BajaNomad

Mexican "National" Plates

pointdog - 8-9-2012 at 08:39 AM

If we buy a Mexican Car which plates do we need for the mainland - there are "Baja California Frontera" and "Baja California Mexico" plates - as I understood the "Baja California Mexico" plates are the "national" plates which allow you to travel all over Mexico - how much do this national plates cost ?
What do we need for car registration - let's say in La Paz - we have a mexican drivers license and FM3's - both issued in Comundu.

DavidE - 8-9-2012 at 10:27 AM

The car must meet the 10-years-old-exactly rule. Not 9 not eleven. Then you have to pay Aduana a fat fee to import it. I am talking about a "Frontera" car or any other extraneous motor vehicle. A ten thousand dollar car will cost three thousand in tramites these days. Then you have to buy the license plates. I wish this was fiction but it isn't. Pickup trucks are treated slightly differently. Your Mexican state may or may not have quotas in place for the total number of nacionál registrations awarded every year. You will get ticketed without current plates even after nationalizing the car. Michoacán has not allowed newly nationalized vehicles to be registered since 2006.

David K - 8-9-2012 at 10:35 AM

Sounds like too much government, might as well stay in the states!

DavidE - 8-9-2012 at 10:37 AM

Or move to Guatemala (not a joke BTW).

Cisco - 8-9-2012 at 10:42 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by DavidE
The car must meet the 10-years-old-exactly rule. Not 9 not eleven. Then you have to pay Aduana a fat fee to import it. I am talking about a "Frontera" car or any other extraneous motor vehicle. A ten thousand dollar car will cost three thousand in tramites these days. Then you have to buy the license plates. I wish this was fiction but it isn't. Pickup trucks are treated slightly differently. Your Mexican state may or may not have quotas in place for the total number of nacionál registrations awarded every year. You will get ticketed without current plates even after nationalizing the car. Michoacán has not allowed newly nationalized vehicles to be registered since 2006.


Two and a half years ago it cost $800 to import an 1994 Plymouth Voyager mini-van with California plates into Tapachula, Chiapas.

Katiejay99 - 8-9-2012 at 10:51 AM

Actually I believe the question is asked regarding a vehicle which has been imported (by the use of "Mexican Car") and whether they should look for one with national or frontera plates. If they are Frontera plates, can those be traded in for National plates and if so, what is the process. That is my take on the question asked. Too bad I don't have an answer.

If we buy a Mexican Car which plates do we need for the mainland - there are "Baja California Frontera" and "Baja California Mexico" plates - as I understood the "Baja California Mexico" plates are the "national" plates which allow you to travel all over Mexico - how much do this national plates cost ?
What do we need for car registration - let's say in La Paz - we have a mexican drivers license and FM3's - both issued in Comundu. :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

DavidE - 8-9-2012 at 11:37 AM

Not van, not camioneta. CAR. Carro. Coche. Also is an infracción in all Mexican states and DF to drive a Mexican placard car with a foreign driver license. License plate and driver license must agree. Not always enforced.

You can not take a Frontera plated car on the ferry to the mainland without a 180-day TIP (car permit). You cannot venture beyond the border zone (Sonoyta Mex 2, and Agua Zarca Mex 3 are two examples) without getting a temporary vehicle import permit. AND, you cannot bond a frontera license plate Mexican vehicle with anything but a VISA or MASTERCARD issued by a Mexican bank.

This comes from the school of hard knocks.

pointdog - 8-9-2012 at 03:29 PM

Sorry for the confusion. My question is not about importing a car. I plan on buying a car in La Paz and taking a trip to mainland Mexico. It is my understanding that Baja Frontier plates are not good on the mainland. That is, you need "National" plates.
Thanks in advance.

J.P. - 8-9-2012 at 03:42 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by pointdog
Sorry for the confusion. My question is not about importing a car. I plan on buying a car in La Paz and taking a trip to mainland Mexico. It is my understanding that Baja Frontier plates are not good on the mainland. That is, you need "National" plates.
Thanks in advance.





As you can see ,you get as many different answers as the # people you ask. Go to the source and ask a professional.

pointdog - 8-9-2012 at 04:01 PM

Good call. Does any Nomad know of a straight shooting broker in La Paz? A DMV maestro?

DavidE - 8-9-2012 at 07:22 PM

The BANJERCITO office for the transbordador the ferry is the authority, period.