URL: https://carnet-ata-for-robotics.com/eu/germany Last reviewed: 2026-09-14 Summary: The German implementation of the EU carnet process: your IHK and e-ata.de, the goods list rules, IHK fees and the Euler Hermes insurance fee, German quirks like the paper-plus-digital opening, and verified customs offices at Frankfurt, Munich and Weil am Rhein. # Getting an ATA Carnet in Germany The carnet process is the same across the EU - one customs territory, one stamp chain, explained in the [EU carnet guide](https://carnet-ata-for-robotics.com/eu). This page covers the German implementation: ATA Carnets are issued exclusively by the regional **chambers of commerce and industry (IHKs)**, never by customs (Zoll). Behind the IHKs stands the DIHK (Deutsche Industrie- und Handelskammer) as the national guaranteeing association, re-insured by Euler Hermes (Allianz Trade). Companies, freelancers and private individuals can all apply; IHK membership isn't required, though non-members pay a higher fee at some chambers. There's no legal entitlement to a carnet - the IHK decides - but in practice the process is routine. ## Step 1: Find your IHK You apply at the IHK responsible for your company's registered seat; private individuals go to the IHK of their place of residence. You can't shop around. The official locator is the [IHK-Finder](https://www.ihk.de/ihk-finder). ## Step 2: Register once on e-ata.de Most IHKs (about 73 of them) take carnet applications through the shared national portal [e-ata.de](https://www.e-ata.de/). The one-time registration: 1. Open e-ata.de and pick your IHK from the chamber selector. 2. Click "Registrieren" and enter your company data plus a responsible person who will administer the account. 3. Upload a copy of that person's ID (it's deleted after registration). 4. Wait for the IHK to approve the account, then you can apply for carnets right away. The administrator can add further users. > **ℹ️ Your IHK not in the e-ata.de list?** > > Not every German IHK appears in the portal's chamber selector. If yours is missing, check its own website or call - it may use a different channel. Paper applications also still exist alongside the portal at several chambers. ## Step 3: Apply for the carnet For each carnet you fill in the application online (there's a chat function for questions to the IHK). The heart of it is the goods list: - **The General List (Allgemeine Liste):** one numbered line per item with description, quantity, weight and value, with column totals per page. You can enter it manually, upload a CSV, and attach photos. - **Serial numbers matter.** Customs needs to recognise your goods on return (Nämlichkeitssicherung). Serial or device numbers on the list are the standard way; without them, customs may attach seals or stickers when opening the carnet. For a robotics kit: list every robot, controller, laptop and sensor with its serial. - **Weight isn't optional.** Some countries calculate duties by weight - Switzerland is the textbook example - so fill in the weight column properly. - **Value:** the realistic current value excluding VAT (what you'd get selling it at home). Don't lowball it; undervalued goods risk penalties or confiscation abroad. - **The list is frozen after issue.** Changes aren't possible; only the issuing IHK can add extra insert sheets. List everything that might ever travel on this carnet. Eligible goods are Union goods only (EU origin or duty-paid into free circulation) for the classic uses: exhibition goods, commercial samples, professional equipment. Never consumables, goods rented out abroad for payment, or goods that will be repaired or processed abroad. More on the robotics angle in [carnets for robotics](https://carnet-ata-for-robotics.com/ata-carnet-for-robotics). ## Step 4: Pay the fees A German carnet costs four things: the IHK issuing fee, the ICC fee, the Euler Hermes insurance fee, and small form costs. ### IHK