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US ATA Carnet FAQ

Short answers for carnet trips to the United States, with links to the detailed pages. New to carnets? Start with What is an ATA Carnet? Something already went wrong? Fix a problem has the recovery playbooks.

How much does a US carnet cost?

USCIB’s processing fee is tiered by the value of your goods list: from $255 (under $10,000) up to $545 (over $1,000,000), as published 2026-07-06 - confirm with the issuer. On top comes the security, normally 40% of the goods value (higher for some destinations and for vehicles), usually posted as a surety bond costing roughly 1% of the bond amount.

Can a non-US company get a US carnet?

Generally no. USCIB says a US carnet isn’t possible without US legal residence and a taxpayer ID (exceptions are case by case). A company based abroad gets its carnet from its home issuer and uses that in the US instead; only a US subsidiary would apply through the US providers.

I’m taking a robot to CES or another US trade fair - which category?

The US isn’t party to the Exhibitions and Fairs convention, so exhibition goods enter as commercial samples (items to be exhibited) or professional equipment (gear used to run your booth or demo). Both work for trade-fair robots. Two catches: nothing on the carnet may be for sale or giveaway, and professional equipment must name the natural person who’ll use it.

How early should I be at the airport?

There’s no official figure. USCIB just says “Arrive early!” - it’s your job to find a CBP officer, not theirs to find you. The practical move: call the port’s CBP office the day before you fly and ask where and when they validate carnets, especially outside office hours, so an inspector who knows carnets is actually there.

What if I forget the US exit stamp?

Fixable, for a fee. Your next country’s import stamp (or re-import at home before expiry) usually resolves a US claim with a $50 regularization fee per USCIB; if you only have non-carnet proof like a bill of lading, it’s $100 and acceptance isn’t guaranteed - it stays at customs’ discretion. The step-by-step recovery is on our US problems page.

Can the goods stay in the US longer than 12 months?

Not on the carnet. Validity is exactly 12 months and can’t be extended, and the US doesn’t accept replacement carnets from foreign issuers either, so that route is off the table here. The one longer-stay route is converting to a Temporary Importation under Bond (TIB) before the carnet expires, via a US customs broker. That buys roughly one further year, possibly more - a question for the broker.

Can I sell the demo unit in the US?

Not straight off the carnet - a normal import entry won’t discharge it and you can end up paying duties twice. The sanctioned route while the carnet is still valid is an “anticipatory breach” through the CBP Entry Team at your port of importation: you itemize the goods, pay the duties, and the receipt discharges those items. Practice varies by port (JFK stopped accepting them before expiry), so contact the import port’s Entry Team early.

What does a claim cost if it goes wrong?

CBP’s written demand is for liquidated damages of 110% of the estimated duties. If you did re-export, just late, USCIB describes a mitigation scale applied at the claim stage: roughly 25% of the duty plus a 10% penalty if validated within about 90 days after expiry, 50% plus 10% at 91 to 180 days, and the full duty plus 10% beyond that. On top come USCIB’s claims-handling fees, from $50 on small claims up to 5% (max $4,000) on claims over $10,000.

Do my checked cases need the stamp too? What about connecting flights?

Yes. Get the export validation at the last airport where you still control the goods, before you check the cases in - even if your flight connects through another US city. Flying Dallas to JFK to Heathrow with checked equipment? The stamp happens in Dallas.

Can I ship the goods ahead as freight?

Yes. CBP applies the same procedures to cargo and carry-on. If nobody with an interest in the goods is there to present the carnet, it must be a licensed customs broker (or a representative named in Box B of the cover). Mail is banned outright for carnets. Courier door-to-door (DHL, FedEx, UPS) is unverified territory: confirm carnet handling with the courier or forwarder before booking.

Anything special about lithium batteries?

We found no US carnet-specific battery rule anywhere in CBP or USCIB guidance. Transporting lithium batteries is a dangerous-goods question, separate from the carnet - sort it with your airline or forwarder, and ask your issuer how to list the batteries.

Do I need serial numbers on the goods list?

Include serial or model numbers wherever possible. USCIB warns that an imprecise or incomplete description can make an inspector question the importation and possibly seize the goods. For prototypes without serials there’s no published US rule, so describe model and version markings precisely and ask your issuer.

Does the carnet process differ between US states?

No. Customs is federal, so CBP applies one rulebook at every border point and states play no role. The only thing that changes from port to port is practical: opening hours and phone numbers, which is why calling the port before you travel matters. By regulation, carnets are valid in the 50 states, DC and Puerto Rico, but not Guam or the US Virgin Islands.

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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.