# Exporting a Mexican car to the US



## eastwind (Jun 18, 2016)

Suppose I buy a car in Mexico, and later decide to move back to the US. What are the rules on taking the car with me and officially importing it and registering it in the US?

I know I can drive the car in the US with Mexican plates, but I don't want to do that long term.


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## chicois8 (Aug 8, 2009)

You will probably have to have it tested to see if it meets the emissions standards of the state you are moving to, could cost $$$ to retrofit.......


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## maesonna (Jun 10, 2008)

There are US government web pages with information about this. Here and here, for example.


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## LMtortugas (Aug 23, 2013)

eastwind said:


> Suppose I buy a car in Mexico, and later decide to move back to the US. What are the rules on taking the car with me and officially importing it and registering it in the US?
> 
> I know I can drive the car in the US with Mexican plates, but I don't want to do that long term.


Unless the vehicle was originally manufactured to U.S. standards for the U.S. market, likely the expense to upgrade & convert the vehicle to DOT standards will prove exorbitant & unjustified.


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## RickS (Aug 6, 2009)

The official Importation starts with the Customs and Border Protection agency. If your vehicle doesn't, and it won't, have an EPA Emissions sticker under the hood along with a CARB (California Air Resourse Board) sticker there AND a DOT safety sticker in the driver's door jamb.... you are basically SOL. 

P.S. You also cannot drive a Mexican plated vehicle in the US for longer than 1 year.... by law.


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## eastwind (Jun 18, 2016)

I was thinking of a Jeep Wrangler. I think they're all made in the US, but I don't know if there's a difference between the ones made in the US for the US and those made in the US for Mexican export.


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## chicois8 (Aug 8, 2009)

Maybe email the manufacturer, sending the vin number and asking if it conforms to US standards...


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## LMtortugas (Aug 23, 2013)

eastwind said:


> I was thinking of a Jeep Wrangler. I think they're all made in the US, but I don't know if there's a difference between the ones made in the US for the US and those made in the US for Mexican export.


Most vehicles destined for the U.S. market, regardless of origin, are manufactured to higher safety/structural/emission standards (excluding California with even higher standards), hence the potential hassle & $$$ to import. Likely any vehicle sold new in Mexico will not comply off the assembly line as is.


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## RickS (Aug 6, 2009)

Again, IF a vehicle is manufactured to meet US standards, there will be an EPA Emissions sticker 'under the hood' and a DOT safety placard usually in the driver's door jamb. I agree with LMTortugas's assertion.


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## eastwind (Jun 18, 2016)

Thanks to all. Probably I'll give up on the idea.


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## lat19n (Aug 19, 2017)

Our 2016 Mexican purchased car was manufactured in Japan. I've got a feeling it would meet any US standards - but we will probably never take it there. A Mexican friend has a late model Audi. Since she often takes the car into Mexico City - she had the catalytic converter replaced so she could get a '00' sticker. Cost her 1000 pesos. Her car would probably meet any US standards as well.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

lat19n said:


> Our 2016 Mexican purchased car was manufactured in Japan. I've got a feeling it would meet any US standards - but we will probably never take it there. A Mexican friend has a late model Audi. Since she often takes the car into Mexico City - she had the catalytic converter replaced so she could get a '00' sticker. Cost her 1000 pesos. Her car would probably meet any US standards as well.


I am no expert but importing a car into the US is different than just passing a smog check in the US. Cars built for different markets come with different equipment. Where the car is built is less important than what market it was built for. For example, side air bags may be requirements in some places and not others. If a car is to be imported into the US, they will require that it have all the equipment that a car built for the US has to have.


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## eastwind (Jun 18, 2016)

My thinking was that if the car has been designed for the US market, even if it was manufactured for another market, it should be a bolt-on job to add whatever equipment is lacking. The US design means all the mounting points should be present and exact parts should be available. That should make the conversion a lot cheaper than the case of a car that was not designed for the US market in the first place ("Well, sir, see the problem is I've got to fit this airbag and there's no room for it because the glove box is where the airbag needs to be. I'm going to have to saw out the glove box, fabricate some mounting hardware from scratch and weld it all in"). Versus, there's a cavity in the dash for the airbag and the OEM airbag just needs to be bolted in and wired up.

It would be nice to hear from someone who'd actually gone through it, but for now I can do without the wheels.


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## lat19n (Aug 19, 2017)

eastwind said:


> My thinking was that if the car has been designed for the US market, even if it was manufactured for another market, it should be a bolt-on job to add whatever equipment is lacking. The US design means all the mounting points should be present and exact parts should be available. That should make the conversion a lot cheaper than the case of a car that was not designed for the US market in the first place ("Well, sir, see the problem is I've got to fit this airbag and there's no room for it because the glove box is where the airbag needs to be. I'm going to have to saw out the glove box, fabricate some mounting hardware from scratch and weld it all in"). Versus, there's a cavity in the dash for the airbag and the OEM airbag just needs to be bolted in and wired up.
> 
> It would be nice to hear from someone who'd actually gone through it, but for now I can do without the wheels.


