ATA Carnet vs. TIB: Which One Do You Need?
Short answer: if your goods enter only the United States and will be re-exported, a Temporary Importation Under Bond (TIB) is usually the cheaper, longer-lasting choice — a CBP customs bond set at 2x the estimated duties under 19 CFR § 10.31, good for up to three years. If those same goods will tour multiple countries, an ATA Carnet is the right tool — one international document from USCIB that works in 80+ countries but expires after one year.
The carnet is not a CBP surety bond. It is its own entry-document-plus-guarantee, issued under the ATA Convention and 19 CFR Part 114. One instrument gives you depth in the U.S.; the other gives you breadth across borders. This page shows exactly where the line falls.
This form quotes the TIB (U.S. customs bond) side. Carnets are issued only through USCIB — see below.
- Who requires it: CBP for the TIB (19 CFR § 10.31). ATA Carnets are issued only through USCIB and its service providers, not by a surety agency.
- Amount: TIB: 2x the estimated duties and fees (110% for a few HTSUS 9813 categories such as samples and professional equipment).
- TIB term: initially 1 year, extendable to a 3-year maximum. Carnet term: up to 1 year, not extendable.
One Question Settles 90% of These Cases
Forget the acronyms for a second. Ask yourself: will these goods physically enter any country besides the United States before they come home?
No — U.S. only
A trade-show exhibit shipped from Germany to Las Vegas and back. Test equipment sent to a U.S. lab. Racing gear over for one American event. One border in, one border out. That is a TIB — 2x duties, up to three years, bound same-day by a Treasury-listed surety.
See how a TIB is priced and filedYes — multiple countries
A band touring the U.S., Canada, Japan, and the EU with the same lighting rig. A photographer working a six-country assignment. Reciprocal border crossings on one trip. That is an ATA Carnet — one booklet, 80+ countries, one-year window, issued through USCIB rather than a surety.
We do not sell carnets — the next section explains where they come from.TIB vs. ATA Carnet, Attribute by Attribute
The two instruments overlap in purpose — temporary, duty-free entry of goods that will leave again — but they diverge on almost every mechanic that matters to your wallet and your timeline.
| Attribute | Temporary Import Bond (TIB) | ATA Carnet |
|---|---|---|
| What it legally is | A CBP customs bond condition (a surety guarantee) filed against a specific entry | An international document that is BOTH the customs entry and the guarantee — no separate CBP bond |
| Governing authority | 19 CFR § 10.31 + HTSUS Chapter 98, Subchapter XIII (heading 9813) | ATA Convention (Istanbul Convention), implemented in the U.S. by 19 CFR Part 114 |
| Who issues it | Any Treasury-listed surety (this agency can bind one same-day) | USCIB — the sole U.S. National Guaranteeing Association — through its appointed service providers |
| Geographic coverage | United States only — one bond per U.S. entry | 80+ ATA member countries on a single booklet |
| Maximum time abroad / in-country | Up to 3 years in the U.S. (initially 1 year, extendable to 3) | Up to 1 year, non-extendable |
| Amount / security | 2x the estimated duties and fees (110% for a few HTSUS 9813 categories) | Guarantee value roughly 40% of goods value, set by the issuing association |
| If you miss the deadline | CBP collects liquidated damages up to the full bond amount (the 2x figure) | The guaranteeing association pays the foreign customs claim; you reimburse it |
| Best fit | Goods staying in the U.S. only, possibly longer than a year | Goods touring several countries and returning within a year |
Sources: 19 CFR § 10.31 and HTSUS Chapter 98, Subchapter XIII (TIB amount and terms); ATA/Istanbul Convention and 19 CFR Part 114 (carnet framework); USCIB as the CBP-designated U.S. National Guaranteeing Association. Carnet security percentage varies by issuing association and destination country.
How a TIB Actually Works
A Temporary Importation Under Bond is a condition on a CBP customs bond, not a standalone product line. You file the entry (CBP Form 7501) with a bond backing it, and the bond promises CBP that the goods will leave — or that you will pay if they don't. The mechanics live in 19 CFR § 10.31, and the eligible commodity classes sit in HTSUS Chapter 98, Subchapter XIII (heading 9813).
2x the estimated duties and fees under 19 CFR § 10.31(f); 110% for a handful of 9813 categories like samples, advertising films, and professional equipment.
One year initially, extendable in one-year increments to a three-year maximum — longer than any carnet allows.
CBP collects liquidated damages up to the full bond amount — the same 2x-duties figure — unless goods are exported, destroyed under supervision, or converted to a permanent entry first.
