# Baja car registration requirements



## bravura

I understand that a new law requires car owners in Baja to have a valid MEXICO driver's license in their name in order to renew their automobile registration in Mexico. Is that true? I own a car which is currently registered, but do not drive it myself as I am unable to drive anymore. So I do not have a Mexico driver's license and can't get one. How am I to renew the registration of my car? Is there not some provision for my situation? Or have I been given bad advice about this new law?


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## RVGRINGO

Welcome to the forum.
Try to find the requirements online. Perhaps this will help:
www.bajacalifornia.gob.mx/portal/faq/licencias.jsp It now has a server error but might work later.
Or, you could try just this:
Portal GobBC and look at pages that do open.


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## bravura

Well, thank you so much for trying to help. Unfortunately, the first link has a fatal server error and so that goes nowhere. I'll try again, but I think it's a long term problem.

And the website for GoBC is entirely in Spanish, as far as I can tell. I don't speak Spanish. Also, the only thing I can see under automobile registration seems to be for registering online and that is not what I want to do. I just want some information. So that doesn't do me any good either. And most of the links on this page also have server errors. 

So, I'm still looking for help. I'll keep trying the first link you gave me, rvgringo, but I don't have a lot of hope it will solve the problem.


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## RVGRINGO

I suspected that the links might not work well, as is often the case with such things in Mexico. So, the best I can do is to tell you how we register the car in Jalisco:
We go to the local 'recaudero' (sp?) office where cars are registered, transfered, tickets paid, etc.
We simply tell the clerk the license plate number of the car, she brings it up on the computer and tells us how much we have to pay. We pay, in cash, and get a receipt. If we're lucky, they'll have the new stickers and registration card (tarjeta de circulacion). We weren't lucky this time and have to go back in 20 days to pick them up. There is no need for driver ID of any kind. If you were a good samaritan with a philanthropic bent, you could collect license plate numbers from parked cars and pay their registration and even get their documents.


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## bravura

Hah! Well, maybe that's why there's a new law in Baja, effective 1/1/09. I'm not even sure there IS a new law, but that's what I've been told and that is why the auto registration place in Ensenada is requiring a Mexico driver's license in the name of the vehicle owner. They don't seem to quite understand this new law themselves. 

It's kind of a problem for someone who owns a car that is only driven by their employee because the owner is unable to drive. I can't go back to US plates, because the employee is a Mexican citizen and can't drive the car without me in it unless it has Mexico plates. Kind of a conundrum. The Mexican System strikes again. 

Do you have a Mexican license? If not, I hope you are able to collect your tags and registration card without showing one when you go back to get them!


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## RVGRINGO

There are frequent 'reinterpretations' of the laws in Mexico and we're in the process of testing one of them now. In your case, you may find that the same principle will help you. There is, in Mexican law, the possibility of using the previous law, or interpretation, if the new one is not appropriate for you. Of course, you will have to hire an attorney to represent you in the matter but, once done, it should solve the problem forever.


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## BajaGringo

I will pump some life back in this one as it is a good question. You mention that you don't drive anymore; is that a medical condition or just personal preference? Are you able to get a Mexican drivers license? I can't speak for the rest of Mexico but my experience here in Baja norte is that it is actually quite easy. I have one and when compared to the California DMV system. this one is a breeze.


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## bravura

*Don't drive*



BajaGringo said:


> I will pump some life back in this one as it is a good question. You mention that you don't drive anymore; is that a medical condition or just personal preference? Are you able to get a Mexican drivers license? I can't speak for the rest of Mexico but my experience here in Baja norte is that it is actually quite easy. I have one and when compared to the California DMV system. this one is a breeze.


I am unable to drive, so a license is out of the question; the written exam was a breeze, but they require a driving test.


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## BajaGringo

bravura said:


> I am unable to drive, so a license is out of the question; the written exam was a breeze, but they require a driving test.


Are you disabled?


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## bravura

BajaGringo said:


> Are you disabled?


Old. Poor eyesight.


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## BajaGringo

bravura said:


> Old. Poor eyesight.


 Can you see 3 feet past the front hood? The drivers test in Baja is typically down to the corner and back. This is not California.

You do need to have a Baja plated car for your drivers test. It sounds like you have that covered. In my case I came in my other car which has California plates (I figured it would be "illegal" to drive my Baja plated SUV until I got my Baja license) 

They told me I needed a car with Baja plates and so I figured I was going to have to go home and bring the SUV. The guying giving the test said "No hay problema".

He just called over a friend who is a taxi driver to lend us his taxi. I drove his taxi around the block and presto - I passed. He was already signing me off on the form before I even pulled away from the curb...


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## BajaExPat

*Some ideas from Rosarito*

Rosarito has a Foreign Resident's office, and this is what I was told: the driver of the car should visit the license department first, (I am not sure where that is in Ensenada, but it is near the Casa Municipal, located at state hall next to ICBC here in Rosarito.)

Once inside, tell them to look for the "MODULO ALTA O CAMBIO"

The state office here recommended you obtain Mexican medical certificate indicating that he is unable to drive due to sight issues, or any valid reason. This certificate can be given to him by Red Cross or other doctor, and the cost is around $100 pesos.

Your employee/driver needs to present his valid mexican driver's licence, and go with you to the State Hall and fill out a form (they will tell him which one) that will entitle him to drive your car.

It depends on the year of the car if you need to pay a vehicle renewal fee or not, but they will be able to tell him there. In case he does, it should not be more than $1,200 pesos.

Hope this helps!


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## RVGRINGO

Welcome BajaExPat,
Thanks for that suggestion; perhaps it will help.


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## calycanto

*Car Registration*

There's a plethora of information on registering US cars in Mexico (esp California cars) at a site called calycanto - dot - com in the FAQs section where there's an article entitled "Renew Registration for Your California Vehicles When Out of State, e.g., Baja, and a Smog Check Certificate is Due. Exemptions are Available."



bravura said:


> Well, thank you so much for trying to help. Unfortunately, the first link has a fatal server error and so that goes nowhere. I'll try again, but I think it's a long term problem.
> 
> And the website for GoBC is entirely in Spanish, as far as I can tell. I don't speak Spanish. Also, the only thing I can see under automobile registration seems to be for registering online and that is not what I want to do. I just want some information. So that doesn't do me any good either. And most of the links on this page also have server errors.
> 
> So, I'm still looking for help. I'll keep trying the first link you gave me, rvgringo, but I don't have a lot of hope it will solve the problem.


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