Can You Register A Skyline At A Currency Exchange

** We exercise not provide import/export services. This guide is for information merely. **

In a contempo mail service I discussed how to import a car from Canada. Nosotros and then talked well-nigh ane enthusiast car in particular, the R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R, which has become the posterchild for automotive import, export, and registration rules in the United States. You tin can find those resource linked at the lesser of the article.

That leaves one border unaccounted for, so today nosotros're going to discuss how to import a machine from Mexico without the assist of a specialist company. Thankfully, importing a motorcar from Mexico isn't that much different from most anywhere else. Aside from the fact that you can simply drive the car over the border, the steps to import a car from United mexican states are mostly the aforementioned as if y'all were aircraft one from overseas.

Allow's take a closer expect at the steps you need to follow if y'all want to bring a Mexican car to the States and legally drive it on the route.

A typical automotive manufacturer label. Source

What Cars Are We Talking About Hither?

There are 2 primary means to import a car to the United States. If a car is more than 25 years old, it can be legally imported to the United States and registered for road utilise nether the provisions of the 25 Yr Rule. If a car is less than 25 years old but has historical significance and was never sold in the United States, information technology could be eligible for import and express road use under the provisions of the Show and Display Dominion.

This guide describes how to import and register cars from Mexico that are less than 25 years sometime and are ineligible for Show and Display.

This Kind of Car is Already Sold in the States.

If you are looking at a Mexican vehicle that's also produced and sold in the United States, the import process volition exist much easier for you. Expect at the manufacturer label in the door latch post, on the hinge pillar or on the door'south edge. If the label states that this machine is produced for auction in the United States, your troubles will be minimal.

Equally you may know, many American automakers have plants in Mexico, then it's possible you lot're already driving a car that's sold in the United States. In recent years, the Ford Fiesta, Chevrolet Sonic, Ford Fusion, Nissan Versa and 3 Honda models were all produced in Mexico for U.S. distribution, and so importing ane from Mexico would allow yous to skip much of the usual process.

Withal, just because the machine is produced in Mexico doesn't automatically make information technology ready for the United States market. You'll have to inspect your manufacturer's label to make up one's mind if it conforms to our country's standards.

Tin I Just Bulldoze a Car Over from Mexico and Keep It?

Mexican citizens can drive an imported vehicle on U.South. roads for upwardly to a twelvemonth, but and then it must render to United mexican states or information technology volition exist confiscated. It is illegal to sell a auto that has been imported under these conditions. They occasionally pop up on sale sites like Craigslist, but it'due south highly illegal and you lot should avoid these cars.

What if I'chiliad Only Visiting the United States from Mexico?

Non-U.S. residents may import a vehicle without paying duties if it doesn't come across the requirements for condom and emissions. They volition be permitted to drive the vehicle for up to a yr, but then it must return back to Mexico. During that time, it's non allowed to be sold in the United States either.

What Paperwork Will I Need?

Before being registered in the United States, a late model car must comply with DOT Safety Standards plus Ecology Protection Bureau Emissions Standards. If the car doesn't run into these standards, that's okay: a DOT Registered Importer can usually handle importing the vehicle instead. Two forms are required to testify this, which we'll talk about in a moment. The specific documentation required can be found hither.

The offset and most important thing to practice is make sure there are no liens on the championship. Liens brand the process far more than complex and could sneak upward when you least expect them. It's all-time to find out about any liens early on by running a Vehicle History Report. That will besides ostend the title status and a diversity of other helpful details to requite you peace of mind about your imported car.

Federalizing a Mexican Auto for Usa Roads

Some Mexican cars but won't meet the standards of our Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act fifty-fifty with extensive piece of work. Only others could be brought up to spec through a procedure known as federalization. This is a model-specific process.

In general terms, federalizing a machine from Mexico is possible but will require research into the specific car in question. Changes might be equally simple as calculation side markers or adjusting bumper heights, but the modifications required could exist much more than extensive.

There's no way to register the vehicle for road use until these requirements are met, and then this is what you lot should spend most of your time figuring out. It boils down to whether or not the auto will pass a typical safety inspection in the U.s.a.. That means the answer is different for every machine, simply thankfully you probably aren't the get-go person to endeavor to import this type of auto. Search the web for an enthusiast forum with information most importing your particular car and the process of automotive federalization.

