The Tax Exemption Office can grant courtesy number plates to foreign Missions when they have purchased a car in Argentina or imported a car without the exemption of taxes or duties. In all cases, the car in question must be registered, in the name of the Mission, in the DNRPA - National Directorate of Automotive Property Registry.
The total quantity of Number Plates that the Tax Exemption Office can issue per foreign Mission, consists of:
- Those issued to national cars purchased with the benefit of Law N°19.486
- Those issued to imported cars within the framework of Decree N°25/70
- Those issued to cars with Courtesy Number Plates
This shall not exceed a reasonable quantity according to the necessities of the Mission. For this purpose, the total quantity of number plates is the sum of all the diplomatic and consular Missions of the foreign country throughout Argentina, but it does not include cars that have been authorized as temporary for security reasons.
A reasonable quantity of Number Plates per foreign Mission is considered to be a minimum of (3), up to a maximum of the total quantity of diplomats of the foreign Mission who are accredited before Argentina through the National Protocol Department of the Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Granting Courtesy Number Plates is strictly subject to the principle of reciprocity. The requesting State must grant at least equal benefits to the Argentine Mission and its members.
Authorization to drive these cars may be granted only to civil servants who are accredited in Argentina through the National Protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and to local employees officially registered before the National Protocol Department.
Courtesy Number Plates do not exempt the foreign Mission from the possibility of having to pay the relevant provincial or municipal taxes, depending on the jurisdiction involved.
Procedure
1. Note of the Mission: This must be requested through a note, signed by the Chief of Mission (or legal surrogate) and bearing his full name and position within the Mission.
3. Vehicle Technical Inspection: This inspection (different from the inspection carried out in the DNRPA) must be carried out on used cars registered in provinces where this Technical Inspection is required. For new cars, this Inspection is not required.
4. NON-CERTIFIED COPY of the Driving License of each of the drivers, issued by a competent Argentine authority. A maximum of FIVE (5) authorized drivers is allowed.
5. COPY CERTIFIED by the Chief of Mission, of the document, issued by the relevant office, certifying that the authorized driver has no record of traffic violations.
6. COPY of the Property Title Certified by the Chief of Mission (or legal surrogate) issued to the Representation by the DNRPA, for applications filed within (6) from the issuing date of the title.
Otherwise, an ORIGINAL updated certificate of vehicle ownership issued to the Mission by the DNRPA. (DNRPA: National Directorate of Automotive Property Registry)
7. NON-CERTIFIED COPY of annual valid insurance policy. Law 24.449 requires that every vehicle in Argentina to be covered by this type of policy
- ID windshield sticker: The Number Plate will be delivered together with an ID windshield sticker. The validity of this ID windshield sticker expires annually and no later than December 31st, renewal must be requested (30) days before its due date. When renewing the ID windshield sticker, it will be requested a copy of the annual valid insurance policy, as required by Law 24.449.
- Number Plates may be collected only by personnel registered before the National Protocol Department upon presentation of a personal identification document (passport, diplomatic ID card, etc.).