I hear you - but I might add that our Japanese manufactured car purchased in Mexico has 7 airbags... But I suppose there are other alterations which might be required... (And we now live in a Mexican world where emissions are being taken VERY seriously. Much more they were where we lived in the US).


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## Stevenjb (Dec 10, 2017)

I would imagine that if you sold this vehicle in the US and it could not be registered, the buyer might be pissed. 

Posted from Android using Tapatalk


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## lat19n (Aug 19, 2017)

Stevenjb said:


> I would imagine that if you sold this vehicle in the US and it could not be registered, the buyer might be pissed.
> 
> Posted from Android using Tapatalk


Just for giggles I called Carmax San Antonio and asked if we could sell our Mexican car in Texas and was told - first you would have to import/register it (have a US title) in Texas. We have no interest at all in doing that - but is a title a state thing or a US thing ? Do you get a title at the time of import ? I know when we imported our US car into Mexico we had to go through Aduana and then visit the local Transporte/SAC offices to get a registration. It must have been Aduana that created the Mexican title...


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## eastwind (Jun 18, 2016)

Car titles are issued by the state. When you move from state to state, you can turn in your old title and have your new state issue you a new one. I don't think that step is mandatory, but I don't know whether it might be necessary before selling the car to a dealer. It probably depends on the state whether you *have* to transfer the title before they'll register the car, since each state is making it's own rules.


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## eastwind (Jun 18, 2016)

eastwind said:


> Car titles are issued by the state. When you move from state to state, you can turn in your old title and have your new state issue you a new one. I don't think that step is mandatory, but I don't know whether it might be necessary before selling the car to a dealer. It probably depends on the state whether you *have* to transfer the title before they'll register the car, since each state is making it's own rules.


Too late to edit it any more (apparently). I wanted to make clear I was talking about US states and US titles, not Mexican states or car titles.


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## LMtortugas (Aug 23, 2013)

It’s all a matter of dollars & cents; manufacturers only invest the needed amount to comply with the regulations of the designated market. Toyota does not manufacture Corollas destined for Mexico that comply with U.S. standards. It would translate to a huge unnecessary corporate waste of stockholder investment. 

As Rick S. clearly explained, foreign vehicles are IDed regarding compliance, or lack there off, with DOT regulations. If a vehicle is approved for import DOT issues a temporary permit for use until the vehicle is duly titled and registered with the owner’s state DMV. 

In Mexico, after import of a U.S. vehicle is transacted and the pedimento is processed, a factura, similar to a title, is issued to the importer to be subsequently presented to state tax authorities for registration & plates.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

Importing any Mexican-purchased car into the USA is just not likely to happen, with the rare exception of classic antique vehicles.
Modifications would simply make it prohibitive: New glass, new right mirror, new airbags, new dashboard, new speedometer, new signal lights, new tail lights, new emission control equipment, etc., etc., are some of the things that could be required. Then, there are very few places authorized to make those modifications and to issue the DOT stickers, etc.


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## lat19n (Aug 19, 2017)

RVGRINGO said:


> Importing any Mexican-purchased car into the USA is just not likely to happen, with the rare exception of classic antique vehicles.
> Modifications would simply make it prohibitive: New glass, new right mirror, new airbags, new dashboard, new speedometer, new signal lights, new tail lights, new emission control equipment, etc., etc., are some of the things that could be required. Then, there are very few places authorized to make those modifications and to issue the DOT stickers, etc.


I'm glad I read this thread. Before a few minutes ago I had never popped the hood - didn't even know how. But having done that I find a sticker under the hood - driver side near the glass which reads :

VEHICLE EMISSION CONTROL INFORMATION
Conforms to regulations : 2016 MY
US EPA :T2B5 LDT2
California : LEV II LEV LDT2
.....

This is for our 2016 Japanese manufactured Mexican purchased vehicle. As I said earlier this car will (probably) never visit the US.


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## LMtortugas (Aug 23, 2013)

Thousands of vehicles have been officially or otherwise (chocolate/grey-market/theft) exported over past decades into Mexico from the U.S. Actually, these vehicles purchased used in Mexico are technically eligible for export back NOB.


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## lat19n (Aug 19, 2017)

LMtortugas said:


> Thousands of vehicles have been officially or otherwise (chocolate/grey-market/theft) exported over past decades into Mexico from the U.S. Actually, these vehicles purchased used in Mexico are technically eligible for export back NOB.


