Mexican Customs (Aduana – SAT) has published several key new importation rules that affect both tourists and expats entering Mexico. These rules take effect on Nov. 1, 2011, affecting the amount of non-personal items that Mexicans can bring into Mexico by land, and changing the age of vehicles that can be permanently imported for both Mexicans and foreigners. In short, Aduana has raised the limits from $75 USD to $300 USD exempt from duties for non-personal items, and 8 and 9 year old vehicles are now eligible for permanent importation.
“Aduana’s Annual Temporary Paisano Program Importation Rules- SAT Webpage”
“El Servicio de Administración Tributaria informa que desde el 1 de noviembre de 2011 y hasta el próximo 8 de enero de 2012, se amplía la franquicia de 75 a 300 dólares para los pasajeros que arriben al país por vía terrestre, igualándose a la que tienen derecho los que arriben por vía marítima o aérea.“
Google translates this as:
“The Tax Administration reports that from November 1, 2011 until January 8, 2012, they are extending the exemption from 75 to $ 300 for passengers arriving into the country by land, equal to what thy are entitled those who arrive by sea or air.“
The “Aduana’s Importation Rules- SAT Webpage” also includes useful links to describing rules on allowed baggage, applying online Temporary Importation for vehicles, access to the current status of applications, and the costs for importing specific vehicles using your vehicle’s VIN.
Importing 8 & 9 Year Old Vehicles:
The specific rules for permanently importing 8 – 9 year old cars into Mexico are published at: “Permanent Importation of Used Vehicles: whose model year is eight and nine years before the year of importation”
You can find out exactly what Mexican Customs fees will be owed for permanently importing a vehicle at:
“Car Import Quotations” . Enter your VIN and go to the next page. Enter your vehicle Make (Ford), Enter the Model (Ranger), enter an LOW** approximate value (in USD), and tick the box (or not) to confirm that you want to take the car beyond the border zone (“Importación al interior del país“), and then CLICK the “CONTINUAR” button. (If you hit return, the website rejects your application).
**If you enter a too low estimated value, you get the very coool message:
—- “El valor en dolares declarado no puede menor a $****. Favor a declarar otro valor.” —- which tells you Aduana’s minimum acceptable value your vehicle… *sweet*
Enter an estimated value that is equal-to or more-than this minimum value, and hen CLICK the “CONTINUAR” button. You will get a page that reports Aduana’s fees to import your vehicle.
Mexican Custom’s Website (in English) for:
“Aduana’s Online Webpage for Pre-Registering Your Car For Importation or Applying for Your Temporary Permit Online”
You can go online to start your Temporary Import Permit process, or use the site check out your vehicle’s eligibility. There is an option to pay online, but I personally am hesitant to make online payments to Aduana/Banjercito/INM for things, because if there is an error in the information you enter, or if you use the wrong page, or make any error, it can be challenging to get your money back, and you have to pay again in the meantime anyway.
If you have further questions, they offer this contact information:
Correo electrónico para dudas: CIITEV_AduanaMexico@sat.gob.mx
O llama desde México al 01 800 46 36 728 y desde Estados Unidos y Canadá al 1 877 44 88 728.
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Feel free to copy while giving proper attribution: YucaLandia/Surviving Yucatan.
© Steven M. Fry
Read on, MacDuff.
Steve,
The last 2 articles are trying to make me sign in to WordPress before I can read the article… you may need to take a look at that…
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Do I understand this correctly, you can bring in vehicles newer than 8, 9 or 10 years and pay 10% of its value to register it? And it eventually becomes perment after paying a 10% registration fee every year?
Or does this mean a newer car will never become permanent?
Thanks,
Marygwen
Hi Marygwen,
According to everything we read in the Diario Official de la Federacion, and Aduana webpages, vehicles less than 8 years old cannot be permanently imported, to protect the Mexican vehicle sales industry. You can temporarily import a less than 8 year old vehicle using a No Inmigrante/FM3 Rentista or Inmigrante/FM2 Rentista, and then later take the vehicle out of the country and bring it back in for permanent importation when it qualifies under the 8, 9, or 10 year rules.
