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Nothing we say will ever prepare you for the unique experience of doing what it takes to get Yucatan license plates on your gringo automobile. But we’re going to tell you the story anyway. Perhaps it will be entertaining. Perhaps it will be a cautionary tale. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry!
Our story begins four years ago, when we drove our trusty white SUV (in Spanish: la camioneta blanca… it’s important to know how to describe your car in Spanish for the guys who take your cart at Costco and help you unload your purchases) on a ten-day roadtrip from California to the Yucatan. Before we left, we un-registered the car as “off-the-road” in California, dutifully paying our minimal registration fee each year.
Last year, the rear license plate (placa trasera) was mysteriously stolen, (some say, “collected”). We really have no idea when or where it was taken (Note: we’ve never had anything else taken from our car in 4.5 years). One day we just noticed it was gone. No problem… we still had the front one. After being stopped by la policia and told we really should report the stolen plates, we trekked to the outskirts of Merida, beyond the Periferico (the ring road around the city) to the Procuraduria General de Justicia, loosely translated as the Hall of Justice. (Even our in-house native Yucateco doesn’t know what a procuraduria is… anyone???) Here, we brought in our pink slip and registration from the States and reported that our placa had been taken. Someone in a small office typed up a page of text basically saying so in Spanish, signed and stamped it and gave it back to us. Now we had something to show la policia next time we were stopped.
Of course, we weren’t stopped again until about a year later, when the *other* placa went missing. Now we had a documento saying that our placa trasera was stolen, but nothing about la placa en frente. Back to the Procuraduria. Now we had two documents. But no placas.
La policia didn’t like that. They were nice about it, but we started getting stopped more often, and being from California where being stopped by the police makes our hair stand on end, *we* didn’t particularly like THAT.
Perfect timing , we thought. We are going back to the States for our daughter’s wedding and we’ll get our license plates replaced there. No problema, said the nice lady at the California DMV, just put your car back “on” the road (registration-wise) and give us a smog certificate. Oh. Not possible to get a smog certificate in the Yucatan. And we certainly don’t have time to drive back to California just to get one.
OK, let’s get Yucatan plates then! That will look cool on our SUV!
Across from the zoo, we were told, is a big building. Therein you will find the Yucatecan version of the DMV, also known as the Departamento de Registro de Control Vehicular. Armed with her passport, FM3 Visa, a copy of a bill in our name at our address (known as a comprabante), the pink slip and the papers we were given for the car at the border (Permiso de Importacion Temporal de Vehiculos), Working Gringa blithely set out one sunny day to get those plates. She was directed to a large building where inside a huge, hacienda-like interior painted bureaucracy green, hundreds, maybe thousands of people were waiting in line. Dios mio! This can’t be the place! Luckily, it wasn’t. Across the street, in a far more unassuming building, more people were waiting in rows and rows of chairs. This can’t be it either! Sadly, this time it was.
One lone woman stood at the front of the hundreds of people waiting patiently in chairs, doling out information. Por favor, senora, que necesito hacer? (Please, ma’am, what do I need to do?) or (Please, ma’am, have pity on me and tell me I don’t have to go sit at the end of that line of all those people in chairs?). The information lady had pity indeed, and sent WG to another office, where a very patient woman explained that you can’t just get placas for a vehiculo extranjero (a foreign vehicle) because first you need a pedimento. Where do I get that? In Progreso.
Luckily, we don’t live far from Progreso, so off to Progreso we went. After much searching, we found an agencia aduanal (customs broker) named Patrón Castellanos and came to the understanding that we had to import the car before we could get placas. From inside a colonial building with beamed ceilings, mosaico-tiled floors and 50-year old furniture, this busy customs broker treated us very well, even providing us with an English-speaking agent, Mr. Ramon Buenfil (Tel: +52-969-935-1991). He gave us an estimate of $7,500 pesos (about $720 USD) to import our 10-year-old car, which included the import fee, taxes and the customs broker fee. We were told to bring the money in cash, along with all aforementioned documents. We were told it would take only a few hours.
The next week, Working Gringa set out to Progreso early one sunny morning to get the car imported. She had to return to Merida by 5 PM for an appointment, but that seemed very far in the future. The first four hours were spent waiting in Progreso while Mr. Buenfil prepared the paperwork. WG wandered around taking photos, going to the bank, and watching trucks parade down the street with lions and camels in cages advertising the circus that was coming to town (no photos… sorry! they were down the street by the time she fished the camera out of her purse). 
The rest of the time was spent nodding off in a rocking chair in the office below a ceiling fan, feeling much like a character in Casablanca or an employee of the United Fruit Company.
Finally, about 4 PM, WG mentioned that she had una cita (appointment) at 5 PM in Merida. Mr. Buenfil looked duly alarmed and within minutes introduced WG to another gentleman. Jorge jumped into the passenger seat of la camioneta blanca and directed the car and driver to the Aduana (customs) office at the end of the pier. More waiting, this time with big, BIG trucks lumbering by and seagulls circling overhead. Finally, Jorge emerged from the Aduana’s office and directed WG back to Mr. Buenfil. More waiting, then documents to sign, money changed hands, and the Working Gringa was proudly presented with… drum roll, please… the Pedimento! The Pedimento is of equal importance to the pink slip, we were told. MUY importante! No lo pierda!! Don’t lose it!
Needless to say, WG was late to her appointment, but no more than a normal Yucateca, so no problema.
