Renewing Plates in the Yucatan 2023

Every 3 years(allegedly) Mexico requires everyone to trade in their old plates for new ones. Your circulation card expires every 2 years. When we originally bought our vehicle, we didn't realize they were already expired. (yay fun.) However, because of the pandemic the government has been a little lenient and are allowing people time to renew them.

Read on about our experience and how to go through this process if you find yourself in the same boat.

First things first. 

It is necessary to have a proof of address as one of the required items. Easy right?  Muahahaha. You are required to bring a bill, ( i.e.. electric or water bill), but if it's not in your name because you are renting you need to go to the Transito Yucatan in Merida and ask them for a letter requesting a proof of address letter. You then need to take this letter to the Immigration office, walk in, tell them why you are there, sign in, stand in another line, and hand the lady the letter along with a copy of your resident card and electric bill. Then you have to come back the next business day and pick up said letter. One step down!

Along with the proof of address letter (which expires in 30 days fyi) you need the following:

1) Official Identification- we used our residency card and provided a copy.

2) Documents to show ownership of the vehicle such as the invoice of origin or the original invoice letter or what is known as the factura. As well as a copy.

3) An original and copy of your insurance policy covering the vehicle.

4) Proof of address letter (I noted it above but for the list's sake)

5) Circulation card- approx. 5x6 green edged card, you should have received when purchasing the car, and a copy.

6) If the plates are expired you must bring both plates inside.

We were able to get an email of an employee and she scheduled the appointment for us for a 10AM slot.

Since the car was in hubby's name, he had the privilege of going! He got there a few minutes before 10AM and finished about 2PM so prepare to be there a while! 

They don't just let you walk in. There is a man outside which will direct you as to what to do. They have a line of chairs set up outside where you play musical chairs and slowly move up the chairs. At some point they ask for your ID. You show them proof of an appointment(we used the email from the lady that scheduled it). You are then given a card with a number and are allowed inside where you wait again until your number pops up on the screens.

Once that number pops up with the window number you are assigned you hand in all of your paperwork and hope you have everything they ask for. They keep all of your paperwork and tell you to go stand by station 24 & 25 and are adamant about listening for your name to be called. Once called they give you your circulation card and factura back and give you a little ticket and you are directed to the payment line. There is a machine in there that you hit the button to get another ticket which is your place in line. Once your ticket number shows up on the screen you go to the assigned window and give them your little payment ticket and make the payment necessary in cash(they accept Mexican CC though if you have that). If you don't have enough cash they conveniently have an atm close-by outside the property. After explaining your way back in you pay, they give you a receipt, and you go in the plates room.

You give them the receipt and old plates and then wait again until they finally and miraculously give you your new plates! After patience, time, and about $7,000 pesos, he was done! (It normally shouldn't cost this much... one thing to note is that tickets/infractions stay with the car, not the person. So there was an unpaid ticket from 2 owners ago that had not been paid which was around $2,000 pesos. Be sure and look this up through the plate number online before purchasing a vehicle!)

All was successful however and we got our new plates! We are good for 2 years now! Whew!

We have our visas which expire in a couple of months and are going to attempt doing it ourselves so look for that post here in the near future.

~Bee