This guide is here to help you plan. It isn't legal or safety advice, and rules change. We last verified it on 17 Oct 2026, so please confirm with the official source linked in each section.
A road trip south is one of the best ways to see Mexico, whether you're headed to Chihuahua City, