If you want to import a vehicle permanently, please see Nationalizing.
A temporary car permit (TIP) is not required in the “Free Zone” which is North and South Baja and along all the US / Mexico border up to approx. 16 to 20 miles into Mexico. It also includes the part of Sonora west of HWY 15 to Guaymas and a portion east of HWY 15, north of Highway 2.
Also, there is no need for a TIP in Quintana Roo but you need to drive your vehicle there which requires a car permit unless you are arriving from the south (Belize). However, even in areas not requiring a TIP for your car, you must still have a valid FMM tourist card; otherwise, your car is not legal as you are not legal and your insurance is void.
Temporary Importation Laws
Some of the temporary importation laws are here. And here are all the regulations in Spanish. Articles IV.1 to IV.10 are the most relevant sections for those bringing a foreign registered car in to Mexico.
Obtaining Car Permit (TIP)
For those entering as a tourist, your TIP is valid for up to 180 days. Please see the FMM tourist card page for the current times being granted as tourists. You may obtain your TIP at the following Mexican consulates: Chicago, Illinois; Austin, Dallas and Houston Texas; Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Sacramento, California, Albuquerque, New Mexico; Denver, Colorado and in Phoenix Arizona. I recommend you obtain your car permit when you enter Mexico.
TIP Requirements:
1. Valid US passport.
2. ONE of the following documents:
– Registration
– Title of the vehicle
– Financing contract (valid for less than three months) and a letter of authorization to temporarily import the vehicle to Mexico from the agency.
– Receipt of payment to DMV for registration of the vehicle and current insurance.
– Leasing contract in your name, no older than three months.
The law states you need title or registration. Sometimes you will be asked for both which are available for Americans but not a legal requirement. Canadians have only a registration.
You may only request a permit for a vehicle registered in your name or that of your spouse, your child, or your parent. You must present either a birth certificate or marriage license to prove your relationship with the owner of the vehicle.
3. Payment of applicable fee.
4. Security deposit
Your deposit may be paid with cash or credit card. It is imperative that your vehicle return to its country of origin before the limit day of return printed on your permit. The cost of the warranty deposit depends on the year of the vehicle:
| MODEL | WARRANTY DEPOSIT |
| 2007 and later | $400 USD |
| 2001-2006 | $300 USD |
| 2000 and previous | $200 USD |
This deposit will be reimbursed to the same credit card used for payments. Upon cancelation of the permit at our border offices, it will depend on your bank whether our deposit is reflected on your statement immediately or within a few days. And, the amount may vary due to exchange rate.
Important notice: The cancelation of your temporary import permit can only be done at Banjercito’s offices at the border.
When you enter Mexico, at a border crossing with a vehicle and a pre-approved Temporary Resident (TR) visa from a consulate, your TIP will be for 30 days as will be your FMM will also be for 30 days. You must complete your TR visa and extend your TIP at Aduana before the 30 days expires. The 30 day count includes the day your car permit (TIP) was issued. You must not obtain a TIP, on-line when you have. pre-approved temporary resident visa from a consulate. The on-line process is only for tourists and even then discouraged
As noted, a TIP is not required in the Baja but if then taking the ferry to the mainland, a TIP is required. La Paz Baja ferry port (Pichilinque) has a Banjercito office.
Note, RV’s may obtain a TIP for 10 years when person is a tourist and there is no deposit. When a person is a Temporary Resident a TIP for an RV expires when TR card expires.
You also need insurance as your current vehicle insurance is not valid in Mexico nor available from outside of Mexico. If you need insurance for your vehicle, please email me as I have an excellent provider. if your vehicle is financed or leased you require a letter of permission from lien holder as per below.
At the border a car permit will take 30 minutes or more. And, you must stop for a FMM tourist card. Should you enter Mexico with no TIP in the areas requiring one as noted above, your vehicle is illegal; you will have no insurance; if stopped at a check point your vehicle will likely be confiscated plus a fine; if in an accident, you may be jailed until it is determined who is at fault and how payment will be made. If you enter Mexico with a TIP and no FMM, you are illegal and therefore your car is illegal even if you have a TIP.
Obtaining a Car Permit (TIP) On-line
I do not recommend obtaining a car permit (TIP) on line. If, for any reason your car does not make it to Mexico which may include an accident or car is sold; an emergency that changes your plans such as illness or the on-line information you entered is incorrect. Then it is extremely difficult to cancel the car permit. You vehicle is considered to be in Mexico. You may not bring another vehicle in to Mexico until the permit you obtained on line is cancelled. As well, there are fake web sites offering fake car permits.
Those entering Mexico with a pre-approved visa from a Mexican consulate must not obtain a TIP on-line. As well, those with temporary resident cards must not obtain a TIP on-line. The process for an on-line TIP is only for tourists who first obtain a FMM on-line.
Obtain your Temporary Import Permit (TIP) by clicking here. In the upper right you may select the English version.
You may apply for a Temporary Import Permit between 10 and 60 days prior to entering Mexico.
Once payment is received and your documents accepted the TIP will be emailed within 10 days to the email address registered during your application. You must not use an email address of any other person.
You must print the permit and carry it in your vehicle at all times.
You may NOT request a permit for a vehicle weighing more than 3.5 metric tons (7,716 lbs GVRW).
Those who obtain their TIP online must stop at the border to register their entry into Mexico, with an FMM tourist card that will be date stamped.
Car Insurance
Your car insurance from neither Canada nor the U.S. will be valid. You require vehicle insurance specific to Mexico which your current insurance company is unable to provide. If interested in excellent insurance options for cars, health, life, property please email me.
Financed / Leased Vehicle
For cars leased or with financing you will require approval from the lien holder allowing your vehicle to be driven in Mexico. Your lien holder agreement requires the vehicle’s insurance to name lien holder. In Mexico, you require a new insurance policy provided by a Mexican insurance provider and that policy will normally not state lien holder. In addition, your contract for a vehicle with financing or which is leased, will state where you may drive your vehicle. It will not allow you to drive your vehicle in to Mexico. The concern is you will stop making payments or sell your vehicle in Mexico and the lien holder may have no recourse.
If you are in a car accident in Mexico and the insurance company discovers you have a lien and you did not get permission to have your vehicle in Mexico then in all likelihood your insurance will not cover you. No insurance may mean jail if you are at fault or until it is determined who is at fault. In addition, when requesting a TIP, when there is a lien holder, you may be asked to provide your permission letter from lien holder to bring vehicle in to Mexico. Without the permission letter you may be denied entry into Mexico if Aduana is aware there is a lienholder.
Who May Obtain a TIP
You may request a TIP for a vehicle that is registered in your name or that of your spouse, your child or your parent. Recreational vehicles such as motorhomes will often receive a 10-year TIP and a deposit is not required. If you are having an issue with a vehicle temporary import permit (TIP) refund: email: permisovehiculos@banjercito.com.mx
Extending a TIP
Validity
For a foreigner, the latest date to exit Mexico with a vehicle who has a TIP will be the same as the time allowed by the immigration authorities. In other words, if a person enters Mexico with a vehicle, the expiration. date for the TIP will be the same as the time they are allowed to be in Mexico as issued on their FMM tourist card.
Extension of TIP For Residents
To extend the TIP and to protect the deposit, the car’s permit holder, prior to expiration of the TIP must present to a customs office (Aduana), a form called ANEXO 3 and attach a copy of the resident card along with the vehicle’s temporary importation permit. Aduana normally provides the ANEXO 3. If the TIP has expired the deposit is lost but if you extend the TIP within 15 days of receiving your new or renewed temporary resident card, your vehicle is legal.
Aduana is usually found at a large airport. Normally the TIP is extended and set to expire when your temporary resident card expires. In Puerto Vallarta and Nayarit the location is the Puerto Vallarta airport. For those in San Miguel de Allende please go to the Queretaro airport. For clients, I will email exact location and requirements. In Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit, Teresa will extend your car temporary import permit (TIP).
Salvaged Vehicles
As per Article IV.6 vehicles with a salvaged title are normally not allowed a Temporary Import Permit. Nor may a salvaged vehicle be nationalized. And, while you may get away with it, in the event of an accident your insurance may be void. No insurance may = jail. In addition, if caught in a road check your vehicle may be confiscated and a large fine applied. As well, Aduana often checks CarFax and if your vehicle has had structural damage you may be denied a TIP.
Vehicle Weight Limit
From Banjercito: you may NOT request a permit for a vehicle weighing more than 3.5 metric tons (7,716 lbs GVRW). And as per Article IV.6.
TIP Status
To check your TIP status, please click here.
