Cancelling a vehicle permit (updated Mar 1/2013)
It is very important to cancel vehicle permits when you exit Mexico or, in the case of 10 year RV permits or unused permits obtained online, before (or when) they expire. Failure to do so, will prevent you from bringing a vehicle into Mexico in future.
I will deal with 2 scenarios here, both are handled in similar fashion:
Case 1: Cancelling a permit that has been used and the vehicle is no longer in Mexico (10 year RV permit) or cancelling a permit on a vehicle that has been stolen or written off. This also applies to any vehicle stolen or destroyed in Mexico itself, 10 year or 6 month permit.
Case 2: Cancelling a permit you obtained on line but never used. The vehicle never entered Mexico
I would like to thank Mike Dean for some of this information. Much of it is based on updates of info that Mike originally provided. Also Camilo Alarcon who assisted with the translations and dealings with officials in Mexico City. This information is up to date as of February 2013.
CASE 1:
Returning a 10 year permit without the vehicle. Vehicle has been, or is in Mexico. (thanks to Mike Dean for info)
It is best to return the vehicle to the Mexican border to do this, which is no problem if you happen to be down there. However if you write the vehicle off or sell while at home, it can be an issue. However there is a way.
1. At the border; in person (with
the vehicle). Take your paperwork and the vehicle
with the hologram (do NOT remove the hologram
yourself) to a Banjercito near or at the border that
issues/cancels TIP's. They will scan and remove the
hologram, check your VIN and your passport, take
your paperwork, and issue you a RETORNO DEFINITIVO
receipt. Don't lose this.
2. Not at the border. If you need to cancel a 10
year TIP and you don't want to go all the way back
to the border, or don't have a hologram to turn in,
(Vehicle sold/traded in/scrapped/stolen, or you
replaced your windshield without first removing the
hologram) you can either fill out a form or write a
letter explaining your circumstances, include the
supporting documentation, and send the whole thing
to Mexico City. If you still have the hologram, you
can remove it yourself by using a hair dryer on the
outside and peeling it off from the inside. You
should be able to get it off in one or two pieces.
Lay them out on a sheet of paper (they should stick)
and send it, the original paperwork, and all the
supporting documents listed on this form to the below address. You need to fill
out this form (pdf) or this form (Ms Word).
3. If the vehicle has been stolen or written off in Mexico you will need a Mexican police report. If written off, try to obtain the sticker from the windshield.
4) If the vehicle has broken down and cannot be driven or repaired, it appears you will have to have it towed to the border to cancel the permit. I base this on what happened to someone I met in 2012. He actually has chosen to abandon the vehicle in Mexico, forfeit the deposit, and bring any future vehicle in under his wife's name. If this happens to you, I would suggest having someone fluent in Spanish call the number listed further down to see if there are any other options available to you.
Here is a link to an English translation of the form (For reference only, fill out the Spanish version) PDF or MS Word
Note: If
you have sold the RV, they will likely want a copy
of the new owners registration, so get one, or the
transfer papers if you cannot.
The address to submit this stuff to is;
C.P. Sofía Leticia Alderete Flores
Administradora de Operación Aduanera “3”
Administración Central de Operación Aduanera
Administración General de Aduanas
Av. Hidalgo No. 77, Módulo IV, 1er piso, Col. Guerrero,
Delegación Cuauhtémoc, C.P. 06300, México D.F
Tel. 01 (55) 58-02-12-93
It can take 2-4 months.
Ensure you use a courier service, not regular mail. I suggest DHL.
If the vehicle with the permit has been in an accident & written off, you certainly need to include the police report or a letter from your insurer including the VIN number. In British Columbia this is easier as the insurance company is also the licensing/registration agent.
The rule of thumb is, the more official a letter is or appears, the less hassle you will have.
CASE 2:
Returning a either a 10 year permit or 6 month permit that you obtained on line, but had to cancel your trip.
(Hopefully you never applied the sticker to the window)
It is best to take the vehicle to the Mexican border to do this, which is no problem if you happen to be near there, but if you are someplace like Canada this can be a problem. However it can be done via mail.
Will you get back your $200-$400 deposit on a 6 month permit doing this by mail? Hopefully, but do not count on it. If the permit has expired, you definitely will not get the deposit back.
You need to scan, print & mail
a) A scan of your vehicle registrations
b) A scan of your passport and/or Drivers license, preferably both. One must show current address.
c) Download and fill out this form (pdf) or this form (Ms Word).
