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Tiffany in Cabos

Dec 31, 2011, 6:45 PM

Post #1 of 16 (2069 views)

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South Dakota Plates for Baja Resident

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I have recently moved from Mexico City to Cabo San Lucas. I had a car permit there and my visa was valid, therefore did not have too much problem with my car. I moved to Cabo San Lucas about a month ago and was recently pulled over by Federal Police. This is when I found out the laws were different here in Baja. I was reading on Rollys site and it looks like I can get my plates in South Dakota. I followed the links he provided but am a little confused about how to go about it, or maybe it is so easy that I can't see it. Rolly sent me here for advice. Is there anyone who has gone through the process that could maybe give me a little more advice on how to go about getting the plates? Any advice you could give would be greatly appreciated!

RickS

Dec 31, 2011, 7:21 PM

Post #2 of 16 (2057 views)

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Re: [Tiffany in Cabos] South Dakota Plates for Baja Resident

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It's pretty easy but you will need an address in the US to which they can send the title/plates. Do you have a relative or friend that could provide this physical address and then get you the plates? If you do, Post back and we'll go from there.

Moisheh

Jan 1, 2012, 6:13 AM

Post #3 of 16 (2038 views)

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Re: [RickS] South Dakota Plates for Baja Resident

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I think your traffic cop does not know the laws. This would be a Federal Reg. and have nothing to do with where you are located. The car permit is issued by the Feds not the state. If you did not have current plates then that has nothing to do with your car permit and visa. That would be a Mexican State reg. As for SD plates I am not totally familiar with the procdure but I thought that for the first registration you must go to SD and establish an address ( motel works) and also get a SD DL. You must return every 5 years to renew your DL. I don't know if you must have proof of insurance to get plates. Many RV'rs who full time use Alternative Resources to get their new tags. Why can't you just use the plates from your home state?

Moisheh

playaboy

Jan 1, 2012, 6:18 AM

Post #4 of 16 (2034 views)

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Re: [Tiffany in Cabos] South Dakota Plates for Baja Resident

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South Dakota Car Registration
Clay County
605-677-7123

They will tell you their process for getting title, registration, and plates.

Good Luck

RickS

Jan 1, 2012, 6:29 AM

Post #5 of 16 (2032 views)

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Re: [Moisheh] South Dakota Plates for Baja Resident

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Moisheh,

One does not have to go to SD to get a vehicle titled and plated there. One does not have to have a SD driver's license nor do the authorities ask about car insurance. IF one wanted to get a SD driver's license, yes, one must go there, stay in a motel (or RV Park) for as little as 1 day and use that address for the driver's license. I don't know the duration of the driver's licenses. None of this should be construed (not saying you did) as SD 'trying to be shady' or that anyone who uses this mechanism to get plates or driver's licenses.... it's just how their laws are set up.

Many full-time RV'ers use SD as their 'home' state.

surebought

Jan 1, 2012, 9:14 AM

Post #6 of 16 (2001 views)

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Re: [Tiffany in Cabos] South Dakota Plates for Baja Resident

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Nearly all the secos and documented Americans in Ensenada have South Dakoda Plates. I hope yuckie doesn't read this. They do it because they don't want to have any connection to California(avoiding triggering residence). They want to lose California Residence. They do it to get around the smog laws, but also California is no longer accepting Buy by the day insurance when the car comes up for renewal. Some people are still slipping through this. For heaven's sakes, be nice to the DMV clerks when you talk to them on the phone. But one guy got caught up in this and I had to listen to his trials and tribulations for six months before he finally got SD plates. A seco is Mexican slang for a un-documented American residing in Mexico. Seco/dry Mojado/wet espalda/back = seco, shortened from Espalda Seco or dry back. They have a much better sense of humor than we do. Soon everyone will register their car this way. You don't have to go there. I drive Mexican Plated cars myself. You get all the advantages of SD plates and you can freely sell the car when you get tired of it for usually what you paid for it. I have done that three times. No auto depreciation here among Mexican Plated Cars. I really do know why they hold their value.