Can you tell us where you got the 10% figure and the 10% per year follow-on?
steve
I read at one point that it costs 10% of the sticker/book value for registration each year.
The first time I tried a VIN number with the website you provided, it came up with a 10% fee. I just tried it again with a different VIN and it came up closer to 20%. Attempted to run it again to double check and it gave an error message in Spanish.
So, would it be possible to bring in a late-model vehicle and drive it to Belize, for example, once a year and keep a US registration? If possible, in that case would it matter if the car had been assembled in Japan, as mine is?
Add this to thinkgs that make you go hmmmmmm
things, that is
My car is a 2000 ford can i still put Mexican plates on it?
Sandy,
Is it a NAFTA manufactured/assembled Ford? If you don’t know, use the VIN checker that is listed above, and if the car is allowed permanently into Mexico, the program will also report your duties and fees for importing the car.
steve
Thanks for your reply I went to the link ,entered my VIN and it came back saying my ford expedition was not made in the us or canada and cannot be inported Im from the US and have the car here in Mexico for the past 6 years with my FM2 How can it not be able to be imported Has anyone else had this problem? Thanks again for responding Sandy
Sandy,
According to Wikipedia sources, all Ford Expeditions have been assembled in the USA, so, it should qualify as a NAFTA vehicle. Maybe Aduana has a glitch in their database or maybe you entered the VIN incorrectly? If you go back and re-check & re-enter the VIN in the Aduana VIN checker and it rejects it again, then copy that typed version of the VIN and paste it into this site: http://www.decodethis.com/ to see if you get the same result. If the second VIN checker kicks it back with the wrong info, then maybe you either typed it incorrectly or recorded it incorrectly. If the 2′nd site works with your copied VIN, then it would be clear that the Aduana site’s database has a problem. Please give us a shout back about what you find.
steve
My car has US Illinois plates and is down with my FM3. When it’s 8 years old, can I sell it in Mexico without returning it to the border? Can I have someone drive it back? I’m a woman alone and would not be able to drive the car back.
Poppy,
You could:
1. Continue to keep it here under your FM3.
2. Have a family member take it to the border.
3. You could have a person with the same category of FM3 ( No Inmigrante Rentista ? ) drive it to the border.
4. You could ride to the border in it with a driver.
5. You could apply for a 3-5 day permit for someone to drive it to the border under the “Safe Returns” program.
6. You could have someone haul it to the border.
At the border, you could either
1. sell it in Belize, USA, Guatemala or
2. you could re-import it back into Mexico under a Permanent Import permit from Aduana, and keep it here permanently with Mexican license plates.
Where are you located in Mexico?
steve
I have a 1990 RX-7 in restored great condition that i want to bring down to San Miguel. I do not want to sell it, just to not have it stolen. ‘anyway, can i legally bring it in. I have an FM3 status now, and know that it will cost, but I just need to know if that model and year can even be imported, at whatever price
Kenan
ckoldham
Did you use the VIN checker on the Aduana website? Since this model was only made in Japan, it can only be imported under a Temporary Import permit under your FM3. Is your visa in the “Rentista” .category. If you are in one of the Lucrativo categories, then you cannot bring it in.
Have you read our Importing & Driving a Car in Mexico article at: http://yucalandia.wordpress.com/driving-in-mexico-issues-fun/importing-driving-a-car-in-mexico/ ? (Which answers your questions.)
steve
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I have a vehicle with an import sticker from 2010. I applied for an FM3 at the Mexican Consulate in the US and then received the new non-immigrante card in Mexico when I arrived and registred in the fall of 2010. I completed my first annual renewal of the FM3 a few months ago. I printed regulations that stated the permit was valid as long as the visa was valid and carry that in the vehicle. Articulo 106.