Here is a link to an English translation of the form (For reference only, fill out the Spanish version) PDF or MS Word
d) Take the vehicles to a police station (eg RCMP), explain your situation and ask them to write a note on their letterhead certifying the vehicles (descriptions including year & VIN NUMBER) are in the US or Canada. It must be signed by an officer. It is very important that it appears official, not some hand-scribbled note or they will not accept it.
e) Include any paperwork sent to you by Banjercito, including the actual permits. Scan & keep copies just in case.
f) Add the following cover letter in Spanish:
Dear Sirs:
I
obtained my vehicle permit using the on line process and I had to cancel my
trip before I could use it. I need to have the permit cancelled as it will
not be used before its expiry date. I have enclosed all the documentation
that was sent me plus a letter from the police confirming that the vehicle
is still in my home country, and has not entered Mexico.
Sincerely,
XXXXX
Spanish:
Estimados
Señores,
Yo obtuve mi permiso de importación temporal usando el sistema en línea, y
tuve que cancelar mi viaje antes de usarlo. Necesito cancelar el permiso, ya
que este no será usado antes de la fecha de expiración. Adjunto toda la
documentación que me fue enviada, además de una carta de la policía local,
confirmando que el vehículo se encuentra en mi país de origen, y que no ha
entrado a México.
Sinceramente,
XXXXX
Mail everything to:
C.P. Sofía Leticia Alderete Flores
Administradora de Operación Aduanera “3”
Administración Central de Operación Aduanera
Administración General de Aduanas
Av. Hidalgo No. 77, Módulo IV, 1er piso, Col. Guerrero,
Delegación Cuauhtémoc, C.P. 06300, México D.F
Their email is [email protected] if you need more info, but they may not be able to deal with English
Use a courier service, not regular mail !!!! I suggest DHL
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Below is a the actual email in Spanish we received regarding this, followed by an English translation
Buenas
tardes, gracias por ponerse en contacto con nosotros,
si es posible cancelar los permisos de importación
temporal de vehículos enviando un documento firmado
por el departamento de policía que señale que los
vehículos se encuentran en Canadá, describiendo
claramente año, modelo y numero de serie de los
vehículos, dichos documentos lo enviará junto con la
solicitud de cancelación (adjunto a este correo), el
permiso, holograma e identificación oficial de los
importadores
Para mayor información puede marcar:
Desde la República Mexicana al teléfono gratuito
018004636728 opciones 7-2-2-1-1
Desde Estados Unidos y Canadá al teléfono gratuito
18774488728 opciones 7-2-2-1-1
Nota:
Es importante saber que mientras no se cancele el
permiso de importación temporal no se tiene derecho
a solicitar un nuevo permiso.
"La respuesta a la consulta planteada se emite
exclusivamente con fines de orientación, con base en
lo manifestado por el promovente por correo
electrónico, sin prejuzgar sobre la veracidad de lo
manifestado, por lo que quedan a salvo las
facultades de comprobación de la autoridad y no
genera derechos ni obligaciones al promovente
distintos de los previstos en la legislación
aplicable. En caso de estimarlo conveniente, el
promovente podrá presentar solicitud por escrito
ante la autoridad competente, cumpliendo con los
requisitos previstos por el Código Fiscal de la
Federación , en el entendido de que de conformidad
con el artículo 34 del Código Fiscal de la
Federación , las autoridades fiscales sólo están
obligadas a contestar las consultas que sobre
situaciones reales y concretas realicen los
interesados individualmente"
English
(The email referred to below,
contained the forms I have linked above)
Good Afternoon,
Thank you for getting in touch with us. Yes, it is possible to cancel the
temporary import permits for vehicles by sending a signed document from a
police department, in which clearly states that the vehicles are in Canada.
This document must indicate year, model and VIN for each vehicle, and it
should be sent along with a request of cancellation form (attached to this
email), the permit itself, the hologram sticker and official ID of the
importers.
For additional information, please call toll free (from Canada & the US):
1-877-448-8728, menu options 7-2-2-1-1
From Mexico:
018004636728 options 7-2-2-1-1
Note: It is important to emphasize that no additional new permits can be
requested until the previous permit(s) have been cancelled.
Now the legalese (hopefully it makes sense; it's hard to translate) :
"The reply to the requested inquiry is sent for informational purposes only,
based solely on the information provided by the requester, and without
prejudice about the veracity of such information. Therefore, the authority
reserves the right to verify the authenticity of the information and it does
not give any rights or obligations to the requester, except as provided by
the applicable legislation. The requestor may present the question on
writing before the competent authorities, according to the provisions of the
Fiscal Code of the Federation. In conformity with article 34 of the Fiscal
Code of the Federation, the competent authorities are only required to
answer inquiries based on real and concrete scenarios that the interested
parties request individually"