1998+ model year Vochos have the 17 digit VIN's that Luke refers to. The VIN is North American compliant, which means that digits 4,5 & 6 are populated (always S1A for the Vochos) and the check digit in position '9' will calculate properly. Note that VIN positions 7 & 8 are the model, the '90s New Beetle (sold in US & Canada) has '1C' in those positions, the Vochos sold in Mexico have '1B' in those positions. Pre-1998 Vocho's do not have a North American compliant VIN, however that is moot as the cars are more than 25 years old.
I'm watching this video because while I have no plans myself to import a car from Mexico or anything, I found out a Mexican immigrant who lives near my apartment brought his Volkswagen Vento up here when moving here, and he was able to get Mississippi license plates for it too and everything. It's the newest generation of the Vento as well, which is why I'm fascinated since the United States normally has that 25-year ban on the import of cars from other countries...
He likely lied on the form HS7 saying that it was compliant under a clause that was unrelatable. The form is tedious, and the DMV is just looking to see if it’s filled out usually. I don’t recommend doing this, because if you get caught they’ll crush your car and take you to jail, at the VERY least give you a fine, but I’m not a lawyer and my money says that they never check. Just buy a Jetta and put a Vento badge on it haha.
Many DMVs don't care about the Federal laws because they are just state workers punching a time clock. But the Feds certainly care and will enforce the rules if they catch you. The problem with getting caught by the Feds is the rules are designed to deal with big lawbreaking by corporations, so the fines start really high. And the vehicles often get crushed. My friend once brought back 3 bottles of booze from Mexico when the limit is 1. The Customs agent shook their finger at him and waived him through. That didn't make it legal though, and the evidence disappeared quickly down our throats. A CAR??? This guy is giving crap advice about importing a car.
TRUE!!!! I'm from the border between Mexico and the us!! And this is completely true!! The only thing that I didn't know it's that how can I get a title!! Thank you so much for this valuable information!! I really need it this information!!!
A little late, but I’ve imported vw buses from Mexico. Basically he’s right about everything except that you can’t get a title for it unless you declare it at a port that lets you import cars . Not all ports do. It’s completely possible that some States let you do it without, but I don’t think so because you have to pay taxes on it. I’m in Colorado and we have to declare it. If you’re just going in and don’t plan on reselling it and it has a Mexican plate on it don’t even bother importing it. Just drive it, but like he said you have to use the wordage that they want to hear.
So I live in Texas and I’m looking at buying a 1992 Chevy truck that has Mexican plates so the truck is from Mexico and he has a title from there in his name. Do I just go to apply for a new title with the old title or do I not say anything and just apply for a lost title and give them the bill of sale and vin number for a new one?? Idk 🤷♂️
@@rustnation2651 You get one year to drive it with the Mexican plate so as long as you have proof of registration and insurance you’re actually not doing anything illegal. Please note that customs won’t let you drive it into the US if you don’t have a tarjeta de circulison. Which is the Mexican registration. In my case they WILL NOT let you in with the title signed over in your name or even if you’re name is on the title. Because they don’t speak Spanish, this obviously stupid because the tarjeta de circulsion is in Spanish, but trust me you need it or you’re gonna have issues. I always wondered if one of those anapromex registrations would work.
@@phoenix_1231 That wouldn’t work in Colorado, I don’t know about Texas, the VINS are really weird in Mexico and your average DMV troll can spot the difference, and they’ll grab the supervisor that’s been there for 25 years and they’ll tell you to get a vin reassignment at the state troopers office. Although you’re at the mercy of who is working that day.
I'm absolutely gob-smacked at all the people who are telling me that I cannot do what you have just told me I CAN do. Kudos to you because I've just known in the back of my mind, that this was really quite easy. I live in Kentucky and there are no emissions testing done anywhere in this state. So, that simply is not going to be an issue. I've already talked to the DMV here in my local town and they've told me that, as long as my paperwork from Mexico is in order, they will issue a title for my Vocho. (air-cooled VW bug is called Vocho in Mexico) And you are completely correct. If you go out to the truckstop on the interstate highway near my home in Kentucky IN THE SUMMER, you will not have to wait long to see a vehicle with either Mexican plates or Canadian plates passing through.