Working Gringa felt she was finally seeing the light at the end of the placa tunnel. Qué tonta!! (What a silly fool!) A week later, WG set out on another sunny morning (are you counting how many sunny mornings we’ve spent on this so far?) to the Yucatan DMV to get those placas, (dammit!) The woman who had originally sent her for the pedimento nodded her head in approval, and then handed all the paperwork back to WG, telling her to get two copias of everything. Luckily, WG was up to their tricks by now, and knew that in all of these governmental offices, they have a conveniently located store that sells copias for all the poor fools who forgot to make them ahead of time. WG stood in the long line of fools and got copies of everything in her little package (or so she thought). Back to the lady who agreed that everything was in order. 
Then she asked, “Tienes una ficha?” Uh… no. Qué ficha? In Spanish, she kindly directed me back to the original information lady and instructed me to say to her: “Qué sigue?” (What next?)
What next, indeed!
The information lady wasn’t there, but one of the many tamarindos working in the office directed WG to sit in a row of chairs. WG sat, not really sure what to do next but figured it would become apparent. It did. At the front of the bank of four rows of chairs, people were being called up to the desk. As each person was called, everyone in the four rows got up and moved down a chair, documents in hand, like a very slow game of musical chairs, but in order. Without the music.
Finally, it was WG’s turn. A kind gentleman behind the counter looked gravely through all the documentos. “Tienes una FM3?” (Do you have an FM3 Visa?) “Si, señor!” Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to have it. WG had to have two copies of it. Something the pedimento lady apparently wasn’t aware of. Or had perversely forgotten to mention? Back to the copia store. Back to the kind gentleman. Todo bien! All the papers are in order. Time to sit down again and wait for your name to be called.
Now, maybe YOU have a name that sounds pretty in Spanish, but WG’s name is virtually unpronounceable by a Spanish speaker. So when the name was read over the loudspeaker, it sounded more like “Erin Fayed Fels”. WG almost missed her cue, but luckily got up to the counter just in time to be told to go get la camioneta blanca and park it in Espacio Numero Cuatro (Space #4). Surely, this must be the last step!
WG drove into #4 and another kindly gentleman made two carbon rubbings of the VIN number on the inside of the windshield. He peered into the back of the SUV (to make sure she wasn’t smuggling retired U.S. citizens into Mexico?) and then gave WG a little slip of paper and told her to go back inside and sit down and wait for her name to be called.
The next ten minutes were spent frantically looking for a parking space as WG realized she had lost hers and if she didn’t find one soon, she might not be inside to hear her name called.
Que tonta! She need not have worried. Back inside, she sat. She waited.
WG began to think she wasn’t going to make her 1:00 PM lunch appointment (she started at 9:30 AM). Minutes went by. More minutes. No Erin Fayed Fels was being called. More minutes. The chair hurt. The air conditioning was freezing. The guy in the next chair was silently farting. Dios mio! Will this never end??
Finally, at 1 PM a voice intoned, “Erin Fayed Fels!”. WG jumped up to the counter thinking she would just take the paperwork, get the placas and arrive late to her lunch date by only a Yucatan minute (half an hour). The kind lady behind the counter gave her a tiny slip of paper and told her to go wait in the other room to hear her name called.
You MUST be kidding.
OK, WG steadied her nerves. She could do this. She went into the other room and waited. Miraculously, within five minutes her name was called to go to Caja D (Window D). 
(OK, caja means ‘box’. Ventana means ‘window’. But when you are in a place where there are service windows, the word used is caja.) At Caja D, WG coughed up another $303 pesos and, after much checking of documents and stamping of sellos (seals), was sent to the end of the building. There, WG waited another ten minutes while the worker bees behind the counter talked and laughed and checked the validity of the stack of documentos associated with Erin Fayed Fels, who was nearing the end of her proverbial cuerda (rope). After the documentos were apparently in order, finalmente, WG was presented with… PLACAS!
If you live in the Yucatan and choose to reproduce this adventure, be sure to prepare yourself with the following items:
- Pink slip
- Permiso de Importacion Temporal de Vehiculos
- Passport of owner on pink slip
- FM3 of owner on pink slip
- Comprabante (telephone, water or electric bill with owners name and address)
- 2 (make it 3) copies of all of the above (both sides!)
- Cash, in large bills and small change (for copies you forgot to make)
- A cell phone (to cancel your appointments)
- A book or magazine (NOT an iPod, because you can’t hear your name called when you’re listening to Democracy Now)
- A granola bar (in case you feel faint)
- A working grasp of Spanish or a translator (only one person in this whole process spoke English)
- A sense of humor (or equivalent)
Ya, la camioneta blanca puede decir: “Yo soy Yucateca!”
(Finalmente)
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What an adventure.
Fantastic, what a great piece…
I enjoyed your last article about the Yucatan’s DMV. I felt like I was waiting with you. Would it be easier just to buy a vehicle in Mexico once you are there?
Yes, it would be MUCH easier to buy a Mexican car after you are here. We had a car when we moved here and we wanted to make it last as long as possible. It’s kind of a member of the family
So we brought it with us. And would have had no problem with it if the plates hadn’t been stolen…or, uh…collected. Once the plates were gone, we had to do something. It wasn’t that bad, really. And now we know how to do it! And the next gringo who has to do it may have an easier time of it.
It is, perhaps, stating the obvious, but were I you, I would bolt those plates to the car…er, la camioneta blanca with superb anti-theft screws
..Chris..
Why thank you, Chris! (good to see you here, btw…). As you can imagine, however, Yucatan placas are not in as high demand as California plates around here.
I loved this article; it reminds me of the resignation, sense of humor and patience (and an empty schedule for that day) you need when renewing your FM3 paperwork. The photocopy part is so true and is legendary even among locals: you will ALWAYS be missing a copy of something. There is ALWAYS another document you need that someone conveniently ‘forgot’ to mention. Knowing this and keeping the previously mentioned attributes in mind, can keep you from completely losing it and insanely whipping out your trusty machete and viciously hacking off everyone’s head.