Selling Vehicle With a TIP in Mexico
it is illegal to sell a foreign plated car in Mexico.
Cancel Car Permit (TIP) When Exiting Mexico
For a Temporary Resident, it is recommended you turn in your car permit when you drive out of Mexico. If you were unable to return the same vehicle to Mexico (due to total loss; car sold; health reasons, etc.) you will have a difficult time having the vehicle removed from the Mexican database. They would consider the vehicle as still being in Mexico and you would forfeit your deposit and in addition, you would be prohibited from bringing in another vehicle.
Units That May Be imported Along With the Vehicle
As per Article IV.7, along with the temporary importation of a vehicle, a person may temporarily imported a boat up to four and a half meters of length including the trailer for its’ transportation as well as recreational vehicles, motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles or jet skies as long as they are not to be driven on public roads including federal, state or municipal. The maximum is three units on the same temporary import permit (TIP) including the car / truck. It is necessary to show proof of ownership of the transported units and registration is to be in the same name as the vehicle obtaining the TIP.
Motorcycles that enter Mexico that have foreign plates to drive on public roads, must request a temporary importation permit.
Any trailer, boat, motorcycle, etc that is on the same temporary import permit (TIP), as the vehicle must leave Mexico when the vehicle with the TIP leaves. If not, you will be sent back to get whatever else is on the TIP. And, if the TIP is not turned in when leaving Mexico and you later enter Mexico without what else is on the TIP, again you will not get a TIP.
Mexican Nationals Living Abroad and Driving to Mexico
A Mexican citizen living in Canada or the US may obtain a Temporary Import Permit (TIP) for a total of 180 calendar days in Mexico, calculated from the date of entry of the vehicle into Mexico and usable in a period of 12 months. In other words, they may bring into Mexico a vehicle and leave Mexico with that vehicle several times over a 12-month period. In total their vehicle may not be in Mexico more than 180 days in that 1 year period. As well as proving work abroad for a year or more, they must submit the document issued by the immigration authorities of the foreign country proving they are a citizen or permanent or temporary residents abroad by the government of that country. The vehicles may be driven in national territory by the importer, his spouse, his ascendants, descendants or siblings as long as they are permanent residents abroad, or by a Tourist or Temporary Resident. When it is driven by someone other than those authorized, the importer of the vehicle must be in the vehicle.
Permanent Residents May Not Keep a Foreign Plated Car in Mexico.
The only exceptions are 1. when one has a pre-approved visa from a Mexican consulate and only until your status is approved as a permanent resident, so a maximum of 30 days, or 2. where no TIP is required (free zones). Otherwise, it is subject to confiscation plus a large fine. If you are in an accident your insurance is null and void.
Who May Legally Drive Your Foreign Plated Car in Mexico?
Vehicles with Temporary Import Permits may be driven in Mexico by the importer, their spouse, their parents, grandparents, brothers or sisters, children, or grandchildren even though they are not foreigners, or a foreigner who is a Tourist or Temporary Resident without the permit holder in the vehicle. Or, by a Mexican National when there is an authorized driver in the vehicle. This means if a car permit is in the name of a person with a valid FMM tourist card or Temporary Resident, that person’s spouse, even if a Permanent Resident or a Mexican national, may drive the foreign plated vehicle without the person in whose name is the car permit being in the vehicle. It also means a Mexican national such as a maid, gardener, mechanic, bellhop, etc can not drive your vehicle without the TIP holder in the vehicle.
Selling, Scrapping, or Donating Your Car
You may not sell nor donate a foreign plated vehicle in Mexico.
If a foreign plated car is unable to be driven may it be left in Mexico? NO, it must be towed to the border.
To legally scrap a foreign plated car it is only done so at about 6 locations and you pay the cost. Once scrapped, you then deliver proof of the vehicle being destroyed to the proper authorities in Mexico City. The requirements are very specific.
The other issue with taking a vehicle to a scrap yard is that the vehicle may be restored. Mexicans are very creative. Or, parts such as the motor ends up in another vehicle and on a motor is a VIN. The vehicle with that traceable VIN ends up in an accident or it is involved in committing a crime. That vehicle is now traceable to the owner who thought the vehicle was destroyed.
Golf Carts
To enter Mexico with a golf cart it is to be registered in the state or province from where it comes. Most places in Mexico do not allow golf carts on streets legally.
Tinted Windows
Only factory-installed tinted windows are legal.
