BajaNomad

permanent resident

mexicolily - 10-3-2015 at 01:07 PM

hi! great forum. so organized and informative.I have lived in san carlos for the past 7 yrs full time and want to relocate to Ensenada. the visa/car import rules are a nitemare. as a permanent resident,can I drive my US plated car in Ensenada since its the free zone? there is a moratorium on car imports at ths time. I know I am allowed to drive in san carlos without importing. so confusing. forgive me,i did a search on the board, but the info seems outdated. changes constantly. I think I am ok.
thx~mary

[Edited on 10-3-2015 by mexicolily]

DENNIS - 10-3-2015 at 02:16 PM


No problem with US plates in Ensenada. They say your DL must be from the states as well.
Locals pay no attention to these regulations...drive with no US DL or current registration or plates, but it's just a reason to invite a mordida situation.

mexicolily - 10-3-2015 at 07:08 PM

thankyou for your reply. yes,in san carlos nobody follows the rules. but I find my life to be easier if I comply. even have my mx drivers license. haha! thx again

CortezBlue - 10-3-2015 at 09:35 PM

Baja is a Free State and currently you don't have to do the auto import dance

SlyOnce - 10-5-2015 at 07:42 AM

If you get a Residente Temporal you can legally drive a US Plated vehicle (with valid US registration and license). If, after 5 years as a temporary, you upgrade to the Permanent Resident visa, you legally have to have a MX plated car, your US car will be a chocolate just like all the others. Of course, during a traffic stop, you are not asked for your visa so just show your valid US documents.

bajaguy - 10-5-2015 at 07:49 AM

And does this apply to Baja???
Quote: Originally posted by SlyOnce  
If you get a Residente Temporal you can legally drive a US Plated vehicle (with valid US registration and license). If, after 5 years as a temporary, you upgrade to the Permanent Resident visa, you legally have to have a MX plated car, your US car will be a chocolate just like all the others. Of course, during a traffic stop, you are not asked for your visa so just show your valid US documents.

gnukid - 10-5-2015 at 08:20 AM

Quote: Originally posted by SlyOnce  
If you get a Residente Temporal you can legally drive a US Plated vehicle (with valid US registration and license). If, after 5 years as a temporary, you upgrade to the Permanent Resident visa, you legally have to have a MX plated car, your US car will be a chocolate just like all the others. Of course, during a traffic stop, you are not asked for your visa so just show your valid US documents.


Incorrect, Baja allows both PR and TR to drive US plated cars.

Many promotors advertise falsely that you must import in Baja but it is not required for US citizens with PR.

ncampion - 10-5-2015 at 08:36 AM

Quote: Originally posted by gnukid  
Quote: Originally posted by SlyOnce  
If you get a Residente Temporal you can legally drive a US Plated vehicle (with valid US registration and license). If, after 5 years as a temporary, you upgrade to the Permanent Resident visa, you legally have to have a MX plated car, your US car will be a chocolate just like all the others. Of course, during a traffic stop, you are not asked for your visa so just show your valid US documents.


Incorrect, Baja allows both PR and TR to drive US plated cars.

Many promotors advertise falsely that you must import in Baja but it is not required for US citizens with PR.



Do you have a reference for this as I have heard the opposite but without any paper reference also. It would be good to know the actual law. We did have the local (Loreto) INM officers tell us it is OK to drive a US plated car here.

norte - 10-5-2015 at 08:52 AM

Here on the internet, people don't really care what the law is (as illustrated by the posts here). But they scream the loudest about the injustice if something happens. If I was you, and I wanted the correct answer, I would check with a Mexican attorney in Baja, or the Federal police.

gnukid - 10-5-2015 at 09:30 AM

There are thousands of PR who drive US plated cars through Baja without an issue. Baja is a "Free Zone" there is no requirement for auto TIP nor limitations on Permanent Residents or Temporary Residents to drive foreign plated vehicles. Never has been!

Baja is a "Free Zone" and an exception to mainland vehicle TIP rules.

To clarify this, for example, in La Paz, transportation article 33 states recognition of reciprocity that allows foreigners with PR to drive with their US plated car. You may also want to reference Articulo 106 in this regard.

If any recently arrived confused local or Federal police says something about US plated vehicles, Say "Leer Articulo 106 y Articulo 33, 51, 52 ley organica" and they walk away. I also carry a copy in my registration folder.