I just read that 30 August 2011 that you must notify Aduana of any change in your visa status (renewal, upgrade, etc.) in order to preserve your bond. I’ve never done that. Is my import sticker/bond invalid now? Do I need to find the nearest Aduana office and get a new sticker? What do you think will happen when the new immigration laws are written with temporary imports?
Thank you so much for your help!
Susan.
You might have lost your deposit that you left with Bajercito, but if you file / register your INM permission/visa status with your local Aduana office now, it may not be an issue when you take the vehicle out of Mexico. Your Aduana Temmporary Import sticker is still valid.
There is no official word on how Aduana will handle the new INM immigrant categories. A reasonable guess is that various sub=types of Residente Temporal permits will be allowed to Temporarily Import vehicles. The tougher question is how they will handle the new Resident Permanente status.
steve
Update from Nov. 17 post – I wanted to share the information I received from Banjercito. They said my import sticker is still good as long as my FM3 is valid. I got my sticker in 2010 so I only paid around $40 USD. The newer stickers required a $300 or $400 deposit/bond and those individuals need to notify SAT (Hacienda) office within 15 days of the visa renewal to prevent the deposit from transferring to the government. If it is already expired, the deposit already transferred. This was effective June 11, 2011. To maintain the deposit, you need to present a letter (original and copy) and ask to have the copy sealed/stamped as proof of the request. Bring the original and a copy of your US-Passport, FM3/FM2-Visa, vehicle title or registration, and Temporary Import Permit documents.
Susan,
Thank you so much for the update!
Your experiences fit our understandings. One added point, Aduana/Banjercito has recently only needed 3 business days to re-imburse people who turn in their stickers properly. I think there is one minor typo in your narrative: after you renew your INM visa, you need to notify Aduana of your new INM expiration date to protect your Temporary Import permit deposit intact with Banjercito – Aduana: not SAT (Hacienda).
We’re really glad that it all worked out for you.
steve
Need a concrete answer do 10 yr old vehicles still qualify for permanent importation to mexico by a mexican. When I go to the aduana site it only talks about 8-9 yr old vehicles. Pls advise the VIN checkier says it cannot locate our VIN but the VIN decoder lists our vehicle as a GMC 2002 made in the united states. How do I find out for sure before driving from Canada to Mexico. Pls help
lorrie,
VINs can be a bit complicated, and sometimes difficult to read. I suggest rechecking the VIN, copying it off of the dash or the driver’s door post. Then compare what you’ve written with your car title. Then try the Aduana site’s VIN checker again to see what import fees would be owed to permanently import your GMC. Sidelight: Is a Temporary Import permit not good for your intents and situation?
Based on your VIN or the information sticker on the driver’s door post, what is the exact date of manufacture? Does it fall between Nov. 1 2011 and Oct. 31, 2012 – making it 10 years old?
Please give us a shout with your results.
steve
steve
Hi Steve thanks I have rechecked inside the door and the VIN is correct. I cut and pasted in another tag what decoder said re the vin. however the sticker on the inside says 02/02 as the manufacture date . That does make it 10 yrs old but it will still not be found in the VIN checker any advice? I really do not want to get all the way to the border and find out that we cannot legalize it. We have a lot of extended family their (with no cars) and if I need them to pick some up etc I want them to be able to drive the vehicle. Thanks again for your assistance Lorrie
here is what it says when I use the VIN on the Aduana site provided
Información del vehículo
No fue posible obtener información relacionada al VIN: 1GTEK19T92Z264965
lorrie,
I have put out some feelers to find out how Aduana is handling 10 year old vehicles.
steve
Banjercito said I could go to the nearest SAT/Hacienda. I had asked about the closest Aduana to Playa del Carmen or Cancun. Someone from Mexican Customs is going to be speaking in Playa del Carmen in February and I will try to get more information.
Susan,
Thanks for another good update!
