Overland Mexico Travel
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Contents
At the border
Correct as of: November 2010
Required Paperwork
The border with the United States of America and Mexico has a zone where you can drive your car without doing any of the paperwork listed below. This zone usually extends about 20km South, and includes all of Baja California. If you plan to go further into Mexico, you will have to complete the paperwork listed here.
- Passport of registered owner (original and 1 copy).
- Vehicle registration (original and 1 copy).
- Drivers license of registered owner (original and 1 copy).
- Mexico Tourist Card you received when you crossed the border, or crossed outside the special zone mentioned above (original and 1 copy)
Process at border
- The owner of the vehicle gains entry at immigration (migración), including a stamp in their Passport and a Mexico Tourist Card (depending on which border you cross at, you may get this at the actual border, then proceed further until you are required to complete paperwork for the vehcile).
- The owner must show the new passport stamp and tourist card, drivers license and the original vehicle registration to customs (aduana).
- The owner is issued a temporary import permit for the vehicle.
Important: only the registered owner of the vehicle or spouse are allowed to drive the vehicle. If somebody else gets caught driving the vehicle, consider it donated to customs.
NOTE: You may encounter locals offering to help you with paperwork to get across the border. See Border Crossing Helpers for advice.
Cost of entry
- $262.00 MXN per person for the tourist card.
- $30.00 USD for the vehicle permit.
Permitted length of stay
Unlimited
Extension of stay
See below, as long as the owner / driver is legally in Mexico, so is the vehicle. If it is parked and nobody drives it, it's still legal. There is no expiration date for the temporary import of the vehicle, so there is also no extension.
Storing a vehicle and temporarily leaving the country
The vehicle can stay as long as the owner and driver are legal in the country. If you park your car, leave the country and come back with a new tourist visa, you're free to drive on with your vehicle. There is no time limit for the vehicle to stay in the country.
Exiting with a vehicle
- The registered owner presents the temporary import paper to customs.
- The registered owner is stamped out of Mexico at immigration.
NOTE: When leaving the country, you may be asked by immigration to pay a fee - this is bribery and you should not pay anything without getting an official receipt.
Overland Essentials
Vehicle Insurance
Insurance requirements
Insurance is mandatory in Mexico, and you will have problems with the Police if you don't purchase it. You can buy it at the border, or many companies exist online that piggy-back on your insurance from the United States of America
Cost of insurance
$135.00 USD for six months for a 4x4 from Mexico Auto Insurance.
Where to purchase insurance
At the border, or online where there are many options.
Driving license
A license from anywhere in the world appears to be enough.
Driving side of road
Right.
Right hand drive vehicles are permitted without problem.
Mandatory items in vehicle
None.
Roads
General Road quality
Roads in Mexico vary greatly from very good toll roads, to horrendous gravel roads.
Road signs
Road signs are common enough, and are generally good enough to rely on.
Toll roads
Mexico has an ever-increasing network of very good quality toll roads, mostly in the North, and near major population centers. They are very expensive. Expect to pay around $10.00 USD every 50km.
Bribery
Police bribery is very common in Mexico, and you will probably encounter it at some point. See the bribery tips page for advice.
Checkpoints
Police checkpoints are very common in Mexico, especially in the North near the United States of America. There are two kinds:
- Military checkpoints: Where they are primarily concerned with the transport of illegal items. They may ask to see your Passport, and may perform and inspection of your vehicle.
- Police checkpoints: Here you will be asked to show your Passport, Vehicle registration, drivers license, the temporary import permit you were issued at the border and maybe your insurance. Depending on the circumstances, you may encounter bribery at these stops.
Traveling with pets
Unknown.
List the entry requirements and anything else required to travel with a pet.
Gasoline Petrol Diesel
Last updated: November 2009
Price
Currency and unit to display:
| Gasoline Grade | Price |
|---|---|
| Regular | $7.40 MXN per Liter [1] |
| Super (90) | €0.90 EUR per Liter [2] (from 2011) |
| Premium (95) | ?? |
| Ultra (97) | ?? |
| Normal Diesel | $0.60 USD per Liter[3] |
| Diesel (low sulfur) | ?? |
Gasoline Availability / Frequency
Gasoline is common, typically not more than around 200km from station to station.
