The annual registration refrendo (renewal) for owners of Mexican-plated cars can be paid at any of 125 state tax collection offices or recaudadoras in Jalisco, on the Internet or in banks and some convenience stores. The only requirement to make payment is the vehicle’s license plate number and serial number.
The refrendo fee for a motor vehicle in 2013 is 435 pesos – up 19 pesos on last year. A 30-percent discount on the tax is available through the end of March; a 15-percent discount is offered in April and May. Late payment fines start to be charged from August 1.
To pay online go to http://sefin.jalisco.gob.mx sand click on “Realiza el pago de referendo.” Type in your Mexican license plate number and vehicle serial number.
Any unpaid traffic fines you have accrued during the year will be displayed and you will be asked if you wish to make a voluntary donation of 40 pesos to the Jalisco Red Cross and Cabañas Institute for orphaned children. You may decline if you wish.Your options are to either pay online with a credit or debit card or print out a receipt that you can take to a bank, OXXO, 7-11 or Soriana store for payment.
Another form of payment is to send a text message to the number 52501. In the text space write: ADUEDO, followed by a space, your Mexican vehicle’s license plate number (e.g. JGK5386), followed by a space and then the word TIENDAS if you intend to pay at Soriana, Comercial Mexicana, 7-Eleven or Oxxo; or the name of the bank: either Bancomer, Banamex, Scotiabank, HSBC, Banorte, Santander or Bajio.
Within seconds of sending the message you will receive an answer (see right photo above) with the amount you owe (adeudo) and the línea de captura number. (The Red Cross/Cabañas donation will be automatically included, however.) You will have the rest of the day to make the payment at the chosen bank or the four aforementioned stores. Simply show the cashier the message with the number, pay the amount indicated and keep your receipt.
Many people still prefer to pay at one of the main tax collection offices, although lines can be long in the early part of the year.
The main ones in the the Guadalajara metro area are located at Pedro Moreno and Corona in the downtown area and at Zapopan’s Unidad Adninistrativa, located at Lopez Mateos Sur 5100 in Colonia Las Aguilas; open 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The Chapala office is located at Degollado 306, half way between the cross streets of Acapulco and Avenida Gonzalez Gallo. Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
For a full list of the state’s 125 tax collection offices, log on to http://sefin.jalisco.gob.mx and search the Directorio de Recaudadoras.
Once you have paid your referendo, your new tarjeta de circulaccion (registration card) will be sent to your home address within three weeks. If it fails to arrive within this time period, you can call the Direccion de Impuestos Estatales at (33) 2668-1700, ext. 33180 to advise them of the fact.
For more information call (33) 3668-1757 or 3668-1700 for those living in the metro area and 01-800-715-1582 for those in the interior of the state.