‘Caja’ is not only box, by the way; the term is also used for a cashier, therefore the logical extention would seem to be that ‘caja’ could be used for any window where a transaction takes place.
And ‘Procuraduria’ comes from ‘procurar’, which means to procure. Thus, Procurador de Justicia becomes Procurer of Justice and the Procuraduria would be the place where all those Procuradores hang out. One has to keep in mind that all these wordy terms and their lofty intentions come from Spain, and Spanish has a much more ample vocabulary than English and in the areas of legalese is particularly wordy.
Hijole! Brings back memories. During a 10-month road trip in 2002/03, we bought a Chevy with DF plates. We wanted to change them for Michoacan plates (we spent a lot of time in Mich.). In Mexico now, if you move states, you need new plates. It’s not good news if you have DF plates. Muy suspechoso. The authorities need to check that all the papers are in order and everthing paid for & legit back in DF (or any other state for that matter). It took weeks, and finally one whole day to get our new placas.
http://www.mexicanwave.com/blog/200305/20030507.html
Aw dude, that was some adventure!
By the way, here’s a brief explanation on the word “procuraduría”.
It comes from the verb “Procurar” which means “to try”.
“Procura lavarte los dientes después de cada comida” = “Try to brush your teeth after each meal”.
So.. a “Procurador” is “someone who tries to do something”.
So… a “Procuraduria” is a place where the “Procurador” does (or pretends to do) his job.
So… a “Procuraduria de Justicia” is the place where the “Procurador de Justicia” works and this name (”Procurador de Justicia”) means something like “Man who tries to bring/do justice”
… Or something like that
Just like you said, it was a laugh for me but I’m sure you felt like crying, thank you for that story it should be in a movie!
Excellent! Thank you! I was wondering how to import an old unusual car to Mexico. It is really nice to know what is needed in advance.
I sat in a musical chair line picking up my voter credencial in the IFE office in Cabo San Lucas. I couldn’t help smiling after every time everyone in the room and I stood up, and sat in the next person’s chair. A good book to read is a must for any beaurocratic activity in Mexico.
If you want to take a car from the U.S. to mexico it would be easier to legalize the vehicle in the U.S. to become a mexican vehicle. Some mexican nationals living in the U.S do that because a car is cheaper in the U.S. than in mexico and they don’t have to go over all those difficulties that the working gringos went through.
I understand the ordeal that the working gringos went through; we had a similar situation with an American car that was before I knew about the legalization of American cars in the U.S. going to mexico. Your plates were stolen because they were from california, people who stole them only want them as a souvenir because they have no use for them.
procuraduria general de justicia; means Magistrate of general justice. procurador means lawyer. procurador is a synonym for abogado
Do you think we could sell our 12-year-old American car to a trusted Mexican friend, who could nationalize it more easily than we could, and then buy it back from him? Or does it have to have Mexican plates for him to buy it in the first place?
We’re pretty sure a Mexican CANNOT nationalize it at all. You have to do it. Essentially, you are importing the car and paying duty. Once you’ve done that, then it is officially a Mexican car and you can do with it what you want.
A natural born Mexican citizen can nationalize the American car, he or she would have to follow all the legal procedures just like everybody else. It could be less cumbersome for him or her because he or she is an insider and they could bend the rules for him or her to legalize it.
Having a natural born mexican citizen to do that could have its ramifications for example it could deprived the opportunity to bring another vehicle into Mexico, the car could be confiscated by custom officials if driven by her or him before is nationalized and you have to do fictitious sales transactions,transfering titles to new ownership and at the end you still have to obtain the license plate personally.
I am looking into possibly importing a vehicle into Mexico. For me this article woould have more value if it discussed:
1) Pink slip? What is that, for us who don’t come from California?
2) What is the age range that can be imported? I have heard that only model years 1990 through 1997, and that this range moves up a year every year.
And I would advise anyone who does any kind of business with Mexican officials, always start very early in the day and never make any appointments or plan on getting anything ese done that day!
Disculpanos for being California-centric. A pink slip is the title to your car. As for the age range, this was a 1996 GMC so we guess it would fall into your range. But we never heard anything about that.
And we totally concur with going early to any place where you need to conduct business. Getting anything done after 1 pm at places like banks and government offices is pretty much impossible.
I read your article when it was first posted and then again a week ago in anticipation of going to Merida to get license plates for my car. I trembled in fear both times I read it. Cold sweats broke out. And my stomach churned.
But my experience was a lot different than yours. I was getting plates for a new car I purchased in Mexico; in Cancun to be exact. I did a lot of comparing, discussing and web-searching before I made up my mind to buy a new car in Mexico rather than buy one in the States and bring it on down. None of the car or minivan companies that I looked at would honor their warrantees across the border…either way! If I purchased in the US, any warrantee work would have to be done there; the same if I purchased in Mexico. I spoke with various dealerships in both countries and received substantially the same story in all of them. I also spoke with people who worked corporately and received the same story. I didn’t like the idea of having to drive all the way to Texas from Valladolid if I needed warrantee service. Even though the price for identical models was higher in Mexico than in the US, I opted for that measure of security.
I could have had the dealer in Cancun get my plates for me but then they would be from Quintana Roo rather than from Yucatan where I live. So I left the dealership without plates or even a piece of paper taped to the back window…just my Carta Factura. When I arrived in Valladolid I went to the local office of the state police to see what I needed to do. I received offical permission (permiso provisional sin placas) to drive without plates and without a tarjeta de circulacion vehicular for two months for $270 MXN. I taped it to the inside of the back window and drove off.
