TIR Carnet
Transports Internationaux Routiers (International Road Transport) Carnet · TIR Carnet
A TIR Carnet is an international customs document that lets a sealed truck carry goods across several countries with customs checks mainly at the start and the end of the journey.
In plain words
The TIR system is based on the UN TIR Convention of 1975. Many countries in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa apply it. TIR is short for the French “Transports Internationaux Routiers” (international road transport). The IRU (International Road Transport Union) runs the international system behind the carnets, and a national association issues them. In Turkey, this is TOBB.
The truck's load compartment must be approved for TIR and sealed by customs at departure. At each border, customs checks the seals and the carnet but usually does not open the cargo. The carnet also includes a financial security for duties and taxes, so the carrier does not need to give a new one in each country. Today, a digital version called eTIR is also in use on some routes.
Example from real shipping
A truck loads household appliances in Istanbul for a buyer in Kazakhstan. Turkish customs seals the trailer and validates the TIR Carnet. At each border on the way, officers check the seals and the carnet pages, and the truck continues. In Kazakhstan, customs at destination checks the seals and ends the TIR operation.
Related terms
- T1A T1 is a customs transit declaration. It lets goods travel through a customs territory under customs control, without paying import duties and taxes on the way.
- CMRA CMR is the standard transport document for international road freight. It shows that the carrier received the goods, and it travels with the truck.
- Customs brokerA customs broker is a licensed professional who prepares and submits customs declarations for importers and exporters, and deals with customs for them.
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Request a QuoteThis glossary is general information, not legal or customs advice. Rules, fees, and practice can differ by carrier, port, and country.