BajaNomad

Reg. of auto in Baja

bacquito - 5-17-2013 at 06:08 PM

I am thinking of reg. my 2001 Tundra in Mexico. Is it possible just to reg. it in Baja, or the frontier states? Will it save money? I don't intend on driving to other states in Mexico-I would rather take the bus.
Thanks for any opinions.

rts551 - 5-17-2013 at 06:11 PM

http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=67242

Sandlefoot - 5-17-2013 at 06:13 PM

A friend of mine here in La Paz has his reg here. It is not imported but has the Mex plates. He said he just went into the place that registers vehicles and did the paper work and got the plates. He also said he needed to get a Mex drivers lic to do it but I guess it can be done.

Happy Trails

bacquito - 5-17-2013 at 06:17 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by bacquito
I am thinking of reg. my 2001 Tundra in Mexico. Is it possible just to reg. it in Baja, or the frontier states? Will it save money? I don't intend on driving to other states in Mexico-I would rather take the bus.
Thanks for any opinions.


I think SFandH just answered my question.

Mulegena - 5-17-2013 at 06:49 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by bacquito
I am thinking of reg. my 2001 Tundra in Mexico. Is it possible just to reg. it in Baja, or the frontier states? Will it save money? I don't intend on driving to other states in Mexico-I would rather take the bus.
Thanks for any opinions.
Yes, you can register your Tundra with Onapafa but remember the restrictions: You can't take your car off of the peninsula. You can't drive it back to the US if you ever needed or wanted to. As you know you can't drive it into the mainland of Mexico, either.

You might check the other thread listed here. I go into this in a bit more detail.

bacquito - 5-18-2013 at 07:23 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Mulegena
Quote:
Originally posted by bacquito
I am thinking of reg. my 2001 Tundra in Mexico. Is it possible just to reg. it in Baja, or the frontier states? Will it save money? I don't intend on driving to other states in Mexico-I would rather take the bus.
Thanks for any opinions.
Yes, you can register your Tundra with Onapafa but remember the restrictions: You can't take your car off of the peninsula. You can't drive it back to the US if you ever needed or wanted to. As you know you can't drive it into the mainland of Mexico, either.

Are you sure I cannot cross the boarder to the USA after registering it in Mexico? I have an FM2 but will soon apply for permanent status. What is Onapafa? Thanks for the help.

You might check the other thread listed here. I go into this in a bit more detail.

Mulegena - 5-18-2013 at 09:02 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by bacquito
Quote:
Originally posted by Mulegena
Quote:
Originally posted by bacquito
I am thinking of reg. my 2001 Tundra in Mexico. Is it possible just to reg. it in Baja, or the frontier states? Will it save money? I don't intend on driving to other states in Mexico-I would rather take the bus.
Thanks for any opinions.
Yes, you can register your Tundra with Onapafa but remember the restrictions: You can't take your car off of the peninsula. You can't drive it back to the US if you ever needed or wanted to. As you know you can't drive it into the mainland of Mexico, either.

You might check the other thread listed here. I go into this in a bit more detail.



Baquito wrote, "Are you sure I cannot cross the boarder to the USA after registering it in Mexico? I have an FM2 but will soon apply for permanent status. What is Onapafa? Thanks for the help."

Check the other thread.

To clarify a bit:
If you import your car through Aduana you'll receive Mexican plates. If you keep the registration current and have a Mexican driver's license you can drive the car with impunity anywhere in Mexico and out of the country as well. The downside is that not all cars are eligible for importation and the process is complex and expensive.

Anapromex or Onapafa are offices that exist only the Baja peninsula that will register a car with them. They do not claim to import your car. There are definite limitation with them, and there is some question as to their legality. Mexican nationals living on the peninsula regularly buy US cars and, for better or worse, choose to register them with these companies. Additionally, foreigners may not have the right to register with these companies, I don't know.

For the purpose of legally driving in Baja & the mainland with the added benefit of being able to drive back into the US legally it seems more feasible to register one's car in a state like South Dakota, imo.

[Edited on 5-19-2013 by Mulegena]

Alm - 5-25-2013 at 01:28 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by bacquito
I think SFandH just answered my question.

Somehow I doubt that info. Unless "the place that registers vehicles" was one of Onappafa offices. Except for Onappafa - btw, it can only be renewed 5 years - any Mex registration requires importation. Onappafa obtains temporary plates for you with the decal "in the process of importation". They are valid plates, and are supposed to be used while you are going through importation, which you in fact might not be, but hey, who cares... Police don't like them, but technically they can't do anything to you. I didn't try this myself, and don't know whether any gringos tried this, and with what FM-status.

Mula - 5-25-2013 at 02:06 PM

I had Onappafa on my 1986 Ford F 250 Diesel that I use only to transport my mules around for rides here and there.