When I asked where I went to obtain license plates, I was told “Merida”. But wait, isn’t Valladolid the second largest city in the state of Yucatan? Can’t I get them here? No way, José. Merida. That’s the only place in the entire state you can get license plates. But I was told that an agency was going to open in Valladolid sometime soon.
When my two months of grace was coming to an end, I returned to the state police and obtained another two month permission to drive without plates…again paying the same fee. I was told that the agency in Valladolid where I could get plates might open soon.
When my second two month period was almost up, I asked a national from Merida if he could guide me on how to get my plates. “Sure”, he said, “we’ll meet at 6:00 AM to get in line for the 8:00 AM opening of the agency in Merida”. He gave me a list of the necessary papers I would need…both the originals and copies…and direction of where to meet him. Since I live in Valladolid I spent the night in Merida so that I could get an early start. Except for the confusion of Merida’s one-way streets, the place was pretty easy to find. I arrived there about 7:00 AM and easily found a parking space. Every step I took I was thinking back to your article on the trials and tribulations of getting plates. My stomach was still churning.
I found my friend…he had gotten there earlier than I and was probably no more than number 10 or 15 in line that already numbered over 150 people. And since he had done this more than once, he has paid someone to stand in line for him so that he wouldn’t have to be there at 6:00 AM. The line got longer and longer. About 20 minutes before opening time, an official came along the line looking for people who were getting plates for new cars. Up went my hand. Me! Me! He led me (and a few others) to another door to start a new line. I was now number two in line. The original line, for people replating older cars was huge…many hundreds of people. Remind me never to buy a used car in the Yucatan.
Promptly at 8:00 AM, the gate opened and we were escorted to the musical chairs section. An efficient and pleasant woman checked over my papers, gave most of them right back to me and then ran into printer problems. A tech quickly fixed the problem and she printed out my papers, tore off a bar code on one of them, gave it to me and said to go to the next room. I asked if that was it and she smiled and said “Yes”.
The next room contained the infamous caja 4. I waited for my name to be called. My friend asked an official walking by if my papers had come out yet. He went back to check, returning with my papers which he gave to a woman in caja 4. She looked them over, called my name, collected my barcoded paper, did a few calculations and told me how much I would have to pay. I forked over the pesos ( I had enough pesos since my friend had made a rough calculation of what I probably would have to pay). But it looked as if you could pay with a credit card since there were card-swipers on the desk in the caja. She printed out my official Tarjeta de Circulacion, stamped it Pagado and told me to go to the end of the row of cajas to get my plates.
The man there quickly looked over my papers, picked a packet containing my plates from a bin, had me sign for them, gave them to me and told me to have a good day.
That was it. I looked at my watch and it was not quite an hour for the entire procedure. Not yet 9:00 AM. So my friend and I went for tacos de lechon at a nearby place he knew.
Upon reflection, I was very glad that I had a friend who knew the ropes and equally glad that I had purchased a new car in Mexico.I knew that some of the people in the original line were going to be there all day…and I was very happy not to be one of them.
As far as I know, the agency in Valladolid is still not open. Nor is there a Toyota dealership here yet. I had also been told that a Toyota dealership would be opening in Valladolid soon. So I still have to take my car to either Merida or Cancun for service. Oh, well. If I wanted everything to be the same as it had been in New Jersey, I would have just stayed there.
Great story, Denis! Thanks for the information. And since we have just been discussing whether to buy a used or a new car, you may have saved us HOURS of frustration.
[...] The Working Gringos have two sets of furry dopplegangers, so we speak from experience. We brought our cats, Penguin and Byrd, with us from California. It was surprisingly easy to import them to Mexico. The vet in California knew the correct form to fill out. We took them on the plane in cat carriers and presented the form in Cancun when we arrived. It took the bureaucratic wheels about 45 minutes to spin out a permission and voilá! we had Mexican cats. Much easier than importing a car… [...]
WGs, this also happens to any foreigner in Mexico, not just English-speaking gringos. I lived in Mexico City, and you might think coming from another Latin American country is the same, but it’s not. But well, I am now in New York City, and I went to DMV at a fancier address, Broadway and 34th Street, took a “number” and waited in line a long time, to get my “New York Placas”, being humbled by the very rough and tough New Yorkers in “cajas”. Sounds like governments are all alike!
When I drove down last year I had my plates attached to my car with bolts that can not be removed,and spot welded .
From our experiences in Monterrey with Immigration, Aduana, and getting a Mexican drivers license, there’s nothing unusual in WG’s fascinating story. One thing that is missing is the value of having a Mexican wife that is practiced & accomplished in the fine art of making bribes.
sweet! thank you very much to the info in this story! i recently took a 1956 Chevy Apache(historic vehicle) to mexico nad my plates were also stolen! so it’s just sitting there…parked…:( yay now i have the info of where to go(kind of) and what to take…off to my adventure i go…wish me luck…i might come back crazy
This was a great piece. I read it just as I was beginning to feel sorry for myself and U.S. bureaucracy problems. I am now very ashamed as I can see that your adventure was much better than mine.
Had to laugh – re: agencia aduanal in Progreso… one of them (don’t know his name, sorry) – upon hearing that I had driven by myself from the States – put on a big, “shocked,” silly grin and said “But Senora! Do you mean you were not afraid of the banditos?!!!” …and then we both just died laughing – it was so much fun and a such a nice memory.
you said that it took you guys 10 days to drive from California to Merida. I was wondering if you guys took your time to travel and visit different cities or is that how many days it takes to get there.
