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Jerry@Ajijic

Aug 25, 2004, 8:50 PM

Post #1 of 33 (3030 views)

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License Plates

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For anyone that wants to purchase a USA license plate you might want to consider South Dakota plates. They do not require a "local" address or insurance. It can all be done by mail and 1 telephone call. You would call 605 677 7123 which is the office of the Clay County Treasurer. His address is 211 W. Main Street, Suite 201, Vermillion, SD 57069. They will tell you what it costs and what to do. You will then go to http://www.state.sd.us/drr2/forms/motorvehicleforms.htm where you can get the forms downloaded to you. You follow the instructions from SD and those on the forms. You mail the completed forms with a check to SD and after a while your tag comes in the mail.

ncferret

Aug 28, 2004, 3:30 PM

Post #2 of 33 (2933 views)

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Re: [Jerry@Ajijic] License Plates

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Very interesting idea. Do they actually mail them to Mexico?

johanson

Aug 28, 2004, 6:29 PM

Post #3 of 33 (2904 views)

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Re: [Jerry@Ajijic] License Plates

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Jerry; I shall be calling these folks Monday. It seems that for the first time since I purchased my 2001 Ford Explorer in late Sep 2000, I wasn't able to convince the folks in Laredo, Texas to renew my registration.

I hope you are suggesting that this car which will stay in Ajijic for some years to come, doesn't need to be taken to South Dakota for an inspection or something before one gets the plates, and that all I need to do is get the forms, fill them out, and send money.

Bubba

Aug 28, 2004, 6:43 PM

Post #4 of 33 (2900 views)

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Re: [johanson] License Plates

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This is correct, Pete, and you can print the forms out from the internet.

This, of course, means that you will have to endure the humiliation of having been thought to have been from South Dakota rather than your precious Washington State. Plus, the registration is more then the fine so you might want to consider the cost before you worry about this particularly silly problem.

Jerry@Ajijic

Aug 28, 2004, 7:27 PM

Post #5 of 33 (2891 views)

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Re: [johanson] License Plates

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Pete, I am not sure that they will mail the plates to Mexico. The person I know who got his this way used a MBE Texas address. You can tell them you are in Mexico right now and see what they say. Bubba, the know it all doesn´t think that keeping a current license plate is necessary. To us the cost is nothing as contrasted to the POSSIBLE cost in case, of an accident, of your insurance company or the Mexican government somehow hold this expired tag against you.

johnv

Aug 28, 2004, 7:32 PM

Post #6 of 33 (2892 views)

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Re: [Jerry@Ajijic] License Plates

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What do you do to get the SD Driver's license to go with your registration and plates? How is the title handled? You are saying that insurance is not required, but what if you want to drive in the states and would like to have insurance?

Jerry@Ajijic

Aug 28, 2004, 7:52 PM

Post #7 of 33 (2885 views)

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Re: [johnv] License Plates

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You would mail your title in and get a SD one. If you want to drive in the states sometime just get a short term ins policy.

ignacio

Oct 6, 2004, 10:38 AM

Post #8 of 33 (2738 views)

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Re: [Jerry@Ajijic] License Plates

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A question regarding these South Dakota plates, that I don't believe was answered, what about the registration (title) of the vehicle, does one need to register the car in SD as well (how much?) or do they issue the plates with an out of state vehicle registration (a previous append said to mail in one's title to SD and wait for a new one from them) ?

Is there someone that has actually done this ?

Also, from reading the posts, I am assuming that the SD plates need to be mailed to an address in the USA, is this correct ?

Thanks in advance for the info.

Ignacio (happily retired in Boca del Rio, Veracruz)

(This post was edited by ignacio on Oct 6, 2004, 10:42 AM)

ignacio

Oct 6, 2004, 10:46 AM

Post #9 of 33 (2735 views)

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Re: [ignacio] License Plates

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One more option that I have not seen mentioned, in California they offer a 'Planned Non-Operation (PNO) registration, with a payment of $15.00, does anyone know what it is that one gets for that money ?

Would it give a document that would stand the scrutiny of a gendarme if one gets stopped for any reason ?

Would insurance be void with this PNO ?

