FAQs: Temporary Import Permit (TIP) for Vehicles in Mexico (2024)

This article contains a list of the most frequently asked questions and answers about Mexico’s Temporary Import Permit (TIP) for foreign-plated vehicles that get driven to Mexico.

In a related article, we explained the procedures for bringing a foreign-plated vehicle to Mexico. This article provides a detailed list of FAQs about an essential document you need to obtain when you drive your vehicle to Mexico: a Temporary Import Permit, or TIP.

What is a vehicle Temporary Import Permit (TIP)?

A TIP is legal document that allows a foreign-plated vehicle to be imported to and driven in Mexico for a defined period of time. The vehicle must be exported (driven out of Mexico) before the TIP’s expiry date. If you fail to export the vehicle and surrender/cancel the TIP, you will lose your deposit, you will not be allowed to import another vehicle in future; and you can also face fines and have your vehicle confiscated.

Who needs a TIP?

Anyone who wants to bring a foreign-plated vehicle into Mexico and drive outside of the Free Zones. The Free Zones are:

• within 25km of the land border;
• the entire Baja California peninsula;
• a defined area in the northern state of Sonora; and,
• the southern state of Quintana Roo.

If you intend to drive your car beyond the 25km border zone (checkpoints exist), or anywhere outside of a defined Free Zone, you must have a TIP to avoid fines and confiscation of the vehicle.

Who can apply for a TIP?

Visitors entering Mexico under the auspice of a Visitor permit (FMM) and holders of a Residente Temporal residency visa/card may apply for a TIP. If you are the holder of a Residente Permanente visa/card you cannot apply for a TIP or take your foreign-plated vehicle to Mexico outside of the defined Free Zones.

Who issues the TIP?

Temporary Import Permits for foreign-plated vehicles are issued only by Banjercito, and by a limited number of Mexican Consulates (see below) who act as facilitators for Banjercito. No other companies or agencies are authorized to issue the TIP and you should never deal with anyone other than Banjercito when buying a TIP.

How do I buy a TIP?

You can purchase a TIP in advance online, or at certain Mexican Consulates in the US, or you can purchase a TIP in person at a Banjercito office situated at major land crossing points. The TIP carries an administrative fee, and you’ll also be required to leave a deposit. (The size of the deposit varies depending on the age of the vehicle.) You will lose the deposit if you fail to export (drive out) the vehicle from Mexico before the TIP’s expiry date, or violate any other rules related to the TIP.

How long is a TIP valid for?

A TIP is tied to your immigration document and its expiry date will be tied to the expiry date on your immigration document.

Entering with a Visitor Permit: If you enter Mexico under the auspice of a FMM (Visitor Permit) this is valid for a maximum of 180 calendar days from the date of your entry to Mexico.

Entering with a Residency Card: If you enter Mexico with your foreign plated vehicle under the auspice of a Residente Temporal card, the TIP will be valid for as long as the temporary residency status remains current. Holders of Residente Permanente cards are not allowed to bring a foreign-plated vehicle to Mexico.

Entering with a Residency Visa Sticker: See the section below titled: How does a TIP work when I arrive in Mexico with a Residente Temporal Visa? about the procedure involved if you bring a foreign plated vehicle to Mexico when you have a Residente Temporal sticker in your passport, and have not exchanged that for a residency card yet.

How many vehicles can I import to Mexico using a TIP?

Only one vehicle can be imported into Mexico per person. If you are traveling with your spouse or adult child (18 years or older), they may each register one car in their name.

There is one exception to the one-person, one-car rule:If you tow a car behind your RV, there is no need for second person to be traveling with you; but you must show proof of ownership for both vehicles, and both vehicles must be taken out of the country together when you leave.

A trailer does not count as a vehicle, but you need to show ownership of it and it must be exported with the vehicle towing it when you leave Mexico.

Motorcycles, ATVs, etc. If you are towing or carrying other single passenger motorized vehicles, these may be registered with the car that is towing or carrying them. You must show proof of ownership of all vehicles and you can only bring up-to three single-passenger vehicles—one each for up to three passengers traveling in the main vehicle. All vehicles must be exported together when you leave Mexico.

Can I leave Mexico if I have a foreign-plated vehicle here with a TIP?

When you bring your foreign-plated vehicle to Mexico, your TIP’s expiry date will either be tied to a Visitor Permit (FMM) or to a Temporary Residency Permit.

Whether you your TIP is tied to a Visitor Permit (FMM) or your Residente Temporal permit, you can leave Mexico without your vehicle and the vehicle will remain legal in Mexico for so long as the TIP remains current (not past its expiry date).

The TIP’s expiry date is tied the expiry date of the Visitor Permit or Residente Temporal permit you used when you brought your car to Mexico with its TIP.

You can leave Mexico (e.g. fly out) using your Visitor Permit (or Residente Temporal permit) to exit the country; you can get a new Visitor Permit when you return, or use your Residente Temporal card to re-enter Mexico in the usual way. However, the expiry date on your TIP will not change and you must drive the vehicle out of Mexico before the TIP expires.

