# Bringing in a vehicle that is registered in another name



## bdbels (May 17, 2016)

I will be selling a US plated vehicle to a colleague and she will be taking it with her into Mexico where she will be living and working. Do we need to wait to receive the title in her name? Or is it possible for her to bring the car into the country with the US registration still in my name if she has a copy of the bill of sale. I can be with her when she crosses the border, if that helps.

Thanks,
Bobby


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## perropedorro (Mar 19, 2016)

bdbels said:


> I will be selling a US plated vehicle to a colleague and she will be taking it with her into Mexico where she will be living and working. Do we need to wait to receive the title in her name? Or is it possible for her to bring the car into the country with the US registration still in my name if she has a copy of the bill of sale. I can be with her when she crosses the border, if that helps.
> Thanks,
> Bobby


Be best if the title is in her name. What state you live in and how soon does she need to take it to Mexico? If you do the transfer at the dmv, lots of them will issue a new title and registration in her name the same day. Mexico is far more fussy about such things than the U.S. and it's doubtful they'll issue a TIP to anyone other than the person on the title/registration, or at best an immediate family member---who would be the only ones allowed to drive it anyway. Also, if your friend is living and _legally_ working in Mexico, she's either Mexican or has a Residente Permanente and won't be allowed to take out a TIP but must start the process to nationalize the vehicle.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

The person getting the Importada Temporal must be the owner of the vehicle. A Mexican citizen or a Permanent Resident may not drive a foreign plated vehicle in Mexico. The vehicle may not be registered and plated in Mexico unless permanently exported from the USA and imported to Mexico by a broker, at a cost of thousands of dollars and some time in a hotel. The car must be of a specific make and age to qualify, etc.


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## RickS (Aug 6, 2009)

_"Also, if your friend is living and legally working in Mexico, she's either Mexican or has a Residente Permanente."_

This is not necessarily true. One can get permission to work while being a Residente Temporal, so having a foreign plated vehicle in Mexico would be permitted. Of course sooner or later (4 years currently) a Temporal must upgrade to Permanente and the car would then not be able to stay in Mexico. Yes, I know that after 4 years, the person 'could' try and get another Temporal visa and a new car permit, but that would have to be at a Mexican Consulate in the USA, meeting the then current financial requirements... so it is far from being a given IMO.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

It is possible that one with a Residente Temporal AND a lucrativa endorsement may also be prohibited from driving a foreign plated car. I seem to recall such a rule from many years ago in the FM2/3 days.


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## RickS (Aug 6, 2009)

As RVGringo has pointed out, nothing is ever clear cut in Mexico. This is true about the situation of a Temporal with permission to work being able to have a foreign plated car. Some time ago, probably with the transition from FM2/FM3 to RP and RT, some authorities were denying car privileges to Lucrativas. But then later SAT was allowing RTs with Lucrativas to get TIPs.

So who knows what the current status is, and where. If the car thing is important to someone who is contemplating working as a Temporal, they would be wise to check with SAT or have their employer do so in their behalf.


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