Definition
REPUVE
Mexico’s public vehicle registry for checking the legal status of a vehicle before buying.
Read the guideMexico used-car glossary
Understand the terms before you buy
Short, practical definitions for the paperwork and legal checks that come up when buying a used car in Mexico.
Definition
VIN / NIV
The unique vehicle identification number used to match the car, documents, and legal-status checks.
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Original invoice
The ownership document that helps prove where the vehicle came from and how it changed hands.
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Re-invoice
A later invoice commonly used when a company or dealer transfers ownership of a vehicle.
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Endorsement
A transfer note on eligible paper invoices that helps document ownership changes.
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Registration card
The circulation document that should align with the vehicle, plate, owner records, and local requirements.
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Vehicle debt (adeudo vehicular)
Unpaid charges tied to the car — tenencia, renewal fees, or fines — that can transfer to the new owner if left unchecked.
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Tenencia (ownership tax)
A yearly state tax on vehicle ownership; unpaid years become debts the buyer inherits.
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Carta responsiva (transfer letter)
A signed sale document that records the handover of the car and separates each party’s responsibility.
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Emissions check (verificación)
A mandatory periodic emissions inspection in several states; overdue periods generate fines and complicate paperwork.
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Odometer rollback
An odometer manipulated to show less use than real; one of the most common used-car scams.
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Total loss (pérdida total)
A vehicle an insurer declared uneconomical to repair; it can return to the market rebuilt.
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Plate deregistration (baja de placas)
The procedure that cancels the car’s state registration, needed to re-plate in another state and close out liability.
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Re-stamped VIN (NIV remarcado)
A serial number re-engraved to hide the vehicle’s original identity, typical of stolen or cloned cars.
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