mexico bike papers

[harleydan]

does anyone know about paperwork needed to take a bike into Mexico from USA?Do we need any sort of permit, or is it just license, registration and insurance
thanks
dan shell
2up, ~Harley road glide

[Yiet]

Lots of info on this site. You need a vehicle import permit unless you are only going to Baja. You can get this on-line from Banjercito if you are in North America or at the border. You also need a tourist visa for yourself. Finally, you need Mexican vehicle insurance. Most USA companies do not cover vehicles in Mexico.

[bobkat]

In addition to above you must own the bike, with your name on the title. If you don't own it, maybe the bank does, or a rental company, or a friend, or... then you must have a notarized letter giving you, by name, permission to take it into Mexico. If you do own it entry is fairly simple and takes an hour or so to go to several different windows to complete everything. You will need to produce a credit card for the paperwork. And be sure and check out and turn in the papers when you leave the country. Otherwise they may charge on the credit card the fee for not removing the bike from Mexico even though you did. This can be expensive and time consuming to correct.
Check out WELCOME TO BOB'S WORLD, he is a motorcyclist with a lot of info on Mexico.

[AndyT]

Hi Dan & Jaquie!

Hope things are going well in California. Post some new pictures on your blog, you're falling behind .

The 3 things that will get you through the borders on your route are, passport, bike title, and driver's license. I know you own your bike outright, so that simplifies things, no permission from lender required. Do make sure everything on the title matches your other docs. Vehicle ID number correct, name spelled right, all that. First go to Migracion, and present your passport to get a tourist visa. They may ask how long you will be in Mexico, ask for a 180 day permit, it costs the same. Depending on the border station, you may pay for the visa there, or you may have to stop at a bank and pay for it, after you get past the border.

Visa in hand, go to Aduana, and present passport, visa, bike title, and driver's license to get your vehicle permit. You either need to pay by credit card or post a bond to ensure that you won't sell your bike in country. I used to be nervous about paying by credit card, but now I have done it a dozen or so times without problems. You will get a form and a sticker to put on your windshield. VERY IMPORTANT: cancel this permit at the Aduana station when you leave Mexico. Or else, when the permit expires, they will assume you sold the bike, and they may charge your card for the taxes due. Also cancel your tourist visa when you leave the country.

I have never been asked to prove i was insured when in Mexico, although I'm told it is required. I do buy liability coverage, but I have never had to use it, so I don't know if it is worth the paper it is printed on. Tourist visa is ~$20US, bike permit ~$32US. The good news is that this is the most expensive border from here to Tierra del Fuego, so it's out of the way first. You're going to have a great time, wish I was going with. How's the Spanish coming?

Edit: I do know people who have got a Mexican bike permit using their registration, basically the receipt for you license plate purchase. This won't fly further south, so make sure your title is in order.