issuing fee This varies per chamber - roughly EUR 80 to 155 across the chambers we checked, and some use entirely different models. Always check your own IHK's fee schedule. Published examples (as of 12 June 2026): | IHK | Member | Non-member | Notes | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | München und Oberbayern | EUR 130 | EUR 155 | Form set EUR 3.00, insert sheets EUR 0.25 | | Region Stuttgart | EUR 90 (no member split published) | Printing EUR 0.50 per sheet + VAT | | Berlin | EUR 90 | see fee schedule | Optional Sofort-Service EUR 20 + VAT | | Frankfurt am Main | EUR 80 | EUR 96 | Booklet EUR 4.50, insert sheets EUR 0.70. Frankfurt's published fee block may be outdated - verify by phone | ### ICC fee EUR 12 + VAT per carnet, invoiced in the name of the DIHK. This funds the international carnet chain. ### The Euler Hermes insurance fee (Versicherungsentgelt) Here's the big difference from [Switzerland](https://carnet-ata-for-robotics.com/switzerland/get-a-carnet): German IHKs don't take a 20–40% deposit. Instead, every carnet pays a mandatory **flat insurance fee** to Euler Hermes (Allianz Trade), the DIHK's re-insurer, tiered by goods value. No cash gets locked up. The table valid from 1 January 2025: | Goods value | Insurance fee | | --- | --- | | up to EUR 9,999.99 | EUR 46 | | EUR 10,000 – 24,999.99 | EUR 79 | | EUR 25,000 – 49,999.99 | EUR 138 | | EUR 50,000 – 149,999.99 | EUR 250 | | EUR 150,000 – 299,999.99 | EUR 455 | | EUR 300,000 – 499,999.99 | EUR 750 | | each further started EUR 500,000 | + EUR 500 | Worked example from IHK Stuttgart for EUR 20,000 of goods: 90 + 12 + 79 = EUR 181 net (EUR 183.28 gross). Two things the insurance fee is **not**: it's not transport insurance, and it doesn't cover the duties you owe if the goods stay abroad. Insure those risks separately. - **Refunds:** return an unused carnet within two months of issue (never handled by an EU border office) and the insurance fee comes back minus a EUR 37 Euler Hermes charge. Properly discharged carnets worth EUR 300,000 or more, returned within two months: a quarter of the insurance fee is refundable. - **High values:** there's no value cap, but Allianz Trade may demand an additional surety (Bürgschaft) and vets the applicant's creditworthiness. Contact your IHK early if the goods list runs into the hundreds of thousands. ## Step 5: Receive the carnet The IHK checks the application, prints and issues. You pick the carnet up at the IHK or have it posted. Since 1 June 2026, carnets are issued digitally (eATA) for itineraries within the EU, Switzerland, Norway and the UK: the IHK gives you an eCarnet ID and PIN, and you load the carnet in the free ICC Carnet App. During the transition the IHK hands out a paper carnet alongside - sign it in field J. ### How long does it take? Honestly, it depends on the chamber: between a few days and a few weeks. IHK Stuttgart promises issue within three working days of a complete, error-free application; IHK München says allow at least a week and asks you not to phone about status. Berlin offers a paid Sofort-Service (EUR 20 + VAT) on demand. Add the one-time portal registration on top if this is your first carnet. Apply early, especially in trade-fair season. > **⚠️ The carnet isn't ready to use when it arrives** > > A freshly issued carnet still has to be opened by customs before the goods leave the EU, ideally at an inland customs office (Binnenzollamt) days before the trip. Don't leave that for departure morning - the offices section below explains where, and the [EU guide](https://carnet-ata-for-robotics.com/eu) covers the full stamp chain. ## Two German quirks worth knowing > **ℹ️ Digital carnet? The IHKs say: open both** > > During the eATA transition the IHKs (München, Frankfurt, Stuttgart all give the same guidance) advise having **both the digital carnet and the paper backup opened** at the Binnenzollamt, and presenting both