Not sure of the context of your post. IF you are referring to our vehicle - it was purchased new and had about 100 kms on the odometer when delivered to our house.


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## LMtortugas (Aug 23, 2013)

lat19n said:


> IF you are referring to our vehicle -


My post was of no reference to your vehicle. 

I was clarifying the mostly discussed arduous nature of exporting Mexican purchased vehicles to the U.S. that, in fact, thousands of vehicles currently in Mexico and available for sale are eligible to export at minimum cost & effort.


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## RickS (Aug 6, 2009)

eastwind said:


> It would be nice to hear from someone who'd actually gone through it, but for now I can do without the wheels.


OK. I have been speaking from experience. I have imported two vehicles into the US... one Canadian (made in the US for the Canadian market) that was residing in Mexico legally and one from Mexico (a vehicle originally made in the US for the US market, then officially Exported from the US and Imported into Mexico... I then turned around and Imported it back into the US). Trust me, the latter was the easiest but not a cakewalk.

As a results of these two Imports, I have learned a lot. I have read a ton of US Publications; I have talked to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials in Washington DC (I was AMAZED that I could just call up the Director of Importations!) and I have talked to and dealt with/used CBP personnel at the Laredo area border crossing. I have also had to talk to the US headquarters of INFINITI car maker... one of the vehicles I Imported.... regarding paperwork I needed to obtain for the Canadian vehicle to past muster with CBP.

I have also heard/read the comments from a lot of Internet Forum folks, not just here, who just 'know' that one must can Import a 'newer' Mexican vehicle into the US because "these days they just must make them better and they don't look any different and they must meet US standards because of this or because of that.... mostly because they just want to believe that the Mexican car they purchased is really as good as those US cars". Well they might be 'just as good' in most cases but they most often don't meet US EPA, CARB nor DOT Standards. Period. And believe me it is NOT as easy as 'bolting on' something that might be missing. 

At the border, one will not even get to first base with the CBP Agents if the vehicle does not have the stickers/placards I have described before here. (BTW, only a US Citizen can individually Import a vehicle into the US). IF it does qualify, one gets a signed CBP form that one must present at their state of choice when titling/plating that vehicle... along with the title one got when they purchased the vehicle and any other paperwork (VIN Verification, etc) their state requires.

There IS a process wherein one can possibly Import a foreign car into the US but, by CBP requirements, it MUST be done by specific US 'companies' on behalf of the owner. This company goes through a process to either verify the vehicle is OK, or modifies the vehicle to meet US Standards. How do you spell costly! 

Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.....

RickS


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## LMtortugas (Aug 23, 2013)

RickS said:


> Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.....


RickS, good comprehensive overview.


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## modeeper (Mar 21, 2015)

This is what I know: Something called, _gray imports_. You have the right to import a foreign car, ONCE without much hassle or cost.

This is what I've done: Bought a VW Bug in GDL. Drove it to Central California. Drove it everywhere I wished for almost a year before selling it for a huge profit, still with Mexican plates.


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## RickS (Aug 6, 2009)

Could you point us to an 'official' government website that documents this 'grey import' option? I'm not arguing that you may have done this at some point but rather looking for some semblance of information that such an option exists legally. I've never heard of it (there are a lot of things that I have not heard of 'tho) and it was not presented to me by Customs as an option.


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## modeeper (Mar 21, 2015)

RickS said:


> Could you point us to an 'official' government website that documents this 'grey import' option? I'm not arguing that you may have done this at some point but rather looking for some semblance of information that such an option exists legally. I've never heard of it (there are a lot of things that I have not heard of 'tho) and it was not presented to me by Customs as an option.


Did you see the film, Rainman? Tom Cruse was a grey importer. I've never done it. Here's the story: In Thailand an old Brit pal was leaving for the UK. I was in California. He wanted to export his Honda motorcycle to me, to arrive in San Francisco. If coming from the USA he could export it to the UK. He research well, he's no dope. First I ever heard of it. It's possible it's a California thing.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

modeeper said:


> This is what I know: Something called, _gray imports_. You have the right to import a foreign car, ONCE without much hassle or cost.
> 
> This is what I've done: Bought a VW Bug in GDL. Drove it to Central California. Drove it everywhere I wished for almost a year before selling it for a huge profit, still with Mexican plates.


Your driving it for most of a year was probably legal. Your selling it with Mexican plates was probably legal. But if the buyer intended to keep it in the US, he or she would eventually have had problems. Was the Mexican title ever changed to the new owner. They might have had problems not only trying to keep it in the US, but also trying to take it back to Mexico and keeping the registration current. Also, you might have had problems if the car was ever at fault in an accident, it might come back to you.


