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Bringing a vehicle from Canada into Mexico
Posted by Ceci on March 21, 2024, 8:03 am
Would appreciate any first hand knowledge on bringing a vehicle from Canada into Mexico. Please email me at: hobsoncecilia@gmail.com. Would be grateful for any information. Gracias
Ceci, A bit more information is needed. If you want to drive to La Manz with a tourist visa then the Banjercito website is the starting point. Banjercito is the bank of the Mexico Federal armed forces.
Basically, you can apply online, pay the deposit ($400 USD for 2007 and newer vehicles) and get a permit for up to 180 days -- same duration as your tourist visa. The deposit is credited to your credit card when you "check out" of Mexico at the 21 km check point. Failure to "check out" your vehicle means your vehcle is still registered in Mexico -- you will not be able to renew your vehicle license NOB and you forfeit your deposit.
Vehicle insurance is required -- buy it online for approx $100 USD for 6 months or pay an exhorbinant daily rate at the 21 km check in points.
I have done this multiple times at both the Nogales and Laredo border crossings. Confusing the first time.
If, you have Residence Status -- it is different (and expensive) story. I imported my 2007 Ford Ranger last summer after applying for and receiving my Residence Permanente staus. Overall the cost was approx $7,000 USD. I have been delaying posting about this process while the New La Manz site (thanks Spencer) got up and running.
When we drove our van down this season, our TIP (temp import permit) was issued for the length of our temporary residence card (2026) and not limited to the 180 days. As Jim noted, this option goes away once you are a permanent resident. We did not apply ahead of time, just did all the paperwork at the Banjercito in Laredo after crossing. Make sure you have all the paperwork for the vehicle including original title, current registration, prearranged insurance, etc. Doing this ahead of time would have saved a little nervousness at the counter! SpencerC/Moderator
A few points of clarification: I call it the "21 km" zone. It is actually the "Mexico Free Zone". It is nominally the zone 21 km wide inside Mexico along the US border. Except, the "Free Zone" includes the western half of the state of Sonora and all of the Baja Pennisula.
I have found that crossing into Mexico at the border is often just a "wave through" it is the traveller's responsibility to check in at the "21 km" check point. This can be confusing because they are not well identified nor, are they always 21 km from the border. (Laredo's is less than a km from bridge.)
So, stop at the first OXXO store you see and get a sim card (200 pesos/month +29 pesos purchase fee) for your cell phone. This will give you access to Google Maps and "comforting" info as to things like distance to next gas station, accomodation, restaurants, etc.
It is a long drive from the US border to La Manz. If I don't do any sightseeing on the way, count on 23 hours driving time from Nogales and 20 hours from Laredo.
Take the toll highways. Expect the aggregate of the tolls to cost about 2,000 pesos. Except for the first toll gate you encounter -- only pesos are accepted. Have some loose pesos readily available to donate to the Red Cross etc at the toll booths.
The amount you will receive back from your vehicle ($400 USD) deposit will not be the exact amount charged to your credit card. Your initial $400 deposit is changed into Pesos (of course) and your refund is based on the number of Pesos -- and so, your refund is subject to currency fluctuations and the arbitrage cost of changing currencies.
on March 21, 2024, 8:03 am
