How to Ship Freight to Mexico

How to Ship Freight to Mexico

Cross-border shipping to Mexico can be troublesome to those who are not familiar with traffic out there. You should always keep in mind Mexican traffic specifics when negotiating rates. Also, there is a law that restricts US truckers from going further than 26 km into Mexico. So think about transloading shipments to a local carrier or warehouse. Although, this restriction doesn’t apply to intermodal rail freight.

To be able to perform cross-border shipping, you will need to obtain several documents:

• Bill of Lading
• Cargo Control Number
• Commercial Invoice
• Export License
• Import / Export form
• NAFTA Certificate of Origin
• Other possibly required documents: freight invoice, letter of instructions (la carta de instrucciones), packing slip, material safety data sheet, inward cargo manifest, etc.

On top of all restrictions and requirements, Mexico doesn’t allow foreign importers of record. Each of them must be a legal Mexican authority, have active registration of an importer, and be verified with a specific broker from Mexico.

How Much Does it Cost to Shipping Freight to Mexico

There are no fixed rates for cross-border transportation to Mexico as the shipping cost always depends on several factors that always change. These factors are:

• Freight origin and destination
• Freight class
• Required transportation service
• Freight volumes
• Handling
• Overall freight value

Also, add some fees and taxes that in most cases are paid by the customer, or already included in the rates.

Cheapest Way to Ship Freight to Mexico

If you want to find a cheap way to safely ship your freight to Mexico, you won’t find it because there is none. However, you can minimize your spendings by cooperating with good carriers or freight forwarding companies.

The most common mistake people make when shipping cross-border to Mexico is neglecting to prepare all the required documents. Then your freight gets delayed, you lose time and money or even get fined.