Permanently Import Your Vehicle to Mexico
City in Mexico
You may be considering a move to Mexico in the near future, or maybe you found the perfect vehicle just across the US border. If so, you might wonder how to permanently import your vehicle to Mexico. There are several factors involved that may help you decide.
Do I Need to Permanently Import My Vehicle to Mexico?
If you are a tourist staying for less than 180 days or a temporary resident, you may drive a foreign-plated car and may want to consider getting a temporary import permit instead. If you are a Mexican citizen or permanent resident, you should know that it is illegal to drive a foreign-plated car in Mexico. You must either naturalize the vehicle through importation or sell the vehicle and buy a different one in Mexico. If you are already in Mexico with a foreign-plated car when you become a permanent resident, you have 180 days to import the car legally. Can you go back and forth to skirt the system? People do it all the time. But at some point, you will want to work with an attorney or customs broker to do it right. When you import your car to Mexico from the U.S. or Canada, you are decreasing its value and making it uninsurable in the northern developed countries for collision and theft for the rest of its life.
If you are still interested in permanently importing your vehicle into Mexico, there are several things to do:
- Be sure your vehicle meets the requirements.
- Know what fees you are subject to.
- Get the right documentation together.
- Hire a broker (this is required by the Mexican Government.)
Requirements for a Vehicle to be Eligible for Importation:
- The vehicle has to be in working condition.
- There can be no liens on the vehicle.
- The vehicle must have a clean title (no salvage vehicles).
- A car from Canada may be imported IF it was never registered in Canada.
- Cars, trucks, SUVs, motorcycles, and vans must be manufactured in North America. The only exception to this rule is classic cars (30 years or old). They may be from any country of origin.
What Fees Are Involved in Permanent Importing a Car to Mexico?
The fees can be quite hefty and mainly depend on where you will live in Mexico.
There are 2 different fees applied: VAT (Value Added Tax) and Import tax.
Both of these are based on your vehicle’s value, which is determined by customs.
- VAT: You must pay 16% of the Vehicle’s Value.
- Import Tax: You must pay an import tax IN ADDITION to the VAT.
Required Documentation:
You will need:
- The original title (It does not have to be in your name)
- Permanent Residence Card
- Photo of the miles, vehicle information decal, and vehicle
Hire A Broker to Permanently Import your Vehicle to Mexico:
The government of Mexico REQUIRES you to have a customs broker handle the importing of your vehicle. The broker will be a liaison between you and Mexican customs. The broker will help you gather the correct documents, tell you the exact fees you will have to pay, and walk you through the importation process. There are plenty of options for customs brokers online that will be willing to help you.
Once I Have All My Documents, How Long Does the Actual Import Process Take?
To export the vehicle out of the United States, US customs will typically take 96 hours. 72 hours to process the exportation (unless you send your documents in ahead of time) and an additional 24 hours to get the vehicle to Mexican customs. Once Mexican customs have the vehicle, It will take approximately 3 days to get the invoice and vehicle back to you. The broker you are required to hire will facilitate this.
What Does The Process at The Border Entail?
Be sure to get to the Loredo, Texas, office during work hours Monday through Friday.
Photographs will be taken of the vehicle, and an Emission test will be performed. After this process has been completed, you need to empty the vehicle completely. The vehicle will be inspected with gamma rays to ensure nothing illegal is being imported. Then the vehicle will go to the Banjercito to get a sticker indicating the vehicle was legally imported. Once everything is completed, you will be given your documentation and a transfer permit which gives you 5 days to register your vehicle in your state of residence.
Can I Avoid Permanently Exporting my Vehicle to Mexico?
As you can imagine, some people try to avoid the lengthy process of importing a US car into Mexico, especially those living in border cities. If a foreign plated car is illegally imported into Mexico, it is called a “chocolate car.” If you are caught with a chocolate car, your vehicle may be impounded.
Other Options:
With hundreds of thousands of people living on the Mexican-American border, there is a special type of registration you can get for your car to move through the border easily. With “Vehículos Fronterizos,” you will receive a special license plate that allows you to drive 20km from the border into Mexico or the United States. This process can be completed at the Banjercito on either side of the border.
- Vehicle Requirements: Cars, trucks, SUVs, motorcycles, and vans must be manufactured in North America. The vehicle must be 5-9 years old at the time of importation.
- Fees: If the vehicle is 5-9 years old at the time of importation, 1% of the vehicle’s value must be paid as import tax. If the vehicle is older than 10 years, 20% of the vehicle’s value must be paid as import tax. In addition, 11% VAT of the vehicle’s value will be charged.
