In his September 12 appearance at the monthly meeting of the Canadian Club of Lake Chapala, regional SVT traffic department commandant Hector Magaña Rios addressed questions from the audience reflecting the most common concerns about regulations for motorists driving foreign-plated cars.
Here are some summarized highlights of the Q&A.
What documents should I carry when driving a foreign-plated vehicle?
If you are stopped for a traffic violation you will need to show the following:
- Official vehicle registration from the place of origin as proof of ownership.
- Import permit issued at the border by Aduana (Mexican Customs).
- Driver’s current immigration document.
- License (place of issuance is irrelevant).
- Proof of valid insurance policy.
Traffic officers are not authorized to stop you solely for an inspection of your documentation, but will ask for these papers when pulling you over for any type of driving violation. A spouse or immediate relative of the owner may legally drive the car, but may be asked for documentary proof of the relationship if the surnames do not coincide. It doesn’t matter if the import permit, registration, license tags show expired dates as long as immigration papers are valid. Personal documents should be originals; a notarized copy of the import permit or registration with original seal is legally valid.
Is it true that traffic police have no authority to impound a foreign-plated car?
Absolutely false. There are a number of circumstances under which your vehicle may be towed and impounded, including accidents, safety precautions, parking violations, signs of visible pollution and failure to show the first three documents mentioned above.
Is it legal to drive a car with a single license tag?
It’s permitted if the province or state you come from only issues one tag. Jalisco-plated vehicles may be ticketed if one of the two requisite tags is missing.
Do I need a Jalisco emissions verification sticker for my car?
The law states that owners of vehicles from abroad may voluntarily submit to pollution testing to obtain the sticker. However, those who reside here for more than six months per year should comply with this and other Jalisco vehicle regulations.
What should I do if I feel I have been unjustly ticketed or intimidated by a traffic officer to pay a mordida (bribe)?
It’s against the law to settle on the spot. Insist on issuance of the folio (ticket). There’s a 50-percent discount if you pay the fine within 10 days. If you think you’re innocent of the violation, take your case to the chief for review. Make note of the traffic agent’s name from his official badge and/or the vehicle identification number displayed on all SVT patrol trucks, cars and motorcycles.
An update
As of this week, Magaña has instructed all of his officers to notify him personally before issuing any orders for towing and impoundment. He suggests that drivers under such threat tell the officer that they want to speak to the boss: “Pido hablar con su comandante.”
More information
For comprehensive explanations of Jalisco traffic law and aduana rules for foreign vehicles see Spencer McMullen’s detailed article at http://intercasafs.com/Driving.pdf. Another invaluable resource is the Mexico Vehicle Accident Kit put together by Sandy and Bud Gallagher. For a free copy send a request to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..