BajaNomad

Driving another persons car

weebray - 7-17-2013 at 05:31 PM

Anyone know what is required to drive another persons car in the Baja? Specifically we want to drive my daughters car in the Baja. Car is registered in WA state and we have CA drivers licence.

shari - 7-17-2013 at 05:38 PM

When I drove my brothers car, I carried a letter from him in the glove box stating I was authorized to drive it...just in case. In mexico they like to see a copy of the passport or drivers license with photo and signature so they can compare signatures on the letter.

Bob and Susan - 7-17-2013 at 05:58 PM

i'd be mostly concerned with the insurance and legal...

ask the insurance agent BEFORE you buy insurance

vandenberg - 7-18-2013 at 09:32 AM

I remember that at Lewis & Lewis you were only required to add the additional driver to your policy and they would be insured. Of course they need a valid US driver license. Keep it with the car and you should be fine, if stopped.

sancho - 7-18-2013 at 11:05 AM

I remember reading a couple things about this matter,
not that this WILL be the case, just things I
can remember. One was that Mex Authorities CAN
require the registered owner to be in the vehicle,
I think the only way this was to become an issue was
if pulled over, the Mex Cop would try to get leverage
on you for mordida. Mex Ins Policies state anyone with
a valid DL can drive the vehicle, except Mex Nationals,
but as posted, if getting
a new policy have yourself listed as other driver, just for
clarification. The Notarized letter makes sense, except
the Mex Cop probably can't understand it in English

DavidE - 7-18-2013 at 12:04 PM

Printed Pictures. Two driver licenses on one page. Vehicle registration too. Want to get really serious. Have a second photo op showing you linking arms with the owner of the car ( the cop uses the driver license photo to compare to).

Even a 6th grade educated transito would get the "picture" :)

[Edited on 7-18-2013 by DavidE]

Bob and Susan - 7-18-2013 at 01:20 PM

I finally agree with davide : )

a notarized letter means nothing in baja

DavidE - 7-18-2013 at 01:53 PM

I just knew you come around :)

Phil S - 7-18-2013 at 09:45 PM

Does the car "live" down there now? Or will you be 'bringing' it to Baja?
Some years ago when I was considering bringing my brothers pickup from Oregon for the winter, and to return to Oregon again with the pickup, and he wouldn't be coming down that winter. I was told to have the letter written in Spanish, and to the attention of Policia, and explain the relationship between us and notorized. Then the insurance company was going to put it in my brothers name (Mexican insurance that is) and was going to add me as additional driver. Don't know why that wouldn't work today??

DavidE - 7-19-2013 at 12:20 PM

Many transitos cannot spell. Some that I have encountered seemed to not have completed 2nd grade. The verbiage and formality of a legal document may be lost on such an individual. He may think you are scamming him with a rental lease agreement, or permission for CFE to put a mufa on your property. The prospects of earning a couple hundred free and clear pesos is a strong incentive.

This is the choice I face. Present a dimwit with a formal, absolutely correct and legal document and prepare myself for an hour of standing on a roadside only to lose my license. I go to the commandancia, indignant and show a supervisor who can read the document. The cop comes around sooner or later and declares "That gringo never showed me that document!"

Do you want to go through all that? I don't. So I take a Dick and Jane approach and play show & tell with the dimwit. If he should confiscate the paperwork I have copies. Some transitos I have encoutered have been real jerks. If they should fire up my temper I stick around and process them which is a real headache, waste of time and money.

Having the authentic notarized permission is not a bad idea. In theory a by-the-book PFP (Highway Patrolman) can demand to see a legal document. But I cannot imagine one taking on a burden of explaining to his sargento why is hassling tourists over a formality - the car is obviously not stolen or misappropriated. You-know-what flows downhill and a PFP supervisor knows a complaint to the state tourism board or to the federal tourism board is going to serve up a plate of ----- on his table.

Hope This Helps

weebray - 7-19-2013 at 12:42 PM

I get the drift here. I will take all the suggestions and make sure to get a bunch of official stamps on my paperwork. It's probably a non-event but just trying to think ahead. Thanks for the advise.

vandenberg - 7-19-2013 at 02:36 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by DavidE
Many transitos cannot spell. Some that I have encountered seemed to not have completed 2nd grade. The verbiage and formality of a legal document may be lost on such an individual. He may think you are scamming him with a rental lease agreement, or permission for CFE to put a mufa on your property. The prospects of earning a couple hundred free and clear pesos is a strong incentive.

This is the choice I face. Present a dimwit with a formal, absolutely correct and legal document and prepare myself for an hour of standing on a roadside only to lose my license. I go to the commandancia, indignant and show a supervisor who can read the document. The cop comes around sooner or later and declares "That gringo never showed me that document!"

Do you want to go through all that? I don't. So I take a Dick and Jane approach and play show & tell with the dimwit. If he should confiscate the paperwork I have copies. Some transitos I have encoutered have been real jerks. If they should fire up my temper I stick around and process them which is a real headache, waste of time and money

Hope This Helps



A pretty derogatory epitaph to general law enforcement.
For your sake, I hope the law in Asuncion agrees with you, otherwise they may make your living there difficult, to say the least. Here in Loreto, our expat community doesn't seem to have any issues with your so called illiterate numbsculls.