Luke - thanks for the awesome information. We are hoping to do the same thing in the next 6 weeks. Do you think anything has changed that would affect us?
I though the free trade agreement would make it less of a problem . In canada its 15 years for jdm imports i guess it would be the same for a vw from mexico
same thing happened to me with a 1979 Chevy El Camino daily driver. Car was under my name, had Baja drivers license and insurance. There was an inspector in particular that sent me 3 times to secondary. Nothing happened, they did tell me car couldn't stay overnight. I proved I had property and commercial interests in Mexico nd vehicle was for "cargo" 😉 😉
I’m actually watching this since I just found out my dream truck has not passed the border like I thought it was. They mentioned that the truck needs to be imported and possibly pay taxes. What do you suggest?
The good thing it's that if you are a u s citizen you can drive any car you want, no problem! You can even have it with the mexican plates! U.s citizens can buy cars that aren't available in the u.s such us toyota hilux or hyundai i10, nissan March or nissan frontier diesel, nissan np300. That's pretty cool!!
You’ll need some sort of mexican papers and speak decent Spanish to get the registration that you need for them to let you bring it into the US, what he did by rushing the customs only works half the time. The person selling you the car will likely help you do this if you ask them too and give them a little extra for the car. It’s also totally possible to do it with the Mexican DMV yourself if you have a basic understanding of how to deal with the Mexican government and they are usually cooler then the US government. I have a Chihuahua drivers license I got specifically for doing this and I’m not a resident of Mexico so I can just go in and register the car for 30 bucks.
I bought a new Honda City two years ago here in mexico because I wanted to learn to drive standard. I would like to bring it to New Mexico in a year or two once it is paid off. Do you think the process would be very different from what you experienced?
I have a 1973 mach 1 thats been sitting in my garage for over 5 years due to my DMV asking for a EPA and customs entry form. Did you have to fill any of those documents out?
Took a 72 Chevy on vacation, legalized in mex, 49 yr vacation is over. Should I also just drive in to US? Any advice would be appreciated! Thank you, great vide!
Hey there very informative video and I’m trying to buy a 68 FordGalaxie but don’t think I can drive it across the border since it’s pretty far from it. What do you recommend on doing ?
Don't take his advice. He skated through and is now driving a car that can get crushed by the feds. He also just confessed to tax evasion, and possibly some other charges. If it's a 68 you can get it in because cars over 25 years old are exempt from Federal emissions and crash standards. The import duty (tax) on cars is I think 2.5%, so a $10k car pays $250 tax, a $2k car is $50 tax. There is some paperwork fee I'm sure, but it wasn't expensive the last time I looked. If it's a 68, just do the paperwork. Don't get a call or visit and face problems.
I’m a little confused, so I have a Mexican truck that I bought off of Facebook market and I have the bill of sale and in Mexico the registration is under my name, what other documents do I need so I can make my truck American. It passes the 25 year rule for importing by the way
Been getting the air cooled itch again. Maybe a mexibeetle will scratch it. No emissions in my county in Virginia anyway and half the vehicles probably wouldn't pass if they did. State wide anything 25 years old are exempt. So yes This may do the trick. Getting something running and in halfway decent shape without paying large money is what I want. Thank you Sir!
Good morning Servantofzardoz : I live in Virginia beach area and I'm about to go get a vehicle from Mexico so I hope I don't get any issues at the DMV, I wish you luck if you bring one
Hi Luke, im currently going through this BS in AZ. I purchased a 66 Chevelle that I towed across the border. That part was a piece of cake. Customs didn't even send me to secondary. Now comes the fun part, dmv wants to charge me almost $3k in order to "import" and register the vehicle. Does that sound right?
Would this work the same for a 2012 nissan versa? What kind of insurance do I need to get to take it across the border? Also I’m guessing I need a Californian drivers license before even trying to registering the car in the dmv right? Thanks in advance 🙏🏻
Hey man I jst bought a jeep xj in Tijuana it used to have American plates n the last owner imported the jeep do u think I could register again in California n still leave the Mexican plate???
