Extension of the Carnet de Passages
The Carnet de Passages is a customs document often required for international overland travel with your own vehicle. If your Carnet’s twelve‑month validity is about to expire, or you are close to using up all 25 voucher pages but wish to continue your journey, please contact ADAC 4-6 weeks prior to the expiry date of your Carnet.
There are different options depending on the whereabouts of the vehicle.
You can apply for a follow‑up Carnet.
In exceptional cases, the validity of the existing carnet may be extended.
Why do I need an extension?
Sometimes a vehicle can’t be exported from a country before the original Carnet de Passages expires, or travel plans change and the stay lasts longer than expected. In such cases, you can apply for a follow-up Carnet. Without valid Carnet, significant customs fees or penalties may apply.
An extension of the existing Carnet is only possible in exceptional cases.
Depending on your individual travel plans and the current location of your vehicle, one—or in some cases both—of these options may be suitable. To ensure everything can be arranged in time, please contact us ideally around 4-6 weeks before your Carnet expires, so we can discuss the best solution for your situation.
Extending the Carnet or obtaining a follow‑up Carnet does not automatically extend the permitted period of stay for your vehicle.
This period is determined by the customs authorities upon entry and is often significantly shorter than the Carnet’s overall validity. It must not be exceeded without an official authorization from the foreign customs authorities.
To avoid customs claims and complications upon departure, you must separately apply for an extension of the permitted stay with the customs authority of the country in question—and you should do so well before the permitted stay expires.
Applying for a Follow‑Up Carnet
You may apply for a new Carnet before your current document expires. The follow‑up Carnet is valid for another 12 months and may be used for multiple countries. A new issuing fee applies, while the security deposit already held by the ADAC will be carried over. If your upcoming travel includes countries that are listed as restricted in your current Carnet, the security deposit must be increased accordingly. Shipment of the follow‑up Carnet abroad via DHL is available (shipping costs are listed in the current fee schedule). You have to apply for a follow-up Carnet via the online application.
Once you have received the new Carnet, the vehicle must be formally exported using your current Carnet. To do so, present the old Carnet—with its entry stamp—when leaving the country. To enter the next country, present the newly issued Carnet. From that point onward, your journey continues under the new document. After the transition, please return the old Carnet to us by courier, including a copy of the first inside page of the follow‑up Carnet.
Follow-up Carnet without exportation of the vehicle
In exceptional cases, a new Carnet may be issued without the vehicle leaving the country. The following conditions must be met:
Authorization from the customs authority and the relevant automobile club to extend the permitted period of stay
New Carnets must be applied for online.
The vehicle value must remain unchanged and may not be reduced.
Both Carnets must be presented to the customs authorities before the current Carnet expires, so that all required stamps can be transferred to the new document.
Extension of an existing Carnet
If the vehicle cannot be exported before the Carnet’s validity expires, please contact the ADAC. We will inform you whether an extension can be arranged locally and provide you with the relevant contact details for the foreign automobile club. A Carnet de Passages can be extended only once and for a maximum period of 12 months. However, an extension of up to three months is most common.
The approval of the foreign customs authority is required for any extension. Once the partner automobile club has received this approval, they will forward it to us and request our consent. We will issue our confirmation as soon as the proportional extension fee (calculated on the basis of the original issuance fee) has been received via bank transfer.
An extended Carnet is generally valid only in the country in which the extension was granted. It authorizes departure from that country, but does not permit onward travel to other countries that require a Carnet. Therefore, if you plan to continue your journey into additional Carnet‑obligatory countries, a follow‑up Carnet will be required.
Early Planning
Please contact the ADAC at least four weeks before your Carnet de Passages expires. We will review the possible extension options with you and provide the necessary contact information for the relevant foreign automobile clubs.Contacting the Foreign Automobile Club or Customs Authority
You must submit the extension request directly to the automobile club of the country in which your vehicle is currently located. The club will obtain the required approval from the customs authority. Approval depends, among other factors, on your residence status (e.g. visa) and the reasons for your extended stay.Payment of Fees
Once the customs authority has granted approval, the partner automobile club (or, in some cases, the customs authority itself) will notify us and request our confirmation. If no objections remain, the applicable extension fees must be transferred to the ADAC. Please refer to the fee overview below for details.Approval by the ADAC
As soon as the extension fee has been received, we will issue the ADAC’s official confirmation and forward it to the foreign automobile club or customs authority.Notification in the Carnet
The new expiry date will then be noted directly into your existing Carnet de Passages. For this purpose, the Carnet must be presented to the automobile club so that the new validity date can be recorded and sealed. Important: The entry must be made before the original Carnet expires. Please arrange appointments well in advance.Sending a Copy to the ADAC
After the entry has been completed, please send a copy or scan of the extended Carnet to cdp@adac.de for our records.
The extension is subject to fees, depending on the length of the extension:
1-3 months: 65€
4-6 months: 125€
7-9 months: 185€
10-12 months: 250€
Bank details:
ADAC e.V.
Bayerische Landesbank
IBAN: DE13 7005 0000 0004 6160 16
BIC: BYLADEMMXXX
Reference: Extension_plate-number
Travelling the South African Customs Union (SACU)
Please note that the maximum permitted stay for your vehicle within the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) is limited to 12 months. For this entire period, a valid Carnet de Passages bearing the official customs entry stamp must be maintained.
Your vehicle must be exported from the SACU before the Carnet expires. Re-exportation from the Southern African Customs Union is permitted only to Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique as well as via seaports. Any overstay may lead to substantial customs charges and must be avoided.