Moisheh

Jan 1, 2012, 2:42 PM

Post #7 of 16 (1967 views)

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Re: [surebought] South Dakota Plates for Baja Resident

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ricks: Sorry I was confused between getting a DL and getting plates. I still do not understand how a SD plate will help the OP. What was wrong with her original plate?

Moisheh

Tiffany in Cabos

Jan 1, 2012, 3:22 PM

Post #8 of 16 (1957 views)

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Re: [Moisheh] South Dakota Plates for Baja Resident

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My original plates have expired, which was fine living in Mexico City because they considered my permit my "registration" and I did not have to worry about keeping my plates valid. Not the case here in Baja where there are a lot of foreign plated cars, they do not care about my import permit, they do not even know what it is, all they are looking for is a valid registration. My plates are from Georgia and they require an emissions test, for this reason I need to look into getting valid plates another way.

Moisheh

Jan 1, 2012, 5:44 PM

Post #9 of 16 (1937 views)

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Re: [Tiffany in Cabos] South Dakota Plates for Baja Resident

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Tiffany: OK now I understand. You will have to pay the 3% sales tax or provide something that shows you paid the tax in your state. If you go to the Escapees web site there are a bunch on that forum that use SD. The other option is to get a Montana LLC. That would cost about $700 but no sales tax. Good Luck.

Moisheh

Rolly

Jan 1, 2012, 6:23 PM

Post #10 of 16 (1925 views)

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Re: [Moisheh] South Dakota Plates for Baja Resident

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Escapees.com is a pay to play site and does not have a search engine.
So before spending a lot of time searching there, take a look at what MXC has to offer via its search.

Rolly Pirate

E-visit me http://Rollybrook.com
On Facebook as Rolly Brook

Moisheh

Jan 2, 2012, 6:04 AM

Post #11 of 16 (1888 views)

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Re: [Rolly] South Dakota Plates for Baja Resident

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Rolly: You may have to register but Escapees is free to use. It is rare to be able to search forums without registering.

Moisheh

RickS

Jan 2, 2012, 7:39 AM

Post #12 of 16 (1870 views)

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Re: [Moisheh] South Dakota Plates for Baja Resident

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In my experience with them, if Tiffany has a current title, SD will not require her to pay a 3% sales tax.

Tiffany in Cabos

Jan 2, 2012, 10:24 AM

Post #13 of 16 (1845 views)

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Re: [RickS] South Dakota Plates for Baja Resident

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Rick: I do have an address I can use in the US.

fordmexico

Jan 8, 2012, 5:59 PM

Post #14 of 16 (1605 views)

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Re: [Tiffany in Cabos] South Dakota Plates for Baja Resident

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Here is a link to an article from the Argus Leader (January 8, 2012), Sioux Falls', SD newspaper. The article details the SD point of view.

"License plates pay off for S.D., all the way from Mexico - State embraces status as haven for registrations"

http://www.argusleader.com/...-all-way-from-Mexico

(This post was edited by Rolly on Jan 8, 2012, 6:41 PM)

sioux4noff

Jan 9, 2012, 9:51 AM

Post #15 of 16 (1541 views)

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Re: [fordmexico] South Dakota Plates for Baja Resident

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The article mentions someone in Mexico who helps people get South Dakota plates, and charges $200 (I imagine that is dollars, not pesos) per person to advise them.
And here all along we've been helping folks for free.

Tiffany in Cabos

Jan 9, 2012, 4:00 PM

Post #16 of 16 (1506 views)

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Re: [sioux4noff] South Dakota Plates for Baja Resident

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Thank you to everyone for your help, Rick S sent me all the info I needed and it was SO easy. I looked at the article too, and I was actually recommended by someone to call that Bob Jankovics. First, he spoke to me as if I was not the sharpest tool in the shed and then told me he would do it, but his fee to start was $2000.00 pesos and in total I would end up paying between $425-$450 DOLLARS. In the end, I spent a total of $32.82 by doing it myself with the help from folks on here. I thank God for this site where we can all help each other and I really appreciate sites like Rolly's as well.