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Legalizing a vehicle as opposed to nationalizing


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First, I must qualify that I am NOT an expert on this so the following is only an observation I have of a friend's recent experience in getting his vehicle "legalized".

NAFTA made vehicle built in 2005 and titled in a US state.

Vehicle owner recently moved to a "Resident Permanente" status

Had his vehicle in the "Nationalization" pipeline since last November and was not successful due to the Aduana shutdown and gave up, got his money back from the person who was "facilitating" the process.

Had another "facilitator" obtain for him a set of Estados de Mexico licence plates

Just was able to obtain Mexican insurance for the vehicle through a broker selling Qualitas and Seguros HDI policies

Apparently after he has the Estatos de Mexico plates for a year he will be able to transfer it over to a Jalisco registration

Apparently can be done on non-NAFTA made vehicles of any age

I am watching his experience closely since I have a "J" vehicle here on a TIP that expires next year and I am currently researching ways to keep it here after I become a Residente Permanente.

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I would suspect to get plates in another state after "regularizing" the vehicle needs to appear here along with about 30 million Mexican vehicles.

http://www2.repuve.gob.mx:8080/ciudadania/

I know for sure, if you have plates from one state and want to register it in another state the plates must be returned and a Bajo de vehiculos issued. This is a Federal law since last fall. For example, as noted above by Ezzie, the plates must be returned to DF and emissions and tenencia and refrendo must be current. Not all states have tenencia but Edomex / DF does. Also, in DF and Edomex (countryside around Mexico) the car owner must in person return the plates or have a notarized power of attorney for some one else to return the plates. Fee is about 160 pesos and varies in each state. Note, client has a car in SMA with Edomex plates and registration. She has not paid tenencia and refrendo nor completed an emissions test for 4 years. The tenencia and refrendo (annual registration fee) plus fines we paid yesterday, 9050 pesos but only after the emissions test. Emissions test we found we could do in Comonfort, 25 km away and that fine was 3800 pesos. Next we will sign the factura to my sister, courier plates and she will turn in plates and obtain the Baja de Vehiculos. Then she couriers back the documents and we sign off the factura to my client. Next to register in GTO state, the state issues a stolen report, checks on REPUVE and physical inspection. In many cases you may have to go back to the state for an emissions test as rare to find an approved emissions test center that is approved for another state. In summary, regardless of how a car became "legal" in Mexico getting registration and plates in another state has many pitfalls.

Sorry for the long post but please be informed.

best

Sonia

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In summary, regardless of how a car became "legal" in Mexico getting registration and plates in another state has many pitfalls.

Sorry for the long post but please be informed.

best

Sonia

Don't be sorry for the long post,it's a confusing issue that seems to change all the time.

I have heard that Estado de Mexico plates can be "problematicas"..quien sabe..

It looks like my 2005 Tacoma is just going to be parked after I go Permanente next month and I'll just wait to see if in the future it's possible to legalize it.

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Sonia, DF does not require payment of tenencia unless your vehicle cost more than 250,000 pesos.

The car was from Edomex and yes there was tenencia as this went back 4 years. The web site shows the exact amount. I paid the tenencia yesterday and my sister paid tenencia on her car for 2015. The owner who is Mexican was too scared to go back there. The last time she went her and her American partner were stopped, gun pointed at his neck and they went to ATM to take out daily limit, then released. Therefore allowed the renewals, etc to lapse.

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I have been permanete for several months and drive with SD plates. Unfortunately, my insurance will only give me liabililty. I want to get legal but don't know how. Sonia, I didn't understand most of your post. I don't know what is Endomex? I think DF is Mexico City but not sure. Then there is SMA??? and tenenia which to my knowledge means "had" but I don't think so in this use and refrendo. Could you please clarify this confusing issue and use less confusing language. I would appreciate it sooooo much.

It sounds like the State makes a difference too. I have an address in Nayarit, as well as, Chapala and will move there permanently before too long. Does that make a difference?

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Gatita it appears you have a foreign plated vehicle and to make it legal, the process I use is nationalizing. It has to be 2009 or older and NAFTA made, registered in the US or Canada. Process is very slow and once started under the control of Aduana.

The car i wrote about is a Mexican car with plates from the countryside just outside of Mexico City and wanting to be registered in Guanajuato state. Those plates have to be returned to the state from which they originate. My sister has been trying to do so for 2 days and still not done.

saludos

Sonia

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I have been permanete for several months and drive with SD plates. Unfortunately, my insurance will only give me liabililty. I want to get legal but don't know how. Sonia, I didn't understand most of your post. I don't know what is Endomex? I think DF is Mexico City but not sure. Then there is SMA??? and tenenia which to my knowledge means "had" but I don't think so in this use and refrendo. Could you please clarify this confusing issue and use less confusing language. I would appreciate it sooooo much. ...

Edomex that Sonia refers to is a shortened version of Estado de Mexico, for the state around DF.

Estado de Mexico has some vehicle rules that are different from many other Mexican states, as Sonia explains in her first post above.

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Today I will present my request to PRODECON to have them find a way to help foreigner either donate to the Mexican government or be able to regularize their vehicles.

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