visitor.us can help you register a US-titled vehicle, even if you purchase the vehicle outside of the United States.
(Unfortunately, visitor.us cannot help you register a non-US owned vehicle unless it is properly imported into the United States.)
visitor.us will register the vehicle in Montana, the best US state to own a vehicle, using the same registration process that we use for vehicles located inside the US.
If the vehicle were located in the US, you would simply attach its license plates to the vehicle after receiving them, and continue your travels.
But if you’re outside of the US, an additional step is required.
Mexico, Central American countries, and most South American countries require a Temporary Import Permit (TIP) to enter with a foreign-owned vehicle.
(The Baja, Sonora, and Quintana Roo Free Zones of Mexico do not require a TIP.)
The TIP references the vehicle’s registration, license plates, and/or title, and the TIP must be cleared when the vehicle exists the country.
If the plates, registration, and/or title that you present when exit a country do not match those referenced in the vehicle’s TIP, the authorities may refuse to clear the TIP.
Therefore, it’s best practice to drive the vehicle with the seller’s documentation until you cross a border. The seller will need to issue you a “poder,” or letter that authorizes you to drive the vehicle.
After exiting the country and clearing your vehicle’s TIP, remove the seller’s plates in the “no-man’s-land” between countries and enter the next country with your license plates, registration, and title.
When you use visitor.us to register your vehicle, we will form a Montana Limited Liability Company (LLC), owned 100% by you, and register your vehicle to your company.
Because your LLC owns the vehicle, not you, additional documentation is usually required to cross subsequent borders.
Some countries do not allow non-residents to buy or sell foreign-owned vehicles within the country. Check the local rules and regulations before proceeding.