I have a question for those of you who keep an American plated car permanently in Mexico.
Do you bother to get annual renewal of your registration in the States? Do the Mexican police check to see if you have a current registration (the
sticker on yout plates) if you have a Stateside plated car? Has anyone been hassled by the police?
The reason I ask is because I have a friend in Los Cabos who was ticketed for lack of current registration about three months ago on a California
plated car. He had to go to the police station to pay, so probably not mordita.bajalou - 7-19-2006 at 04:38 PM
The law is you must have current registration in the place it is licensed or a Temp. Importation decal and papers for Mex. Rarely enforced but it's
there.
Al G - 7-19-2006 at 06:07 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by bajalou
The law is you must have current registration in the place it is licensed or a Temp. Importation decal and papers for Mex. Rarely enforced but it's
there.
Can you explain Temp. Importation decal, the purpose and time limits??
Thanks, Albertoladulce - 7-19-2006 at 06:10 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by oxxo
The reason I ask is because I have a friend in Los Cabos who was ticketed for lack of current registration about three months ago on a California
plated car. He had to go to the police station to pay, so probably not mordita.
He had to pay a fine, but does he also have to prove that he fixed the problem?
I wonder if a current registration is required for your Mexican auto insurance to be valid? I'd hate to take the chance and find out that I wasn't
covered.
Last year in the small town of Insurgenetes, a couple of cops stood in the middle of the only paved street thru town and pulled cars over at "random"
specifically to check for license and registration.
It probably doesn't happen often, but I bet some cops look for vehicles with US plates knowing that many cars never leave Baja and will not have
current registrations. (especially CA where a smog check is required and the reg. can't be continually renewed by mail)oxxo - 7-19-2006 at 06:22 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by oladulce
He had to pay a fine, but does he also have to prove that he fixed the problem?
Yes, he paid a fine and got a "fix it" ticket, both.
I've heard enough to convince me that I'll go ahead and keep it registered. It's not worth being hassled by the police, it is the law in Mexico, and
the insurance companies are always looking for an excuse not to pay your claim if you have one. It's a relatively old car and registering it in
California will not break the bank.
Thankswornout - 7-19-2006 at 07:34 PM
I keep my old Bronco II registered in California with a Baja Residence. Yes, California doesn't care where you live. The only draw back is one must
remember to renew, they don't mail out renewal notices in this case. I purchase a one day insurance policy in San Felipe for the day I go up to El
Centro to renew. California does accept one day insurance policies. No smog either, El Centro is in Imperial County, a smog exempt County.
I have drivers license insurance and in order to be covered one must be driving a legally licensed vehicle, which my Bronco II is.
For my other Pickup, I license it in South Dakota, which has internet registration. I love RV friendly states.Bob and Susan - 7-19-2006 at 08:12 PM
if the car is in mexico you DO NOT have to "smog" it to register it EVER....bajalou - 7-19-2006 at 08:15 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by Bob and Susan
if the car is in mexico you DO NOT have to "smog" it to register it EVER....
As your posts regarding Calif DMV regulations a very strong, does one of you work for Cal DMV and have more knowledge of the subject than most of us?Bob and Susan - 7-19-2006 at 08:27 PM
lou...its just a fact...i've done it several times....no smog to register in ca if the car is in Nevada or Mexico
i have a girl that works for me that has a DMV registration business...bajalou - 7-19-2006 at 08:33 PM
Thank you
I wasn't questioning that statement.jerry - 7-19-2006 at 08:40 PM
ok how much to regester a 1986 suzuke in cali??jerry - 7-19-2006 at 08:44 PM
oregon i think is $56.00 2 yrs lisences includedBob and Susan - 7-20-2006 at 05:30 AM
yearly registration on my 1986 Suzuki is $52 a year...burns a little oil but runs Great!!!
if you're planning to import to california...don't..there is an import fee...$600+El Jefe - 7-20-2006 at 06:23 AM
I just did the registration for our 2000 jeep in Oceanside, California last week so this information is up to date for that location. We needed a smog
cert according to the renewal notice DMV sent to out mailing address in California. I went to the office and requested an exemption because the car is
kept near San Jose del Cabo. I got the form to fill out, BUT it says right on the form that it is not good for cars in Mexico or Arizona. However,
after explaining that the car is 1,100 miles from the border I was able to get the exemption. I showed my FM3 as evidence of my residence in Baja Sur.
The lady took it to her supervisor for approval.
Lately in San Jose del Cabo the police have been VERY active pulling over gringos with cars plated outside of Mexico to check if the registration is
current.Julie - 7-20-2006 at 06:52 AM
I just returned from Dana Point, registering our 2000 truck that needed a smog. Sent my brother to do the exemption to avoid the trip. He went to the
DMV in N. Cal. No way, they made me bring it up.