If you don’t drive the vehicle out of Mexico before the TIP’s expiry date, the vehicle will become illegal in Mexico and:

• the insurance coverage will become invalid;
• your vehicle may be confiscated and impounded; and
• you will lose the deposit you paid to Banjercito.

The TIP’s expiry date is tied to the expiry date on the FMM you used when you first entered Mexico with your vehicle, or the expiration date of your temporary residency permit—cross check your TIP documentation for details.

What documentation is needed to get a TIP?

To apply for a TIP, you will need to be in possession of certain supporting documentation. We recommend you carry two black-and-white copies of each of these documents when you drive to Mexico:

• A valid passport, or passport card;
• Your Mexican immigration permit: if you are visiting Mexico as a tourist this will be your FMM; if you are a resident, your Residente Temporal visa or card. Residente Permanente visa/card holders are not allowed to obtain a TIP;
• A non-Mexican driver’s license (with photo);
• Original and photocopy of the title and registration of the vehicle issued by a foreign authority in the applicant’s name. If the title or registration is in the name of a spouse, a marriage certificate must also be presented. Only the titled owner of the vehicle and/or their spouse can get a TIP;
• Proof of temporary Mexican auto insurance for the vehicle.

What if the vehicle is rented, leased, financed, or owned by a company?

If the vehicle you intend to drive into Mexico is not registered in yours or your spouse’s name, you will also need the following documentation to accompany your application:

Rented vehicles: If a rental car company allows you to drive one its vehicles into Mexico, you will need a notarized letter of permission from the rental car company.

Leased vehicles: If the vehicle under lease, you will need to show the lease contract and a notarized letter of permission from the leasing company.

Financed vehicles: If the vehicle is under a finance arrangement, you will need to show the credit contract and notarized letter of permission from the finance company giving permission for the car to be driven to Mexico.

Company car: If the vehicle is owned by a company (a company you own or a company you work for) you will need a notarized letter of permission (on headed paper) confirming the employment relationship and authorizing the employee to drive the vehicle into Mexico.

What is the TIP application procedure?

When you have your documentation gathered, you can begin to make the application for your vehicle’s TIP:

Where: You can apply online, or go to one of a defined list of Mexican Consulates in the US, or you can apply in-person a Banjercito office near one of the main land border crossings.

Declaration: You will be asked to sign a declaration, pledging to export the vehicle within the period for which the permit is valid and not disobey any other regulations related to the issuance of the TIP.

Payment: There is an administrative fee of around US$50 that can be paid with cash, or a non-Mexico issued credit card. You cannot use a Mexico-issued credit card for this purchase; whether buying online or in-person. The name on the card must match the name of the person on the TIP.

Deposit: In addition to the administrative fee, you will need to pay a deposit of between US$200 and US$400, depending on the age of the vehicle. The deposit is refunded if the TIP is canceled/surrendered before its expiry date and no violations have taken place. It can take some days or weeks for the refund to be returned to a credit card after cancelling/surrendering the TIP.

Where can I buy a vehicle TIP?

Buying Online

You can still obtain a TIP in-person at the border but applying for the TIP via the Banjercito Website will speed the process and avoid potentially long lines at the border.

Note: If you apply online, you must first get your FMM online (or have your Residency visa or card issued) before you obtain the TIP. When you get your FMM online, you must stop at the border and get immigration (INM) to stamp/validate the document. Carry a printed copy of the FMM and your receipt to show proof of payment when you do this.

When approved, you will receive your TIP by email. Print out your TIP and receipt and keep the printed copies with you while driving in Mexico. Keep and use the email version only as verification of your TIP approval.

Buying in person at the Land Border

Temporary import permits may be purchased at CIITEV offices located at Customs offices near various U.S./Mexico border locations in Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas. Check beforehand that the crossing you use has a CIITEV office. When you apply in person, Banjercito will send an email with your TIP and hand you a printed copy of the TIP and your receipt. Keep the email and paper copies to hand at all times while driving in Mexico.

Buying a TIP at a Mexican Consulate

A limited number of Mexican Consulates in the United States offer a TIP-issuing service. Although the Consulate acts as facilitator, it is Banjercito that issues the permit. Consulates in the following US States offer TIPs (we recommend you contact them beforehand to ensure that their TIP issuing service is available):

• Arizona: Phoenix
• California: Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Sacramento
• Colorado: Denver
• Illinois: Chicago
• New Mexico: Albuquerque
• Texas: Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston

How do I surrender and cancel my TIP when I drive out of Mexico?

A TIP must be cancelled and surrendered before its expiry date.

Once you have a TIP issued, the person whose name is on the register must drive the vehicle out of Mexico before the TIP’s expiry date and stop at the border to cancel/surrender the TIP. This action notifies the Customs authority that you have exported the vehicle and complied with the rules.

