Permits to legalize American cars They are the ones you must manage when you want to enter a car into Mexico and therefore if it will remain in the country or not, you should know how to process a permanent or temporary import and what are its requirements to facilitate the task:
Permits to legalize American cars and the procedure
- First of all the Permits to legalize American cars They are different depending on whether it is the import of a new car or a used one.
- Never give the vehicle documents to a manager or another person on public roads.
- The customs agent is the one who can carry out the procedure on your behalf by presenting the documentation to the customs authority.
Permits to legalize used American cars
- To obtain permission to legalize an American used car, it must be a model of 8 or 9 years prior to import.
- But if it is a used classic car, it must be 30 years old.
- As a natural person, you can carry out a definitive importation of a used car once every twelve months without having to register in the registry of importers.
- But if you want to import not only one used vehicle but more than one, you must register in the importers registry and in the RFC.
Requirements to legalize used American cars
Used cars must have a vehicle identification equal to that of the assembly in the United States, Mexico or Canada or the one manufactured.
- The model year must be 5-10 years prior to the import year.
- It can be a vehicle intended to transport people or goods for a maximum load of 11,793 kilos and that does not present a prohibition or restriction to circulate in its country of origin.
- If you are a natural person with a business activity or legal person who is taxed according to the ISR law, you can import the number of vehicles you want as long as you have registered in the registry of importers.
- The importation of the vehicle will be carried out through the customs of the northern border or in the maritime traffic customs through the customs agent who is in charge of the procedure.
Permits to legalize new American cars
- Since 2004, new vehicles that come from the United States, including from the countries of the European Union and Canada, are duty-free in accordance with the provisions of NAFTA, the free trade agreement of North America and the European Union.
- You can import the car through a customs agency with the import permit and it is presented in the corresponding customs area to be imported.
- The new vehicle must be first hand with its invoice that has been issued by the dealer or manufacturer.
- The car’s model year must be the same year it was imported and identical to the car’s VIN.
- The car cannot show on the odometer an amount greater than 1000 kilometers if the vehicle has a gross weight of 5000 kilograms or an amount that is not greater than 5000 kilometers if its gross weight is 5000 kilograms or more but does not exceed 8864 kilos.
- When the car enters Mexico, it will pay state and federal taxes and duties in accordance with the legal provisions that apply to the units to be sold in the country.
- As a buyer you must be sure that your car complies with Mexican regulations regarding registration, identification, noise, gas emissions, security, etc.
Requirements to legalize new American cars
- You must present the original title of the car in the name of the importer or with an endorsement.
- Identification such as the Mexican passport, the voter’s credential or the military card.
- The CURP.
- Proof of residence in the country such as a note from the bank, the electricity or water bill.
- A photocopy of the VIN, Serial number of the car.
- You will pay 10% on the value of the car and the taxes that correspond to entering the country such as VAT, DTA, Customs procedure law and Repuve, public vehicle registration.
What is a temporary import
Temporary import requires a permit to enter the vehicle into the national territory when it is a foreign vehicle that you want to enter for a specific time and at the same time has a specific purpose or purpose, then you return it in the same state and also do not use it for a profit activity.
What is a definitive import
When it comes to a definitive import, it means that there is no time limit to enter the vehicle into Mexico.
You can import a vehicle through definitive importation when its model is 8 or 9 years prior to import and the vehicle identification number is manufactured or assembled in the United States, Mexico or Canada and does not need a prior permit from the Secretary of Economy.
Definitive import to the strip
Customs of Mexico, understand the northern border strip as the territory that includes the northern line of Mexico and the parallel with a distance of 20 km. towards the interior including the limit of the Gulf of Mexico and the state of Sonora as well as the border municipality of Cananea.
The partial region of Sonora also includes the dividing line of the Colorado riverbed arriving west of Sonoyta and in a straight line east of Puerto Peñasco continuing along the riverbed to the international dividing line.
Therefore, if you reside in the border region or border strip, you can make a definitive import of used cars if those cars will remain in those areas.
Requirements to legalize American cars
- You must present the title of ownership of the car that is in the name of the importer.
- You will present the official identification corresponding to the importer.
- You will present the credential to vote with its corresponding photograph, the passport, the professional identification or immigration form with the photograph or the national military service card or naturalization letter or the immigrant credential.
- You will present the proof of address with the receipt of water, telephone, electricity or property that is not older than 3 months.
- The proof of the filing that has been issued by the corresponding municipality and that does not exceed 3 months.
- A digital photograph of the vehicle identification number.
- The CURP of the importer in the case of a natural person.