Hi,

if I buy a car in Germany with a German 3-month export number plate, how can I travel through Egypt, Sudan, Kenya?

Do I need a carnet?
(Although I cannot return the car to Germany, because it must be exported.)

Do I get a laissez-passer in Egypt, Sudan or Kenya?
(Presumably I have to make a big deposit at the border.)

How do I get my deposit back?

Any first-hand experience would be much appreciated.

P.S.: The car will ultimately be sold in Zambia or Malawi.

Can't help in respect of the carnet - apparently some people have travelled though Egypt without a carnet, but normally it is necessary for this country.

For the export plates no deposit is necessary, neither do they rule out that you may return with the vehicle. But naturally the carnet is a deposit which is returned either by proof of the customs office upon return, or by a document received from the customs office of the country into which the vehicle was "exported". A documentary proof that the vehicle has been registered locally eg. in Malawi might be sufficient to have the carnet refunded. But this has to be cross-checked with the carnet issuer.

__________________
Only when we pause to wonder
do we go beyond the limits of our little lives.
(Rod McKuen)

Hi Travelbug,

As far as I know you will need a carnet for Egypt.

Let’s assume for the Moment that you need one:


How do you get your deposit back without returning to Germany?
The answer to this question in on Page 5 of the following document:
http://www.adac.de/images/Carnet%20d...cm8-166369.pdf

Basically it says that if your car remains in a country that requires a carnet, a custom officer has to confirm the custom clearance or scrapping of your vehicle in the carnet.
If your car remains in a country that does not require a carnet, a custom officer has to stamp the “certificate of location” (last page in your carnet).

As Vaufi mentioned before it is not illegal to return with a car on German Export Plates to Germany!!!! It is just uncommon to do so because if you (or the new owner) want to reregister the car in Germany you have to:
1. Pass a technical check
2. pay taxes for the period the car was on export plates, because export vehicles are exempted from the usual taxation (this ist true for registrations up to 3 month, for export plates valid between 3 and 12 month taxes are payable in advance).


Can you buy a carnet from the ADAC for a vehicle with German Export Plates?

Yes, but there is an extra fee of 155 Euro (se page 8 of the ADAC document mentioned earlier)



Greetings Hans

Hi Hans,

this was very helpful.

Thanks,

We bought a campervan in Germany last year and could only get a one month export plate, unless things have changed or we got conned??

The plates have the expiry date stamped onto them and it surprised me that border inspectors on the Spain/Portugal and Gibralter/Spain crossings were aware what the date meant.

No, that's incorrect. Export plates are issued for a maximum period of one year. And yes, the expiry date is stamped on the plates, meaning that you decide on the point when buying the plates for how long they shall be valid. This includes costs for tax. The insurance can be bought at the licensing office or any other insurance company.

__________________
Only when we pause to wonder
do we go beyond the limits of our little lives.
(Rod McKuen)

Vaufi ist right,
you can buy export plates for any period between 2 weeks an one year. When deciding on the duration of the validity of the export plates keep in mind that the export plates are only exempted form the usual taxation up to 3 month. In other words if you buy export plates for a longer duration (up to one year) you will pay the usual car tax, which can be quite hefty especially for older diesel vehicles .

Hans

Dear Hans,

Is the technical check (from 1) a full TÜV?
Is this difficult or expensive to do?

I wish to buy a German car (as a UK citizen, non-resident of Germany) and drive to Greece and back this summer and we are concerned about how easy it is to sell the car in Germany again afterwards.

Many thanks,

Anthony

Hello Anthony

Imho you need to make a full TÜV if a car on export plates is reregistered in Germany, because the car has been erased from the registration database, when you put it on export plates. Please correct me if I am wrong.
TÜV and emission inspection will cost you between 75 and 100 Euro in fees. The TÜV is renown to be a little pedantic, but then that is one of the reasons most German cars are in such a good condition.

Greetings

Hans

I'm thinking of going to Germany and buying a Motorcycle on Export Plates. I'm currently located in Istanbul. And want to ride it back here, also using it to travel to other countries in the future.

My question is, what happens when the German Export Plates expire, does the motorbike become illegal to be ridden. I guess the idea of the Export Plates are that you can transport your motorbike to the country where you want to register it. But I dont want to register it anywhere, and want to ride it perpetually using Export Plates. Any thoughts?

Hi Hans,

I am wondering if you have any information in regards to the German Ride out plates and ADAC Carnets.

I am currently in Ethiopia - and bought my bike in Germany, getting ride out plates and ADAC carnet. It is now coming around to the year mark, and I very much want to continue my trip.

However it appears that there is not anyway to renew the registration and consequently the carnet.

Any advice on possibilities for renewal?

Jandel

Jandel,

I phoned the ADAC in Munich and was told that the extension of the carnet is no problem, even if - like in your case - the rego runs out. For the initial carnet the vehicle has to have a valid rego, but for the extension this is of no importance, since the vehicle will most certainly be in use somewhere outside Germany ;-)

However, to extend the carnet you will have to pay the same fee as when receiving the initial carnet.

Hope this helps. To contact the ADAC pls phone +49 89 76760 and get passed mon to the carnet dept.

Hans

__________________
Only when we pause to wonder
do we go beyond the limits of our little lives.
(Rod McKuen)

Seeing you are in Ethiopia you may prefer email: carnetdepassages {at} adac.de

__________________
Cheers,
Peter.

Europe to NZ 2006-10