Driving on Mexico

Welcome to the Mexican part of the ex-pat forum wgregg12354,
The answer to your questions would basically be yes.
followed by rules and exceptions.
In order to have a U.S. vehicle here, you must have an import fee. If you want to be a resident  Permanente you won't be allowed to have that imported car. Some cars can be imported some can't.
Some go without a car, but most have one. Then there is the license issue. As long as your country license is active that will work.
When you need a license you will have to be a resident. Some people were just scooting along on a scooter, but Mexico is really cracking down on that and making everyone have a license and registration for those scooters and bikes. The scooters and bikes are actually very dangerous partly because people who have them haven't been abiding with the rules.

I only know about cars, not scooters or motorcycles:
Purchasing a Temp. Import Permit (TIP) is required at the border. It was about $350 when I went through in 2016. That fee is refunded if you leave Mexico before your visa expires. If you over-stay you lose the entire amount and risk having your vehicle confiscated.

If you have a Residente Permanente visa you cannot purchase a TIP and must have a Mexican registered vehicle, or pay to have your USA vehicle imported. The importation fee was prohibitive or unavailable depending on the vehicle. If you live within 50 km of the USA-Mexico border there is a special law that applies which you would have to inquire about.

Some people who only want to get around town will buy a 4 wheel ATV, scooter, bicycle or an electric bike. I used an electric bike or bicycle unless I had to leave the town.

You can drive with your USA drivers licence but be sure to understand the differences between Mexican and USA rules of the road. I got a Mexican driver's license when my USA one expired. It is easy to do.

Well coolzip,
A Import fee is not required just to cross the border. If your plan is to just visit the free zone, as long as you stay in the area you are home free. If you plan to go beyond the free border area you need an import fee and you would likely get that before going to the border.

You also don't automatically get a Mexican license when your U.S. license expires. They want to know several things before giving out a license. Fulfilling that pretty much assures that you don't just have a tourist visa. They want to know you live here and are serious about being here. This is a lot like in the U.S.
Knowing the rules will be critical because the rules are very different.

Yup, didnt mean to imply that getting a Mx drivers license was automatic when your USA one expires.. Its an easy process to get the Mx one. You need one or the other which is still valid.  And you can have both at the same time. I dont know about international drivers licenses.

Getting the TIP at the border is not a big deal and takes an hour or less depending. But you have to know where to go for the office after you cross the border.

And likewise, since this is an expat forum I assumed that someone was crossing the border to stay for an extended period, not a short term tourist.

RandomCoolzip wrote:

Yup, didnt mean to imply that getting a Mx drivers license was automatic when your USA one expires.. Its an easy process to get the Mx one. You need one or the other which is still valid.  And you can have both at the same time. I dont know about international drivers licenses.

Getting the TIP at the border is not a big deal and takes an hour or less depending. But you have to know where to go for the office after you cross the border.

And likewise, since this is an expat forum I assumed that someone was crossing the border to stay for an extended period, not a short term tourist.

That's a pretty good assumption, although in reality (especially out here in the Tijuana-Rosarito-Ensenada region) there are many, MANY "expats" living here--close to the US border--for extended periods, without ever getting a 6-month FMM (tourist visa).

So they also don't get TIPs for their vehicles.

This is because very few United States plated vehicles are stopped at the border coming into Mexico, and even when they are, it's almost always to see if they are bringing in large amounts of merchandise that can be taxed.

Only if they're asked where they are going and they reply that their destination is in the interior of Mexico will they be directed to pull over and get a TIP.

And if at some point they haven't declared that they are driving into the interior but they end up doing so, then they are subject to being stopped to get a TIP, and they also run the risk of fines and even deportation for traveling into the interior without an FMM if they don't have one.

I know one woman who has lived in Rosarito for 9 years now, and not only doesn't she ever get a TIP for her California plated car (she drives back and forth across the border a couple times a month) but even though she has been stopped numerous times for inspection, she has never been directed to pull over and get either a TIP or an FMM tourist visa when she tells them that her destination is her condo in Rosarito.

There are rumors that México may finally be tightening up on perpetual tourism soon, but as yet there are no widespread reports of it happening at the San Ysidro or Otay Mesa border crossings.

Walking across the border into Mexico is a different situation, where a passport and an FMM are required.

But of course if you are walking across the border you aren't bringing in a vehicle, so there's definitely not a TIP issued then

Ok, guys let me try this once again, My concern is the responses might be confusing, We are supposed to be helping not confusing. I assume that you were somehow confused.
The TIP as you call it is an import tax meant for most of Mexico. The border areas consist of free zones or places where you can easily drive in and out and except for items you might bring in they don't really care about you driving in and out. They do care quite a bit if you drive beyond the free zone. It's a confusing situation because Quintanaroo also is a free zone area where you can get into trouble if you don't know that. I assume the people coming into that zone who don't have import stickers are coming from Belize the police in Mexico proper are well aware if you have an import sticker, its taped on your windshield
The international driver's license is pretty much a big money-making joke. If you are an uninformed tourist some local police might try to have a laugh telling tourists about that. There is an agreement with the U.S. about border crossings.

Nevermind. Expat T&C don't seem to allow this information.

As others have said no TIP required on Baja.  So it depends where you would be living.  I am only familiar with Baja since that is where I will be living.
If you are living in Baja Mexico and your car cannot be legally imported (due to NAFTA only cars manufactured in the US/CANDA plus there are other requirements) then you must maintain current registration here in the US plus a current driver's license.  At least in Baja South Dakota is a very popular state to utilize for this purpose they don't require vehicle inspections or require you to have US auto insurance. No presence is required in the state either.

If your coming down with temp or full residence visa sell your old car in the usa for the waaaaaay over price that people are paying take that money down here and buy a mexico plated vehicle for 60% of what you would in the us....and it is the same vehicle you would get in the us.

Then get a nice electric bike and your set.