A MOD ITV charge on your credit or debit card statement is a payment to Banjercito, the Mexican government bank that issues temporary vehicle import permits (Importación Temporal de Vehículos, or ITV). It appears when someone uses the card to pay the permit fee and refundable security deposit for driving a foreign-plated vehicle into Mexico, and it also appears as a credit when that deposit is refunded after the permit is surrendered at the border.1Gobierno de México. Sistema de Importación Temporal de Vehículos
What the Descriptor Means
“MOD ITV” is short for “Módulo ITV,” the Banjercito border module where temporary vehicle import permits are processed. Any driver taking a foreign-registered vehicle beyond Mexico’s border zone has to get one of these permits, and when the payment is made by card, Banjercito’s descriptor is what posts to your statement.1Gobierno de México. Sistema de Importación Temporal de Vehículos
The exact string varies. You might see “MOD ITV PTE INT 1 Y 2,” “MOD ITV CHICAGO,” or similar, often with a bank prefix like “POS Debit,” “CHECKCARD,” “PRE-AUTH,” or “PENDING” in front of it.2What’s That Charge. MOD ITV PTE INT 1 Y 23What’s That Charge. MOD ITV Chicago A line reading “POS REFUND MOD ITV” is a credit back to your card rather than a debit.
What the Charge Should Add Up To
A legitimate permit involves two amounts, both billed in U.S. dollars:
- An administrative fee of $51 USD plus Mexican value-added tax at a border module or consulate, or $45 USD plus tax if the permit was arranged online in advance.4Gobierno de México. What Is Needed to Process a Permit
- A refundable security deposit tied to the vehicle’s model year: $400 for 2007 and newer, $300 for 2001 through 2006, and $200 for 2000 and older.1Gobierno de México. Sistema de Importación Temporal de Vehículos
The two can post as one combined charge or as two separate lines. A driver with a newer vehicle paying at the border lands around $451 plus tax, so a MOD ITV charge somewhere between roughly $200 and $500 is consistent with the permit system.
Why a Refund Might Show Up Later
When a driver surrenders the permit at a Banjercito module on the way out of Mexico, the security deposit is refunded to the same card used to pay it.1Gobierno de México. Sistema de Importación Temporal de Vehículos The credit can take days or weeks to post,5Mexperience. Temporary Import Permit for Vehicles in Mexico which is why a “POS REFUND MOD ITV” line sometimes appears well after the trip. The refunded amount should match one of the deposit tiers: $200, $300, or $400.
If the permit was never cancelled and the vehicle didn’t leave Mexico before the permit expired, the deposit is forfeited to Mexico’s Federal Treasury and no refund is issued.6Consulate General of Mexico in Montreal. Travelling to Mexico by Land
If No One on the Card Went to Mexico
Before disputing, check with anyone else authorized on the account. The permit has to be paid with a card issued outside Mexico and held in the name of the person applying, so the charge should trace to someone who was physically at the border or a Mexican consulate with the card in hand.4Gobierno de México. What Is Needed to Process a Permit
If no one on your account traveled, contact your card issuer. Under the Fair Credit Billing Act, liability for unauthorized credit card charges is capped at $50, and many issuers go further with zero-liability policies. You generally have 60 days from the date of the statement showing the charge to send a written dispute, and the issuer cannot report the disputed amount as delinquent or try to collect on it while the investigation is open.7Federal Trade Commission. Using Credit Cards and Disputing Charges Debit card protections work differently and depend on how quickly you report the problem, so call your bank promptly if the charge hit a checking account.