How it works
It's a promise to each country's customs that the duties and taxes on your vehicle will be paid if the vehicle doesn't leave. The issuing club backs that promise, and your security backs the club.
It matters most once you ship to Africa (for example Egypt, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa), the Middle East and South Asia (for example Jordan, Pakistan, India, Nepal), and parts of Southeast Asia. Australia and New Zealand accept it too.
You don't need one in the EU, the UK, the US, Canada, Mexico or the Latin American countries we checked. Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil and Uruguay use their own free border permit. Chile, Colombia and Peru accept a carnet but don't require one. When Boomerang lists a country as one that "uses" carnets, that means it accepts them, not that you need one.
Customs stamps it at every entry and every exit. They keep a voucher and give you back a stamped stub (the counterfoil). It's valid for 1 year from the issue date and can be replaced up to 4 times, for 5 years total.
Per Boomerang Carnets, security is based on your vehicle's value and the highest duty rate among the countries on your carnet. Cash: at least US$5,000, all of it back when the carnet is cleared, plus a 2% service fee (US$100 minimum, US$1,000 maximum). Loss Prevention: Boomerang's own examples work out to about 10% of (vehicle value times that duty rate), at least US$3,600, with 80% back when it's cleared. The application fee is US$950 (plus US$350 if Egypt or Sudan is listed), and processing takes 7 to 10 business days.
When the trip's over, you send the carnet back with every entry matched by an exit stamp. That's called "discharging" it. If a country says the vehicle never left, it can claim the duties from the issuer, and that claim comes out of your security.
An example
You ship your Land Cruiser from Baltimore to Mombasa, and Kenyan customs stamps your carnet in on 3 February 2026. You drive out at Namanga on 20 March, where Kenya stamps you out and Tanzania stamps you in, then exit Tanzania into Zambia on 2 May with both stamps again. You finish in Zambia and ship home, and Zambia stamps the exit at the port. Every entry has a matching exit, so you return the carnet to Boomerang before its 1-year expiry and get your cash guarantee back.
Mistakes people make
- Missing an exit stamp, often at a quiet border post or when the vehicle leaves by ship. Check every counterfoil before you drive away.
- Leaving the vehicle behind after a breakdown or accident, or selling it. You need customs to clear the carnet first, or the full duty claim lands on your security.
- Letting the carnet expire mid-trip. Apply for a replacement before the expiry date, not after.
- Not listing a country. It only covers the countries it was issued for, and a higher-duty country added later can raise your security. A US-issued carnet can't include Iran, and Bangladesh is no longer accepting carnets (customs there wants a bank guarantee for the vehicle's full value plus taxes), so talk to Boomerang before routing through either.
- Buying from anyone else. In the US and Canada, Boomerang is the only real issuer (the FIA appointed it in December 2015, taking over from CAA). Not returning the carnet costs US$400, per Boomerang Carnets.
Quick answers
Do I need a carnet for Europe, Mexico or Latin America?
No. You don't need one in the EU, the UK, the US, Canada, Mexico or the Latin American countries we checked.
Where do US residents get a carnet?
From Boomerang Carnets, the only issuer the FIA has appointed for the US and Canada.
How much does a carnet cost?
Per Boomerang Carnets, the application fee is US$950 (US$350 more if Egypt or Sudan is listed), plus a security of at least US$5,000 in cash or a Loss Prevention fee of at least US$3,600.
What if I miss an exit stamp?
A country can claim you never took the vehicle out and charge the duties to the issuer, and that comes out of your security. Check every stub before you drive away.
Where this comes from
Government sources only. Read the rule yourself.
- Kenya Revenue Authority: Temporary importation of road vehicles and foreign vehicle permitskra.go.ke ↗
- Australian Border Force: Carnetsabf.gov.au ↗
- New Zealand Customs: Vehicles, boats and planescustoms.govt.nz ↗
Where to get one (not government sites)
Carnets come from motoring clubs, not governments. Australian and New Zealand customs both say they're issued by FIA or AIT member clubs. In the US and Canada, Boomerang Carnets issues them. Fees and security amounts come from the issuer and can change.
Boomerang Carnets: Security options ↗FIA and AIT: What is a CPD ↗What changed
11 Oct 2026. Government sources only, issuers moved to their own box, New Zealand and Bangladesh corrected.
3 Oct 2026. Checked against Boomerang Carnets. Updated Bangladesh, the service fee minimum, and added the exit step.
A plain-language summary of the official rules. It isn't legal advice. If your situation is unusual, confirm with the relevant authority or a qualified adviser.