Luke I bought a Dodge valiant 1970 in Mexico and I'm a American citizen leaving in virginia, but my family are going to drive it for me across the border so I drive less is it a good idea for them to have the bill of sale on their name and then sign it to me on the American side ? Do you think they would give me hard time in the dmv?
@@lukepowell5534 im going thru texas next week do i need to fill all those form and pay that 2.5% import tax in order to take plates out here in texas?
I have a 2012 expedition in Mexico City with Mexico tags .. I’m looking to drive it back to Atlanta Georgia and bring it back next month due to plane tickets being so expensive ! Do you know any permits or whatever I need for it ?
What of the vehicle I want to buy is already in the states? I’m looking into buying a 85 Chevy c10. The title is from Mexico but I want to transfer it to Texas. I’m located in San Antonio, so is it the same as in going to dmv and filling out paperwork?
so when you bought the car they transfer it to your name but yo don't need to show it at the border correct?, did you buy from dealership or random guy? i thought 25 y was the timeframe for antique but are you sure 20y will go thru?, im looking a 2002 and im thinking on go buy it and do what you did net year
So all I need to get a title once the car/truck is in the US is to have a bill of sale? And applying for title? Am I applying for a lost title? I live in San Antonio Texas.
Legally you are not allowed to bring a vw beetle unless its part of the 25 year old rule. 1994 beetle can be legally registered and insuranced without ramifications in the future. The federal government can technically confiscate anything thats younger than 25 because of emissions. You can blame the IVSCA for this and yes its state legal not federal
Your allowed, temporary....you have 1 year to get it spec for usa emissions....thats just the chance I had to take....hell if they take it only 3500....
@@lukepowell5534 Yeah the 25 year old law doesnt make any sense considering it doesnt hurt anyone. Bill Gates even tried to change the laws themselves but it was due to importing cheap cars from foreign markets. In Texas they do not receive a lot of these gray imports so they are not accustomed to dealing with this situation so that is why it was allowed through. Though you can easily take vin from a junk beetle and register the vechile that way. The federal government can charge you for illegal vechile possession blah blah blah
Hi, my brother last passed away last august. My sister in law gave me my brothers 1997 Chevy s10. She changed the title to her name and the car is coming on Sunday by my brothers friend. I want to register the car, but how do I get a sales receipt if it was free? About how much did it cost you to finish the registration?
I recently went to the dmv here in Houston tx and they kept asking me for forms that the cbp officer had to fill out when i crossed the vehicle. What should i do?, i have the tarjeta de circulation, insurance, safety inspection etc.
Hey guys, I know this video is 2 years old but I’m looking at possibly buying a car next month in Mexico, it’s a 1976 so I should be good on the EPA stuff. Im just really uneducated on what paperwork I will need to bring it across, I don’t mind paying the taxes ect. Do Mexican cars have titles in Mexico? I just don’t want to be scammed by the seller, what paperwork do I need from them?
I went to the DMV with insurance and inspection but there saying I need some type of declaration form the truck is like 22 years old. Did you have to deal with any of this?
hey man thanks for the info, i've been living in mexico for two years and now want to take my 1994 beetle back to the states with me so i'm really hoping to be able to do that. the only issue i'm wondering about is the vehicle registration... I heard that in order to "unregister" a car in mexico they need to see the car and take the plates off. so if i don't have plates on it how will i drive it across the boarder...if i do have plates on it how will i then unregister the car in mexico. hope that makes sense, thanks again
Look here now, drive that car across the border and don't get caught up in all that silly shit...plates, taxes, unregistering, imports....all that shit is written by people that have 1 thing in common and that's they have never driven across the border lol... Good luck
Actually to properly import it you should lie to the Customs agent about what your doing to avoid paperwork and taxes. THEN MAKE A VIDEO CONFESSING TO IT!! THEN TO MAKE THE TARGET BIGGER ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO BREAK THE LAW ALSO.
I have a question . I want to buy a American car in Mexico that has not been legally registered in Mx. Can I just drive it up to the USA? Or do I have to do any legal stuff before bringing it . Thank you in advance.