We are planning to drive from Los Angeles to Merida too but we are 3 adults and 3 kids (3, 7 and 12 yr old) Do you think this long drive is possible with kids and safe?
we are planning to live in Merida for a while too so we probably will go thru the hassle of importing the car.
but maybe the drive its not safe to be with kids? I know that they have the toll roads and those are safer.
We just think it would be cheaper to drive than to buy airplane tickets for all of us. but I don’t know how the drive will be and the time, expenses etc.
If you have any idea please let me know.
thank you for this wonderful site.
oh! i forgot to mention I’m from merida, so the gringos that will be coming with me will not be totally lost since I speak spanish and I’m mexican.
Hi Vanessa,
On our ten-day trip, we drove from about 9 am til sundown every day. Sometimes we’d stop a little sooner. And yes, we tried to see something in each town that we stopped along the way. We weren’t pushing ourselves too hard.
Despite our initial fears, and except for right at the border towns, we felt very safe throughout Mexico. We did stick to the carreteras (toll roads); even though they were more expensive, we felt they were safer and easier for us on our first trip through Mexico. As long as you take normal precautions, we think you will be very safe with your children… perhaps safer than you would be on a similar trip in the States, strangely.
It IS a long trip to do with kids, but as long as they bring along some entertainment and you stop often enough to engage their interest and imagination, we’re sure they will have a good trip, and so will you!
Buen viaje!
muchas gracias por esta informacion.
it really helps a lot to hear it from someone who has done this trip before.
thanks again.
Hi Vanessa~
Just wanted to say that when we were kids, my parents would pack us all in the van and we would take our annual trip from L.A. to Merida – we did this every year for about 8 or so years. We’d spend the entire summer in Merida and then head back home. While the trip IS a long one, and CAN be very boring at times … I’d have to say it was totally worth it each and every time. I cannot thank my parents enough for dragging us along every year (there were anywhere from 4 to 6 kids on each trip. My siblings and any friend that got permission from their parents to travel with us).
Again… at the time of the actual trip, we wished that we could have just gotten on the plane and made the trip a much quicker one. But, since there were always so many of us traveling, it was waaaaay too expensive for my parents to travel any other way than via road.
In my experience, the trip isn’t a dangerous one as long as you stay on the road and as long as you don’t pick up strangers along the way. It’s a good idea to find a place to stay before nightfall. (No boogiemen, but it’s easier to find a place to rest while it’s still light out. – Once my dad wanted to drive “a little bit farther”, we eventually found a motel that had rooms for the night, only to find out the next morning that it was frequented by “working class girls and their, ummm…. clients”. Yikes!)
While your kids might huff and puff at times when the trip seems to drag on forever – they will thank you for it later on in life.
The experience of bonding with your family while at the same time opening your eyes to things you may never get to see and/or experience if you travel by air? Wow… no one can take that away from you!
We learned so much with each and every trip. Like I said earlier… I can never thank my parents enough. I hope to be able to do that with my own kids (ages 3 and 6) one of these summers.
Just remember to take lots of reading books, board games, coloring books, music, maybe portable dvd player (reload the battery each night at the motel), etc. Basically anything to keep the young’ens busy for a each day. Also, since you have a little one, maybe stopping every few hours to let him/her run around a bit might be helpful.
Good luck and enjoy!!!
Reminds of the time I lost my passport in Manzanillo.
Dreaming in a near future, to be enjoing of my retiring in Merida, My wife and me think on renting a apartament for 6 months and then buy something else.
how can I find the cost for Electricity, gas,cable, water,etc?, I mean,is any webpage to find it?
We are spanish speaking(Argentines), with 35 years in Los Angeles, and like to have those numbers to create a budget.Your help is very apreciate.Gracias
There is no webpage with those kind of prices, Arnaldo, because everyone’s lifestyle differs.
We can tell you that an average water bill here is about $10-20 for two months, but that is so dependent on the size of the garden you water, etc. The basic telephone service costs about $60 a month. Gas is about $20 a month, but of course it depends how much hot water you use, how much you cook, etc. Cable or satellite TV is about $50-60 a month.
For us, electricity is our most costly expense, because we run air conditioners all day in our office. And at night during the hotter months in order to sleep. Our electricity can range from $80 a month during the cold months to $500 a month during the hottest months.
All those prices are in USD, by the way, and are just an estimate. Hope that helps!
dear Maria Novoa
THANK YOU!!
Thank you very much for writing this article. We are actually contiplating driving our 2001 GMC truck from British Columbia Canada to Merida this summer. We will be going in on a FMT but are looking at buying something there to open up as a buisness/ home in the centro area . We were wondering if since our truck is only 7 years old, we probably can’t nationalize it because it’s not 10 years old yet? Should we just fly there and then buy a car there once we have our FM3? It would really be nice to have a vehicle there right away though. If any one can help that would be great. Also is it easy to get your Mexican Drivers license, do you need it to buy a vehicle in Mexico and do you need your FM3 and do you have to take a written or driving test? We have valid Canadian licenses? Any help on these issues would be great! Gracias
Now I’m actually glad to go to the US DMV Thanks! Even in the old days before online renewals I don’t think it was that bad! There have been times I’ve had to go in and standing in line for an hour sounds like a blessing!
We must admit that the DMV in our hometown had gotten pretty efficient the last time we were there also!
Hi I just bought a car here in Merida and I’m Canadian. They told me at the license burea to bring my Canadian driving license, my passport, proof of address, and they would issue something like a tourist license for 6 months….might be easier than getting a Mexican drivers license.
Thank you for sharing your story!! I was thinking of cancelling my US registration and insurance for a summer to save money while in México, but I think I’ll just keep my US registration, after all…. Again, thanks for sharing. Quite hilarious, though I’m sure not so much at the time.