When I went to DMV San Clemente to register it I was told that the form (and it does say it ) is for all but Mexico and Nevada, BUT, in So. Cal. since
they have so many people down here the will register the car and extend the smog until your next trip us as long as it is within 1 year. This is info
as of last Friday from the DMV's mouth.
Also had a friend follow me up to do the same deal, she purchased the temp US insurance, DMV would not accept it as valid insurance.
Anyway that's my most current info.Bob and Susan - 7-20-2006 at 07:47 AM
that's why you mail it in....
people "make up the rules" as they go....bajalou - 7-20-2006 at 08:00 AM
A couple of things from my personal experience--
Imperial County CA (El Centro/Calexico/Brawley) does not require periodic smog checks for any vehicles. A Smog Cert IS required if bringing a vehicle
from another state (AZ.NV. etc) as well as change of ownership.
I have a vehicle insured with Geico Ins. My DMV notice stated id DID NOT have to provide proof of insurance as it was provided by my insurance co. so
I could do the registration renewal on-line.
jerry - 7-20-2006 at 08:51 AM
bob and susan did you import your suzuki into mexico?? how much??$$Bob and Susan - 7-20-2006 at 08:54 AM
nope...never will...to much red tape
if you import it you need a mex drivers license....
also you still need to buy the plates and insurance....
i think there is no advantage....
also if i sell it it's worth more in the USAjerry - 7-20-2006 at 09:26 AM
i was told that you cannot import a moterhome into mexico??
true or false??
what if it was parked on a lot permanently?? disabledBob and Susan - 7-20-2006 at 10:15 AM
get a temp 10 year import permit....like a boat...~$50
it will be worthless in 10 years anywayoladulce - 7-21-2006 at 09:39 AM
I certainly agree with B & S- it depends which way the wind is blowing down at the DMV.
We have a dune buggy built in '74 that would be exempt from smog. When we bought it in '92, for some reason the model year year was changed to '92.
It's been in Baja for 10 years and I changed it to "non-op" status since there was no way to get the smog and it only goes to the beach and dump (and
has ? of a brake, caught on fire, key is stuck in the ignition etc).
I heard there was a new cop in Pta. Peque?a checking regs. so I went to the San Clemente DMV 2 months ago and showed them one of the old registrations
that proved the buggy was actually a '74 and wanted to change it back to "operational" status so I could get tags.
They checked the manuals and consulted with each other and decided that in order to return the vehicle to "operational" status, I'd have to get a smog
check. Then, because it was so old they could make it "smog EXEMPT"???
DMV Tribulations
MrBillM - 7-21-2006 at 10:15 AM
I was interested to learn that I was correct in that the DMV exemption for vehicles garaged in Mexico (legally) no longer exists despite the fact that
some have been granted that exemption.
For years (in the 90s) I enjoyed that exemption on a Nissan Sentra I owned. I mentioned that exemption to a friend and he went down to the DMV to get
one for a vehicle he owned that would not smog. He came back with paperwork showing that the exemption no longer applied to cars garaged in Mexico or
Nevada.
Strangely, I never received any notice on the Sentra and kept receiving the exemption until I finally junked out the car. Perhaps there was a
"Grandfather" clause (?) Or the DMVs usual level of competence simply didn't figure it out. I refrained from questioning the status. Why bring it
to their attention ?
One of my (many) past experiences with DMV logic involved a 10' folding PORTABOAT that I had purchased years earlier to use as a tender behind my
sailboat. When I leased a mooring ball in San Diego Bay, I decided that I'd better register the Portaboat. Went down to the DMV, explained that I
had never registered it because I wasn't using a motor until now. OK, Fine, but I had to pay the penalties for not registering it within the required
time frame (10 days ?). I explained that, under California law, any boat 10 feet or shorter using manual propulsion or sail, is not required to be
registered so I had not been tardy. NO WAY. The gal insisted that penalties were due. I asked for the manager. Same result. At my insistence, he
then looked up the referenced codes, agreeing that I was correct. However, it turned out that there was NO WAY that they could get the DMV computer
to accept it. He finally changed my purchase date to put me within the required time frame.
The penalties were only $5.00 and I spent close to an additional hour at DMV to avoid paying it. I'm like a dog with a bone sometimes, I guess.jerry - 7-21-2006 at 08:01 PM
from the was your treated elizabeth id agree your a dog mr bill
I tried to get the exemption for my car.
Keri - 2-24-2007 at 08:02 PM
I filled out the form told them the car was in San Quintin a 10 hr drive and mailed it in with insurance papers.They sent it back with the nev/mex
section highlighted. Told me no deal. After talking to someone that does this all the time I rewrote a new form and sent it in again claiming extreme
hardship which I did in the first one also.. They sent it back again and said I had to smog it and change the address to mex. . I'm taking it in Tues
to get it smogged. . Seems for the dmv it is how the wind blows. It seems to be blowing up my skirt.kbajalou - 2-24-2007 at 09:11 PM
I'm sure glad I have a P.O.Box (private) IN Calexico - no periodic smog checks required in Imperial County (and several others). $25 a year and none
of the headaches like some of you have.
the plot thickens
oxxo - 2-25-2007 at 03:45 PM
Well, here is a new twist to the auto registration two step. I just received this note from a friend who lives in San Jose del Cabo. I think it is
self explanatory. I do keep a car in Los Cabos year round but I will make the effort to have it smogged anyway because it is good for the environment
everywhere.
**************************
Tell the DMV to check further in their rules & regulations , as Cabo, Baja
Sur is exempt because it further than 1000 miles from the border.
I had to also ask them to pursue this, as the counter personnel are not
aware of this law, but I did get the exemption without driving my car up to
California (I changed ownership at that time as well).
HERE IS A MESSAGE FROM A HOMEOWNER TO VERIFY WHAT I AM SAYING"
The way to register your vehicle without taking it to the U.S. is as
follows:
From the DMV get the form - Miscellaneous Statement of Facts -
Fill out the top front with the vehicle ID - License# - Year
On the back side of the form at the bottom - State that the vehicle is
located in San Jose Del Cabo Baja California Sur - BCS
The form states that this is for every where except Mexico and Arizona, but
have the DMV look it up in there book and it will state that Baja Sur
qualifies.
Also you have to have U.S auto insurance, so have your Broker give you
insurance certificate for several days while you register your vehicle and
then cancel it. Usually a small charge or TAKE PROVE OF YOUR CURRENT MEXICAN
INSURANCE..
INSURANCE ISSUE
bajaguy - 2-25-2007 at 03:53 PM
Many states require that if an auto insurance policy is cancelled, the insurance company must notify DMV. In Nevada, this was done electronically with
the insurance company sending the cancelled policy VIN to DMV....who would then cancel the vehicle registration. A hefty reinstatement fee and penalty
would then follow when renewal was due.
Now Nevada just has you sign a form that states you will maintain insurance while the registration is valid.....wouldn't want to chance not having
valid insurance though.
I don't know if Nevada would accept "Mexican" insurance.
[Edited on 2-25-2007 by bajaguy]BajaWarrior - 5-10-2007 at 09:52 PM
I know, bringing up an old post here, but...
went to the DMV to try to get the liscense paid on my 88' Toyota 4x4 that has been in Baja for about 12 years on a non-operational certificate that is
an unbelievable $5 until you no longer want to go non-op.
12 years ago I swore that the vehicle would be stored at my home address in San Diego, but the slacker that I am I took it to Baja instead.
Well, for some reason I want to get legal, so I went to the DMV with the Toyota paperwork, my lease agreement, my FM-3 and even a map of Baja to try
to get the smog exclusion so I don't have to bring it up every two years for a smog on a Baja truck that only recieves about 1000 miles a year. I
know, your saying then just smog it, well, she's a little tired and wont pass smog these days, it's just a beater that starts every time.
They told me the cut-off for milage from the border is 600 miles.
So, since the vehicle does reside in Baja and will never be back home as a daily driver, I am going with the Green Sticker like on a ATV or dunebuggy.
It just can't be towed on the ground but it can ride on a flatbed trailer/car hauler (which I just happen to own) just like an ATV or dunebuggy. BUT,
I'm legal, it will be currently registered and that satifies Mexican law. (got turned around at New Mexicali border for non current registration after
bringing it back down after maintenence at home, just went to old border, got right in)
In order to do this I have to surrender the plates and ownership title to the DMV and they will issue me a new ownership title as a Toyota Off Road
Use Vehicle and that will be $25 per every two years registration cost.
That's the route I'm taking.Bajafun777 - 5-10-2007 at 11:37 PM
Even though I like California the laws are just getting too far out there. California keeps trying to find ways to always get fines, fees, and
assessments on property or against their citizens at higher rates than other states. California wants to help everyone and then tax the hell out of
the 1/3 that work, as this allows others sit on their butts at home. It just bugs me that they could work but choose not to because of lame excuses.
I have worked a long time in County Government and see where we just keep allowing people to misuse the system because we don't want to be told we
have no feelings for people. I do not mind giving a hand up but do like having to keep giving a hand out again and again, as then it becomes an
entitlement. Got a little off subject but if you have to go to a DMV office in Imperial County the one is Brawley is usually faster. It is on east
main street and once you get through right next to DMV is a Mexican Cafe called Christina's and the food is great. Pay the fees at DMV and at least
eat at a place that knows how to cook Mexican food the right way. Later-------bajafun777
