# Moving back to Us, want to bring my car



## yossarianb52 (Dec 27, 2012)

Hey guys, I was wondering if anyone knew the best way to go about this. The car is in my wife's name (she's Mexican notional) but we'll be putting it in my name when we return to New Jersey. We plan on driving it up and have gotten the requisites for transferring the title over to me and then registering. The only real question is whether to keep the car in her name until we cross over or sign it over to me pre-crossing. Also, if it becomes mine in Mexico, do i have to register it is such? Can I if I'm not a resident?


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

As long as the care is US plated, it should make no difference when you turn in your Importada Temporal in the name of the importer.
If the car is Mexican plated, you may drive it in the USA until you take up residence, or up to a year if you do not. You cannot register a Mexican plated car in the USA without formally importing it; an impossibly complicated and expensive process, which must be done by approved agencies and involves modifications to the car.
Your post did not clearly state your situation. However, your final question would indicate that if the title is change to your name, you would have to register it that way.


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

yossarianb52 said:


> Hey guys, I was wondering if anyone knew the best way to go about this. The car is in my wife's name (she's Mexican notional) but we'll be putting it in my name when we return to New Jersey. We plan on driving it up and have gotten the requisites for transferring the title over to me and then registering. The only real question is whether to keep the car in her name until we cross over or sign it over to me pre-crossing. Also, if it becomes mine in Mexico, do i have to register it is such? Can I if I'm not a resident?


If it is a Mexican national vehicle and built in Mexico and not for export which almost all sold in Mexico vehicles are, it can not be imported into the US without meeting smog and saftey standards, paying a fee for inspection etc. and might be better and cheaper to sell it in Mexico. It depends on what the car has and what you want to pay to import it in this case. If it is a US built car that was imported into Mexico it will be much cheaper and less red tape and posible as simple as re- registering it from what state is was last registerd. If the Mexican importer exported it from the US [not common to do] I asume more red tape is involved.


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## yossarianb52 (Dec 27, 2012)

Ok, very interesting/ disturbing. Anyone know a good import/export agent? And by good I mean knows thier stuff and I won't have to sell the car just to pay their fee.


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

yossarianb52 said:


> Hey guys, I was wondering if anyone knew the best way to go about this. The car is in my wife's name (she's Mexican notional) but we'll be putting it in my name when we return to New Jersey. We plan on driving it up and have gotten the requisites for transferring the title over to me and then registering. The only real question is whether to keep the car in her name until we cross over or sign it over to me pre-crossing. Also, if it becomes mine in Mexico, do i have to register it is such? Can I if I'm not a resident?


It sounds like you want to import a Mexican built car into the US. Correct?

If so I would imagine you can do it but it might cost you a few thousand USD to do.

Here is a link to importing a car and what the car needs to have or have installed to pass inspection.

Importing a Motor Vehicle - CBP.gov


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## yossarianb52 (Dec 27, 2012)

Thanks for the link, I'd found it already but I appreciate the help nonetheless. I am at the point where I'm waiting to see if I can get a manufacturer's letter about the EPA and DOT standards and seeing how extensive alterations would have to be. Anyone have any information about anything like that? I was told by customs that the EPA and DOT sites had a list of approved cars and models but no luck finding it so far.


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