Got stopped by a Federal Highway Police who told me Onappafa was not for Americans or Canadians.

It is a process to help the local Mexicans be able to obtain and maintain legal 'better' transportations.

First I had ever heard of this and have been dealing with Onappafa for 4 years with the other truck.

Also got pulled over in La Paz with the Onappafa stickers - in the same truck and had to talk like a dutch uncle to get out of a 1200 pesos fine for no legal registration - since they (the police) said Onappafa is not recognized in LaPaz.

I figured twice in 3 months was enough!

The '86 Ford now has SD plates.

However, my other truck still has current Onappafa stickers on it.
I've had it Onapaffa'd for 4 years now. But it rarely leaves San Nicolas.

So I guess it's all just in the eyes of the beholder - around here - Mexico.

rts551 - 5-25-2013 at 02:17 PM

I have read and heard that the ANAPAFA is for lower income Mexicans to help them register their vehicles. Not American or Canadian citizens.

DENNIS - 5-25-2013 at 02:51 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by rts551
I have read and heard that the ANAPAFA is for lower income Mexicans to help them register their vehicles. Not American or Canadian citizens.



True. They don't issue plates either. They tape a paper permit about the size of a license plate inside the rear window. The original plates stay on the vehicle.

Alm - 5-25-2013 at 03:12 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by rts551
I have read and heard that the ANAPAFA is for lower income Mexicans to help them register their vehicles. Not American or Canadian citizens.

It's called ONAPPAFA. And not only to register, but also to to do this while the vehicle has not been imported yet, if I'm correct. But you can only do it for 5 years.

Mula - 5-25-2013 at 04:23 PM

There are 2 outfits that do this "vehicle in the process of importation" paper work with stickers in the windows instead of plates - or actually every now and then you will seen plates.

Onappafa and Anapromex.

edit: spelling

[Edited on 5-25-2013 by Mula]

rts551 - 5-25-2013 at 05:07 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Mula
There are 2 outfits that do this "vehicle in the process of importation" paper work with stickers in the windows instead of plates - or actually every now and then you will seen plates.

Onappafa and Anapromex.

edit: spelling

[Edited on 5-25-2013 by Mula]


good god. do not spell it wrong. pls.

Alm - 5-25-2013 at 07:42 PM

The link was not for correcting spelling - though it is of course easier to find something when you know how it's called - but to illustrate the feature "vehicle in the process of importation". You can see it written on one of the plates in that photo. Poor people are not stupid to pay more taxes than the car itself is worth, so instead they are "buying time". I wonder what happens after 5 years when the time is up - sell for parts maybe.

Anapromex seems to have legal problems lately. But Onappafa is live and well.

[Edited on 5-26-2013 by Alm]

DENNIS - 5-25-2013 at 07:45 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Alm

Anapromex seems to have legal problems lately. But Onappafa is live and well.



ANAPROMEX is back in business here. My worker just registered his truck with them.

Mula - 5-26-2013 at 05:57 AM

I don't know about Anapromex, but Onappafa is 25 pesos a month and 100 pesos for my credential for the year - so 400 pesos a year.

For the Toyota pickup with Baja Ca. Sur plates it is over 500 pesos a year for the new registration sticker for the window.

Maybe a reason there.

DENNIS - 5-26-2013 at 07:39 AM

When I see Vicente, I'll find out what he pays for ANAPROMEX. I have to give him money to get the truck properly imported anyway. He says the ANAPROMEX tag isn't as carefree as we might think. The police do take advantage of it and charge them occasionally. Maybe they see it as a "free lunch" ticket.

Hook - 5-26-2013 at 08:32 AM

"For the purpose of legally driving in Baja & the mainland with the added benefit of being able to drive back into the US legally it seems more feasible to register one's car in a state like South Dakota, imo."

I'm not sure I agree with this, with respect to the mainland.

You MUST purchase a bond in order to take a foreign plated vehicle below a point approx. 300 miles below the US border on the mainland. This bond is tied to your particular immigration permit in terms of expiration date. If you are late leaving the country or your car (or any other vehicles on the bond permit) are stolen, you forfeit the bond. The bond varies from 100-400 dollars, US. Some might say, "well, I'll just let them have the bond and keep driving". But you will not be admitted into the country again with a vehicle, if this isnt cleared up.

The bond permit can only be returned at checkpoints very close to the border which is a bit of a problem for those of us who live in the "free zone" (no permit required) but are still 250 miles from the border. That becomes costly and time consuming to return the permit.

For this reason, I am seriously considering importing my truck and that will be the vehicle we take south.

durrelllrobert - 5-26-2013 at 04:02 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by rts551
I have read and heard that the ANAPAFA is for lower income Mexicans to help them register their vehicles. Not American or Canadian citizens.


That's why God invented South Dakota :lol: