If your cargo is travelling by road from Iran to Turkey, Europe or Central Asia, you will hear about the TIR Carnet. TIR stands for Transports Internationaux Routiers, French for “international road transport”. This guide explains what a TIR Carnet is, how it works and why shippers use it.
What is a TIR Carnet?
A TIR Carnet is an international customs document issued under the TIR Convention of 1975. The convention is administered by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), and more than 70 countries plus the European Union are parties to it. The International Road Transport Union (IRU) provides the financial guarantee behind the system, and a national association issues carnets in each country. In Iran, carnets are issued by the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture.
The carnet does two jobs at once: it is a transit declaration and a financial guarantee for the duties and taxes of every country the cargo crosses.
How does it work?
- Loading and sealing: customs at origin checks the goods and seals the trailer’s load compartment.
- Transit borders: at each border, customs checks the seal and the documents. If the seal is intact, the cargo is normally not opened and no import duties are charged in that country.
- Clearance at destination: the seal is removed at the destination customs office and the goods are cleared under local rules.
Benefits of shipping under TIR
- Shorter border stops: no full inspection in each transit country.
- One guarantee for the whole trip: no separate deposit at every border.
- Better cargo security: the goods stay under customs seal from origin to destination.
- More predictable costs and timing.
What is required?
TIR transport can only be carried out by authorised operators using vehicles whose load compartments are approved for customs sealing. The route and the customs offices of departure and destination are recorded in the carnet, so it is best to let an international freight company arrange the carnet for you.
eTIR: the digital carnet
The electronic version, eTIR, has had a legal basis since 2021 through Annex 11 of the convention. Cargo data is sent electronically to customs along the route before the truck arrives. Countries are introducing it step by step, so paper carnets are still in use.
TIR is not the same as an ATA Carnet
An ATA Carnet covers temporary imports such as trade-fair samples or professional equipment. It has nothing to do with road transit.
How Artam Tir can help
From our head office in Marand, Iran, Artam Tir carries cargo under TIR to Turkey, Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia, and handles sealing, documents and customs coordination. See our transport routes for details.