ARTÍCULO 33.- Para que un vehículo pueda transitar en el Municipio de la Paz, será necesario que esté provisto de su tarjeta de circulación, placas respectivas, calcomanía de la verificación electromecánica y de emisión de contaminantes vigentes o en su caso permiso provisional de circulación, expedidos por la Dirección, así como contar con seguro de daños a terceros en sus bienes y/o personas con póliza vigente por una compañía de seguros autorizada por la Comisión Nacional de Seguros y Fianzas. Todos los vehículos pertenecientes a propietarios residentes en el Municipio de la Paz y que transiten en el mismo, deberán ser dados de alta en la Dirección de Tránsito Municipal o Delegación correspondiente. Cuando se trate de vehículos procedentes del extranjero o de otra entidad federativa el término para hacerlo será de quince días, a partir de la internación legal al país o de la fecha de adquisición, a menos que se justifique legalmente que cuenta con placas y tarjeta de circulación vigentes; o en todo caso deberá de presentar la baja foránea del vehículo o constancia de no adeudo ARTÍCULO 51.- Para conducir vehículos de motor en el Municipio de La Paz, las personas deberán portar la licencia o el permiso respectivo, que se otorgará previo curso de educación vial, examen y el pago de los derechos correspondientes. La licencia para conducir es un documento público, expedido por la autoridad de Tránsito Municipal que autoriza a una persona para la conducción de vehículos de motor, con las limitaciones, características especificadas y vigencia que la misma ley y presente reglamento establece. ARTÍCULO 52.- Las licencias para conducir expedidas por otros Municipios del Estado, así como las de otras entidades federativas tendrán validez siempre y cuando se encuentren vigentes; de igual forma las expedidas por las autoridades en otros países donde exista reciprocidad y en este último caso, siempre que vehículo porte placas y registro vigentes del país donde la licencia fue expedida.

[Edited on 10-5-2015 by gnukid]

norte - 10-5-2015 at 09:57 AM

ARTÍCULO 33.- For a vehicle to move in the municipality of La Paz, you will need to be provided with your registration certificate, respective plates, decals electromechanical verification and emission of pollutants in force or possibly provisional registration certificate, issued by the direction and have liability insurance to third party property and / or people with existing policy by an insurance company authorized by the National Insurance and Finance Commission. All vehicles belonging to residents in the Municipality owners Peace and passing in the same, shall be discharged from the Municipal Transit or corresponding Delegation. In the case of vehicles coming from abroad or from another federal entity the term to do so it will be fifteen days from the legal into the country or of the acquisition date, unless legally justified featuring plates and card current circulation; or at least it must present the foreign floor of the vehicle or proof of payment ARTICLE 51.- To drive motor vehicles in the municipality of La Paz, people must carry the license or permit concerned that previous driver education, examination and payment of the rights will be granted. The driver's license is a public document, issued by the Municipal Transit Authority that authorizes a person to drive motor vehicles, with the limitations specified characteristics and effect that the law and these Rules. ARTICLE 52. The driving licenses issued by other municipalities of the state, as well as those of other states will be valid as long as they are in force; likewise those issued by the authorities in other countries where reciprocity and in the latter case, whenever I vehicle registration plates bearing and force the country where the license was issued.

Only applies to the municipality of La Paz. You have 15 days to change your plates...and your license must match your registration.

gnukid - 10-5-2015 at 10:44 AM

Norte trolling per usual?

Article 106 applies to all, articles 33, 51, 52 reference 15 days in La Paz except for places that have reciprocity, such as USA.

Baja is a FREE ZONE. There is No Vehicle TIP. PR may drive US plated vehicle.

If anyone is interested use your own critical thinking, read the laws and ask at the border to Aduana. Don't listen to fear mongering.

Since I have provided both personal broad experience (daily driving) and legal reference showing that PR may drive US plated vehicle in Baja, and no one has ever been denied this privilege, Norte, what evidence can you provide to promote your gloomy fear mongering that PR may not drive US plated vehicle in your mind, do you want to explain that to the thousands or PR who do drive US plated vehicles in Baja legally? Or is this what is called fear mongering and muddying the waters? What logical fallacy is next? Ad hominem attack, political diatribe?

PR may drive to Baja with US plates. Mexicans with green cards in the US may drive back and forth with Mexican plated vehicles. I don't know about every other country in the world, individuals need to do their own research.

it is true that when in Baja with a US plated vehicle as PR and you enter a Federal property such as Port Pichilingue to depart your requirements change and you may not proceed on PR. Though you may proceed if someone in the party with valid driver's license has TR or FMM.

DENNIS - 10-5-2015 at 10:46 AM



You probably won't find written laws stating what one is allowed to do. Laws are "prohibitive"..... written to tell one what is not allowed.
Absent those written restrictions, it must be presumed something isn't prohibited.
Of course, this being where we are, street interpretation will take precedence over reality.
Waddayagonnado?




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[Edited on 10-5-2015 by DENNIS]

BajaBlanca - 10-6-2015 at 02:45 PM

exactly notgonnadonada