# Bringing boat stuff over the border, Mexico customs



## Gene T (May 23, 2006)

I looked at a boat in Mexico recently, didn't buy it but if made me think. The boat lacked hundreds of pounds of stuff I would need, all stuff that is in my garage right now. So I had this thought that I could load up the old van and drive down there from California. RIB, outboard, coffee pot, bedding, pots and pans, you get the picture. 

What issues could I expect when I go through Mexico customs?

Selling the van in Mexico?


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## Giulietta (Nov 14, 2006)

Pretty much what they do with people....

The people lack the stuff you have in the US, namely food, many pounds too.

They load up a van with food and drive it across the border, south, then they bring it up with people...

Don't sell the van, rent it ot a group smuggling more Mexicans


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

If you had a boat in Mexico, you could probably bring the stuff across the border as goods for a yatch in transit, which wouldn't require you to pay an import duty on them AFAIK. I think selling the van would force you to pay an import duty on it in Mexico.


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## AjariBonten (Sep 7, 2007)

So don;t sell the van, trade it for some locally produced product you can trade elsewhere........

Tongue placed firmly in cheek ...............


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## RandyonR3 (Oct 2, 2005)

I've sent parts south in other boats and I've also taken parts down for others.. never mentioned the it while checking in, but that was by water.....
What you might do before going down.. check in with "Downwind Marine".
They can give you the info you need and they may even have some goodies for you to drop off to someone else.
Downwind Marine is the south-most contact before entering Mexico......


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## Gene T (May 23, 2006)

good info, thanks.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

I've never had problems bringing anything into Mexico (i mean anything ) it's bringing things back into the USA that causes problems.


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## schwuller (Sep 16, 2007)

a bit late! but i'll chime in here. i've loaded up my range rover and driven straight through mexico to belize (via baja, which involves more aduana (customs) inspections when you load the car onto the ferry at La Paz). this rover was packed to the gills, including a full safari roof system with hundreds of pounds of scuba gear etc up there. not once did anyone ever look inside them. to be fair, though, crossing into the usa from mexico, over....50 times over the years, no one from the US side has ever looked either. same crossing back and forth through canada. they have never even gotten out of the booth to peek into the back seat! anyhow, moving on: make sure you have a written list of what you have, and present a copy of this to the aduana people. the longer the list, the less time they time will spend reading it. you cannot sell a US licensed car in mexico. and, bringing the car into mexico requires a permit good for 6 months. you must clear the car out of mexico when you leave, thus closing a round-trip permit, proving you didn't sell the car in mexico. you get a complex hologram sticker for your window glass and some papers. you get this permit once you cross the border although i always get mine at a mexican consulate in advance because when i cross the border into mexico i like to get going. none of this is a big deal at all. i've done it scores of times. 
1.temporary vehicle importation permit.
2.international driver's license (from AAA)
3.copy of california license (never give real license to police if they ask)
4.copy of passport (same deal). say the original is at the hotel safe.
5.can't sell a US car across the border.
6.can bring LOTS of stuff, but no guns, drugs, or over a certain amount of cash (this includes traveler's checks, too)
-john


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## vitalspark (Sep 27, 2017)

Look for a boat in mexico that has everything you will need on board as extra gear. Lots of cruisers selling fully equipped boats in MX!


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## zeehag (Nov 16, 2008)

gear is sold in mexico. exact same stuff found in usa, some even less pricey. some more so , depending on your information source. gringos tend to go pricey, mexicans are less so. and yes there ar edifferent boating supply stores--some for mexican fishermen and some for the big bux yottie. 
vans with non mexican plates are illegal to sell in mexico--sadly gringos have already screwed that pooch. that is why gods invented san ysidro. 
ps gods donot use travellers cheques any more..good luck cashing any you might possibly find. 

i am refitting my boat en toto here--using parts i buy in mexico for less than buying em by interwebzzz and paying duty on them plus shipping.. that which i cannot find, my brother finds used and no duty on used items 

hell, i even found a source for root beer..hahahahaha


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## RegisteredUser (Aug 16, 2010)

If you have something shipped down, ask the seller to include in-box an invoice stating 'used item x'...price to your imagination...


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## zeehag (Nov 16, 2008)

RegisteredUser said:


> If you have something shipped down, ask the seller to include in-box an invoice stating 'used item x'...price to your imagination...


good way to screw it up for all expats living in mexico. items shipped into mexico first go thru customs, aka aduana. 
aduana is no one to mess with. they do open packages coming in. 
IFF you can talk a company into shipping items not properly packaged, new stuff looks new. old stuff looks old. mexicans are not stupid. 
mexican officials read this forum and cruisers forum and one other. how do i know this..i have friends who are mexican officials.


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