Options to extend the Carnet inside the South African Customs Union (SACU)
An extension is only possible in exceptional circumstances and must be requested well in advance to prevent claims or objections by the South African customs authorities.
Before leaving the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), please ensure that you apply for a follow‑up Carnet with the ADAC in time. For issuance, we require a fully completed and signed application form, and the issuing fees must be paid in advance. The security deposit already on file will be carried over automatically to the new Carnet.
When exiting the Customs Union, your current Carnet de Passages must be stamped with the official exit stamp—no later than on the day its validity expires.
With your new Carnet, you may then enter Angola, Zimbabwe, Zambia or Mozambique. Please ensure that you receive the appropriate entry stamp in each of these countries.
After leaving one of the above‑mentioned countries, you may re‑enter the Southern African Customs Union using your new Carnet. Upon re‑entry, the duty‑free period of one year begins anew.
If you are unable to export your vehicle from the SACU before or upon expiry of your Carnet, you may apply for an extension of the vehicle’s permitted stay for an additional year through the South African Automobile Association (AASA). This SUBSTITUTION Procedure applies in all SACU member countries.
The application must be submitted to the AASA in Johannesburg no later than four weeks before the Carnet expires. The current application form (“Application to Substitute Carnet de Passage en Douane”) and further information are available on the AASA website under the following link:
https://www.aa.co.za/products/carnet-de-passage-en-douane (see: How do I get replacement Foreign Carnet de Passage (CPD)).
To initiate the substitution, please send your request to the South African Automobile Association, attn. Ms. Odette Pombo, at: OPombo@AASA.CO.ZA
Please ensure that your email including all attachments does not exceed 5 MB.
Once the AASA has received the complete application, they will contact the South African customs authority. Customs will decide on approval, which is typically granted only once and in exceptional circumstances. A fee of 850 ZAR is currently charged for processing the approval. This fee is usually debited directly from the applicant’s credit card—please enter your credit card number and expiry date in the application. Alternatively, payment may be made by bank transfer; the AASA will provide the bank details upon request.
Once the customs authority has granted approval and all formalities at the AASA have been completed, the authorization will be forwarded to the Carnet holder.
In addition, a follow‑up Carnet must be applied for through the ADAC. This new Carnet must take effect immediately after the current Carnet expires and must not contain any gap in validity. For issuance, we require a fully completed and signed application form. The issuance fee and any applicable shipping charge must be paid, and the previously deposited security will be carried over. Please note that the vehicle value in the follow‑up Carnet must match the current market value listed in the existing Carnet, as reductions are not accepted by customs.
To finalize the substitution, the expired Carnet must be presented together with the newly issued follow‑up Carnet and the approved substitution at a customs office within the SACU for stamping and transfer of entries. To avoid penalties or customs claims, we strongly recommend completing the stamping process immediately after approval, and in any case no later than the expiry date of the old Carnet.
After the transfer has been completed, please return the expired Carnet to the ADAC by courier, together with a photocopy of the first inside page of the new Carnet. The copy must clearly show the entry stamp and the vehicle details.
If you are unable to export your vehicle from the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) before or upon expiry of your Carnet, you may apply for a so‑called Letter of Grace (LoG). The Letter of Grace generally extends the Carnet’s validity by up to three months and authorizes the vehicle’s export from the SACU within this extended period.
To obtain the LoG, you must send an email to the AASA, providing a brief explanation as to why you are unable to leave the SACU before the Carnet expires. In certain cases, you may also be required to provide proof that the export will indeed take place within the three‑month extension period (e.g., a confirmed shipping booking).
Please send your request to Ms. Odette Pombo at: OPombo@AASA.CO.ZA
Ensure that your email, including all attachments, does not exceed 5 MB.
If the LoG is approved, you must pay a fee of 850 ZAR to the AASA. Payment may be made either by credit card or bank transfer; the AASA will provide the banking details upon request. In addition, a fee of 65 EUR must be paid to the ADAC for the extension of the Carnet’s validity:
Account holder: ADAC e.V.
Bank: Bayerische Landesbank
IBAN: DE13 7005 0000 0004 6160 16
BIC: BYLADEMMXXX
Reference: LoG_Name
Once both payments have been received and all formalities completed, you will receive the approved LoG from the AASA. The LoG must be available for presentation together with the Carnet until the final export of the vehicle. The vehicle must then be exported from the SACU before or at the latest by the end of the period granted in the LoG.
AASA (Automobile Association South Africa)
4 Hyperion Road Denis Paxton House
Barbeque Downs Kyalami
South Africa
Contact persons: Odette Pombo oder Junior Setsiba
Extension in Australia
The extension of a Carnet de Passages in Australia requires the approval of the Australian customs authority. Their decision depends, among other factors, on the validity of your visa. It is essential to apply for the necessary authorization in good time to avoid complications with the authorities. If the extension is denied, the vehicle must be exported before the Carnet expires. Failure to meet the deadline will result in customs duties as well as a penalty of 12,000 AUD.
Once the application has been approved, the new expiry date will be entered into your existing Carnet de Passages. To do this, the Carnet must be presented to both the Australian Automobile Association (AAA) and the Australian customs authority so the updated validity date can be officially recorded and sealed. This entry must be completed before the original Carnet expiry date to avoid issues with customs. Please schedule your appointments early. If you are unable to present the Carnet in person, please contact the AAA to arrange an alternative solution.
Australian Automobile Association (AAA)
Head Office
103 Northbourne Ave
Canberra ACT 2601
Australia
Tel. 0061 - 2 – 6261 7311
E-Mail: louise.downey@aaa.asn.au