Ignacio

Bubba

Oct 6, 2004, 10:59 AM

Post #10 of 33 (2727 views)

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Re: [ignacio] License Plates

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We had to get PNO for the harvest gondolas and tractors we did not use on the road every year .
Brigitte

Bubba

Oct 6, 2004, 1:34 PM

Post #11 of 33 (2695 views)

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Re: [Bubba] License Plates

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That was Bubba's darlin' wife implying that he is some kind of hayseed needing a "gondola" registration. She's talking about driving these farm vehicles among the vineyards of the Napa Valley.We did, however look into these things.

The California PNO registration is not valid for driving upon the public roads.

South Dakota will mail your tags to you but I would get a MBE U.S, address.
If you have that MBE address in Laredo, you can register your car in that county, no problem, as long as you have a 30 day Texas liability policy and a so-called "Green Sheet" safety inspection. For the last two things you need to drive up to Laredo, a true hell hole but with every junk food franchise on the planet. Maybe you should plan on registering your car and having heart bypass surgery while you are there after downing three staright WattaBurgers with cheese. Two birds with one stone. Keep in mind, however, that Laredo ain't Guadalajara and your surgeon is probably a graduate of the Dr. Phil South Texas State Correspondence School of Heart Surgery and Chiropracty. But at least you will be getting drugs manufactured in the USofA.

The South Dakota folks are real laid back about this. They don't care whether you live in Pierre or Mozambique. They don't really care if you are even alive if your money is negotiable. They will want to transfer title to SD and, if you have been in an accident with damage in excess of $5,000US, that will appear on your new title.

Do you really want to send your state title documents to Pierre and have the new SD title documents mailed to you in Mexico?

The insurance companies in Mexico do not care in the least whether or not your U.S. plated vehicle has current registration of any kind. This does not effect your insurability in any way whatsoever.

Also, the chances of your getting a ticket for expired registration are:

(1) Zero.
(2) Subject to the traffic cop's need for lunch money and coincidental opportunity. So give the poor bastard a little bite if he pulls you over. He probably has seven kids at home and an outstanding bet on yesterday's dog fight. Don't be so cheap!

(This post was edited by Bubba on Oct 6, 2004, 1:44 PM)

Jerry@Ajijic

Oct 7, 2004, 6:47 AM

Post #12 of 33 (2630 views)

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Re: [Bubba] License Plates

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Bubba I would not completely agree that "The insurance companies in Mexico do not care in the least whether or not your U.S. plated vehicle has current registration of any kind. This does not effect your insurability in any way whatsoever". Insurance companies do not like to pay off. They will sometimes use any excuse to not pay. A friend had his car stolen from in front of his house. He had witnesses, police reports,original title, etc. The Ins. co. did not want to pay as he "did not have his border crossing car papers". He got his money after going to court.

Bubba

Oct 7, 2004, 8:10 AM

Post #13 of 33 (2614 views)

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Re: [Jerry@Ajijic] License Plates

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Jerry:

I wouldn't trust an insurance company if I had current license plates issued by Jesus Christ Himself.

El Gringo Nuevo

Oct 7, 2004, 11:21 AM

Post #14 of 33 (2595 views)

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Re: [Bubba] License Plates

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Bubba, since you're an ex-banker and I'm an ex-realtor, shall we include or exclude our professions in your view of insurance companies??

Bubba

Oct 7, 2004, 12:05 PM

Post #15 of 33 (2577 views)

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Re: [El Gringo Nuevo] License Plates

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I know this thread is about license plates but you posed a question that demands a response.

I for one think that bankers and real estate agents are among the most honorable of professions right up there with politicians. El Gringo, think of our important symbiotic relationship. You talk people into buying a home for which they are not qualified, I lend them the money they cannot afford to borrow to help them buy the home and when I foreclose, you have another sale and I have another loan. We can turn those properties and points forever. Too bad we didn't meet earlier.

And, the politicians came up with the wonderful secondary housing agencies so that we could skim off the points, sell of the term debt and have more money to lend your next clients who could then buy houses they shouldn't be buying and obscenely run up the cost of housing and, thus, your commissions and my points.

There is a God, after all.

