The Ultimate International Motorcycle Shipping Guide - Mad Or Nomad

Import regulations, paperwork, permits and the Carnet de Passage

We cannot stress enough that each country has their own ever-changing rules and regulations for paperwork requirements to temporarily import motorcycles and other vehicles. These are always best investigated before shipping commences as some paperwork needs to be applied for in advance.

Some countries insist on a Carnet-de-Passage, and if so, we recommend that you apply for one at least one month before the bike arrives in the country. The UK Carnet provider (at the time of writing) is Cars Europe, and you can apply to them for prices and more information.

Do you really need a Carnet?

Different companies will list countries that require a Carnet, and countries that recommend a Carnet. If you are only visiting countries that recommend a Carnet we would advise that you check with the government of that country specifically as to whether one is required, because if that country does not actually require a Carnet then you do not have to have one in place and this can end up saving you a lot of money!

You will hear stories of people who have managed to get their vehicles through countries that actually require a Carnet without having one in place, usually by way of a bribe or sometimes simply via a very inefficient customs official.

We strongly recommend against trying this. If you are visiting a country that requires a Carnet, it is better to have one in place. Yes, you may get away without one, and this usually works when you are transiting said country (i.e. entering and exiting across a road border), but if you need to freight into or out of that country, the formalities are a lot stricter and a Carnet will almost certainly be insisted upon. Bear in mind that anything could happen and you may need to end your trip urgently due to unforeseen circumstances; in which case you will need the correct paperwork to be able to get your bike home and it will be too late to apply for a Carnet at that stage.

Countries that do not require a Carnet may issue a Temporary Import (which can appear in a similar form under many different names), and certain countries may individually require different paperwork to be completed for the motorcycle to be allowed entry.

It is the responsibility of you, the traveller, to make sure that you have all of the paperwork in order to legally import your bike in to each of the countries that you visit. Check the entry requirements with governing bodies, get in touch with vehicle freight specialists and motorcycle shipping agents and look online (but don’t take online sources as gospel as they quickly go out of date).