Getting Your Mexican Tourist Car Permits To Drive In Mexico
You need a Mexican car permit to drive your car in Mexico
Mexican Car Permit Requirements
You must obtain a Mexican car permit if you are driving in Mexico beyond the Mexican border - except for Baja California or Sonora. A Mexican car permit (which includes those towing a trailer) costs around $30 (verified January, 2010 - this car permit fee has not changed in 3 years) - it is priced in US dollars. There is a Mexican vehicle permit for motorhomes for $49.50 USD valid for 10 years. There is also a Mexican boat permit. If you are driving in Sonora, Mexico only, there is no charge for a car permit. Car and trailer get one car permit to drive in Mexico.
You can get your Mexican car permit online for $49.50 (more for RV's) and have it delivered to your door if you plan 2 weeks (or more in December) in advance. Sometimes the link for the online Mexican car permit works and sometimes it doesn't. Don't blame me. When it works, it saves you a little time but costs more. If you are driving to Mexico during the Christmas or Easter vacation time, it is definitely worth it. Otherwise, I would not waste my time or money. You still have to stop at the border to get your immigration permit, so what's the benefit?
You have to pay the Mexican Treasury department (Hacienda) by credit card (VI, MC) or debit card with a VI or MC logo - Banjercito NO LONGER takes American Express). You need the title or registration for your car or RV and are supposed to have a notarized letter of permission to take it into Mexico if it is financed (if you can't get one, you'll probably get your Mexican car permit -- I have never been asked for one -- but don't blame me if you run into a Hacienda official who is a sticker for rules and refuses to give you a Mexico driving car permit for not having it). Actually, I have never thought it was a Mexican government rule. I think it was something made up by the US companies selling Mexican insurance.
Can you take a towed vehicle to Mexico? A motorcycle? ATV?
These are the official rules from Hacienda.
a) A temporary import is only possible for one vehicle at a time.
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 ATV's, 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 returned to the country of origin within the authorized timeframe as stated in the Temporary Import Permit.
Be darn sure to turn this permit in before leaving Mexico. Otherwise, you will not be able to drive to Mexico. Period. Hacienda (the treasury department) keeps really good track of these car permits.
You can't just pass them to the toll taker at the bridge or border crossing. You must find the Banjercito . Migracíon complex and get the car permit recorded, scanned and scrapped off your windshield by a polite Banjercito employee. He or she will give you a computer-printed receipt showing you canceled your permit. There is no other way to do it!
Sonora makes it easy to cancel the permits, with kiosks at KM 98 (just north of Navajoa) and KM 21 on MEX-15 (just south of Nogales, Sonora). During Christmas and Easter vacations temporary kiosks will be put up near Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, but I don't think they stay. See my other page on permits for how to find these kiosks.
What If I Don't Cancel My Car Permit?
I have been told by three different Hacienda officials that there is no fine, that you can turn in a permit no matter how old. If you did not turn your car permit in, I can provide you with the only official way to cancel them. I charge for this service. But read on.
Things change. I was told by Hacienda officials in 2007 that there was a $33 fine plus $5 a day.
Whether that was true then or not, I know for a fact that now there is no fine. But if you read about a fine somewhere else, my guess is that their info is older, not newer than mine (re-verified in 2010).
You have to pay the Mexican Treasury department (Hacienda) by credit card or debit card with a VI, MC logo. Discover card is not accepted anywhere in Mexico for anything.
That said, some people have told me that they didn’t turn their Mexico car permit in and got back into Mexico anyway. Others have told me that they were detained at the Mexican border.
If you did not turn in your Mexican car permit, you MAY still be able to get it canceled - if you did not sell your car in Mexico and can prove it made it back to the USA. If you cannot do that, do not write me. I have the correct information on how to do this and charge for it.
But please, don't write if you aren't willing to pay for the information it took me a lot of asking to get. How much is your peace of mind worth?