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How to get an ATA Carnet in the United States

US carnets are not issued by customs. The issuing and guaranteeing body is the United States Council for International Business (USCIB), appointed in 1969, and the whole application runs online through one of two service providers. CBP, the federal customs agency, only comes in at the end, to activate and stamp the document.

Step 1: Pick your issuing route

USCIB has appointed exactly two service providers that issue carnets on its behalf. Either one works; they issue the same document.

Step 2: Build the goods list (the "General List")

The list is the heart of the carnet, and it is frozen once the carnet is issued. No extra items can be added later, so list everything that might travel.

Step 3: Pay the fee and provide the security

USCIB's basic processing fee is tiered by the total value of the General List. These are the figures as published on 2026-07-06 (providers state them effective 1 February 2022); confirm the current schedule with your issuer.

General List valueBasic fee
$1 – $9,999$255
$10,000 – $49,999$300
$50,000 – $149,999$365
$150,000 – $399,999$425
$400,000 – $999,999$480
Over $1,000,000$545

The basic fee includes up to four sets of counterfoils and vouchers. Extras: continuation sheets cost $12 per page, and additional voucher sets are $25 per set if ordered with the carnet, with an $80 minimum if you order them after issuance.

On top of the fee comes the security: 40% of the General List value as standard. It's higher for some destinations (India is 55%) and substantially higher for vehicles; the exact add-ons differ between the providers' published tables, so confirm with your issuer. You can post the security as a certified check, but most applicants use a surety bond instead: a non-refundable premium of roughly 1% of the bond amount, with small minimums. As a worked example: a $100,000 list means a $40,000 bond, so about a $400 premium.

Turnaround: the published figures conflict a little between sources, so treat it as "as fast as 24 hours, typically about two business days" once your application and security are in and approved. Paid expedite options exist at both providers if you need same-day.

Step 4: Have CBP activate the carnet (Box H)

A fresh US carnet isn't ready to travel yet. Box H on the green front cover must be validated by CBP before or at the time of first exportation. You have two options: the airport CBP desk on departure day, or, much better, the nearest CBP cargo office in advance. Both come straight from CBP's carnet directive.

We'd push you hard toward the advance option. Activate early at a CBP cargo office on a calm weekday, then travel without gambling on finding the right officer at the airport under time pressure. Find your nearest office and its hours in CBP's port directory, and call ahead; CBP itself tells you to verify hours locally.

The carnet is then valid for exactly one year, with unlimited entries and exits, and it cannot be extended. Full stop; US regulations say so explicitly, even though you'll find looser wording elsewhere.

When the carnet comes home

Two US quirks worth knowing

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.