There are people who don’t have an Aduana office nearby, but who do have SAT/Hacienda offices in their vicinity. We look forward to hearing about the details of an additional possible option, if their Banjercito or Aduana allows it.
steve
decode this has this
VIN 1GTEK19T92Z264965
Vehicle History Report Get your Vehicle History Report NOW
Year 2002 Engine Type 5.3L V8 OHV 16V
Make GMC Driveline 4WD
Model Sierra 1500 Ground Clearance 8.50 in.
Trim Level SL Ext. Cab Long Bed 4WD Front Brake Type Disc
Manufactured In UNITED STATES Rear Brake Type Disc
Body Style EXTENDED CAB PICKUP 4-DR Anti-Brake System 4-Wheel ABS
Transmission 4-Speed Automatic Overdrive
Standard Seating 6
MPG Hwy 17 miles/gallon Optional Seating No data
MPG City 14 miles/gallon Tires 245/75R16
Dealer Invoice $24,954 USD Wheelbase 157.50 in.
MSRP $28,519 USD Curb Weight 4998 lbs
assuming this means 10 yrs old We want to be able to have Mexican plates so I don’t have an issue if my brother in laws drive my kids around in the truck.
Thank You I appreciate your help Lorrie
Hello!
My wife and I own a house in Cozumel. I’m considering driving my 1998 Chevy S10 down from Iowa in early March 2012 with my brother. I may or may not trailer an ATV and or a motorcycle. (2005 ATV and 2002 Motorcycle). If I end up doing this, I would ultimately plan to leave the truck, atv, motorcycle at our house in Cozumel and fly back. I would enter Mexico with an FMM. My question is in regards to overstaying the 180 day temporary import permit. My understanding is that article 106 of Mexican law says that your car is legal if your visa is legal… with that in mind if I left the county by flight and returned to Mexico later by flight with a different FMM would my vehicle still be legal to drive? My understanding is that the visa (in this case FMM) is not directly tied to the temporary import. My understanding is that in order to keep my bond for the vehicle import, all I would need to do is contact Aduana to extend the temporary vehicle permit based on the newly issued FMM. I would ultimately plan to naturalize my truck. I’m also not clear on the ATV / Motorcycle import. I understand that you can trailer up to 3 ATV/Buggy/motorcycle based on the number of people in the towing vehicle. If I wanted to drive my ATV or Motorcycle off or on road, would this be legal? If it sounds like to much hassle, I may just elect to fly down and try to find a decent Mexican vehicle to buy for our place there.
I greatly appreciate any advice you have!
Chris
Hi Chris,
When you leave the country, they cancel your current FMM, which means that your Temporary Import permits also expire (when you fly out). Fortunately, because you live in Quintana Roo, you have an alternate option. Quintana Roo is considered a Free Zone, like Sonora or Baja California – which means you can drive your vehicles out of Mexico, at Chetumal, get your deposits back, and return back into Quintana Roo without any Temporary Import permits. The vehicles then stay in Quintana Roo. As long as you do not drive them out of Q. Roo, they remain legal.
If you decide you want to drive them out of Q. Roo into other parts of Mexico – you would go to the border again at Chetumal, and get a Temporary Import permit under that future visa. It seems like an FM3 would suit you better, rather than dancing with FMMs and Free Zone limitations. Why not get an FM3? We don’t know what rules govern usage of off road vehicles – as every Mexican State has their own driving and licensing rules & requirements.
steve
“Quintana Roo is considered a Free Zone, like Sonora or Baja California – which means you can drive your vehicles out of Mexico, at Chetumal, get your deposits back, and return back into Quintana Roo without any Temporary Import permits”
The US Consular looked into this and found that Q Roo is not a “free zone”. Can you provide a link that states otherwise.
Rick,
Consider that the US Consulate is part of the US Government, and the Mexican rules on special areas may change more frequently than US bureaucrats are able to keep up with??
The official Mex. Gob. website on Aduana’s special zones in Mexico (where a number of Customs rules do not apply) says:
“Región fronteriza
Los estados de Baja California, Baja California Sur, Quintana Roo y la región parcial de Sonora; la franja fronteriza sur colindante con Guatemala y los municipios de Caborca, Sonora, Comitán de Domínguez, Chiapas, y Salina Cruz, Oaxaca.