unprompted - customs won't ask. That applies even when your destination is fully digital. This is IHK guidance, not a published zoll.de rule, but it's consistent across chambers. And for longer stays: a carnet is valid one year minus a day and can never be extended. If the goods must stay abroad longer, the German route is a follow-up carnet (**Anschlusscarnet**): a new carnet number with the same goods list, issued so it overlaps the old one. Two caveats: not all countries accept it (clear it with the destination customs and your IHK first), and both carnets must be presented together to a customs office in the destination country, which marks the goods as transferred from old to new. When the trips are done, return the carnet to your IHK as soon as you no longer need it, at the latest on expiry. The IHKs monitor returns: if a carnet isn't back by expiry or wasn't properly discharged, the IHK must notify Euler Hermes (Berlin charges EUR 25 + VAT for that). ## One more check: export licences A carnet is not an export licence. Goods on the German export list (Ausfuhrliste) need a licence from the [BAFA](https://www.bafa.de/) (Bundesamt für Wirtschaft und Ausfuhrkontrolle) even for a temporary carnet trip. For robots that can mean autonomy features, cameras or encryption - run the dual-use check early, in parallel with the carnet application. ## Where customs handles your carnet Carnet handling in Germany is part of normal commercial-goods clearance at the customs offices (Zollämter). There's no special carnet counter and, unlike the Swiss directory, the official [zoll.de office search (Dienststellensuche)](https://www.zoll.de/DE/Kontakt/Dienststellensuche/dienststellensuche_node.html) has no "Carnet ATA" filter you can tick. So the practical advice boils down to two habits: open the carnet inland before you travel, and call the office before you drive anywhere unusual. ### Rule number one: open it at your inland customs office Before the goods leave the EU, the carnet must be opened by customs. Every IHK recommends doing this at your nearest **inland customs office (Binnenzollamt)**, days before the trip, with the goods present. The inland office checks the goods, secures their identity and pre-processes the yellow export sheet so the EU exit office only adds a date - in any member state, not just Germany. > **💡 Finding your Binnenzollamt** > > Use the [zoll.de Dienststellensuche](https://www.zoll.de/DE/Kontakt/Dienststellensuche/dienststellensuche_node.html) to find the Zollamt near you, then call before going: confirm they handle carnet openings, whether you need the goods with you, and the commercial-clearance hours. For general questions there's the central customs information line, +49 351 44834-510. One more useful note printed on every zoll.de office page: for commercial goods, the binding opening hours are the ones published in the EU's [Customs Office List (COL)](https://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/dds2/col/col_home.jsp), the European Commission's database of all EU customs offices. When an office's general hours and your plans don't obviously match, the COL entry (and a phone call) settles it. ### Frankfurt Airport The customs office for Frankfurt Airport sits in the cargo area, not in the passenger terminals. It's competent for goods moved by air. **Zollamt Frankfurt am Main-Flughafen (HZA Frankfurt am Main, office code 3302)** - Address: CargoCity Süd, Gebäude 537, 60549 Frankfurt am Main, Also reachable via Tor 25 CargoCity Nord, Geb. 451 (Lufthansa Cargo/Star Alliance) and Tor 26, Geb. 453 (couriers) - Opening hours: - Note: Hours as published on zoll.de, 12 June 2026. - Phone: +49 69 690-72556 - Email: poststelle.za-ffm-flughafen@zoll.bund.de - Official links: - [Official office entry - zoll.de](https://www.zoll.de/SharedDocs/Dienststellen/DE/1_DSSD_Importer/Hauptzollamt/HZA_Frankfurt_am_Main/ZA/ZA_Fracht_Flughafen_3302/ZA_Fracht_Flughafen_3302.html) - [Frankfurt Airport - customs locations (passenger side)](https://www.frankfurt-airport.com/de/lokationen/z/zoll.html) The phone number above is the export desk; imports are on +49 69 690-72664. > **⚠️ Flying with the robot as hand luggage or checked bag?