refused.

In accordance with the Carnet handbook, your Carnet start date will be the date on which it is dispatched from our office. Please take this into consideration when making your travel arrangements. Please contact us if you are not happy for the Carnet to be dispatched on receipt of your payment.

The CPD is an easy-to-recognise document that does away with the need to pay cash amounts to border officials to import your vehicle, discouraging the violation of temporary importation laws and helping to curb arbitrary procedures by customs officers. The document offers a link to the vehicle, owner or driver if a vehicle is not re-exported or if any other problems arise. It also helps to ensure that travellers and their vehicles can cross national borders.

The CPD international customs document allows you to temporarily import your vehicle into certain countries. This means you don’t have to pay the import duties of the country you are driving through or staying in temporarily.

The CPD is used within the legal framework of the United Nations Customs Convention of 1954 and 1956 on the temporary importation of private and commercial road vehicles and the ‘Convention on Temporary Admission’ (1990). The CPD provides security for the payment of any customs duties and any import taxes chargeable should the vehicle not be re-exported.