“Caja” is short for “caja registradora” and comes from translating cash register. Normally is used instead “window D” when there is a money transaction involved. If you go to an office that does not require any money transaction you will find “ventanilla” or “ventana”, which is window.
Good story and I even though looks complicated you made it look easy.
excellent article & very timely as I am in the process right now so will print this & be prepared
According to Spanish-English language forum site, where people deal with lots of detailed translation issues, http://forum.wordreference.com/index.php
Procuraduria General de Justicia often can be translated as Attorney General’s Office – though it seems that in Merida – the office has more functions associated with it than a state’s Attorney General’s Office here.
!Hola WG! Bureucracy was invented in Spain – and then exported to Mexico. I know, I have moved to Spain some 4 years ago, and done similar countless rounds around Madrid, to get my residence permit, drivers licence, licence plates – any document. None of the (even printed) instructions given to me by the offices are respected by the next clerk. Not sure if this is any consolation, but may serve as a confirmation that governments are very similar in most countries.
Hola WG! I loved your article about getting your placas.
My husband and I just returned to the States after retiring and living in Ecuador for two and a half years as Residentes Permanentes. We had all the rights of native Ecuatoreanos except the right to vote. Right before we left in April 2008, we had the experience of selling our ‘97 Jeep Grand Cherokee which we had bought used in Ecuador since you cannot import used vehicles into Ecuador. A year and a half before that, we had the extraordinary experience of having to take our driver’s tests (in Spanish), as well as going through all the red tape that I’m now quite sure is generic to all Latin American countries of having our vehicle matriculated!
Your commentary brought tears to my eyes (I’m not sure if they were tears of laughter or painful reminiscing).
All of the many “paperwork” challenges that we went through appear endemic to countries south of the U.S. border and have to be taken lightly and with a mindset
of “well, this is Ecuador” or “well, this is Mexico” . And absolutely have someone local to help you with the minefield of paperwork.
Hola WG! My, i enjoyed your article! And let me tell u something, every detail you said is true. I am yucatecan, but this didnt make a difference when i went to get my driver licence. They asked me for copies and more copies of my papers. Maybe u shoud get a scanner and printer with us in our next visit to the goverment office, dont u think?? Sorry if my english is not very good
What a story (Placas). I was looking at giving a car to friends of ours in Mexico and thought I should do some research. I am not sure it would be a blessing at this point! I was very glad to find your website since my mother-in-law and retired librarian, Gloria Kast, was involved in the Merida English Library and had great things to say about Merida, your newspaper and your? friendship. I know she really enjoyed her time there and she had a friend on the newspaper. I will have to print out the story and web address for my wife!
Hi WG. What does it mean when you said your car was off the road? Off the road but you still kept your plates and registration? How did you, or was it required that you, maintain your California insurance and inspection while the car was in Mexico?
I loved you article about the process of receiving Yucatan Placas. I went through the whole event myself, mind you, I decided to nationalize me Ford Explorer at the border of Brownsville, rather than purchasing a temporary permit. I thought, since I’m am living here, I may as well bite the bullet.
I love the way you did describe the whole process of how the systems works. One could almost make a movie out of this, and maybe sell it to Hollywood. It did remind me of the very early days of school, the musical chair thing was something of amazement to me. I am very happy that I did not forget how to play that game, since I think I was only seven years of age when I last played Musical Chairs. I once again had the full pleasure of playing it again, over forty years later in life, still found it quite amusing.
I did receive me new Placas, and when it came to the over all service from the Office, they appeared to work very well with me, and I did find the whole thing very pleasant.
Yes, it was a very time consuming event but, the only reason I found it totally strange is, we all come from different countries, and are accustomed to a certain way of proceeding with such things as plating our vehicles.
The main thing is, in Mexico, and if you’re planning on living in Mexico, you must remember, it’s not a fast paced way of living, people in general are more laid back, and more casual.
I didn’t let the even bother me because, I have a certain mind set, and from living here in Mexico, have learned that things get done in a totally different approach.
In general, if one understands the culture of Mexico, they will find the whole experience not really a painful thing.
I am happy to be driving around in me 1998 Ford Explorer Sport with the new places. Surely, it would of save a lot of time purchasing a new vehicle in Mexico but, Me Explorer is so dear to me, very much like a loved one on the family, I could not part ways with it. I have made many sacrifices, like selling out the house, riding of furniture, and many other thing, in order to restart life in Mexico but, the Ford Explorer is a keeper, I had too many good memories in this vehicle, and can not part with it.
Beverley Whightley
Thank you for sharing your experiences. I am a dual citizen (American and Mexican) who speaks fluent Spanish. I have never lived in Mexico and I am planning to move to Tulum in Oct. I am interested in buying a car here in Houston, at the auction (for a very good price) register it legally in the US and then drive it to Yucatan and nationalize with local license plates from Quintana Roo. Is this possible? I still do not have a permanent address in Mx. or if it is the best option. Or it is too much hassle? Can someone give me a step by step procedure? Thanks, Katia
[...] Photo of the Public Ministry building from Yucatan Living.com. You can read about their experience here: http://www.yucatanliving.com/yucatan-survivor/yucatan-license-plates.htm [...]
hello again i was wondering what is a fm3 visa, how do you import the car and only americans can get the permit extencion for the car or mexicans too. my car it’s 2001 thank you carlos mtz.
Carlos, an FM3 visa is a resident visa that is renewed yearly and is available to expatriates living in Mexico. It allows you to live and/or work here if you are not a Mexican citizen. In order to get an FM3 visa, you either have to prove that you have enough money in the bank to support yourself here or that you are gainfully employed.