- Required Documentation: original title, proof of residency, and photo of the vehicle information decal.
Admittedly, the Mexican government has made it difficult to permanently import or naturalize your vehicle. After considering everything involved in this process, you may choose to sell your car in the originating country and buy a different one in Mexico. If so, check out our article on how to purchase a vehicle in Mexico.
I have a 2005 Kia Amanti. I would like to import this car from the United States into Mexico permanently. It will be put in my niece’s name while she is attending college in Merida.
What are the requirements for this and can you help us take care of this?
Kim ****
Kim – thank you for the comment. I am responding for Mike until he gets around to responding. I believe you will need to find a broker though, Mike does not do imports. He might be able to recommend someone but I also think you can probably reach out to customs they have relations with professional import/export people.
Good morning, Kim,
The best answer to this question is to forget about it. The rules for “regularizing” a foreign vehicle are Byzantine at best and ephemeral to boot. At one point only vehicles 8 years old could be imported. Then it was 8-10. It has to have been manufactured in the USA or Canada. You have to hire a broker. You have to pay a duty ranging from 1% to 10% – and the list goes on. If she has a Residente Permanente, she HAS to drive a Mexican-plated vehicle. If she has a student visa she can still drive a US-plated vehicle.
Nelson, I’ve really no choice except to import my vehicle to Mexico since it’s fully customized for a handicapped driver. It’s 4yrs old and I had a question also about the tax on it. Is it calculated on the base value of the vehicle or the base value+modification costs?
And how do I find a customs broker? I have googled quite a bit but I keep stumbling upon brokers who advise me on how to circumvent the rules, which I am not foolish enough to do.
Smart – don’t try to skirt the rules. They will probably tax you based on appraised value, but you might get lucky there. Just remember the culture is much more tranquilo down there. For customs broker – you can start with the Ormuz law firm?
Do you have a contact info for the law firm?
what would it cost to transfer a 2006 honda civic from U.S to Mexico please include total amount please thank you
Sylvia,
Ypu may not be able to sell/transfer your vehicle. Please the rules change every November-December. I would not hazard a guess in the cost or procedures. If you have a residente permanent visa and are living in Mexico, bot to a Banjército office to see if you can get details.
My parents moved to Mexico almost five years ago.. last year she asked if I wanted the Buick they had driven down from Missouri in.. She explained that it was illegal in Mexico and I could have it.. fast forward to this last July they came home to Missouri and they had my go to my dmv and get it legally in my name.. In the state of Missouri if you have the title in your license and it the proper signature you can with insurance and inspection if due that year get a new set of license plates.. In my name of course.. they go back to Mexico with my plates and leaving me under the impression that I will soon follow and get my car to return home to Missouri to fulfill my obligation to get my car inspected and titled within 6 days of entering the state of Missouri.. yesterday I got a message from my mother saying that I wasn’t going to get my car and that they had imported my car to Mexico and when doing so.. surrendered my license plates to Mexican Customs.. and instead of the agreement we had.. decided that they were going to sell it in Mexico.. They seem to think that this is no big deal and I am just shit outa luck.. I know exactly how the state of Missouri views this.. I would like to know what I can do about this.. thank you so very much..
Hello, Alfred. At least you have family to do business with, but really there is nothing like doing business with family. You need to speak with an attorney in this case. You might have legal liability depending on the liability release and your state’s laws. If you dont want to hire a lawyer, you can find a wealth of information at the local law library and/or your courthouse. You’d be surprised what states provide in terms of legal resources. Good luck! And remember what Sonny said to C in the Bronx Tale: “You don’t even like him. There’s your answer right there. Look at it this way: It costs you 20 dollars to get rid of him… He’s out of your life for 20 dollars…”.
Hi Amy name is John Collins we have a 2011 Dodge Durango
That we want to import to our home in Loreto bay Baha California Sur it is currently in Blaine Washington
& will be shipped to San Diego California on the 13of December
We need a broker to handle the broker documents to bring & leave our vehicle in Loreto bay 604-675-3903
We have a 2014 Honda odessy amd we want to take it to Merida, how do we hire a broker? Do we just go to an office in Landero Tx, or do we cross over and do that at the frontera?
You can drive your Odyssey to Merida without a broker. You can get a temporary import permit (TIP) at the border and drive it down. Super easy. I recommend you check the border crossing page by clicking here. On that page there are links to prepare your TIP and FMM (if necessary online).
