Getting Mexican Plates: Nationalizing a Foreign Car or Buying One in Mexico

Anyone who keeps a car in Mexico long term without a valid temporary import permit (TIP) needs Mexican plates. This matters most for permanent residents, who cannot get a TIP at all. Temporary residents can keep a foreign-plated car with a TIP while their card is valid. See temporary vehicle import permits.

If you are about to become a permanent resident, decide what to do with a foreign-plated car before your status changes. See temporary to permanent residency.

Maybe. Mexico allows the permanent import of used vehicles only under the conditions of a federal decree. The current decree was published on November 4, 2024 and renewed on November 5, 2025, and is valid until November 30, 2026. In general terms:

• The vehicle must be made in North America (the USA, Canada or Mexico) and meet the rules of origin of the USMCA trade agreement (called T-MEC in Mexico).
• It must fall within the model-year range the decree allows. Very new and older vehicles are generally excluded.
• It must pass physical, mechanical and environmental requirements.
• It must not be reported stolen, and vehicles whose title is restricted in the country of origin (for example salvage or junk titles) are generally not eligible.
• You pay the import duty, value-added tax (IVA) and related fees, calculated by the customs broker.

Separate rules apply to imports that are valid only in the northern border region. Because the decree is renewed each year and the details change, ask a licensed customs broker (agente aduanal) to confirm your specific car before you drive it to Mexico.

From 2022, a separate federal program let owners of foreign-plated used cars already in some Mexican states register them legally. These cars are often called autos chocolate. The Executive Secretariat of the National Public Security System (SESNSP) announced in January 2026 that the program ended on December 31, 2025, and that imports must now follow the permanent import decree.

If someone offers to "regularize" a foreign car in 2026, check the legal basis carefully and confirm it with ANAM (Mexican customs) or your state government first.

The pedimento de importación is the customs declaration that proves a foreign-made car was legally imported and taxes were paid. You need it to register the car and get plates. Keep the original safe.

When you buy a used imported car in Mexico, ask for the pedimento. A car without one may have been brought in illegally and can be seized, even from a buyer who did not know.

Many residents find it simpler to buy in Mexico. What to know:

• The factura is the proof of ownership. For a new car, it is the dealer's electronic invoice (CFDI). For a used car, check the chain of facturas back to the first owner, with each transfer endorsed.
• Check the vehicle registry. The Public Vehicle Registry (REPUVE) lets you check whether a car is reported stolen.
• Check for unpaid taxes and fines in the state where the car is registered.
• Documents you will need: residence card, passport, proof of address, and often your RFC and CURP. See how to get an RFC and CURP.
• Financing is easier for permanent residents with Mexican credit history. See opening a bank account.

Plates are issued by the state where you live, through its vehicle registration office (control vehicular), not by the federal government. Typical requirements:

• Proof of ownership (factura) and, for imported cars, the pedimento.
• Residence card, proof of address in that state, and ID.
• Payment of state fees and, in some states, an annual vehicle tax (tenencia).

You receive plates and a circulation card (tarjeta de circulación). Some states, including Mexico City and the State of México, also require regular emissions inspections (verificación). You also need Mexican auto insurance, and a Mexican license once you are a resident. See driver's licenses in Mexico.