sakfogel
Nov 11, 2009, 8:03 AM
Post #2 of 4
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Re: [robt65] Garage Sale Reciepts!?!?!?!?!
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If you have an FM2, how long have you been in Mexico? There is a time limit on the one time importation.
I have never heard of a dollar amount limit.
Here is the right way to handle your initial shipment of household goods.
If this is your first shipment of household goods and you have your FM2 or 3 then you can bring in the entire contents of your house, legally and without import tax.
However there are rules to follow:
1. You must have a "Maneje de Casa"
this is an inventory of all of the items you are bringing
2.All items must be listed in Spanish and English
3.All serial numbers of items that have them must be listed
4.You must visit the Mexican consulate in your town, they will certify your inventory.
5.You must use a customs broker/trucker to bring your goods in
6. The trucker needs to be licensed on both sides of the border or your goods will have to be re-loaded. This is for the FM2 or 3 shipment.
Subsequent shipments:
When we did this many years ago, the trucker came to our door in California, we hired five men, to load the truck, the driver would not do this. They were Mexican day laborers, we paid them $50 each. When the truck arrived in La Paz, our gardener arranged for five of his buddies to help unload, it cost $500 pesos split 5 ways!
Over the years we have driven UHauls across the border full of the goodies we purchased in California, showed our list of items and the receipts. The Mexican customs worker chose one or two items, calculated a small fee, we paid, pushed the button got the green light EVERY time and were off. We off-loaded the goods at a trucker in Tijuana, and drove the UHaul back, got on a plane and flew to La Paz. The trucker handled the drive down the Baja, all the checkpoints and delivered the goods to our door.
I have never heard of garage sale receipts. If you are buying goods to bring to MX at a garage sale, bring along a receipt book from a stationary store and have the seller fill it out. Tell them why, so they don't think they will be taxed on the sale later.
Although the Mexican custom officials have the right to open every box and search it, they usually do just what I described, take a quick look in your trailer, look at your list, choose a few items and calculate a tax on that.
Be pleasant, be prepared with your receipts and inventory and most likely you will sail through without a problem.
Remember there are rules about that initial duty free shipment, and you must follow them.
If you are in doubt, check with your local Mexican consulate.
You don't want to pay fines, or worse have your goods confiscated.
My mantra for living in Mexico: Do it right the first time, pay a little now, or pay big time later.
Susan Fogel
On the beach in La Paz
Author of Margarita Mind Series of Books about Mexico
Book #1 now available: www.MargaritaMind.com
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