How do I raise a Carnet?

List where you are going and what equipment you are taking

Once you’ve decided that your trip includes a carnet country, you need to make a list of all the countries you will be visiting including those where you are just in transit. Then you need to draw up an equipment list. This list details the items you are exporting from your home country.  It should list the item’s name, its serial number, weight, value in your home currency and US Dollars, and it should state which box it is travelling in. By the time you have listed all items that you wish to take filming with you, it should look something like this:

Download equipment schedule template

Raise an Insurance Bond

This is NOT an insurance document - the equipment values you declare on a carnet are not relevant to any insurance claim you may make on your production insurance in the event of loss or damage.  You will also need to raise an insurance bond or lodge a monetary security with the carnet issuer and this will be based on the total value of the goods listed in the carnet. Some production companies choose to use a lower but credible value for equipment listed on the carnet so that if items are lost, the duty payable is based on this lower value rather than the full replacement value. Whether or not you choose to down value your equipment is up to you and we cannot advise either way.

Send the equipment list and travel itinerary to your carnet provider.

You should tell them which countries you are travelling to and how many times you expect to go in and out of each country, e.g. crossing the border between USA and Canada means that with UK equipment you have to have your carnet authorised each time you leave USA and each time you enter Canada.  On a long filming trip snaking back and forth across their border, you’ll become very experienced in clearing a carnet and you'll also get through a lot of import / export vouchers.

Ask for extra vouchers in your Carnet

The carnet-raising authority needs to know how many carnet countries you are entering and leaving to give you sufficient vouchers in your carnet for each entry and exit.   On any carnet, you should have an even number of coupons – one for exit from home country, one for entry to country A and exit from country A, one for entry to country B and exit from B, then one for re-entry to your home country. Remember to tell the carnet agency if you are only in transit in a carnet country.  They will issue blue “transit vouchers” at the rear of the carnet for this purpose, but be clear with the agency.  If you stand any chance whatsoever of actually entering the transit country to film, then go for a set of entry and exit coupons instead. It's also a good idea to have a few spare voucher pairs in case your schedule changes.  Don’t take risks in not having the correct paperwork.

Once you have detailed the countries you are visiting or travelling through, then the authority can issue your carnet.  They usually send them via secure post or courier, so remember to allow for this in your schedule when working out when to apply for a carnet in time to have it in your hand for travel. And you’ll have to pay for it up front too.