Gasoline Quality
Accepted to be generally good quality. Sulfur content of diesel is unknown.
External information about gasoline
- Price Information: International Gas / Petrol / Diesel prices - Mexico
Safety and Security Considerations
Driving at night
Driving at night is not recommended.
- Homemade speed bumps (called topes) are extremely hard to see, very common, and almost always very severe. Hitting one in the dark at 80km/h is likely.
- Poor road quality means potholes, washouts and other hazards are common.
- Dangerous driving such as tailgating, overtaking around blind corners and excessive speeding are common.
- There can be many objects on and around the road that are nearly impossible to see at night, such as livestock, people, slow moving carts, cars with no lights, etc.
Vehicle parking
Parking on the street during the day is usually OK. Find a secure parking lot overnight and in big cities. Price unknown.
Special driving considerations
For people driving South through the Americas, Mexico is their first introduction to driving and road conditions in Latin America. See Pan American Highway Driving Considerations for general advice.
Security advisories and information
- Country Specific Information - U.S. Department of State
- Travel Reports and Warnings - Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
- Travel advice by country - Foreign and Commonwealth office (U.K.)
- Travel Advice for Mexico - Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Camping
Camping is popular in Mexico, with both locals and foreigners driving South from United States of America. Roadside camping is difficult due to the high population density, abundant roadside fences and security considerations.
Camping guide books
The [Traveler's Guide to Mexican Camping] is the definitive list of campsites in Mexico. Information includes detailled maps, GPS co-ordinates, and descriptions of campground facilities.
Drinking water
Tap water in Mexico is not safe to drink. Bottled water can be bought, and stores selling purified drinking water are common. A 20 liter container costs around $14.00 MXN to fill.
Paper maps
The Mexico Road Atlas is the road map to have for Mexico. It includes: toll booths and toll fees, places to stay and places to eat, gas stations, auto mechanics, medical services, rest areas, public telephones, border crossings and maps of [Belize] and [Guatemala]. It can be bought at gas stations within Mexico for around $20.00 USD. It is updated yearly, and is in Spanish.
GPS
- Open Street Map: Appears to have good coverage.[4]
- Garmin: Apparently no map of Mexico.
- TomTom: lists coverage as "street network, with detailed coverage of 70 cities". [5]
http://www.gpstravelmaps.com/index.php has maps of Mexico and many more countries. Not complete coverage of all the roads for the maps of Belize and Guatemala I used 2010, but constantly updating.
Directions and GPS co-ordinates for camping, propane, gas, repairs, etc.
- Camping Sites: Mexico - Detailed list of campsites and propane filling with description, directions and GPS co-ordinates. Some at hotels (lists facilities and price), some roadside and free.
- Central America Camping Locations - List of campsites, with basic directions and GPS co-ordinates. Mostly free sites.
Overland Travel Interest
Special Overland interests
Guide Books
Vehicle Maintenance
Dealers
4x4s / Trucks
- Toyota Global Dealer Locator
- Land Rover International Dealer Locator
- Mercedes Benz International (select country on bottom right)
- Jeep International site locator
Motorbikes
Local Garages
Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Antonio Macoteca Cel. 984 801 0645. For engines, transmissions and other mechanical stuff.
Buying and selling vehicles
No limitations, as long as you have a mailing address in Mexico for the registration of the vehicle.
Selling a foreign-plated vehicle
Not a problem, as long as you sell the vehicle to a foreigner. The seller has to go with the buyer to a customs office and take the vehicle out of his documents and the buyer has to import the vehicle with his documents.
References
- ↑ Ensenada to San Carlos | The Road Chose Me
- ↑ International Gas / Petrol / Diesel prices - Mexico
- ↑ fuel price - anybody ? - The HUBB
- ↑ OpenStreetMap Mexico
- ↑ TomTom Map availability
