How to ship cars to Mexico?

Do you want to send a car to Mexico? In this article we tell you the methods you can use, the requirements that will be asked of you as well as the prices and taxes that you will have to pay. Shipping cars to Mexico can be a little complicated, but you can make it easier with a list of requirements, specifications, and costs to follow so you don’t get lost. The following points can be used as a list so that you don’t miss anything and can import a car to Mexico safely.

People who can ship cars to Mexico

Mexico’s legal framework allows anyone to import one vehicle per year , as long as they have the necessary documentation. To send more than one car to Mexico, people (legal entities or individuals) need business activity that pays taxes according to the ISR Law . In addition, they must be registered in the registry of importers .

Documents necessary to import vehicles to Mexico

To ship cars to Mexico you need the following documentation:

• Original title of the vehicle (in the name of the importer or endorsed).
• Registration from the country of origin.
• Vehicle purchase invoice.
• Identification document (military card, voter ID, license plate, Mexican passport).
• Proof of address in Mexico (water or electricity bill, bank account statement ).
• Photograph or copy of vehicle serial number (VIN).
• Polluting gas emission control certificate.

Cars that can be legalized in Mexico

You can import any car to Mexico as long as they meet the following two requirements:

1. Be a vehicle no more than 8 or 9 years old.
2. The vehicle identification number corresponds to the manufacturing number in the countries of Mexico, the United States or Canada.
3. It is not prohibited to circulate in the country of origin.

To send cars to Mexico that do not meet these three requirements Permission from the Ministry of Economy is required.

Prices for shipping cars to Mexico

The elements that must be taken into account when calculating the cost of shipping a vehicle to Mexico are:

• The size and weight of the car: The smaller the car, the lower the cost, especially if you need packing materials that will keep it safe during transportation.
• Car Condition: When the car is running, you can reduce expenses by not having to use a truck to transport it to the ship. Carts that are not operational will cost you more to load and unload from the ship as you may need to rent trucks.
• Delivery point: There are some companies that will deliver only port to port and not door to door, where the cost will be significantly lower.
• Tariffs: Generally, the import cost is 10% of the value of the vehicle, plus taxes. Among the taxes to pay are:
  • Value Added Tax (VAT).
  • Customs Processing Right (DTA).
  • Registration in the Public Vehicle Registry (Repuve).

How much does it cost to ship a car to Mexico?

Below is a table with the prices for shipping a car to Mexico.*

*Estimated prices and schedules. They may vary depending on the season and type of vehicle.

Car shipping methods to Mexico

There are three methods of shipping cars to Mexico:

• Roll On/Roll Off (Ro-Ro)
• By maritime containers
• By land

All of these methods are executed by companies specialized in land and sea cargo such as icontainers or BR Logistics and Latin American Cargo . These companies are responsible for the collection, transportation and delivery of vehicles to ports.

Roll On/Roll Off Shipping (Ro-Ro)

This is the most common shipping method to ship a car to Mexico. It consists of ocean shipping where vehicles are driven on and off the ship on their own wheels or using a flatbed vehicle , such as a self-propelled modular transporter. This method allows the car not to have to be lifted on board with cranes. The best way to think of shipping on a Roll on/Roll off ship is as a huge floating underground car park. The vehicles go up a ramp and head to one of the boat’s decks. All vehicles are secured from four points with tie down straps to ensure they are safe for traffic. Keep in mind that with a regular RoRo transport service, it is not necessary to hire warehouses at the port, which also helps save time and money. The car boards a ship in a port in the United States such as the Port of Los Angeles, Long Beach, New York or New Jersey and is received at a port in Mexico such as Puerto Lázaro Cárdenas, Veracruz, Altamira or Ensenada. This is currently the most cost-effective way to get your vehicle to Mexico.

Shipping by sea containers

This shipping method consists of renting containers with adequate strength to support the storage and shipping of a car to Mexico. Shipping maritime cargo to Mexico varies by port. For example, shipping to Vera Cruz starts around $900. Most companies ship vehicles to 5 different ports in Mexico from the US. These ports are:

• Altamira.
• Mazatlan.
• Veracruz.
• Cove.
• Puerto Progreso.

Consider that this is a more expensive method and that there are a series of documents that you will have to deal with such as complementary forms for sensitive or dangerous cargo, customs authorization and others.

Car transport by land

This is a method of shipping cars to Mexico by land . For this reason it takes much longer and is the least popular. In this case the cars are insured and routinely inspected throughout the trip. However, they must wait for a pending shipping date to Mexico before beginning their trip.

Steps to ship cars to Mexico

To send cars to Mexico you must perform the following 3 steps:

1. Go to a customs agent

To import a vehicle to Mexico you will need to go to a customs agent, since these are the only ones with the legal capacity to carry out the procedure before the customs authority.

2. Obtain the import petition

The import request is made by the customs agent by executing the following actions:

• Obtain a certificate that the car meets the physical-mechanical and environmental protection conditions.
• Obtain a certificate from a used vehicle history provider company.
• Verify that the vehicle identification number matches the property title.
• Present the property title to United States customs to authorize its export.
• Prepare the import request.
• To pay the taxes.

3. Present the car with the import request at customs

You must do this step between 8 in the morning and 1 in the afternoon.

Legalize a car that is already in Mexico

Once the car arrives in Mexico, you will have up to one business day to register it in the “Public Vehicle Registry.” Additionally, you will have to do the following:

• Pay applicable customs duties, as well as all taxes and fees associated with shipping.
• Carry out the vehicle ownership process.
• Apply for registration and approval of the identification plate with the government of Mexico. This procedure is generally carried out at the State Finance Secretariat.