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## lat19n (Aug 19, 2017)

TundraGreen said:


> Your driving it for most of a year was probably legal. Your selling it with Mexican plates was probably legal. But if the buyer intended to keep it in the US, he or she would eventually have had problems. Was the Mexican title ever changed to the new owner. They might have had problems not only trying to keep it in the US, but also trying to take it back to Mexico and keeping the registration current. Also, you might have had problems if the car was ever at fault in an accident, it might come back to you.


And then I would ask - when did all this happen ? Last year or 1981 ? And the transaction - was there even a US based title ? It all sounds very 'grey' to me.


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## LMtortugas (Aug 23, 2013)

Permanent vehicle imports from Mexico do not retain Mexican license plates.


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## modeeper (Mar 21, 2015)

TundraGreen said:


> Your driving it for most of a year was probably legal. Your selling it with Mexican plates was probably legal. But if the buyer intended to keep it in the US, he or she would eventually have had problems. *Was the Mexican title ever changed to the new owner.* They might have had problems not only trying to keep it in the US, but also trying to take it back to Mexico and keeping the registration current. Also, *you might have had problems if the car was ever at fault in an accident*, it might come back to you.


I have no idea. I took the cash and never looked back. I remember getting about 15 calls on that ad in the first hour.

Yes, I know about liability. I couldn't have put it in my name, I have never had resident status. I probably didn't even have a visa.

Great little car tho. Wish I still had it. Bought it for $500, sold it for $1500.


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## 4Lionsnbaja (Nov 12, 2017)

I tried to export a pickup, 92 Cheyenne (Silverado), back in the mid 90s.
It failed the CHP inspection and the smog check.
To meet requirements it needed a new Catalytic Converter, Brakes, Windshield, instrument cluster and a few other things I dont remember.
I got an estimate of $4 to 5k for parts and labor, so that put the nail in the coffin.
Funny thing was that luxury wise, it was way more equipped then the Silverado, it had the bucket seats, folding center console, sliding rear window and a few other amenities.


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## 4Lionsnbaja (Nov 12, 2017)

modeeper said:


> Great little car tho. Wish I still had it. Bought it for $500, sold it for $1500.


What year was your Bug?
I bet they bought it for parts.
Remember, sales in the US ended in the late 70s, Mexico sold them till 2003.

BTW Got my first ticket in a bug and had it impounded.


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## modeeper (Mar 21, 2015)

I don't remember the model year but it was the old (not oldest) style, too old for California smogging. Small rear window, the small taillights (not the smallest). 1600cc, old style steering, king pins not ball joints. Also had the racks, one on top and one on the trunk, which is technically the hood.

About 10 years before this event I had a Bug converted to a pickup I bought in California, 1200 punched out to 1300. Damn was that thing a hit in Mexico. Sold it in Michoacan for a nice little profit.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

That description of your bug makes it a Pre-1958 model, but later than 1951, which had the split rear window and the side-flip-out signal lights in the door posts. I have had several from 1951-1974 and sold VWs part-time in 1958-59.
Time flies when you are having fun.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

RVGRINGO said:


> That description of your bug makes it a Pre-1958 model, but later than 1951, which had the split rear window and the side-flip-out signal lights in the door posts. I have had several from 1951-1974 and sold VWs part-time in 1958-59.
> Time flies when you are having fun.


Isn't the 1600 cc engine incompatible with a pre 1958 time frame. They went to the bigger tail lights and the bigger rear window in 1968 if memory serves me correctly. But I thought the 1600 engine didn't come along until later. I had a 1968 with a 1500 cc engine. I owned a couple of them and rebuilt a bunch of Volkswagon engines for my own and friends'.

I guess there was another change to still bigger tail lights later.


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## RickS (Aug 6, 2009)

Recall that what was being built/produced in Mexico for Mexico did not necessarily match what was being produced for US consumption. While living in Houston in the mid-60s a friend of mine bought a 'Mexican Bug".... across the border I think. It did NOT resemble the bugs being sold in the US 'at all'... it even did NOT have a synchromesh transmission so shifting took some skill.


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## modeeper (Mar 21, 2015)

Gentlemen, when Mexico started building Bugs here they chose the model I just detailed as their default. Yes, that German model has a 1200 and all that stuff. The past owner might have changed the motor to 1600, after all he was a mechanic. I sold it in 2001. It was well used at that time. You know what, come to think of it I'm not sure it was a Mexican Beetle.

I just call the ex-owner, it was a 1969, he installed the 1600. He can't remember the nation of origin.


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## modeeper (Mar 21, 2015)

4Lionsnbaja said:


> What year was your Bug?
> I bet they bought it for parts.
> Remember, sales in the US ended in the late 70s, Mexico sold them till 2003.
> 
> BTW Got my first ticket in a bug and had it impounded.


I just called the ex-owner. He put the 1600 in it, was a 69 model.


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