I’m thinking of buy a 1990 Nissan 240sx, t was a California US car before but then was export to Mexico and is now import but the us but hasn’t been registered yet. Could you give me an idea or Guidance in the situation?
go to the dmv with or without the title and ask for a miscoulouanos state of fact and a 262 bill of sale and then tell them you want to register a car...its easy...they will help u
2014 silverado i want to bring from mexico to california. Is it possible? i reas that the vehicle has to be 25 years or older hopefully there’s something i could do. hope to hear back from you!
U had any luck in bringing that truck to California? I'm also thinking about bringing my wife's 2015 Nissan here to Texas. I'm going to ask my Insurance agent if I can add it to my insurance policy before crossing it Over
im in california and theres a car with a mexican title for sale already here im thinking of buying. its smog exempt but does anyone have experience doing this with the california dmv want to make sure before hand that i really only need a bill of sale and title to get a california plate
Great information. The Volkswagen Beetle that I'm purchasing from a family member doesn't have a 17 digit VIN plate. It's a 1982 Made in Mexico, only has a 10 Digit serial number. How can I get a 17 digit plate to register the vehicle in my state? Thanks
How can i do it. I got one as a gift from a friend but i dont have a title for it Only has the reg. Card. Las registration expired june 30th 2022. Can i still be able to get plates here in california
Luke, did you get a bonded title? I have one 2003 and DNV is asking for an import certificate or something like that. I went to DNV and dont find a way to get the plates. Thanks!
Provide CBP form 7501, it doesn’t require a customs signature, better yet fill it out on the website and then print it typed. It’s a form that you’re legally allowed to fill out yourself though I wouldn’t mention that you did, because you know how the DMV is. Remember if something doesn’t apply to you make sure you fill that out as so professionally with no grammatical errors, It looks a lot more professional to the DMV and really it’s up to them to give you the title.
Want to import a 2016-2018 GMC Sierra regular cab. Do you think they will pass emissions ? Or will I be able to get a title if I drive it across with out importing it
Ok....it will pass emissions...try to just drive it across first and then apply for a title....see what they say.....u have 1 year to import it anyway... Try to get a title first.... The problem is everything is in metric kilometers....thats ur problem....upon inspection.....just try to get s titlte first....but to start with drive it across.. Dont pay shit and go from there.....u have a year to do all that anywY
Hello Luke... I have a 93 Mexican Beetle..... Its already here and registered under my name... California is a BS state when it comes to smog check.... Question , who gave you the green paper after the inspection so you went ahead and got your paper work ready at the DMV?
There is amazing truck, a Ford Raptor with very low miles in Tijuana. I want to buy it and bring it to California, what should I do? If he is going to release liability from his part in Mex.
Same here I have so many questions because I want to make sure I can sell mine later on and not get in trouble, I’ve seen so many requirements like the emissions sticker and the other one but the thing is that Mexican trucks don’t have those
Go to the CBP or DOT and ask for some info. As I know import a Ford raptor should be easy because it's made in the US. Only if it's brand new, because all the cars for sale in México don't have the DOT and EPA stickers, even if the car is made in the US. So you will need a compliance letter from the manufacturer stating that the vehicle complies with the US EPA and DOT standards, and the easiest way to get that document is buying the car directly from a Ford dealership in México, the salesman should give you that compliance letter if you ask for it and explain to him why you need that document. But I better recommend you to go to the CBP and ask directly before you buy the truck. Also, there is a video from the CBP here in RU-vid about how to import a car Name of the video: "CBP Info Center FAQ: How to import your automobile" Hope this information helps you.
@@kd2low461 If the car is missing the EPA and DOT stickers you could ask in the dealership where you bought your car for a compliance letter from the manufacturer stating that the vehicle complies with the US EPA and DOT standards. Check the video here in RU-vid from the CBP Name of the video: "CBP Info Center FAQ: How to import your automobile" But better go to the CBP and ask for more info.
The best thing you can do is get the truck directly from the dealership in México, getting the truck from the dealership helps you to get a compliance letter from the manufacturer stating that the vehicle complies with the US EPA and DOT standards. But better go to the CBP and ask for info.
