How to Ship a Car from Mexico to Any Country: 2026 Guide

You're relocating and want to bring your truck. You sold a classic to a collector overseas. Or your company needs to send a unit to an affiliate in South America. Every one of these starts with the same question: how do I get a car out of Mexico legally and have it arrive in one piece?

Shipping a car internationally is more than rolling it onto a ship. There's a Mexican customs side, a customs side at destination, and a physical side: pickup, securing, moving and delivering the vehicle without a scratch. This guide walks through all three.

Regulatory information verified as of September 28, 2026.

What does exporting a car from Mexico actually involve?

Under Mexico's Customs Law (Ley Aduanera), anyone who takes goods out of the country and places them under a customs regime must file a pedimento: the electronic customs declaration that identifies the goods, their value, the exporter and the regime.

For a car that will stay abroad, the regime is definitive export. That's different from a foreign-plated car that entered Mexico on a temporary import permit and is simply going home; that's a return, with its own rules. This guide covers cars that are legally in Mexico (built for or imported definitively into the Mexican market) and are leaving for good.

Key point. To customs, your car is merchandise, even if it's your personal vehicle. It leaves with a pedimento or it doesn't leave legally.

What documents do I need to export a car?

Article 36-A of the Customs Law says an export pedimento must be supported, broadly, by:

• A tax invoice (CFDI) or equivalent document covering the transaction. For a car, that's usually the original invoice, or the full chain of invoices, proving ownership and value.
• Transport documents, such as the ocean bill of lading or the carrier's waybill. Article 36-A doesn't list them for exports, but the carrier and your broker will ask for them in practice.
• Proof of compliance with non-tariff regulations, when the goods are subject to them.

In day-to-day practice, your Mexican customs broker will also ask for documents that identify the vehicle and the exporter:

The exact list depends on whether you export as an individual or a company, the car's origin and the port of exit, so your broker confirms it before clearance is scheduled. See our customs brokerage service for details.

Do I need a customs broker?

In Mexico, clearance is filed through a licensed customs broker (agente aduanal), a customs agency, or, where the law allows, an accredited legal representative. For an individual shipping one car, working with a broker is the practical route: they transmit the pedimento, present the car for inspection and handle any physical exam.

Is there a registry I have to join?

Some exports, such as alcoholic beverages, minerals and steel, require enrollment in Mexico's Sectoral Exporters Registry. According to Annex 10 of the 2026 General Foreign Trade Rules, cars aren't on that list. Vehicles do appear in the specific-sector registry, but on the import side, not export.

What about the plates?

Mexican plates and registration are state records. If the car is leaving permanently, the clean approach is to cancel its registration (baja de placas) in the state where it's registered, following that state's requirements, and keep the receipt. Before export, also confirm the car has no theft report or unpaid state vehicle taxes; any alert stops the process. Customs checks that the physical VIN matches the declared one.

What does the destination country require?

This is where the most expensive mistake happens: you clear Mexico perfectly and then learn the car can't be imported at destination. Every country decides which vehicles it admits, how old they can be, which technical standards apply and what taxes are due. Several countries restrict or outright ban used-car imports, with exceptions such as change of residence or collector vehicles.

Before anything moves, confirm with the destination country's customs authority, or a local import broker, that your car is admissible.

United States

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) requires, at entry, the original bill of lading, the bill of sale, the foreign registration and two declarations: EPA Form 3520-1 (emissions) and DOT Form HS-7 (safety).

• Safety (DOT/NHTSA): vehicles less than 25 years old must comply with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS). A nonconforming vehicle generally has to come in through a Registered Importer and be eligible for conversion.
• Emissions (EPA): the vehicle must meet EPA emission standards; otherwise an Independent Commercial Importer (ICI) handles the modifications, and EPA won't allow release to the owner until that work is complete.
• Duties: CBP lists 2.5% for passenger cars and 25% for trucks, based on the price paid or payable. A Mexican-built car may qualify for USMCA preference, but CBP warns the requirements are so strict that vehicles produced before 2020 are unlikely to be eligible. Note: that CBP page doesn't reflect the additional 25% Section 232 tariff the United States has applied since April 3, 2025 to imported passenger vehicles and light trucks, with special treatment for USMCA-qualifying vehicles and an exemption for vehicles 25 years or older. Confirm the total with a U.S. customs broker before shipping.

