How to Get a Car Permit for Mexico Online [2022]

How to Get a Car Permit for Mexico Online

If you are in Mexico, you may know about the Baja peninsula, Rocky Point, or the Sonora Free Zone. In this locality, you do not need a car permit to travel. However, this freedom is for Mexicans or people with Mexican car permits. 

What if you travel to Mexico from the United States, Canada, or any other country with a desire to drive your car? In that case, a car permit is mandatory for you. 

A few requisites are needed if you must get a car permit in Mexico. In this article, we have covered the criteria for a Mexican car permit, the procedure for getting one, and other details to ease the process. 

Online Mexican Car Permit

A car permit is necessary primarily in three instances: 

  • Traveling outside of Baja
  • Traveling out from the border zone, from 16 miles radius
  • Or traveling outside the Sonora Free Zones

It is worth noting that Banjercito is the platform that you can visit if you want a car permit for Mexico. This site allows you to drive a car in Mexico online. 

To obtain a temporary import permit for a car, visit Banjercito’s website. The website will issue a passcode when you fill out the necessary fields. You may pick up your permit paperwork from any Banjercito within a timeframe between one day to 15 days after receiving the passcode.

When we talk about the fee structure for the permit, it varies at different localities. At the border, the charges are around 30 USD, about $40 at Banjercito places in the Mexican Consulate, and approximately 50 USD at the official website online. 

Foreign nationals must carry this permit at all times or risk legal consequences. You can use it for up to six months. During the valid duration of the permit, the vehicle may cross the border as often as the permit allows. As long as the registered owner is there, other people may drive the automobile.

Suppose authorities stop the importer and the permission for the automobile has lapsed. In that case, the authorities will permanently seize your car and fine the importer with a fine of between 200 and 500 USD.

Requirements for Getting a Mexican Car Permit

Pass through the “Declarations Lane” and visit the customs office to apply for a temporary import permit into Mexico. You must look for the “Modulo de Control” option to get a car permit in Mexico. It is essential to provide the original alongside two copies of the required documents within the process. 

It is worth noting that when crossing the border, you must have all paperwork and payments under the same name as the person operating the vehicle. If the permit holder is present in the vehicle at all times while in Mexico, anyone else in the vehicle may operate the vehicle.

  • Passport or ID card for citizenship proof
  • Tourist Card for immigration proof
  • Vehicle registration certificate on the driver’s name
  • The leasing contract for rented vehicles
  • Driving license from the outside country

Temporary Import Deposit

The Mexican government needs a deposit plus a one-time processing charge of almost 30 USD to secure the return of your car to the US. This deposit is applicable regardless of where you receive your car permit.

Moreover, you can put down a credit card hold or cold hard cash for the deposit. Each of the Banjercito Offices has a strategic locality at different places along the Mexican border, making it convenient for customers to make deposits and payments from a variety of locations.

Deposit Via Credit Card 

You can use several widespread credit cards for the deposit. They are 

  • MasterCard
  • Visa
  • American Express

The card must be in the owner’s name exactly as it appears on the registration.

One of Mexico’s officials will stamp your card. If you don’t bring the car back to Banjercito once your vacation is over, they won’t cancel the permit, and you’ll be charged the deposit.

Besides, a cash deposit is the necessary alternative deposit method for those with a lack of international or oversea credit cards. 

Deposit Via Cash

As the cash deposit is a convenient method and does not need any credit card, you can make your deposit for the Mexican Car Permit with cash. The permit has a specified duration in which you must bring back the car. If you do so, they will repay the security deposit in cash.

However, the Banjercito office will forfeit the security deposit of the importer when they deliver the vehicle after the specified time of the permit. In this instance, the importer will take merely the car with them when they leave the country. 

In addition, for automobiles of certain model years, the required guarantee deposits are as follows:

  • Before 1996: 200 USD
  • Between 96 to 2000: 300 USD
  • After 2001: 400 USD

Cancellation of Car Permit in Mexico

It is your responsibility to notify Mexican Customs that you will not be bringing your car back into the country once you leave and revoke your temporary importation permission. Follow these procedures to the letter, and you shouldn’t have any trouble transporting your automobile to Mexico.

However, in case of your vehicle’s discovery in Mexico after the permitted departure date or without the required documentation, the authority will promptly confiscate and impound it. The car cannot be sold, abandoned, or used commercially either.

Remember, before leaving the United States, visitors should contact the nearby Mexican Consulate for up-to-date information. The Banjercito Bank must cancel the Temporary Importation Permit that you must show at the Mexican customs office. It is necessary to get the refundable cash deposit. They’re both near the border.

Mexico allows a maximum stay of six months for tourists and their automobiles, but leaving the country beyond that is illegal. It is suggested that you review the specific requirements with Mexican customs authorities. The reason for this is that they may differ for people who have secured a temporary residency in Mexico.

Likewise, in case involvement of a car in an accident or stolen, the owner must get a police report and submit it to the local customs office as soon as possible. In addition, note that you must not file the letter later than 48 hours after the incident.

Summing Up

Hopefully, by reading this article, you will have acquired all of the information necessary to obtain a license in Mexico. It’s not that hard, to be honest. Just make sure you follow every step, and you will be good to go.