# MexicoTIP > MexicoTIP is an independent, sourced guide to driving a car, RV, motorcycle or boat into Mexico: which vehicle permit you need, what it costs, where to get and cancel it, and what insurance you need. Every fact links to its source and shows the date it was checked. Data last checked: 2026-11-07. Every fact on the site links to its source (Banjercito, SAT/ANAM, Mexican consulates, US State Department; insurer pages are marked secondary). Where sources disagree, every value is shown. Full data: https://mexicotip.com/llms-full.txt ## Reference pages - [TIP fees and deposits](https://mexicotip.com/fees/): Banjercito permit fee and guarantee deposit by model year, with sources - [Free zones](https://mexicotip.com/free-zones/): Baja California peninsula, border strip, Sonora free zone - [Banjercito offices](https://mexicotip.com/offices/): where TIPs are issued and cancelled - [Cancel your TIP](https://mexicotip.com/cancel-tip/): deadlines, what happens if you do not cancel, calendar reminder - [Mexico car insurance](https://mexicotip.com/insurance/): legal requirement and providers, no rankings - [Paisanos](https://mexicotip.com/paisanos/): Héroes Paisanos winter 2026, permits for Mexican nationals - [Spanish version](https://mexicotip.com/es/) ## Which permit do I need? (route × vehicle) ### Baja California only - [Car, pickup or SUV](https://mexicotip.com/permit/baja-only/car/): No vehicle permit needed. Driving a car, pickup or SUV only on the Baja peninsula: insurers say no permit is needed, but no official page fetched confirms it and one 2025 report disagrees for BCS. - [Motorcycle](https://mexicotip.com/permit/baja-only/motorcycle/): No vehicle permit needed. Driving a motorcycle only on the Baja peninsula: insurers say no permit is needed, but no official page fetched confirms it and one 2025 report disagrees for BCS. - [RV or motorhome](https://mexicotip.com/permit/baja-only/rv/): No vehicle permit needed. Driving a motorhome only on the Baja peninsula: insurers say no permit is needed, but no official page fetched confirms it and one 2025 report disagrees for BCS. - [Car towed behind an RV](https://mexicotip.com/permit/baja-only/towed-car/): No vehicle permit needed. Driving a towed car only on the Baja peninsula: insurers say no permit is needed, but no official page fetched confirms it and one 2025 report disagrees for BCS. - [Trailer (travel or cargo)](https://mexicotip.com/permit/baja-only/trailer/): It depends. No source fetched says whether a trailer needs its own permit; on Baja, insurers say no permit is needed for vehicles at all. - [Boat on a trailer](https://mexicotip.com/permit/baja-only/boat/): It depends. Boats over 4.5 m have their own import permit under customs law; insurers say smaller boats ride on the vehicle permit. Sources fetched don't say whether a boat kept only in Baja needs one. ### Border towns only - [Car, pickup or SUV](https://mexicotip.com/permit/border-zone/car/): No vehicle permit needed. No permit is needed for a car, pickup or SUV that stays inside the border free zone (20 km from the line under customs law). - [Motorcycle](https://mexicotip.com/permit/border-zone/motorcycle/): No vehicle permit needed. No permit is needed for a motorcycle that stays inside the border free zone (20 km from the line under customs law). - [RV or motorhome](https://mexicotip.com/permit/border-zone/rv/): No vehicle permit needed. Insurers say no permit is needed for a motorhome that stays inside the border free zone. No official page fetched addresses motorhomes in the zone specifically. - [Car towed behind an RV](https://mexicotip.com/permit/border-zone/towed-car/): No vehicle permit needed. No permit is needed for a towed car that stays inside the border free zone (20 km from the line under customs law). - [Trailer (travel or cargo)](https://mexicotip.com/permit/border-zone/trailer/): It depends. No source fetched says whether a trailer needs its own permit inside the border zone. - [Boat on a trailer](https://mexicotip.com/permit/border-zone/boat/): It depends. Boats over 4.5 m have their own import permit under customs law; sources fetched don't say whether a boat kept inside the border zone needs one. ### Sonora free zone - [Car, pickup or SUV](https://mexicotip.com/permit/sonora-free-zone/car/): It depends. No permit inside the northwest Sonora free zone (to Km 98 near Empalme). To drive