Because the premium is charged on the bond amount (2x duties) rather than on the full value of the goods, a TIB frequently costs less than a carnet for a U.S.-only move — especially for low-duty commodities. You can size it with our temporary import bond guide or see where it fits among all four CBP bond conditions in the customs bond types comparison.
How the ATA Carnet Works — and Who Issues It
The ATA Carnet is a creature of treaty, not of the U.S. surety market. The United States acceded to the ATA Convention in 1968, and since 1969 a single organization — the United States Council for International Business (USCIB) — has been CBP's designated National Guaranteeing and Issuing Association under 19 CFR Part 114. USCIB, in turn, appoints carnet service providers to issue the booklets. A surety bond agency cannot "sell" you one, and we won't pretend to.
The elegant part: one document does two jobs
A carnet simultaneously serves as the customs entry document and as the customs guarantee in every member country it enters. That is why it is nicknamed a "passport for goods" — a single booklet clears customs and posts security across 80+ jurisdictions on one trip, with no separate bond in each country. The trade-off is the one-year, non-extendable validity and a guarantee priced against the goods' value rather than a duties multiplier.
So the honest routing is simple: multi-country itinerary within a year, go to a USCIB carnet service provider. U.S.-only, or need more than a year, come to us for the TIB. If your imports are a steady ocean flow rather than a one-off exhibit, you may instead want a continuous customs bond that folds temporary entries into your broader program.
The Regulations Behind Each Instrument
Official CBP Requirements
"A bond shall be given on CBP Form 301, containing the bond conditions set forth in § 113.62 of this chapter, in an amount equal to double the duties and fees which it is estimated would accrue (or such larger amount as the Center director shall state in writing or by the electronic equivalent to the entrant is necessary to protect the revenue) upon the entire quantity of the imported article."Electronic Code of Federal Regulations • 19 CFR § 10.31(f) — TIB Bond Amount (2x Estimated Duties)
Official CBP Requirements
"This part is concerned with the use of international Customs documents known as carnets. It contains provisions concerning the approval of associations to issue carnets in the United States... and to guarantee carnets issued abroad covering merchandise to be imported."Electronic Code of Federal Regulations • 19 CFR Part 114 — Carnets (ATA Convention Framework)
External .gov links open in a new tab and are marked rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer". In the U.S., ATA Carnets are issued only through USCIB and its appointed service providers; CBP's ATA Carnet FAQs explain the process.
Three Places People Pick the Wrong One
Buying a carnet for a single U.S. entry
Paying for 80+ countries of guarantee — priced against full goods value and capped at a year — when the goods only touch the United States and could stay up to three years on a TIB. This is the most common overpay.
Trying to stretch a carnet past twelve months
Carnet validity is one year, full stop — there is no extension. Goods that need to linger in the U.S. longer should be re-entered under a TIB, which allows extensions to a three-year maximum.
Assuming either one lets you sell the goods
Neither instrument covers goods for sale. Both are for items that will re-export. If you decide to sell mid-stay, you must first pay the duties and taxes to convert to a permanent entry — a standard customs bond situation, not a temporary one.
Landing on the TIB side of the line?
Tell us what's coming in and how long it stays — we'll size the 2x-duties bond and confirm a TIB beats a carnet for your move.
Carnet-or-TIB Questions We Get
If my goods only come into the United States and go back out, do I even need a carnet?
Can I buy an ATA Carnet from a surety agency like this one?
The ATA Carnet already acts as a bond — so why would anyone use a TIB instead?
How is the TIB bond amount actually calculated?
What happens to each one if the goods never leave on time?
Can I switch from a carnet to a TIB (or the reverse) mid-shipment?
Keep Reading on Temporary Imports
The product page, the full bond-type comparison, and the rest of the CBP bonding picture.
Temporary Import Bond (TIB)
Cost, term limits, eligible goods, and how to file — the product this guide points to
Customs Bonds (All Types)
Continuous, single entry, TIB, and ISF under one CBP hub
Customs Bond Types Compared
Single entry vs continuous vs TIB vs ISF — a full decision tree
ISF Bond (10+2)
The other ocean-import bond most people don't realize they already have
Single Entry Customs Bond
One-time coverage for a specific shipment — how a TIB is often written
Get a TIB Quote
Federal bond — no state to select — bound by a Treasury-listed surety
All content is researched from official state and federal sources (.gov). BuySuretyBonds.com works with Treasury-listed surety carriers.
U.S.-Only Move? Skip the Carnet, Bind the TIB
If your goods only touch the United States, a Temporary Import Bond is faster to get and cheaper to carry. Tell us the shipment and we'll size the 2x-duties bond — no carnet booklet required.
Multi-country tour instead? Contact a USCIB carnet service provider — or call us at 1-844-810-BOND (2663) and we'll point you the right way.