Resources
Driving into Mexico: what you need before you cross
Documents, insurance, the crossing, money and phone — in the order you'll need them, with the official source for each.
Most border-day problems come from something that should have been sorted at home: a missing vehicle permit, insurance bought in a hurry at the bridge, an FMM nobody stamped. This list covers each step, and links to the government source wherever one exists. Some items are partner services we may earn a commission on; they sit alongside the free ones, not ahead of them.
1. Documents
Sort these before anything else. Every one of them is free to look up, and most of them cannot be fixed at the border if you arrive without them.
Passport book or passport card
The passport card is valid for land and sea crossings, not for international flights. Check expiry dates for everyone in the car.
FMM tourist permit (INM)
Mexico's immigration form, issued by the Instituto Nacional de Migración. By land you fill it in online, print it, and have it stamped at the INM office at the crossing. INM sets who needs one and what it costs.
Temporary vehicle import permit (TIP) — Banjercito
Required to drive a foreign-plated vehicle beyond the zones where vehicles circulate freely. Apply online in advance or at the Banjercito module at the border. It carries a refundable deposit that depends on the vehicle's age, and you must return the permit at a Banjercito module when you leave, or the deposit is not refunded.
Sonora free zone and the Sólo Sonora permit
Northwest Sonora is a free circulation zone for foreign vehicles. Driving into the rest of the state takes the Sólo Sonora permit, valid for 180 days, from the Sonora state government.
Licence and vehicle ownership papers
Your driver's licence plus the title or current registration in your name. Banjercito asks for the original and a photocopy of each.
2. Insurance
US and Canadian auto policies do not provide the liability cover Mexico requires, and US health plans rarely pay for care abroad. Buy both before you leave, when you have time to compare.
Mexican auto insurance — Baja Bound
Liability is the legal minimum; full coverage adds collision, theft and roadside. Quote online and print the policy or save it offline.
How Mexican auto insurance works
Coverage levels, Baja-only versus nationwide territory, and what a one-day or weekend policy costs.
Travel medical — IMG Global
Short-term medical cover for the trip, for travelers whose home plan does not pay abroad.
Medical evacuation — TME
Pays for transport to a hospital that can treat you, including back home. Travel medical alone usually does not.
3. The crossing
Southbound is usually quick. The wait that matters is the return north, and that is where the trusted-traveler programs pay off.
SENTRI and Global Entry (CBP)
US Customs and Border Protection's trusted-traveler programs. Compare which fits how you cross and apply on the official site — not through a third-party service that charges a fee.
Live border wait times (CBP)
Current northbound wait by port and lane type, published by CBP.
The best time to cross from Tijuana to San Diego
Day-by-day and hour-by-hour patterns for San Ysidro and Otay Mesa.
Using the West SENTRI lanes at San Ysidro
How the newer SENTRI lanes work and where to approach them.
4. Money and tolls
Pay in pesos. Mexico's federal toll roads (cuotas) are run by CAPUFE, which publishes the tariffs; carry peso cash for toll booths.
5. Phone and data
Check whether your home plan includes Mexico before you go. If it does not, an eSIM set up before you cross means maps and messages work from the first kilometre.
If something goes wrong
Mexico's emergency number is 911. Save these before you lose signal.
Ángeles Verdes — 078
The tourism ministry's highway assistance service: mechanical help on federal highways and tourist information. The call and the labour are free; parts and fuel are not.
US consulates in Mexico
Addresses and emergency contacts for every US consulate.
STEP enrollment (US State Department)
Register the trip so the nearest embassy can reach you in an emergency.
Coming home
Return the vehicle permit if you had one, and know what US Customs will ask about on the way north.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a vehicle permit to drive into Mexico?
It depends on where you drive. Northwest Sonora is a free circulation zone, and the rest of Sonora takes the Sólo Sonora permit. Beyond the zones where foreign vehicles circulate freely you need a temporary import permit from Banjercito, which you must return when you leave.
Does my US auto insurance cover me in Mexico?
Not for the liability cover Mexico requires. You need a policy from a Mexican insurer, which you can buy online before you leave.
Where do I get the FMM tourist permit?
From Mexico's immigration institute, INM. By land you complete it online, print it, and have it stamped at the INM office at the crossing.
Who do I call if my car breaks down on a Mexican highway?
Ángeles Verdes on 078, the tourism ministry's free highway assistance service. For emergencies, call 911.
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