​Whether you’re just moving to Mérida, considering moving to Mérida or have lived here a while but don’t yet own a car of your own, this article will answer all your questions about buying a car in Mérida, Yucatán. We’ll also take a look at driving in Yucatán, the Yucatecan driving test, and more. 

🚗 Once you have your car, the day trips and road trips will be calling out to you!

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Who Can Buy a Car in Mérida?

✅ According to Mexican law you have to be either a Mexican citizen or resident to legally buy a car. This means both temporary residents and permanent residents are permitted to buy cars.

❌ If you are in Yucatán on a tourist visa then you’ll either need to rent a car or find someone willing to buy on your behalf. Is this a legal way of buying a car? Not entirely but lots of people do choose this route. 

Note that if you’re living in Mexico as a permanent resident you’re required to hold a Mexican driver’s license. 

Why Buy a Car in Mérida?

🚗 Because then you can take a road trip whenever you want without having to trawl through dozens of rental agencies to find a suitable car for your needs. Chichen Itza and Playa del Carmen aren’t going to visit themselves!! 

🚌 While public transportation across the Yucatan Peninsula is excellent (thanks ADO), of course it’s more fun and more relaxing to have your own car. 

Where Do I Buy a Car in Mérida?

If you want a new car, then you can go straight to the relevant dealership

For used cars you have multiple options:

➡️ Used car dealerships – you’ll see them around town. We found that they weren’t super helpful and often were holding cars for individuals anyway.

➡️ Individuals – find ads on Facebook Marketplace and in local Facebook groups. As you walk around town you’ll see cars with phone numbers and prices painted on them, these are also cars for sale.

➡️ Using a service catering specifically to finding used cars.

Peace of Mind When Buying a Used Vehicle

Always take a reputable mechanic to see a car before you buy it and definitely, just like in your home country, test drive any car you are considering buying.

Documents Required to Buy a Car in Mérida

The owner of the car must provide:

• The car’s tax identity (la tarjeta de circulación) with a future expiration date
• Photocopy of the seller’s ID card (credencial para votar)
• Original invoice (factura original) from the car dealer with text as outlined above on the back

The buyer of the car must provide:

• Cash
• Photocopy of the buyer’s ID card (credencial para votar or tarjeta de residente)

Some people also like to have a witness to the transactions. Note that generally, if you’re buying a used car from an individual, you’ll be paying cash, not using a credit card or debit card. In some instances, a bank transfer may be acceptable. 

Steps For Completing the Purchase of a Used Car in Mérida

If you don’t feel the need to have someone walk you through the whole process, this is what you’ll need to do (correct as of February 2024).

➡️ Buy Mexican car insurance

You need insurance before you can change ownership of the car.

➡️ Immigration Letter

Step 1

Go to the police office, “Registro De Control Vehicular” to begin the process of registering your new car. This is located behind Costco. Confusingly, I have noticed this can be referred to “Secretaria de Seguridad Publica, Mérida” or “Centro de Servicios Yucatán, Mérida” in relation to registering car ownership. The names are plastered on different sides of the same building.)

Request a letter requesting that immigration (INM) give you a letter confirming your registered address, one that is identical to that on the proof of address you will provide later. The name can be different, but the address itself must match. There is an information desk that will take your IDs into a small room and return with a letter from the police.

Step 2

Go to INM with

• Passport and photocopy of relevant pages
• ID card and photocopy of relevant pages
• Proof of address (e.g. Most recent water bill) and photocopy – it doesn’t matter if it has your landlord’s name on it)
• The letter from police above

IMPORTANT: make sure the name on the constancia is identical to your full name on your passport and the address on the constancia is identical to the proof of address you are providing, including the cruzamiento (i.e., the x y part) if it is written on your proof of address.

💲 Where once this service was free, now INM gives you a form for you to go to the bank and pay $522 pesos.

⭐️ When you arrive at the INM building, you will see loads of people waiting outside but if you go up to the door, you can usually tell the guard that you are there to drop off the police letter for a constancia. 

➡️ Car Tax Identity (Tarjeta de Circulación)

Changing ownership gives you a new tax identity for the car. This is also done at the “Registro De Control Vehicular.” Go to where it says, “Centro de Servicios Yucatán” and into the door on the side of the building marked “Registro De Control Vehicular.” 

You will need

• Letter from INM
• Proof of address (comprobante de domicilio)
• Car invoice (factura) and double-sided photocopy
• Photocopy of the previous owner’s ID (credencial para votar)
• Car tax identity (tarjeta de circulación)
• Insurance (seguro) and photocopy of all sheets
• ID card (tarjeta) and photocopy
• Passport and photocopy

You can then go to the “caja” area to pay for your new car tax identity, your tarjeta de circulación, with the same expiry date as on the previous tarjeta. You will also receive a payment slip labelled “tenencia.”

What About Importing My Own Car from the United States?

✅ With temporary residency you can bring your car from overseas for the length of your temporary residency permit. If you have permanent residency you need to formally import your car if you wish to bring it with you.

If you change your visa from temporary to permanent you’ll either need to export and leave the car outside of Mexico or export and then officially import it back to Mexico. You can’t legally sell a foreign car to another foreign resident without removing it from Mexico first.   

Visitors need a TIP: Temporary Vehicle Importation Permit via Banjercito. A TIP is valid for 180 days.

Driving In Mérida

So you have a car, now let’s consider the actual driving of the car.

📍 As a Mexican resident, you should, hold a local valid driver’s license. In Yucatán this requires you to pass a theory test that consists of ten questions, of which you have to get eight right. There is no official crib sheet, you just have to hope you know the answers. You also have to demonstrate the ability to parallel park.

📍 The biggest issues to keep in mind when driving in Yucatán are: topes (speed bumps), pot holes, one way streets, and other drivers. You’ve just read what it takes to pass a driving test in Yucatán so you can imagine that you’ll see some questionable driving decisions while driving around the state. 

Most Important Things to Know about Driving in Yucatán

➡️ Be wary at roundabouts – local drivers often speed up as they approach roundabouts rather than slow down

➡️ Always follow the speed limit – while you’re not going to be fraudulently stopped and bribed in Yucatán, you should always ensure you’re driving within the speed limit

➡️ Never drink and drive (yes, there are cops with breathalysers on the roads, particularly around the beaches and at holiday times)

➡️ Be sure you know what the road signs mean

➡️ Only use cash at gas stations, never debit or credit cards – this is one of the only places you’re ever likely to experience fraud in Yucatán