As for car importation rules, it is probably best to check with a customs agent (Agencia Aduanal) to see which rules apply for Mexican citizens.
Here’s one:
Agencia Aduanal Cervera
999-946-2326
Buena suerte!
I hope next time you try to do some bussiness in Mexico anywhere? think is a big
difference to, U. S A. the Baurocrasy is very slow all round the country.
But now you can feel happy and can drive all around the Country?
You Friend David.
I’d like to re-enforce WG’s recomendation.
I always working with Agencia Aduanal Cervera if I need a freight forwarder or custom agent.
They are also very helpful if you need to bring stuff from the US. Every 2-4 weeks they have a vessel coming from Panama City/FL to Progreso.
Cervera consolidates containers in Florida. So if you need to bring something from the US it’s fairly cheap to do so.
If you call Agencia Aduanal Cervera ask for Hiran Cervera. He is the owner and speaks English.
Say “hello” from me and you can be assured of getting excellent service.
I understand from the Diario that all Yucatan license plates must be replaced in 2009. Do you have any details on this or has anyone in your office replaced their plates yet? I read that there is even a raffle for two cars to encourage people to renew their plates early.
We have been informed President Calderon is giving “premios” award money for anyone who “advances” new ideas and information regarding more “quick and efficient method” of operation for all “burocratas” manning and operating all governmental offices. If you do not speak up… nothing is going to happen!!!
I have a 1994 nissan quest that i would like to take and leave in my vacation home in Cabo San Lucas. What steps or procedures would you recomend to me before I try driving it there. I am a dual citizen of Mexico and U.S. I plan on leaving it in Cabo forever. Please help!
Ernesto,
When you drive into Mexico, be sure that you have your pinkslip and that the pinkslip lists YOU as the owner. At the border (in Tijuana, probably…), you should find a Agencia de Aduana (Customs Agent) and tell them you want to import your car to Mexico. They will figure out the cost (15% of the blue book value and other fees), fill out the paperwork and take care of it for you. It might take more than one day. Once you have “imported” the car, you will then go get Baja license plates (placas) and you’re done!
Wow, what a true nightmare!!! I am yucateca de nacimiento (born Yucatecan) and even I have a hard time being patient anytime I have to go do the rounds for any type of oficial paperwork. One of the horrible things in Mexico that everyone encounters one way or another is the incredible ammount of BUREAUCRACY!!!!
I take my hat off to you WG!!! Thanks for this article, it made me chuckle and slap my forehead more than once.
PROCURADURIA GENERAL DE JUSTICIA= basically, it is the State Prosecutor Justice System. I guess you could call the Procurador del Estado, the State Prosecutor.
Me gusta el estilo y la narrativa, algo que es un trámite verdaderamente engorroso, WG lo hace ver no tan difícil, con un toque de humor fantástico, cómico. Realmente disfrute el artículo, I`m sorry for you Erin Fayed Fels, que tuviste que pasar por todo eso. Lo del tipo que se pedorreaba silenciosamente, me arranco varias carcajadas, así mismo lo de las copias y el celular para cancelar tus citas, ja ja ja, buena recomendación eh? ah! y el detalle de las fotos con las benditas Placas, que ingenioso!
Actualmente para legalizar un vehículo americano (a gasolina) solo aceptan modelos de diez años, ejem. en 2009 solo puedes legalizar modelos de 1999, en 2010 solo los del 2000, y así sucesivamente. Comprarlo allá casi siempre sale más barato, lo mejor es, antes de meterlo a México contratar un gestor, ellos están siempre en la frontera en el lado mexicano, lo que gestionan es el pedimento, te lo dan en menos de 2 hrs. ya con este es muy fácil sacar placas en el estado al que vas. Es importante primero hablarle por teléfono para que te oriente, pues las leyes están cambiando, los encuentras en la sección amarilla o en internet. Yo fui por un Honda de mi hijo a Sonoita en Sonora, la oficina del gestor está a 30 mts de la línea (la pasada, la entrada a USA) una vez que tengas el pedimento es importante sacar el permiso para circular sin placas, lo necesitas para el viaje hacia tu estado destino.
Editor’s Translation: I like the style and narrative about this real awkward procedure. WG makes it look easy, with a fantastic and comical sense of humor. I really enjoyed the article. I`m sorry for you, Erin Fayed Fels, that you had to go through all this. The guy farting got me some bursting out laughing, as well as the copies and the cell phone to cancel your appointments, jajaja, great recommendations eh? Ah! And the photos with the placas, how witty!
Actually to legalize an American vehicle (gasoline) these days, you can only do it if your car is ten years old. For example, in 2009 you can only legalized 1999 models, in 2010 only 2000, and so on. Buying it there (in Mexico) is usually cheaper. The best thing to do is, before bringing the car into Mexico, hire a gestor or solicitor. They are always at the frontera on the Mexican side. They will get the pedimento, and give it to you in less than 2 hours. With this, it is really easy to get placas in whatever state you go to. It is important to first call them so they can advise you, since laws are always changing. You can find them in the Yellow Pages or Internet. I went to get a Honda for my son in Sonoita, Sonora. The solicitor’s office is 30 meters from the border. Once you have the pedimento , it is important to get the permit to drive without placas, which you need in order to drive to your final destination state.
I’m exhausted just from reading about this adventure. It’s important to note that all of the people that she encountered were “nice”!
Great Article!
Having had to wait 6 mos and producing mounds of paperwork that was never quite enough, I am not surprised at your debacle. Any advice for an auto owner who does not yet have the pink slip beyond paying the balance of the loan? I am not above the unscrupulous route.