** > > The airport operator lists passenger-side customs points in Terminals 1 and 3 (one in T1 Area B listed as 24/7, others roughly 05:30–22:15), but those hours aren't confirmed on zoll.de, and which counter handles carnets for hand-carried goods isn't published anywhere. Call the central customs info line (+49 351 44834-510) before you fly, and have the carnet opened at your Binnenzollamt beforehand so the airport stop is only the exit date. For orientation only, atacarnet.com's [Frankfurt airport guide (PDF)](https://www.atacarnet.com/sites/default/files/documents/airport_maps/FRA_Airport_Map_-_US_Version.pdf) sketches the passenger customs points (Terminal 1 Departures B, Terminal 2 Concourse D), but it's a dated third-party diagram - use it to find the area, not to trust the hours. ### Munich Airport **Zollamt Flughafen München (HZA München, office code 7650)** - Address: Frachtgebäude Modul B, 5. OG, 85356 München-Flughafen - Opening hours: - Note: Hours as published on zoll.de, 12 June 2026. A secondary directory publishes different (longer) weekend hours, and the airport operator places the office on a different floor (Ebene 00, before the security check) than zoll.de's 5th floor. Call before you go. - Phone: +49 89 975-90700 - Email: poststelle.za-muenchen-flughafen@zoll.bund.de - Official links: - [Official office entry - zoll.de](https://www.zoll.de/SharedDocs/Dienststellen/DE/1_DSSD_Importer/Hauptzollamt/HZA_Muenchen/ZA/ZA_Flughafen_7650/ZA_Flughafen_7650.html) - [Munich Airport - customs office page](https://www.munich-airport.de/zollamt-flughafen-607596) > **⚠️ Weekend departure from Munich? Call 089 975-90700 first** > > The published weekend hours conflict between sources, and the zoll.de version (08:15–16:00) is the one we'd plan around. If your flight leaves Saturday evening or Sunday morning, phone ahead - or better, get the carnet opened inland during the week so you only need the exit-date entry. ### Weil am Rhein-Autobahn: the road to Switzerland The German side of the Basel/Weil A5 motorway crossing, the main truck-and-demo route into Switzerland. The Swiss side of the same crossing is covered in our [Basel guide](https://carnet-ata-for-robotics.com/switzerland/basel) and the [Swiss road borders page](https://carnet-ata-for-robotics.com/switzerland/road-borders). **Zollamt Weil am Rhein-Autobahn (HZA Lörrach, office code 4055)** - Address: Lustgartenstraße 1, 79576 Weil am Rhein - Opening hours: - Note: Hours as published on zoll.de, 12 June 2026. Whether carnets can be stamped in the 24/7 traveler lane outside commercial hours is not published - plan for the Mon–Sat 05:00–22:00 commercial window and call ahead for anything outside it. - Phone: +49 7621 701-0 - Email: poststelle.za-weil-am-rhein-autobahn@zoll.bund.de - Official links: - [Official office entry - zoll.de](https://www.zoll.de/SharedDocs/Dienststellen/DE/1_DSSD_Importer/Hauptzollamt/HZA_Loerrach/ZA/ZA_Weil_am_Rhein_Autobahn_4055/ZA_Weil_am_Rhein_Autobahn_4055.html) Two smaller offices sit nearby on the same border, Weil am Rhein-Friedlingen (4056) and Weil am Rhein-Otterbach (4057), both under the Hauptzollamt Lörrach. For a carnet trip, stick with the Autobahn office unless you've confirmed otherwise by phone. > **ℹ️ Remember: the Swiss side stamps too** > > At this crossing your carnet needs both the EU exit/re-import stamps (German side) and the Swiss import/re-export stamps. The Swiss border post at Basel/Weil handles already-opened carnets around the clock per the Swiss directory; the details and the activation caveats are in the [Swiss road borders guide](https://carnet-ata-for-robotics.com/switzerland/road-borders). Quick