Do I need a permit to take a car towed behind an RV to mainland Mexico by ferry from Baja?
Temporary Import Permit (TIP) needed
A car towed behind a motorhome needs its own permit, according to Mexpro; Banjercito requires towed vehicles to be presented when cancelling.
Secondary source
Sources (2)
secondaryMexpro (insurer): RV vehicle import permit · Towed vehicles designed to be driven on the road (for example, an auto or motorcycle), require their own TIP. · Checked
Before boarding: online, at a US consulate, at a border module, or at the Banjercito module inside the Pichilingue ferry terminal (La Paz). No module is listed at Santa Rosalía.
Documents
Passport or US Passport Card (foreigners); green card, non-Mexican passport, Passport Card or work visa valid 1+ year (Mexicans living abroad)
Immigration form issued by INM (foreigners); INM pre-authorization if applying online or at a consulate
Proof of ownership: title or current registration
If financed: credit contract in your name dated within 3 months
If leased: lease contract showing the VIN plus a letter from the leasing company authorizing the import
Credit or debit card in the importer's name (cash only at border modules)
Banjercito's tariff lists 45 USD for online permits, plus IVA (16% VAT). Apply 10 to 60 days before entry; online payment only by card in the importer's name. Banjercito publishes no separate motorcycle tariff; the 'Auto Americano' line is the general vehicle permit.
Temporary import permit (TIP), car/pickup/SUV/motorcycle, at a Banjercito border module or US consulateSources disagree
$51 USD + IVA tax
51 USD plus IVA at border modules and at the Mexican consulates that issue permits. Cash is accepted only at border modules. 51 USD + 16% IVA works out to 59.16 USD. The Oklahoma consulate instead states 939.60 pesos (about 53 USD).
secondaryMexpro (insurer): Vehicle import permit FAQs · The boat TIP costs the same as a regular vehicle TIP; about $51.00 USD including IVA (tax), or about $45.00 USD online. · Checked
Guarantee deposit for a vehicle permit, by model yearOfficial source
2007 and newer
$400 USD
2001–2006
$300 USD
2000 and older
$200 USD
Paid on top of the permit fee and refunded when the permit is definitively cancelled at a border module before the maximum return date. All official sources fetched agree on the three amounts.