November 12, 2014
There have been internet reports from facilitators describing how Aduana’s rules for importing used cars will be changing on Jan. 1, 2015. One version says that cars older than 10 years will not be allowed, except for the standard “classic car” policies.
Since some of Mexico’s past changes to Aduana rules for importing Canadian and US used cars have been driven by NAFTA agreements, it seemed like time to review the NAFTA guidelines/limits that are running-in-background to know NAFTA’s Jan. 1, 2015 requirements.
Since we are neither lawyers nor NAFTA experts, we are left providing quotes of the NAFTA agreement that fit this issue from an OAS source that was published and copyrighted in 2014 (current?): http://www.sice.oas.org/trade/nafta/anx300a1.asp
North American Free Trade Agreement Annex 300-A
Trade and Investment in the Automotive Sector
Appendix 300-A.2: Mexico
Auto Decree and Auto Decree Implementing Regulations
Used Vehicles
24. Mexico may adopt or maintain prohibitions or restrictions on imports of used vehicles from the territory of another Party, except as follows:
(a) beginning January 1, 2009, Mexico may not adopt or maintain a prohibition or restriction on imports from the territories of Canada or the United States of originating used vehicles that are at least 10 years old;
(b) beginning January 1, 2011, Mexico may not adopt or maintain a prohibition or restriction on imports from the territories of Canada or the United States of originating used vehicles that are at least eight years old;
(c) beginning January 1, 2013, Mexico may not adopt or maintain a prohibition or restriction on imports from the territories of Canada or the United States of originating used vehicles that are at least six years old;
(d) beginning January 1, 2015, Mexico may not adopt or maintain a prohibition or restriction on imports from the territories of Canada or the United States of originating used vehicles that are at least four years old;
(e) beginning January 1, 2017, Mexico may not adopt or maintain a prohibition or restriction on imports from the territories of Canada or the United States of originating used vehicles that are at least two years old; and
(f) beginning January 1, 2019, Mexico may not adopt or maintain a prohibition or restriction on imports from the territories of Canada or the United States of originating used vehicles. ”
Again, as we are not legal professionals, we can only take “clause (d)” at face value – that 4 year old and older US and Canadian used cars will be eligible for import into Mexico.
As in other complex legal agreements, there may be other clauses that modify or overrule this prescription, allowing Mexico to set different policies or add modifications, but when we review the dates of past changes in Aduana import policies, we find that they agree with the NAFTA requirements listed above.
in the meantime: We’ll keep digging into this to develop a final story, and welcome insights from readers.
Disclaimer: All information presented on Yucalandia is for educational and entertainment purposes only. Please contact a licensed professional for appropriate legal advice.
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For more details on Mexican Import/Aduana rules, please see our main article at:
Importing & Driving a Car in Mexico
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Read-on MacDuff . . .
Aug. 4, 2015
Surviving Yucatan 