answers in the [EU Carnet FAQ](https://carnet-ata-for-robotics.com/eu/faq); recovery playbooks (claims, lost carnets, missed stamps) in [fix a problem](https://carnet-ata-for-robotics.com/eu/problems). ## Sources Every factual claim on this page comes from the sources below, checked on the "last reviewed" date in the footer. Official resources are linked in whatever language they are published in. - [e-ata.de - national IHK carnet portal and chamber selector](https://www.e-ata.de/) (German) - [IHK-Finder - which IHK is responsible for you](https://www.ihk.de/ihk-finder) (German) - [IHK München - Carnet ATA (fees, insurance table, refunds, processing time, Anschlusscarnet)](https://www.ihk-muenchen.de/ratgeber/internationalisierung/exportdokumente-zoll-exportkontrolle/carnet-ata/) (German) - [IHK München - the fully digital carnet (eATA from 1 June 2026)](https://www.ihk-muenchen.de/ratgeber/internationalisierung/exportdokumente-zoll-exportkontrolle/volldigitales-carnet-ata/) (German) - [IHK Region Stuttgart - Carnet ATA (costs, worked example, eligible goods)](https://www.ihk.de/stuttgart/fuer-unternehmen/international/import-export/carnet-ata-cpd/carnet-ata-675258) (German) - [IHK Region Stuttgart - issuing a carnet (3-working-day promise, Carnet App, ID + PIN, paper backup)](https://www.ihk.de/stuttgart/fuer-unternehmen/international/import-export/carnet-ata-cpd/ausstellen-carnets-675260) (German) - [IHK Frankfurt am Main - Carnet ATA (registration steps, goods list, fees, Binnenzollamt recommendation)](https://www.frankfurt-main.ihk.de/international/import-export/carnet-a-t-a-5271730) (German) - [IHK Berlin - Carnet ATA (who can apply, fees, Sofort-Service, Euler Hermes notification charge)](https://www.ihk.de/berlin/service-und-beratung/international/export/carnet-ata-2252836) (German) - [Zoll - Carnet ATA requirements (identity securing, serial numbers)](https://www.zoll.de/DE/Fachthemen/Zoelle/Zollverfahren/Voruebergehende-Verwendung/Carnet-ATA/Voraussetzungen/voraussetzungen.html) (German) - [zoll.de - Dienststellensuche (official customs office search)](https://www.zoll.de/DE/Kontakt/Dienststellensuche/dienststellensuche_node.html) (German) - [zoll.de - Zollamt Frankfurt am Main-Flughafen (address, hours, contact)](https://www.zoll.de/SharedDocs/Dienststellen/DE/1_DSSD_Importer/Hauptzollamt/HZA_Frankfurt_am_Main/ZA/ZA_Fracht_Flughafen_3302/ZA_Fracht_Flughafen_3302.html) (German) - [Frankfurt Airport - customs locations in the terminals](https://www.frankfurt-airport.com/de/lokationen/z/zoll.html) (German; airport operator, hours not confirmed by zoll.de) - [zoll.de - Zollamt Flughafen München (address, hours, contact)](https://www.zoll.de/SharedDocs/Dienststellen/DE/1_DSSD_Importer/Hauptzollamt/HZA_Muenchen/ZA/ZA_Flughafen_7650/ZA_Flughafen_7650.html) (German) - [Munich Airport - customs office page](https://www.munich-airport.de/zollamt-flughafen-607596) (German; airport operator) - [zoll.de - Zollamt Weil am Rhein-Autobahn (address, hours, contact)](https://www.zoll.de/SharedDocs/Dienststellen/DE/1_DSSD_Importer/Hauptzollamt/HZA_Loerrach/ZA/ZA_Weil_am_Rhein_Autobahn_4055/ZA_Weil_am_Rhein_Autobahn_4055.html) (German) - [European Commission - Customs Office List (COL)](https://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/dds2/col/col_home.jsp) (English) - [BAFA - export control authority](https://www.bafa.de/) (German) - [atacarnet.com - airport maps for carnet users (Frankfurt terminal diagram marking the customs points; third-party US carnet provider, guide dated 2016)](https://www.atacarnet.com/airport-maps-carnets) (English, PDFs) --- This is an independent guide for robotics companies, not an official government resource. Customs rules, fees, locations and opening hours change, so always confirm details with the linked official sources (customs administrations and chambers of commerce) before you travel.