CDMX, Edomex, Morelos to Standardize Vehicle Procedures

The Mexico City (CDMX) government, in collaboration with the State of Mexico (Edomex) and Morelos, is working to standardize vehicle-related procedures and taxes as part of a broader metropolitan mobility plan. This initiative aims to address resource leakage, particularly the payment of vehicle ownership taxes (tenencia) in other states, while streamlining vehicle registration, licensing, and verification processes.

"What are advancing an agenda on vehicle control and related processes, including licensing, circulation permits, and other services," said Héctor García, Head, Ministry of Mobility (SEMOVI) for CDMX. He emphasized the importance of coordination among local and state authorities to improve traffic-related services and enhance efficiency across the region.

The need for integrated management is underscored by the significant volume of inter-city travel, with approximately 7 million trips between CDMX and neighboring states occurring daily. García highlighted the necessity of unified efforts to regulate and simplify vehicle-related services across the metropolitan area.

A key focus of this agenda is the harmonization of vehicle ownership tax (tenencia) policies. Discrepancies in tax rates and collection methods between jurisdictions have long been a challenge. “We are working to establish metropolitan-level agreements on revenue collection and standardized fees across states,” explained Clara Brugada, Head of Government, CDMX.

Recent data reflects growing compliance with tenencia obligations. From January to September, the government collected MX$4.22 billion (US$204.51 million) in tenencia taxes, a slight increase from the previous year. This growth was driven in part by a 6.4% rise in contributors paying the tax, according to the Ministry of Finance.  

As part of the mobility plan, SEMOVI has also introduced a permanent driver’s license program, allowing residents of neighboring states who work or study in CDMX to obtain a license without requiring residency in the capital. Since its launch on Nov. 16, the program has issued 39,000 permanent licenses, with demand remaining high. García reported that 40,000 appointments have already been scheduled for the coming months.

Another element of the unified framework involves standardizing vehicle emissions checks. The verification process will now adhere to metropolitan guidelines to ensure consistent environmental compliance across the region. This measure aims to prevent irregular practices, such as obtaining verification certificates in states with laxer emissions standards.