This translates as:
“Border region
The states of Baja California, Baja California Sur, Quintana Roo and the partial region of Sonora bordering the southern border with Guatemala and the municipalities of Caborca, Sonora, Comitan de Dominguez, Chiapas, and Salina Cruz, Oaxaca.”
Aduanas Webpage: Franja y región fronterizas ( http://www.aduanas.gob.mx/aduana_mexico/2008/pasajeros/139_10128.html
This seems pretty clear to us, and it has been officially posted on the Aduanas website since July 29, 2010.
Sidelight: The US consular satellite office in Cancun, Quintana Roo has struggled to get and keep good employees over the years (since it can be a somewhat thankless job with 16 – 18 hr days, according to a friend of ours who did the job for a year).
Hope this helps.
steve
Sorry, but I wanted to reply to your reply to me, but this will do.
I’m not certain that Free Zone and Border Zone are synonymous.
Vehicles here (Q Roo) without permit stickers (turned in at Belize border) have been impounded by Aduana. The “fine” has been up to 14,000 pesos. Once paid, you are given a document of safe passage which gives you five days to return your vehicle to the country of origin.
As far as the US Consular being up to date. I agree, but the meeting held with the agent was attended by officials from D.F. (Aduana and Migracion) to clear up any misunderstandings.
Were they totally clear? Of course not.
We also learned that it is illegal to sell, donate or give away a foreign plated vehicle. Ooops.
Regards,
Confused As Ever
Good Good Good Update!
On a similar note, here in Yucatan, we have been seeing a number of vehicles plated with licenses from other states being impounded in the past month. A neighbor’s beautiful BMW SUV-Crossover was just towed away last night because of having Nuevo Leon plates, but being driven by an emigrant from Nuevo Leon who had moved to Yucatan.
Gotta update the article…
steve
HI Steve after about 30 phone calls and as many emails I finally got an answer regarding 2002 vehicles. Yes they can still be legalized by a Mexican national. All GMC’s are made in the US or Canada so they qualify. To legalize our 2002 GMC Sierra it will cost from start tpo finish $1310 US if we send down the registration in advance you can have it all completed in about 4hrs once you cross the border. Yippee
H-RAAAY !
Anyone experienced the spouses FM3 passing away while renewal, now canceled, was in process and whose spouse is told she now has illegally imported car which could be impounded as husband is the temporary importer of record? She was also told that the temporary import bond is lost due to timing.
Keith
Keith,
Under our reading of the law, she could get a Safe Returns permit, and take the car out of Mexico. It may be easier to sell the car at her closest border, and get a car here. That approach may also protect the bond – but Banjercito has the last word on the bond.
steve
Thankyou Steve…will relay to the widow….Keith
Hi Steve,,the widow not has legal vehicle in Mexico = a local paralegal did the paperwork and she did not have to make the trip….done after we departed so don’t have all the details.
Howver, on a related note, friends with whom we had entered Mexico on Nov 1, 2011 at Colombia, and ourselves, departed Mexico on March 28, 2012 also at Colombia. Their FM3 renewal and notification to the Adauna at GDLwas done in January 2012, ours in March 2012. After handing in our stickers, we proceeded to Immigration and my wife, fluent in Spanish, went to speak to the staff who issued the stickers initially. They had no idea of the refund procedure and both of us had a stamped copy of the initial extension application plus a letter from the Aduana saying it was in process – neither of us had received a “final” letter and the paralegal told us he was no longer receiving them. The staff took copies of our temporarty import extensions, made a phone call to someone. and as yet, we have not been credited with the USD $400 refund.
If Mexico doesn’t smarten up regarding snowbirds, less and less of the flock will be heading back. At this point, we might go back only to dissolve our holdings.
We will attempt a call to the banercito head office and see if that brings results/ I will advise – others that we have heard of received their rerund the next day following exiting. But it is something to be very alert to.
Keith