Rules for Driving Foreign-Plated Vehicles in Mexico

When you bring your foreign-plated vehicle to Mexico and intend to drive it outside one of the defined Free Zones situated near the northern and southern borders, you will need to apply for a Temporary Import Permit (TIP) .  Learn more about temporarily importing your car to Mexico.

Who is allowed to drive a foreign-plated vehicle in Mexico?

All drivers must have a current driving license* and must have permission from the owner to drive the vehicle if it does not belong to them.

The rules for driving a foreign-plated vehicle in Mexico are based on:

• whether you are a visitor to Mexico, a temporary or permanent resident in Mexico, or a Mexican national; and/or
• whether you are the owner, or closely related to the owner, of the vehicle you intend to drive; and/or
• whether you are driving the vehicle inside a defined Free Zone or outside a Free Zone.

* If your driving license is from abroad and is not issued in English, we recommend you bring an International Driving License (IDL) to accompany it.  Some people with driving licenses issued in English also bring an IDL.

Summary of the rules

Other than a restriction on foreign permanent residents driving vehicles outside of a Free Zone, foreign residents are allowed drive foreign-plated vehicles in Mexico.  The table below summarizes the rules.

If the Driver is a	Foreign-plated vehicle rules
Visitor to Mexico	If you are in Mexico under the auspice of a visitor’s permit (FMM), you may drive a foreign-plated vehicle inside and/or outside of a Free Zone, provided you have a license to drive.
Temporary Resident in Mexico	If you are in Mexico under the auspice of a Temporary Resident permit (Residente Temporal), including students, you may drive a foreign-plated vehicle inside and/or outside of a Free Zone, provided you have a license to drive.
Permanent Resident in Mexico	If you are in Mexico under the auspice of a Permanent Resident permit (Residente Permanente), , you may drive a foreign-plated vehicle inside a Free Zone but outside of the Free Zones the driver must be the spouse, child, or sibling of the owner, or if the owner is aboard the vehicle, any permanent resident with a driving license may drive the vehicle.

Mexican nationals driving foreign-plated cars in Mexico

Special rules apply for Mexican nationals driving foreign-plated vehicles in Mexico and these special rules apply even inside the Free Zones.

If the Mexican national is not the owner of the foreign-plated vehicle, the vehicle’s owner must be aboard the vehicle the Mexican national is driving, whether the vehicle is inside or outside of a Free Zone.

Keep this rule in mind if you are a visitor, temporary or permanent resident with a foreign-plated vehicle in Mexico.

Mexican nationals who want to temporarily import (TIP) their foreign-plated cars to Mexico can find details about how to do that on this site.

Learn more about driving in Mexico

Mexperience offers articles with insights to help you prepare for your road trip and drive confidently in Mexico.

• Importing a foreign car or other vehicle to Mexico
• Getting a Temporary Import Permit (TIP) for your vehicle
• Insuring your vehicle for driving in Mexico
• Your Mexico road trip checklist
• Latest articles about driving in Mexico
• Guide to auto insurance in Mexico