Preparing a Motor Vehicle for Export from Mexico

There are several things you need to do if you desire to import a car from Mexico. More details are available on the The states Community and Border Protection website.

i. Clean the outside of the car

All motor vehicles must be cleaned before they arrive in the country. Information technology doesn't matter if you plan to ship the car or drive it beyond the border, the undercarriage will be checked for foreign soil. It's the manner that the United States prevents foreign pests from getting brought in. That doesn't mean washing it with a power washer either, it means having it steam-cleaned or thoroughly detailed.

two. If you plan to ship the auto, clean out the interior as well

All personal content needs to be removed. This is a good idea to prevent theft of your holding, but also a requirement from the border agents. Most shippers won't have your car if at that place is annihilation personal inside. Remember, your vehicle is non meant to exist treated as a aircraft container!

iii. Gear up the appropriate paperwork

Y'all need the following documentation when you lot import a automobile from United mexican states for road apply:

Bill of Lading (if you lot ship information technology)
Pecker of Sale
Mexican registration
A title or proof that you own the vehicle
DOT Class HS-7 which shows safety compliance
EPA Form 3520-i which shows emissions compliance
Manufacturer engine characterization with an eligible emissions certification
Payment for duties, fees, and taxes like the Gas Guzzler Tax

4. Pay the Duty Rates

Your adjacent step is to pay the duty fees. For the nearly part, all vehicles follow this breakdown:

Automobiles: 2.5% of the vehicle'due south value
Large Trucks: 25%
Motorcycles: upwardly to 2.4%

If you are a U.S. resident that is now returning to usa, you might receive an exemption of up to $800 that can exist applied to your fees. For this to occur, the vehicle must meet the following requirements:

It was purchased during the journeying you are returning from
It is existence imported for personal use
It accompanies the registered owner back into the States

How Do You Import a Car from Mexico Duty-Gratis? Can Military Members Bring Cars Back from United mexican states?

There are some ways to bring your car over the border without paying duties.

Offset, armed services members and U.Southward. government employees returning stateside afterwards extended duty may bring their vehicle with them every bit long as it conforms to certain requirements. Furthermore, U.Southward. citizens that accept been working abroad may also import their vehicle duty-gratis. The stipulation is that it'due south only free if you are visiting and plan to have the car with you when you go out the country over again.

What is the Total Cost to Import a Auto from Mexico?

That respond varies depending on the type of motorcar in question. Taxes, duties, and fees can differ based on many factors determined by the edge agents. What we can say is that the forms themselves are a very minor expense; when importing a car yourself, it'south much cheaper than paying a business to do it for you. The majority of your expense will come from duties and fees.

What to Do In one case You Get Here

Once y'all take imported your automobile from United mexican states, there are some more steps you'll have to take to go legal.

Start past getting insurance on the vehicle. Then, take all your paperwork to the Land DOT office and apply for registration. At that time you'll accept to pay any state taxes and fees associated with the registration. They might also crave their ain emissions test and inspection depending on where y'all are.

In one case all of this is consummate, you should receive your new tags and plates in the mail within a few weeks. You lot tin can now drive on United States roads knowing that you're doing so safely and legally.

There is an Easier Way

You could just purchase a car once you make it into the land. It would be far easier and often cheaper than trying to import a car from United mexican states. Before yous head to usa, consider selling your car and salve the money you would have spent on fees to purchase something on United States soil. Then, yous don't accept to become through the hassle of learning how to import a car from Mexico.

Of grade, auto enthusiasts will exercise anything to obtain a rare or sought-afterward model from Mexico that was never sold in the Us. That's when this guide will help the about!

Importing a car from Mexico is something you can absolutely exercise yourself, but it never hurts to take professional help if time is coin.

Dirt Legal Can Help

Our squad of championship specialists can learn a title and license plates for cars, motorcycles, and just virtually anything with wheels. We also offer on VIN Checks and Vehicle Accident Reports to give you peace of mind whether you're importing a machine or but ownership one downward the street. Follow the links to meet if your auto qualifies for our services.

** We do not provide import/consign services. This guide is for information only. **