Vehicle Permits Answers
1. Do I need vehicle insurance to
drive in Mexico? Banjercito's
online vehicle permit registration offers travelers to Mexico an
easy way to get their temporary importation vehicle permit by mail (if
time allows) or to pre-register online and save time picking it up at
Banjercito later.
Features of pre-registration:
- Vehicles, motorhomes and boats may be
pre-registered
- Accelerates the process of picking up your
permit at a Banjercito office
- This feature may be used up until the day
before you go to Mexico
- A pre-registration code will be issued for you
to take to a Banjercito office
- Bring all required documentation so it can be
verified
- After your trip, remember to return with the
vehicle to the Banjercito office to return the permit
Features of completing the entire
process and payment online:
- Available for vehicles, motorhomes and boats
- May be mailed to you by FedEx or another
courier service
- May be completed as far as 60 days in advance
- Requires at least 7-10 days lead time before
your trip
- After your trip, remember to return with the
vehicle to the Banjercito office to return the permit
2. Do I need a vehicle permit to
drive in Baja and the border? No
permit is required if you plan to stay within 25 kilometers (16 miles)
of the border, known as the "border zone", or anywhere in the Baja
California peninsula.
3. Do I need a vehicle permit to
visit Sonora? Map of Border and Permit Free Zone
Maybe. If you are visiting Rocky Point, Guaymas,
San Carlos, Hermosillo, Bahia de Kino, Caborca, Father Kino Missions,
Magdalena and Santa Ana you will not need a vehicle permit. If you are
visiting other cities that are further south or east of the 15, but
will stay in Sonora, you qualify for the Sonora Only permit.
4. Do I need a vehicle permit to
visit Mexico besides Baja, Sonora, and other border zones?
If you plan to drive south of the border
zone, or outside of the Sonora permit-free area or outside Baja (to
some destinations reached by ferry), you must obtain a temporary
importation vehicle permit online, at the border, or from certain
Mexican consulates (read below).
6. How much does a vehicle permit
cost? USD $44.00 + IVA at the
border, from Mexican consulates or online at the Banjercito website. A guarantee deposit
is also required
.
7. How much does a vehicle permit
cost for a recreational vehicle (RV)? $680.82 Pesos from the Banjercito website (about U.S. $50.58
as of 10/19/11). A guarantee deposit is also required
.
8. How much does a permit cost to
import a boat? $680.82 Pesos
from the Banjercito website (about U.S. $50.58
as of 10/19/11). A guarantee deposit is also required
.
9. What is the guarantee deposit?
Banjercito charges a guarantee deposit to
those applying for a permit. The deposit will be returned once the
vehicle and permit are returned. If you do not return your vehicle and
the permit by the time your permit expires, Banjercito will keep the
deposit. Remember to return your vehicle and permit!
- 2007 and newer models, USD $400.00
deposit required
- 2001 - 2006 models, USD $300.00 deposit
required
- Models previous to 2000, USD $200.00
deposit required
10. If I am making payments on my
vehicle, what do I need in order to take my vehicle to Mexico?
Many banks and finance companies require you
to take a letter of permission with you to Mexico. In order to issue
the letter of permission, many companies will require proof of Mexican insurance first. Contact your bank or finance company for further
information. Buy your policy online instantly.
11. Is it easy to send my policy to
my bank or finance company? Yes.
If you purchase your policy online, you will have immediate access to
your policy and may fax it through our system to your bank or email
the policy in pdf format. Please call us at 1-888-552-2252 or email us
if you would like assistance. We will need the fax number or email
address of your bank and any other information that will help us get
it to the correct department or person.
12. What information do I need to
get a vehicle permit online?
- A document that proves your citizenship
(you will need to enter the document number):
- Passport or passport card
- Certificate of naturalization
- Resident alien card
- Date you will enter Mexico Email address
- Will be used to send a confirmation email with a reference number
- Number of passengers in your vehicle
- Address - This is the address the permit
will be mailed to
- Your vehicle's VIN number
- Credit or debit card that allows foreign
transactions
*Note: To apply for a
vehicle permit online, you cannot use a birth certificate as proof of
citizenship, but this is accepted if you apply in person.
13. If I pre-register, where do I
pick up my vehicle permit? Pre-registered
vehicle permits may be picked up at any Banjercito Module located at
the border. See below for a list of locations.
14. If I pre-register, what
documents do I need to bring with me to pick up my permit?