Just go to the Centro de Convenciones Siglo XXI within the first days of january of the year when you have to replace your license plates. There’s a lot less people there and then. It took me less than 20 minutes this year.
Wow, what a fantastic article. All the comments were just as fascinating. What a gem of an online mag you have. You should think about taking all of your articles and combine them into a book! Cheers!
WG, what a great story. You are a fabulously entertaining writer. I was searching for something regarding the permisos and found your site.
I’m in Q. Roo, things are no different here, though different in their one way. I’m all too familiar with the hoops we jump thru to get things done. Four yrs in Cozumel, has greatly increased my level of paciencia (patience). If you can look at all of the official sorts of things you must accomplish with humor, you feel celebratory when the mission complete.
It’s wonderful you found someone to help you thru the process. I’m the go-to person in Cozumel for the extranjeros who need help with these things. The requests for help always start with, “can you speak Spanish for me?” Whether it be a trip to the bank, CFE, CAPA, Cablemas and of course, the Policia and let’s not forget the doctor, I’m up to the task.
I’ve tried for 3 yrs to find a way to get a pedimento for my ‘90 diesel Uhaul. Having spoken to aduanals in Matamoros, Baja, Progreso and who knows where else, they’ve all told me it can’t be done. I guess I should have done it in Matamoros at my first crossing or Reynosa on my last trip. They’ve all told me, solamente en la frontera. I sure don’t want to take the darn thing back to the border to find out it can’t be done there, either. I simply want to sell the darn thing. Of course, the Permiso de Importacion Temporal de Vehiculos explicitly states you can’t sell.
Maybe an in person trip to Progreso is in order. I sure don’t want to spend $1ks of MXN to get truck across on the ferry and then Progreso to find out it’s a lost cause. Besides, I rather plate it in Q. Roo.
A warning to those buying NEW cars in MX. Some of the prices are better than the US, but I suggest you check the cost of the tenencia (plates/annual registration) and seguro (insurance) for a new vehicle. It’s a tidy sum for some models. Another tip on the seguro, theft is a separate rider and can cost as much as the coverage for damage/liability.
I love your site. It provides valuable information. Your lighthearted writing style is very entertaining.
This information may be of value to some with vehicles on Permiso de Importacion Temporal de Vehiculos. Now it is possibly unique to Q. Roo, but something I’ve had personal experience with.
The constitutional Article 106 essentially states your permiso is valid while your FM-3 is current. I lost this battle crossing from Q. Roo to Campeche. The aduana wouldn’t let me pass, so returned me to Chetumal/Subtiente Lopez at the Belize border to renew my permiso. So those living in Q. Roo planning a trip outside of the state may want to think about going to Puerto Juarez/Punta Sam for a renewal of the permiso.
Granted I sometimes think that Q. Roo, the free zone state thinks it’s an empire unto itself. Living in Cozumel, I know it is a planet of it’s own. There are times that the laws of the nation don’t apply or are interpreted differently.
I think we can all say, “it’s never boring living in Mexico.” It is a mindset change and thoroughly enjoyable life for the brave who are able to make the adjustment.
To WG’s:
When we move to Merida (full time) I want to bring my motorcycle (we will buy a car in Mexico IF we decide we actually need one). If I pay import duty, or whatever it is called, is my bike a “Mexican vehicle” & get placas as described above as so?
Thanks in Advance,
Jock
Yes, Jock. If you pay the import duties through a customs agent (as described in this article), then the motorcycle would be considered a Mexican motorcycle and would have Yucatecan plates. You might want to check with Yucatan Expatriate Services if the new “ten-year-old” law also applies to motorcycles. You can reach them at http://www.yucatanyes.com.
Can you please tell us how to get a Merida Driver’s license? We are living here permanently since september.
THANKS!
I am currently living in Merida (originally here as an exchange student, later succomed to the addictiveness of Yucatan) but will be going back to the States and returning for two years to finish up my Masters degree here. I would like to import my 2006 car and still have a lot of questions…
I’m from NY- I could drive it down, and take my time to do some site-seeing along the way, but have also heard about a ferry running from Florida to Progreso, does anyone have a recommendation as to which is easier/ more cost effective/ worthwhile? Any approximations of how long the trip would take from NY?
Also, I’m still a bit unclear on insuring the car here and the drivers license. If I am here for two years, and driving my car with my gringa placas (welded on?)- will I need to apply for a Mexican driver’s license? Also, does anyone have any information on car insurance here, for a foreigner and foreign car, cost, process, etc?
Great website, it’s been very useful for the year I’ve been here and now that I’m going to be making a more “permanent” move, I’m sure I will be utilizing it much, much more!
Hola, Bethan…
The good people at Yucatan Expatriate Services (YES) can answer all your questions, and they will answer them more correctly than we ever could. You can find them at http://www.yucatanyes.com. They will answer a few questions for free, and then if you need more help, they charge a reasonable hourly rate to help you get done whatever you need. They are quick and efficient and know a lot of people, which really helps things happen faster here. They can hook you up with car insurance, importing your car, visas, whatever.
As for the ferry, forget about it. Yes, it ran for awhile. They stopped it and they’ve been promising to bring it back ever since… for five years now. When it starts again, believe me, you’ll hear about it here.
[...] After the vehicle is officially imported, you are required to take the proof, called a pedimento, to the Departamento de Registro de Control Vehicular to obtain Mexican license plates for the state in which you reside. It is important to understand Spanish or use the services of a translator so you can fully understand any complications or additional requirements that may arise in your specific case. You can read about one woman’s first-hand experience here. [...]
heh… it’s much easier to get someone else to do this and not so expensive.
Any tips on buying a used car in Merida? Where? What to look for? Any surprise procedures?