Hi Mike! I am on my final year of Res Temp. In August of this year I will receive my Res Permenante and need to legalize or return a 2001 Mercury Grand Marquis to the USA. The car only has 93k miles. I am in SLP and do not plan to return to the states. I would prefer to legalize and keep the car as opposed to making a 10 hour trip to the states because once I arrive, I would still need to register the car again, buy insurance and get an inspection sticker before selling… I am reaching the point of diminishing returns. What do you think? Thanking you in advance!
Luis!
I hear you. Here’s a solution. Drive to McAllen. There roads can be just as good or the same as to Laredo. (Laredo feels slimy to me anyway). Sell car. McAllen is hub for little old ladies from SMA buying Mexico cars. I know honest car dealer in Elsa, or may be interested myself, though it is big for me.
Take taxi from McAllen to rental agency in Mexico. Rent to SLP. Return. Sure you pay a deadhead fee, but it pays off in the long run. Even with that and insurance, it is a good deal. Call agencies and get rates.
Thanks for current info. Definitely not importing car I bought for Baja, because it is not importable (Japanese 2000 4WD 4Runner). I was not planning to leave BCS, but priced out and just bought tiny fixer house in San Miguel de Allende, instead. I am Perm Res.
1. Should I sell 4Runner in SF Bay Area where there is high demand, or drive back to Todos Santos and sell to expat there? Is that legal? I would like to move stuff to TS, to consolidate with more stuff in storage there.
2. Is it legal/possible to buy Mex-reg car in the USA, then drive to SMA to register? How many days allowed?
I am now going to find and read your piece on buying car in Mexico. Thanks, Leslie
Can I find a car in the US and have it delivered and registered in Mexico? I would never take delivery or drive it in the US.
I want to import a truck to México and registered it in Mexico. I have my residence in Mexico and would like to take my truck. My truck is from year 2013. What is the process. Thank you for your help
Hello. Great article thanks. If I have a car with a 2013 VIN that I bought in June 2013, could I ship it over in April 2023 and still remain in the 10% import fee rather than 50% since it just shy of 10 years? Or do they just look at the year number and I will be paying 50% regardless?
This is something different. If a car has been imported into Mexico, can it return to the USA and be registered again ? The California title is still with the car. Reason for wanting to do this is because the model of car is not popular in Mexico and I can’t find a buyer for it here, but they are still popular in the USA. Thanks !
Yikes. Its going to cost you – but it’s not impossible. It easier to import to Mexico than it is to the United States. The good news is your car has history. Give it a try and keep us posted!
i am planning to permanently drive 2014 Chrysler van to Puerto Vallarta and keep it there with me. I am looking for a reliable broker to help me with all the paperwork. Will you know of one in Laredo that could recommend me? Thank you so much
Does anyone have a contact for the importing a car from
Canada to Mexico process ? Someone in Nogales
As permanent residents with a Mexican driver’s license, how difficult is it to drive a 2011 Dodge Caravan down to Nayarit and get it legally registered?
From BC Canada to Guayabitos, Nayarit
I drove my car from san diego to cancun Mexico my Fmm is expired 6 months ago and I’m not planning to bring it back to San Diego. I give the car to my girlfriend I already signed the title to her name can she register the car here in cancun ?
I moved from Belize to Merida Mexico. I had a temporary resident card so I brought it in on a tip. Was told the tip will follow the car as long as I keep my residency current, until I become permanent. The car was bought in US but I guess it was built in Japan. My question is how do I have current registration from Belize, when I don’t live there. Do I continue with the last registration from Belize to continue my TIP until I’m permanent?
I am a perminent resident living in CSL with a 2003 SSR from Canada. I would like a ballpark cost on importing it to Mexico.
I am currently a temporary resident of Mexico and have a TIP for my vehicle. I plan to stay permanently in Mexico and want keep my vehicle in Mexico permanently as well. Can i permanently import my vehicle as a temporary resident or do i need to be a permanent resident in order to do this? if i become a permanent resident before i import my vehicle, my TIP will no longer be valid and i risk losing my $400 deposit with Banjercito.
The vehicle loses a lot of value once you import it to Mexico and you can never insure it for theft and collision again in the United States once it has Mexican plates. You’re better off selling it in the US while it still has value, and buy a nationalized car that was imported from the US. It’s quite common for people to think they want to move forever to Mexico to realize two years later they miss the old red white and blue and regret importing their car. You won’t be able to re-import it to the US without spending way too much money. Just driving it north once it has Mex plates is a nightmare due to the insurance northbound situation. Best of luck.