Carnet de Passages – the passport for your vehicle

In the video: facts about the Carnet de Passages ∙ Bild/Video: © ADAC e.V.

You're planning to drive around Australia with your own vehicle, to set out east on the Silk Road or want to go on a safari in Africa? At many border crossings outside Europe, you will be asked for a Carnet de Passages:

  • It is an international customs document for the duty-free and temporary importation of a vehicle.

  • It is required in certain countries of Africa, Asia and South America as well as in Australia and New Zealand.

  • It is valid for 12 months and does not include any vehicle insurance.

Carnet de Passages charges

You have to lodge a deposit for the Carnet which depends on the vehicle value and the countries, you intend to visit. Additionally, you have to pay an issuing fee. In case of a DHL dispatch, there will be an additional dispatch fee.

The exact costs for the Carnet can be found in our table of fees.

Table of fees Carnet de Passages
PDF, 147 KB
PDF ansehen

Application Carnet de Passages

The Carnet de Passages can be issued in the name of only one person and for one vehicle. That means it is not transferrable to another person or vehicle. The document's holder is liable for consequences which reveal from loss or abuse of an unauthorized third party.
The Carnet is regarded as an official document and remains the property of ADAC. Therefore, the document's holder should keep it carefully.

Please send the complete documents for the application

  • original and signed application form version 23A (3 pages) 

  • copy of ID or passport

  • copy of vehicle registration papers

  • copy of automobile membership card (affiliated to the FIA)

  • for camping vehicles a copy of a current valuation report or proof of current vehicle value

  • original and signed collateral promise (2 pages), if you aren't the owner of the vehicle

by e-mail (cdp@adac.de) or mail to the following address (ADAC e.V., Carnet de Passages, Hansastr. 19, 80686 München/Munich, Germany).

You can download and print the application form for the Carnet here:

Application Form Carnet de Passages
PDF, 1,1 MB
PDF ansehen

Which countries require a Carnet de Passages?

Here, you can check if a Carnet is needed for your journey.

Carnet de Passages in Africa
PDF, 2,01 MB
PDF ansehen
Carnet de Passages in Middle East
PDF, 1,67 MB
PDF ansehen
Carnet de Passages in Asia
PDF, 435 KB
PDF ansehen
Carnet de Passages in Asian-Pacific region
PDF, 479 KB
PDF ansehen
Carnet de Passages in South America
PDF, 458 KB
PDF ansehen
Carnet de Passages in North America
PDF, 720 KB
PDF ansehen

Latest travel news

Please be alerted to unannounced and longer border closures at short notice worldwide. We therefore recommend to contact your Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the embassy in the country you intend to visit.

Due to the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the borders between Pakistan and Afghanistan, Iran and India are closed at the moment. Passing is only possible with an official permit. Please stay informed about the current situation at the borders and contact your Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Extension of Carnet validity

If your Carnet is going to expire or is running out of pages and you want to continue your journey, you have two options of extending its validity:

Follow-up Carnet

Please apply for a new Carnet approximately 4 weeks before the expiry date at ADAC. The Follow-up Carnet is again valid for 12 months and can be used for several countries. The issuing fee must be paid again, the lodged deposit will be transferred. If you decide to go to countries which are not covered by the current Carnet, the deposit must be increased. The dispatch of the Follow-up Carnet by DHL is possible (additional dispatch costs). Please use the current table of fees. For the issuing of the Follow-up Carnet, we need a new application form. Please download the current version here.

Application Form Carnet de Passages
PDF, 1,1 MB
PDF ansehen

Extension of existing Carnet

If a vehicle cannot be exported from a country within the Carnet validity, please apply for the extension at least 4 weeks before the expiry at ADAC. We will tell you if an extension abroad is possible and provide the according contact details of the foreign automobile club. The extension requires the approval of the foreign customs authority. The partner club forwards us the permission of the customs authority and asks for our permission to extend the Carnet. We will give our permission as soon as the extension fee (proportional paying based on the issuing fee) is in our bank account. An extended Carnet is only valid in the country of extension and can be used for leaving the country only, not for continuing your journey.

Extension in general
PDF, 122 KB
PDF ansehen

There are special rules in a few countries:

Extension South African Customs Union (South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho)
PDF, 199 KB
PDF ansehen
Extension Australia
PDF, 98,8 KB
PDF ansehen
Extension New Zealand
PDF, 98,1 KB
PDF ansehen

FAQs Carnet de Passages

Here you find answers to frequently asked questions concerning the Carnet.

+49 89 76 76 63 38
Monday–Friday: 08.00–14.00 (8 am - 2 pm)