Baja Border Crossings Information

Before embarking on your trip to Baja, please review the information below about crossing the U.S. - Mexico border, and the essential items you need to bring with you to Mexico.

What You Need to Drive Across the Mexican Border

The 6 Official Baja Mexico - U.S. Border Crossings

  1. San Ysidro/Tijuana - 24 hours daily
  2. Otay Mesa - 24 hours daily
  3. Tecate - 5 AM to 11 PM daily
  4. Calexico East - 6 AM to Midnight daily
  5. West/Mexicali - 24 hours daily
  6. Los Algodones - 6 AM to 10 PM daily

Check border crossing wait times to the USA.

Of the six border crossings, Tijuana is the largest and busiest, with waits that can last up to two hours. However, even the other border crossings have lines during morning and afternoon commute hours and during weekends.

San Diego’s Mexican Consulate General is located at 1549 India St., San Diego, CA 92101. U.S. telephone number: 619-231-8414. Website: www.consulmexsd.org. Hours: 8 AM to 1:30 PM Mon. to Fri.

The Consulate is 30 to 45 minutes by car from the Tijuana border crossing. It can help with visa processing, special import permits, immigration problems and any questions you may have concerning Mexican customs regulations.

Your trip to Baja, Mexico will be a lot safer if you have a navigator who will read the directions to the driver, or use a GPS device.

It is also important to remember that these are ESSENTIAL ITEMS to bring with you when you go into Baja:

Proof of Citizenship

Since January 2008, passports have been required at border crossings. You also need to bring a picture ID (e.g. driver’s license, a pictured Social Security ID or a military ID).

For minors travelling alone, travelling with only one parent, or in the custody of someone else – they are required to bring a notarized consent paper from the parent(s).

Vehicle Registration

All types of vehicles entering Mexico are required to have proper registration identification. Off-road vehicles do not require a license plate but they must have official documentation with a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) that matches the VIN on the vehicle. Generally, the VIN of off-road vehicles that are pulled over to be checked, will be verified.

California Baja Rent-A-Car provides proper registration identification for all of our rental cars.

Mexican Tourist Card

If you are from the U.S. or Canada, you do not need a Mexican visa to travel to Mexico as a tourist. You need a Mexican tourist card. The tourist card, formerly known as an FMT, is now called FMM (Forma Migratoria Multiple).

The FMM is required in Baja for U.S. and Canadian visitors who will stay over 72 hours (3 days) or for those travelling beyond Tijuana, Ensenada, and Tecate (basically – anywhere farther than 16 miles from the border).

Mexican tourist cards are not free, except for a 7 day permit. The cost of the Mexican tourist card (FMM) varies according to the value of the Mexican peso, and may go up periodically. The FMM may cost up to $25.

Mexican immigration officials, known as Migracion, will instruct you to pay for your Mexican tourist card at any bank in Mexico, but you can try to pay for it at the immigration office itself.

Mexican Auto Insurance

Mexican law requires your vehicle to have Mexican insurance. Mexico does not accept U.S. insurance. All California Baja Rent-A-Car vehicles have Mexican insurance.