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Vehicle Permits |
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The following
information applies only to mainland México. There are three ways to get your vehicle permit -- via the internet, from some Mexican Consulates, or at the border. This Banjercito website is where you can order your vehicle permit to be delivered to your home in advance of your trip to Mexico, thus saving a few minutes at the border. Personally, I wonder if this pre-registration service is worth the bother. Unless you are crossing at Laredo or El Paso, getting the permit at the border is quick and easy. The website contains the necessary instructions. Please remember to take with you the original permit and the originals of any documents you used for your permit. Your vehicle may be inspected by Mexican authorities when entering Mexico or anytime during your stay. Along with the permit, BANJERCITO will send you a sticker, which you must place on the inside of the vehicle’s windshield, next to the rear view mirror. This should be completed before entering Mexico. When entering Mexico, a migration and customs inspection will be performed. You can apply for the permit up to 60 days before your scheduled trip to Mexico and no later than 10 days before your trip. This ensures that the permit will arrive by express carrier (FedEx, etx) in time for the trip.
Mexican Consulates in the following cities are authorized to issue permits: Albuquerque, Austin, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Francisco, and St. Paul. There may be others because these things change, so ask at your consulate if you are interested.
When applying in person at a Consulate or at the border, the following rules and instruction apply. This was copied from a government website that is no longer on-line with some additions by me. |
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You must have in your possession originals of the required documents. I. Personal documents: Depend on the nationality of the person importing the vehicle. |
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If the importer is a Mexican citizen, provide one of the following documents: • Resident alien card • Proof of work authorization in the foreign country. Authorization must be valid for more than one year. • Foreign passport as proof of foreign citizenship in addition to the Mexican. • Dual Citizenship: Certificate of naturalization or passport from the foreign country and a Mexican passport. Note: Mexican citizenship laws establish that Mexicans entering or leaving Mexican territory must identify themselves as Mexican citizens without exception, even if they hold multiple citizenships. |
If the importer is a foreign citizen, provide • Foreign passport Note: When entering Mexican territory, you must first apply for a tourist visa (FMM) or have an FM3 or FM2. |
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II. Vehicle documents: |
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If you are the owner of the vehicle, you will need a document that certifies legal ownership of the vehicle -- one of the following options: • Vehicle title • Valid vehicle registration certificate • Invoice • Notarized permission to take the vehicle outside of the country from the leasing company or the financing institution. |
If you are not the owner of the vehicle, you will need any one of the following options: • Family property: A document that proves ownership and a document that proves the importer’s relationship with the vehicle owner such as spouse or children. Valid documents include marriage or birth certificates. • If the vehicle is the property of a company, you must present a document that proves ownership and a document stating that the importer is an employee of that company. • A leasing contract which includes the importer's name |
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Important aspects to keep in mind for the temporary importation of a vehicle: a) A temporary import is only possible for one vehicle at a time. Except an RV towing a vehicle can both be registered by the same person. This does not apply to pickup campers. b) The maximum load capacity for a temporary vehicle import is 3.5 tons, not including the weight of the vehicle. c) You may tow with your vehicle one to three motorcycles, beach cars or dune buggies, or four-wheel motorcycles or ATVs, equivalent to the number of people traveling inside the vehicle. You must be able to provide proof of ownership for the vehicles being transported and they must be returned along with the towing or transporting vehicle. d) It is not permitted to sell the temporarily imported vehicles on Mexican territory or use them for commercial activities. e) The vehicle must be removed from México within the authorized timeframe as stated in the Temporary Import Permit if it was registered using an FMT. If it was registered using an FM3, the registration remains valid so long as the FM3 is valid, including renewals. III. Service fee: Credit cards: • The card must be issued in the importer’s name. • The card must be valid internationally. • The card must be issued in a foreign country. [not from Mexico] • The card must have the Visa or MasterCard logos. Other cards are not accepted. • The card must be activated to accept charges made in other countries. Cash: A cash is acceptable for the fee. If the fee is paid in cash, a returnable deposit is required The maximum amount is $400 dollars for a new car, less for older cars.
When you leave México, please make sure to register the return of your vehicle when crossing the border. Make sure to visit any BANJERCITO module located at the border crossing when you are leaving Mexico. Present your vehicle and the Temporary Import Permit in order to register the vehicle as having returned to the country of origin. BANJERCITO will issue a return certificate. It is very important that you complete the vehicle return operation. If you don’t complete this step, Mexican authorities will assume that your vehicle remains in Mexico, which can cause problems in the future. The vehicle is considered returned, when you physically present the vehicle at the border module and the authorities validate the return from Mexico. [Be sure to keep this receipt and bring it with you if you drive to Mexico in the future. You may need it to prove that you removed your car last time. Screw-ups with their computer system do occur!] |
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