CBP also cautions that bringing a nonconforming vehicle into compliance may be so extensive and costly that it's impractical. If your car was originally sold for the Mexican market, check its certification label before you commit.

Canada

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) explains that the Registrar of Imported Vehicles (RIV) program covers FMVSS-certified vehicles sold at retail in the United States and certain prescribed used vehicles from Mexico: passenger cars, multipurpose passenger vehicles, trucks and buses that are FMVSS-compliant. Motorcycles, trailers and some other classes are excluded from that path. If your vehicle doesn't fit, review Transport Canada's rules before shipping.

Latin America, Europe, Asia and everywhere else

Each destination has its own checklist: type approval, maximum age, steering-side rules, emissions certificates, inspection on arrival and taxes that can exceed the car's value. Check the destination country's official requirements and get them confirmed in writing.

Which shipping methods are available?

At Kold Gold we move vehicles from anywhere in Mexico to the countries that admit them, in the mode each route allows:

Your car can exit through any Mexican customs office, whether seaport, land border or inland. We pick the one that best balances route, cost and timing for your destination. Heading overseas? See our ocean freight service.

Transit times vary by route, carrier, season and space availability. Any timeline you're quoted is an estimate, not a guarantee.

How is the car picked up and protected?

The physical side is where details are won or lost. Here's how we handle it:

1. Door-to-door pickup. We collect the car wherever it is, by tow truck, flatbed or dedicated carrier, depending on the vehicle and access.
2. Condition report. We document the car's condition at pickup: body, interior, mileage and accessories.
3. GPS tracking the entire time. From pickup to delivery, you know where your car is.
4. Professional operators. Experienced tow and transport crews who handle vehicles every day.
5. Proper handling for each vehicle. Loading, lashing and unloading tailored to the car: lowered, lifted, classic, electric or work vehicle.
6. Clearance and loading. The broker files the pedimento, the car clears inspection at the port of exit and is loaded.
7. Delivery at destination. We coordinate arrival and handover at the agreed location.

How should I prep the car?

• Keep fuel low. Many carriers and terminals require it for safety.
• Remove personal items that aren't declared. Certain items can be arranged in a dedicated container, but everything must be declared.
• Check battery, tires and brakes. For RoRo, the car must start and drive.
• Take dated photos and video from every angle on pickup day.
• Hand over one set of keys and keep the spare.
• Disable alarms that could go off in transit.

Common mistakes when shipping a car from Mexico

• Booking before checking the destination. If the car isn't admissible, you find out when it's already at the port.
• Incomplete paperwork. A broken invoice chain or a missing import pedimento halts clearance.
• VIN mismatch. If the physical VIN doesn't match the documents, customs won't release it.
• Unpaid taxes or active reports. State tax debts or active alerts show up during review.
• Choosing the mode on price alone. A classic in RoRo, or a non-running car booked on it, can cost you more.

How Kold Gold handles it

We operate in the world's busiest international ports and at every customs office in Mexico. We coordinate pickup at your door, custody with GPS tracking, export clearance through a licensed broker, international freight in the right mode and delivery at destination. We speak your language: multilingual agents who keep you updated in English, Spanish and other languages while your car is on the move.

Explore our full car shipping from Mexico service, get a quote with our freight quote tool. Message us on WhatsApp or call +52 55 8897 4255 (Mexico) or +1 (619) 359-6567 (United States). You can also email direccion@kold.gold.

Sources

• Mexican Customs Law (Ley Aduanera, current text, Chamber of Deputies): https://www.diputados.gob.mx/LeyesBiblio/pdf/LAdua.pdf
• Annex 10, 2026 General Foreign Trade Rules (SAT): https://www.sat.gob.mx/minisitio/NormatividadRMFyRGCE/documentos2026/rgce/anexos/Anexo10delasRGCEpara2026.pdf
• CBP, Importing a Motor Vehicle: https://www.cbp.gov/trade/basic-import-export/importing-car
• CBP, CSMS # 65649652, Section 232 duties on passenger vehicles and light trucks: https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDHSCBP/bulletins/3e9bbf4
• NHTSA, Importing a Vehicle: https://www.nhtsa.gov/importing-vehicle
• EPA, Importing Vehicles and Engines: https://www.epa.gov/importing-vehicles-and-engines
• CBSA, Memorandum D19-12-1, Importing Vehicles into Canada: https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications/dm-md/d19/d19-12-1-eng.html