Jerry@Ajijic

Oct 7, 2004, 1:43 PM

Post #16 of 33 (2562 views)

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Re: [Bubba] License Plates

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I was a honest banker which is why I am down here living in a mud hut and eating beans 3 times a day.

ignacio

Oct 9, 2004, 9:36 AM

Post #17 of 33 (2468 views)

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Re: [Jerry@Ajijic] License Plates

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Thanks for all your very informative replies !

I have a diesel car, registered and with current lic. plates from California, where I retired from.

I do still have a mailing address in Calif. at my daughters home, so receiving the plates and title from SD there is no problem. From Calif. I usually have things of value send via DHL to Veracruz, since most other modes of transport are not reliable here.

I guess my main concern is the mailing in of the title to SD, do they require the original, or can one send a copy (I don't want to part with the original from my grubby little hands).

The problem with keeping up with the Calif. plates (now going on the 5th year) is that I need to continue to pay for the expensive US car insurance in Calif., to be able to renew. The smog check is not a problem, since diesels are exempt from having to have the certificate.

Ignacio

esperanza

Oct 9, 2004, 11:39 AM

Post #18 of 33 (2453 views)

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Re: [ignacio] License Plates

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Hmmm...back in the days when I kept my car registered in California, I bought a 30-day US insurance policy just prior to renewal and they took that without a question. This was five or so years ago and the rules may have changed, but they only cared that the insurance was in force at the time of renewal--it didn't seem to matter that it would quickly expire.

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

Jerry@Ajijic

Oct 9, 2004, 11:40 AM

Post #19 of 33 (2452 views)

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Re: [ignacio] License Plates

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I do not know if you have to send your original title. Just call the county tax office at the number in my earlier post and ask them.

johnv

Oct 11, 2004, 4:10 PM

Post #20 of 33 (2350 views)

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Re: [Jerry@Ajijic] License Plates

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I have thought of another complication concerning South Dakota plates, besides not having a South Dakota driver's license to go with the plates. Once you have received the plates in Mexico, by whatever means, your Mexican Temporary Importation paperwork will not agree with the change to your state registration. (your Mexican car papers will have the wrong state and plate number) As far as I know that would require a trip to the border to obtain new car papers. A South Dakota driver's license involves a trip to South Dakota to establish an adress and take the driver's test.

Jerry@Ajijic

Oct 12, 2004, 6:40 AM

Post #21 of 33 (2322 views)

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Re: [johnv] License Plates

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You do not have to have a SD drivers license.

Jerry@Ajijic

Oct 12, 2004, 6:42 AM

Post #22 of 33 (2322 views)

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Re: [johnv] License Plates

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People get new tags from their home state every year and just put them on their car. They do not have to go back to the border.

johnv

Oct 12, 2004, 7:07 AM

Post #23 of 33 (2316 views)

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Re: [Jerry@Ajijic] License Plates

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I absolutely guarantee that if you get pulled over by the Federal de Caminos and your plates don't match what's printed on the Temporary Importacion papers, that there will be some kind of problem, delay, or hassle, at the least. One of the main reasons for having current plates is to be able to drive in the US. Personally, I, and problably many others, currently have Texas plates. Texas, being the closest state, is the state that many would most likely be driving in or through. If pulled over in Texas with South Dakota plates and Texas Driver's license, there will be a problem, especially if you have had these plates for several years and are still driving around with your Texas license. Also, there is the possibility, of questions when attempting to purchase US insurance for US visits. To obtain South Dakota plates solely because of the notion that your Mexican Insurance will be invalid is hogwash.

alex .

Oct 12, 2004, 8:05 AM

Post #24 of 33 (2305 views)

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Re: [johnv] yep, everything should match

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circulacion, placas, importacion, licencia. Finding an inconsistency can make for a bad day.
Alex

Bubba

Oct 12, 2004, 9:13 AM

Post #25 of 33 (2279 views)

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Re: [Jerry@Ajijic] License Plates

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Jerry:

It is good that people from certain states get new tags every year but if one is from California, it ain't gonna happen very many times unless one drives to the state and gets a smog certificate from a licensed California smog inspection station. One also needs a California address to get those stickers.

I have been stopped a couple of times around Monterrey by the federales who wanted to check the validity of my Mexicn importation papers. Both times with expired California plates. No problem whatsoever.

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