The Vehicle Recovery Unit in Tijuana assists U.S. citizens recover their vehicles stolen in the United States and recovered in Mexico. The Consulate General in Tijuana serves as a liaison between the Mexican authorities and U.S. citizens and/or their insurance carriers.
If your vehicle was stolen in the United States and you were informed it was found in Mexico, please send the following information about your vehicle to mexcarrecovery@state.gov:
- Vehicle Make
- Vehicle Model
- Vehicle Year
- VIN (vehicle identification number)
- Date stolen report was filed
- Contacting agency (did you hear about your vehicle from law enforcement or an insurance company?)
- Location of the vehicle
- Your name and contact information
If your vehicle was stolen during your visit to Mexico, please immediately report the theft by calling 911. You must then immediately visit a District Attorney’s office to obtain a police report. You may follow up on this report through the Office of Stolen Vehicles of the Baja California State Attorney General known as PGJE (The PGJE is the Mexican institution responsible for crime investigation and prosecution at a federal level), PGJE contact information is available at https://www.pgjebc.gob.mx/unidades-rv/. The U.S. Consulate General in Tijuana does not have any official role in the recovery of vehicles stolen inside Mexico. We recommend having at your disposal the following documentation with official translation into Spanish:
- Vehicle Title
- Valid vehicle registration
- Valid driver license or identification
- Your name and contact information
- A full list of Official Translators can be found here (PDF)
If your vehicle was seized by Mexican law enforcement within 30 miles of the Mexico-United States border or in Baja California, you will need to contact officials in the city where your vehicle was seized and follow their instructions. The U.S. Consulate General in Tijuana does not have any official role in the recovery of vehicles seized by Mexican law enforcement.
If your vehicle was towed (for parking in a red zone, for example), you will need to contact the Municipal Police in the relevant municipality.
If your vehicle was seized by the police for being used in a crime or as a party to an accident, you should contact the District Attorney’s office.
Typically, when dealing with local officials, you will need to present original and Spanish translations of the following documents:
- Valid vehicle registration
- Valid driver license
- Valid license plate number
- Your name and contact information
- A full list of Official Translators can be found here (PDF)
In addition, you will often be required to pay fines connected with the seizure and storage fees. Storage fees generally run about $7-10 a day. Other penalties will vary.
Only registered owners or individuals with a power of attorney from the registered owner may recover a vehicle held by Mexican law enforcement. Typically, vehicles must be recovered within 45 days of seizure.
If your vehicle was seized more than 30 miles from the Mexican-United States border and not in Baja California, you may want to consider hiring local legal assistance to help you in recovering your vehicle. The U.S. Consulate General in Tijuana does not have any official role in the recovery of vehicles seized by Mexican law enforcement. A list of lawyers can be found here.
If your vehicle was seized by Mexican Customs authorities, please follow the instructions provided by that authority to reclaim your vehicle. The U.S. Consulate General in Tijuana does not have any official role in the recovery of vehicles seized by Mexican Customs. You may wish to secure legal assistance. A list of lawyers can be found here.
Other inquiries may be sent to mexcarrecovery@state.gov along with the following required information:
- Vehicle Make
- Vehicle Model
- Vehicle YearVIN (vehicle identification number)
- Your name and contact information