# New Car Inspection Requirement?



## conklinwh (Dec 19, 2009)

We have been told that Mexico is now checking car inspection status either as part of car permit process or at highway stops.
Does anyone know/have experience?
If true, this a problem for us as North Carolina has done away with inspection process and made it a requirement for registration. In NC police know that valid registration and annual registration sticker on the license plate means that has a valid inspection but probably a real interesting discussion in Mexico if stopped.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

In that case, you can satisfy the inspection requirement by stopping at an inspection station in TX, NM, AZ, or CA before entering Mexico. Those inspection stickers, up to six months old, are honored. 
If you are already in Mexico, but plan a trip north, get a Mexican inspection sticker before you leave. It will solve the problem when you return, if it is still valid.


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## conklinwh (Dec 19, 2009)

I've driven back and forth for about four years under the new NC Inspection policy without question. Has something changed in Mexico?


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

Yes. Current emissions stickers/documents, less than six months old, must be shown on entry to Mexico & may have to be from US border states or can be from US border states; according to recent reports on other sites.
Mexico is doing all it can to reduce pollution and to eliminate older vehicles. Just yesterday, I picked up four new CFL spiral light bulbs for FREE, simply by turning in four incandescent bulbs. This is a federal program by CFE, the electric utility, to help reduce consumption. Selling 40W incandescent bulbs becomes prohibited in 2012; 60W in 2013, etc.


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## kazslo (Jun 7, 2010)

Maybe we're talking about 2 different things here, but my understanding was that this only pertains to vehicles that get permanently imported. At first, only California, New Mexico, Arizona, and some Texas Counties' emissions inspections done in the last 6 months were accepted. As of last week they've changed it to accept any emission certificate from any state.

The law, referred to in the news as NOM-041, was in effect the last week of November. Its pretty much froze most people from legalizing their vehicles, because there is only a couple of people who have a judge's authorization to not need the emissions certificates, and therefore all importations have to go through them. So all of the Mexicans that were returning from the holidays arrived at the border, on either side, found out that they needed an emissions certificate. Many without US papers were then stuck, unable to return far enough into Texas to Austin to get an emissions test, and unable to bring the car into Mexico. The news in Nuevo Laredo has been saying there are thousands of people stuck in limbo, waiting up to 2-3 weeks for their paperwork to be passed through for the importation.

http://biblioteca.semarnat.gob.mx/janium/Documentos/Ciga/agenda/PPD02/DO2703.pdf


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

Yes; for permanent importation, not for vehicles on an 'importada temporal', as I understand it also.

Mexico is doing all it can to reduce the number of old and/or polluting vehicles in the country. Until recently, it was easy for a Mexican to buy vehicles from auctions or junk yards in US border states, hitch up a tow bar and head south, importing them to Mexico, where they were repaired and sold. Some could not qualify for insurance, creating another problem. Such vehicles are called 'chocolates', from 'choque', wreck.


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## conklinwh (Dec 19, 2009)

Sorry but now I'm really confused. Permanent importation to me means conversion to Mexican plates which by definition means annual Mexican inspection. Temporary importation to me means that remains US registered/inspection whether under FMM or longer term visa where aduano needs be notified at visa renewal to keep from collecting importation "fee". Since the US like Mexico is annual inspection, half the time it is within 6 months and half the time it isn't.
Does the discussion mean that each car being converted to permanent must have had an inspection within 6 months or does it really mean that a US registered car must now be inspected in the US every 6 months?
Sorry if answer is intuitively easy.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

Who knows? It is a new program.


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## kazslo (Jun 7, 2010)

conklinwh said:


> Sorry but now I'm really confused. Permanent importation to me means conversion to Mexican plates which by definition means annual Mexican inspection. Temporary importation to me means that remains US registered/inspection whether under FMM or longer term visa where aduano needs be notified at visa renewal to keep from collecting importation "fee". Since the US like Mexico is annual inspection, half the time it is within 6 months and half the time it isn't.
> Does the discussion mean that each car being converted to permanent must have had an inspection within 6 months or does it really mean that a US registered car must now be inspected in the US every 6 months?
> Sorry if answer is intuitively easy.


The acuerdo specifically states that the emissions certificate requirement is only for vehicles which will be permanently imported, not those on a temp permit.


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## Hound Dog (Jan 18, 2009)

conklinwh said:


> Sorry but now I'm really confused. Permanent importation to me means conversion to Mexican plates which by definition means annual Mexican inspection..


Well, not really up until now anyway. We have lived in Mexico for ten years and drive a Mexican plated vehicle bought in Mexico since 2004. We should have an annual emissions test the passing of which is evidenced by a sticker and the absence of which could result in a ticket in many big cities but not where we live and drive at Lake Chapala or Chiapas so we stopped having these frivolous tests performed after a few years. The program seems to be a charade anyway and we keep our car properly tuned. There hasnot been, up to now atleast, any proof of having met any emissions standards to re-register one´s car in the state of Jalisco at least.


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