The documents you used to complete the online
application will be required to pick up your permit (bring a copy or
two along). These documents could include your passport or passport
card and vehicle registration or title. Remember to bring your
pre-registration code. If you need permission to take the vehicle to
Mexico, i.e. if you are making payments or the vehicle is rented, it
is important to bring the proof that the vehicle may leave the country
in the form of a letter from your bank or a car rental agreement that
states the vehicle may be in Mexico. Remember to buy Mexican insurance before your
trip. It is easier to buy online than at the border.
15. If I receive my permit by mail,
what documents do I need to take with me to Mexico? Bring all documents used to complete the online
application, i.e. passport, and a copy or two of those documents as
well as your vehicle registration or title, the vehicle permit you
received from Banjercito and the sticker to adhere to your windshield.
If you were required to get a letter of permission from your bank to
take the vehicle into Mexico, it is important to bring the letter with
you. Remember to buy Mexican insurance before your trip. It is easier
to buy Mexican insurance online than at
the border. Remember to stop at the border for your tourist card (FM-T) if you need one!
16. What are the requirements to
get a vehicle permit in person at a Mexican consulate or Banjercito
office?
- One of the following documents that
prove your citizenship:
- Passport or passport card
- Birth certificate
- Certificate of naturalization
- Your vehicle registration or vehicle
title (pink slip) - The vehicle registration must be in the driver's
name.
- A lease contract if the vehicle is
leased or a rental contract if it rented
- If you owe money on the vehicle through
a lien holder , you must provide a
notarized letter of permission
- A Mexican tourist card (FM-T) or visa for travel in
Mexico
17. Now that I have all the
necessary documents, what do I do next?
- Make sure you have Mexican Auto Insurance
- Look for the "Módulo
de Control Vehícular" or Mexican Customs (Aduana
México) signs that say "Importación Temporal de Vehículos" where you
are crossing.
- This next step is determined by
whether or not you have an internationally accepted credit card.
If you have an international credit card (Visa, Mastercard, American
Express, Diner's Club) the next part is easy. The credit card must
be in the name of whoever is listed on the vehicle registration! You
will be required to charge a non-refundable fee of $16.50 (including
the IVA) to your credit card at the Banjercito which is within the
Customs area. Banjercito hours of operation
at different border crossings are listed below. If you do not
have an international credit card, read about making a cash deposit.
18. Which Mexican Consulates issue
temporary vehicle import permits?
19. How long can I keep my car in
Mexico? Temporary vehicle
importation permits are valid for up to six months.
Within this period you may enter and exit the country with your
vehicle as many times as you want. Make sure that you get the full six
months worth stamped on your permit- its probably wise to do so even
if you don't plan to stay that long. If your vehicle is in the country
for longer than the permit allows, it can be confiscated by the
Mexican authorities.
20. Why do I have to return my
vehicle permit when I leave Mexico? The vehicle permit must be returned to authorities
when you leave Mexico so that the permit is canceled and authorities
know the vehicle is no longer in Mexico. It is important to bring your
vehicle, the permit and the sticker with you. Vehicle permits may NOT
be canceled any other way. If you drive home without canceling your
permit, you risk having to drive all the way back to Mexico to return
the permit.
21. What are Banjercito's hours of
operation? Unless noted
otherwise, Banjercito offices are open on holidays and follow the same
schedule listed below:
Baja
California Norte (California Border Points)
- Tijuana
- Otay Mesa
- Tecate
- Mexicali
- Mexicali - Annex
- 8am-4pm Monday-Friday
- 10am-2pm Saturday
- Closed on Sunday
Baja California Sur
- La Paz (Pichilingue)
- 9am-2pm - 7 days a week
Sonora (Arizona Border Points)
- San Luis Rio Colorado
- San Emeterio (Sonoyta)
- Nogales (Km 21)
- Naco - Anexo
- Agua Prieta
- Cananea
- 8am-6pm Monday-Friday
- 8am-1pm Saturday & Sunday
Chihuahua (Texas Border Points)
- Cd. Juarez (Km. 30)
- Palomas
- Pte. Int. Ojinaga
- Piedras Negras (Km. 54.3)
- Acuña
- San Jeronimo
Tamaulipas
- Nuevo Laredo (Patio Fiscal)
- Nuevo Laredo (Puente
Internacional I & II)
- Reynosa
- Nuevo Amanecer
- Ciudad Camargo
- San Jeronimo
- Matamoros Pta. Dos
- 9am-6pm Monday-Friday
- 9am-4pm Saturday
- Closed Sunday
- Puente Nuevo
- Puente Ignacio Zaragoza
- Puente TLC
- 9am-6pm Monday-Friday
- 9am-4pm Saturday
- Closed Sunday