Hey Luke! You meant we can just go to the Texas DMV with a Mexican invoice in our name and get Texas plates, is that correct, are they really doing it that easy? That would be awesome since we have a 1998 Volkswagen bug that have been stored for 20 years it would be awesome to drive it out of storage. I'm anxiously waiting for a "Yes sir!", answer lol!
I want to drive my 1989 Mexican Cheyenne with Michoacán plates to Oklahoma through El Paso. Do you think I can just drive it through without having to import it or paying taxes?
Arizona requires emissions tests on cars/trucks all the way back to 1967. I have a 1993 truck I bought new, it has historic vehicle plates on it, and still has to pass an emissions test.
@@glennhansel9411 Actually it is all of Maricopa and Pima counties. It is now 31 years old, I'm going to see if I can get it insured as a collector vehicle, which eliminates the emissions tests. I have a '72 Mustang insured as a collector car, and that eliminates the emissions tests.
@@geraldscott4302 Right. The counties that include the Phoenix and Tucson ''areas", which represent 99% of the population in those counties. You made it appear to include the whole state of Arizona. It's only those two counties. In any case good luck getting the vehicle insured as collectible.
I bought a 93 beetle here in Puerto Escondido. We stayed for a bit due to road closures amid the coronavirus. We are going to hit the road tomorrow, and make it to the border (Mcallen) area in a few days. We live in Florida. My concern isn't so much getting it across, I have all the appropriate paperwork, and have been on the phone with CBP several times, that end is all good. I may actually import it, pay 46 bucks in tax, and get the customs 7501 stamp. No biggie. My problem is finding temporary insurance. Having a U.S. issued license, and Mexican plated car seems to be a mix not worthy of insuring. Do you have an insurance recommendation?
@365hp Im in Mexico City Right Now and am wanting to drive my 1987 C10 to Texas. I am also concerned about obtaining insurance and the process at the border. Can you let me know how the process goes?
Just a follow up. All went well. Border patrol were a bunch of fucking Idiots. I had 6 tell me I “can’t”. 2 supervisors and 7 hours later, I was cleared at the Pharr Texas import lot. They never searched me or the car. They also never collected the duty tax. They didn’t know their ass from a hole in the ground. It was hot as hell, very frustrating, but ultimately worth it.
Were you able to register your car what did they ask you for. Im planing on buying a 93 beetle the diference is that the car its already here in mcallen so what do i need from the guy that is selling it to me?
So my question is. My dad passed away in Mexico a year ago. I have the original title and the bill of sell from the person my dad bought it from. Do I just use the original title to transfer it. BTW the truck is a 1990 Silverado stepside that I've put 8k into already
What illegally importing by lying to customs?? Yeah it would work with a motorcycle. It would work with prescription drugs. It would work with untaxed booze and cigarettes. It might even work with illegal immigrants and fentanyl!!! Just lie to the Customs Agent when you cross!!!
@@elvergalarga9205 no it still has the Mexico plates they told me at the dmv all my dad needs to do is take the old Mexican title and request a New one
HI Luke, Great video! I am trying to bring a 2021 Suzuki Jimny to CA. It won't pass smog here in CA so I am thinking of having a relative drive it down from Mexico to CA. What else would you advice to try and get it legalized here in the states?
As I know to import a car that is younger than 25 years, you need to check if the car has the DOT sticker and the EPA sticker, if the car doesnt have those stickers you will need a compliance letter from the manufacturer. There is a video from the CBP that describes every step of how to import a car Name of the video: CBP Info Center FAQ: How to import your automobile
How did you get plates for the car in Mexico without being a Mexican citizen? Don’t you need a visa and proof of insurance to register it and get plates to drive it to the border?
@@homeroelizondo679 in the border man, before you cross the car you can buy the insurance, it all depends of what part of Mexico are you going to cross, I'm talking about el paso Tx , I don't really know over there in tamaulipas or california. Hope you can get your truck imported. Let me know if you could imported cause I'm about to do it. So let's see how it goes
Hey how are you? I have a 1968 Chevelle made in Mexico, I have it in California. Do you think it is difficult to put California plates permanently? Tks
