Carnet de Passages: The UK Driver's Guide to Cross-Border Vehicle Documents

A Carnet de Passages en Douane (CPD) is an internationally recognised customs document that allows a vehicle to be temporarily imported into a country without paying import duty or posting a local bond, provided the vehicle is re-exported within an agreed timeframe. It functions similarly to a passport for your car: customs officials at each border stamp it on entry and exit, and it guarantees to the destination country that duty will be paid if the vehicle isn't taken back out. It's distinct from the standard shipping export process covered in our export licence guide, which applies to permanent exports rather than temporary touring.

Many countries across Africa, the Middle East and parts of Asia require a Carnet for temporary vehicle imports, including Egypt, Kenya, Tanzania, Pakistan, India, and several Gulf states outside the standard tourist visa arrangements. It's most commonly needed by overlanders driving their own vehicle through multiple countries — for example a UK-registered 4x4 travelling from Morocco to South Africa — rather than by people simply shipping a car for permanent resale or personal use in a single destination.

In the UK, Carnets are issued by the RAC on behalf of the international carnet system. You'll need the vehicle's V5C logbook, proof of ownership, and to complete an application specifying your intended route and countries of transit. Processing typically takes 5-10 working days, so apply at least three weeks before departure to allow for any queries or amendments.

Expect an administration fee of roughly £100-£200 depending on the number of countries covered, plus a refundable indemnity deposit or bond calculated as a percentage of the vehicle's value and the import duty rates of the countries you're visiting — this can range from 100% to as much as 400% of the vehicle's value for countries with very high duty rates such as Egypt. The deposit is returned once the RAC confirms the Carnet was correctly discharged (all exit stamps present) after your trip, typically within 6-8 weeks of return.

The single biggest risk is failing to get an exit stamp at every border — without it, customs assumes the vehicle was sold locally and the destination country can claim the full duty from your bond. Always personally check the Carnet has been stamped by an officer before driving away from any border post, and keep photographs of each stamp as a backup in case the physical document is lost or damaged during your trip.

If you're shipping a car for permanent import and resale — the far more common scenario for our customers exporting to Kenya or South Africa — you do not need a Carnet; you need standard export documentation and the destination country's normal import duty process, covered in our customs clearance guide. A Carnet is only relevant if the vehicle will be driven out again.