elsewhere in Sonora only, get a Sólo Sonora permit. - [Motorcycle](https://mexicotip.com/permit/sonora-free-zone/motorcycle/): It depends. Sources disagree on motorcycles in Sonora: ANAM excludes recreational units from the free zone, and Mexpro says Sólo Sonora is for autos only; Sanborns says Sólo Sonora covers up to 3 recreational vehicles. - [RV or motorhome](https://mexicotip.com/permit/sonora-free-zone/rv/): It depends. Mexpro says the free zone needs no permit but Sólo Sonora isn't available for RVs; ANAM says recreational units can't use the free-zone benefit. Beyond the free zone a motorhome needs a full motorhome permit. - [Car towed behind an RV](https://mexicotip.com/permit/sonora-free-zone/towed-car/): It depends. A towed car is a vehicle: no permit inside the free zone; beyond it Mexpro says towed road vehicles need their own TIP. If the tow vehicle is a motorhome, check the RV rule. - [Trailer (travel or cargo)](https://mexicotip.com/permit/sonora-free-zone/trailer/): It depends. No source fetched says whether a utility trailer needs its own permit in Sonora. A boat trailer is covered by the boat's permit. - [Boat on a trailer](https://mexicotip.com/permit/sonora-free-zone/boat/): Temporary Import Permit (TIP) needed. Boats cannot use the Sonora free-zone benefit and need an import permit; Sólo Sonora is not available for boats per Mexpro. ### Baja, then ferry to the mainland - [Car, pickup or SUV](https://mexicotip.com/permit/baja-ferry-to-mainland/car/): Temporary Import Permit (TIP) needed. A temporary import permit (TIP) and a model-year deposit are required. - [Motorcycle](https://mexicotip.com/permit/baja-ferry-to-mainland/motorcycle/): Temporary Import Permit (TIP) needed. A motorcycle needs its own temporary import permit and deposit. - [RV or motorhome](https://mexicotip.com/permit/baja-ferry-to-mainland/rv/): Temporary Import Permit (TIP) needed. A motorhome needs a casa rodante import permit. Its length is disputed (ANAM: 10 years; Customs Law as amended Nov 2025: up to 5 years). - [Car towed behind an RV](https://mexicotip.com/permit/baja-ferry-to-mainland/towed-car/): Temporary Import Permit (TIP) needed. A car towed behind a motorhome needs its own permit, according to Mexpro; Banjercito requires towed vehicles to be presented when cancelling. - [Trailer (travel or cargo)](https://mexicotip.com/permit/baja-ferry-to-mainland/trailer/): It depends. Banjercito publishes no trailer permit or fee. A boat trailer is covered by the boat's permit; trailers must be presented when the permit is cancelled. No source fetched says whether a utility trailer needs its own permit. - [Boat on a trailer](https://mexicotip.com/permit/baja-ferry-to-mainland/boat/): Temporary Import Permit (TIP) needed. A boat over 4.5 m needs its own boat import permit (trailer included). A boat up to 4.5 m can travel on a motorhome's permit (ANAM). ### Mainland Mexico - [Car, pickup or SUV](https://mexicotip.com/permit/mainland/car/): Temporary Import Permit (TIP) needed. A temporary import permit (TIP) and a model-year deposit are required. - [Motorcycle](https://mexicotip.com/permit/mainland/motorcycle/): Temporary Import Permit (TIP) needed. A motorcycle needs its own temporary import permit and deposit. - [RV or motorhome](https://mexicotip.com/permit/mainland/rv/): Temporary Import Permit (TIP) needed. A motorhome needs a casa rodante import permit. Its length is disputed (ANAM: 10 years; Customs Law as amended Nov 2025: up to 5 years). - [Car towed behind an RV](https://mexicotip.com/permit/mainland/towed-car/): Temporary Import Permit (TIP) needed. A car towed behind a motorhome needs its own permit, according to Mexpro; Banjercito requires towed vehicles to be presented when cancelling. - [Trailer (travel or cargo)](https://mexicotip.com/permit/mainland/trailer/): It depends. Banjercito publishes no trailer permit or fee. A boat trailer is covered by the boat's permit; trailers must be presented when the permit is cancelled. No source fetched says whether a utility trailer needs its own permit. - [Boat on a trailer](https://mexicotip.com/permit/mainland/boat/): Temporary Import Permit (TIP) needed. A boat over 4.5 m needs its own boat import permit (trailer included). A boat up to 4.5 m can travel on a motorhome's permit (ANAM). ## About - [How we source](https://mexicotip.com/about/) - [Change log](https://mexicotip.com/changelog/)