Your car and the move.

Your three options

1. Temporary import permit

• —Mexicans who reside abroad (or work abroad for a year or more) can temporarily import one vehicle per 12-month period, for up to six months counted over multiple entries within those 12 months (Ley Aduanera art. 106-II-e).
• —Foreigners who enter as visitors or temporary residents can bring one vehicle for as long as their status lasts, including renewals (art. 106-IV-a).
• —The Houston consulate lists a USD 51 + IVA permit fee and a refundable deposit of USD 400 (2007 and newer), USD 300 (2001–2006) or USD 200 (2000 and older) — page updated October 10, 2025. Check Banjercito for current amounts.
• —If you're moving back to live in Mexico, you no longer reside abroad, and the law gives no temporary-import category to foreign permanent residents either — so a foreign-plated car isn't a long-term solution. Plan a definitive import or a sale.

2. Definitive import under the used-vehicle decree

• —Vehicles whose model year is 8 to 9 years before the year of import can be imported definitively with a 10% ad-valorem tariff, without a certificate of origin — in 2026 that means model years 2017 and 2018.
• —The VIN must show manufacture or assembly in Mexico, the U.S. or Canada.
• —In the northern border region only, other conditions apply (for example 5–9-year-old vehicles at 1%).
• —It's done through a customs broker, and the import document (pedimento) is the vehicle's proof of legal stay.
• —Not allowed: vehicles whose circulation is restricted or prohibited in the country of origin (for example salvage titles) and vehicles reported stolen.
• —The decree was extended by DOF of 5-11-2025 until November 30, 2026. If you're planning a 2027 move, check whether it was extended again.

Leaving the U.S.

Exporting a used vehicle requires paperwork on the U.S. side too: it always needs an EEI filing (15 CFR §30.37(p)), and CBP's rules for exporting used vehicles require presenting the title and documents to CBP before export (19 CFR Part 192). Your broker or shipper usually handles both.

Is it worth it?

Add up the tariff, the broker's fee, the transport and the time — and compare with selling in the U.S. and buying in Mexico. Most of the cost sits in the import itself, not the distance. The ship-or-sell calculator handles household items; for a vehicle, get a written quote from a broker for your exact VIN before deciding.