If you do not stop at the land border and cancel/surrender your TIP (or forget), you will need to drive the vehicle back to a land border crossing to cancel the TIP. You do not have to exit Mexico from the same port as you entered to cancel your TIP, but you must visit an approved Banjercito office to undertake the procedure. Not all border crossings have a Banjercito office, check beforehand.

Your deposit will be refunded provided you have not overstayed in Mexico beyond the TIP’s expiry date and that you have not violated any conditions of the TIP.

How does a TIP work when I arrive in Mexico with a Residente Temporal Visa?

There’s an additional procedure to take into account if you enter Mexico with a TIP and a Residente Temporal sticker in your passport.If you don’t undertake this procedure your car will not become illegal, but you will lose the deposit you left with Banjercito.

If you have been granted temporary residency in Mexico and have a Residente Temporal visa sticker in your passport (before you are issued the residency card) your TIP and FMM will have a 30 day limit documented, because this is the time frame you have to submit the paperwork to exchange your visa sticker for a residency card. (If you already have a Residente Temporal card when you get your TIP this situation will not arise.)

If you have the 30-day limit on your TIP, you need to go the immigration office nearest to your address in Mexico and process the paperwork for the exchange of your visa sticker for a residency card. When you submit the paperwork, you will be given a printed receipt showing a NUT (Número Único de Trámite) reference.

Before the 30-day expiry date, you then need to go to your nearest Customs (Aduana) office, and present them with a letter (in Spanish) explaining that your residency card is in the process of being prepared, and give them a photocopy of the NUT receipt, and a copy of your passport.

When your card is issued, you will need to also give them a photocopy (front and back) of the residency card. If the office where you are making the exchange gives you your residency card within the 30-day window, you can undertake this procedure in one visit to the Customs office once you have your residency card, with a letter explaining that your residency card is issued, and enclosing a copy of it.

If however the immigration office takes longer to issue your residency card, you will first need to submit the letter stating you have applied for your residency card, a copy of the NUT receipt and your passport, and then return with a copy of your residency card when when it’s issued to you.

What if my foreign-plated vehicle is lost, stolen, or I abandon it in Mexico?

If you abandon your foreign-plated car in Mexico, you’ll have to pay Aduana (Mexican Customs) 40% tax on the car’s value. This rule was brought-in some while ago to discourage foreigners from abandoning or sellingtheir foreign-plated cars and telling Mexican Customstheywere lost or stolen.

There is an established process in place that prevents someone who has legitimately had their vehicle stolen (or sufferedtotal loss of the vehicle in an accident) from having to pay the fee.

Proper documentation will be required to get the TIP cancelled, so a police report has to be filed, plus special forms have to be filed with the Mexican Customs office, and the hired services of aMexican Notary Publicwill be needed to formalize all the paperwork to cancel the TIP of a stolen car.

While the authorities cannot prevent you from leaving if you don’t pay the tax, failure to do so will forfeit your rights to import any other foreign-plated vehicle to Mexico in future.

Donating your vehicle to Mexican Customs

If you want to dispose of your car, there is a procedure whereby you can “donate” it to Mexican Customs; you can find more information about thathereon the Mexican SAT web site.

Some important points to note about Mexico’s vehicle Temporary Import Permits

• TIPs cannot be extended or renewed. If you don’t export the vehicle (drive out) from Mexico before the expiry date and cancel the TIP, you lose the deposit you left at Banjercito and if you never cancel the TIP you’ll find it very difficult to import another foreign-plated vehicle to Mexico
• Only holders of a visitor permit (FMM) and a Residente Temporal visa/card may obtain a TIP. Holders of Residente Permanente visas/cards cannot bring foreign-plated cars into Mexico
• When your TIP is issued, you can drive the car back-and-fro across the land border provided the TIP remains valid
• You cannot cancel/surrender or obtain a new TIP anywhere within Mexico
• You cannot cancel/surrender a TIP online. The person who is named on the TIP must present the vehicle physically at a Banjercito office at the border to undertake the cancellation procedure
• You cannot surrender a TIP through a Mexican Consulate abroad
• If your vehicle has not been physically returned to a Banjercito office at the border and the TIP cancelled/surrendered, a new permit cannot be issued for that person or vehicle
• Hybrid and Electric vehicles are not exempt from requiring a TIP if you intend to drive the vehicle beyond one of the Free Zones.
• Applications online are checked in real-time on US/Canadian vehicle databases. Your application for a TIP will be denied if the vehicle has any restrictions marked, e.g. reported as stolen or as sent for scrap.

Is auto insurance compulsory when I drive a car into Mexico?

You will need to show evidence of having a valid temporary insurance policy when you apply for a TIP. Whether you are driving in the Free Zones or going further into Mexico with a TIP, ensure your road trip is properly insured with a policy is valid in Mexico, especially for third party liabilities.

Learn more about driving in Mexico

Mexperience offers guides and articles to help you prepare and drive confidently in Mexico

• Latest articles about driving in Mexico
• Your Mexico road trip checklist
• Dealing with minor and major road accidents
• Guide to driving in Mexico
• Guide to auto insurance in Mexico