Taking Your Vehicle into Mexico
When you take your car across the
U.S. border into Mexico, if you are traveling past the "border
zone," you will need a vehicle importation permit, valid for 6
months and 6 months only. If you try to stay longer than 6 months,
the Mexican government will impose significant fines against you.
Essentially, you can only take the car you own into
Mexico. You cannot drive a friend's car (unless he is in the car
and has the proper paperwork). To receive the required permit, you
will need the vehicle's original title or registration. The name
on this has to match the name on your driver's license, which you will
also need. If the car is a rental or a lease or financed, a
notarized letter of permission, that you are allowed to take the vehicle
into Mexico, is required from the lienholder or lending institution
(good luck). You will also need to make a guarantee payment via
credit card to ensure that the vehicle leaves Mexico. This amount
is determined by the make/model and year of the car (roughly $200 to
$400 USD) and is refundable when you leave the country. The car
must also return through the same customs point as it entered, or
charges may accrue.
When driving in Mexico, you may be stopped by Mexican
police who may solicit a bribe. The scenario may be that they
stop you for speeding even though you were traveling below the speed
limit. They may want to confiscate your license and tell you to
appear in court the next day to pay a fine....and then give you the
option of paying them a lesser amount instead to make the whole thing
go away. While we do not support bribery, this is often the
fastest and easiest way to deal with such a situation. To avoid
being pulled over, stay on the toll roads rather than the free ("libre")
roads if you can.
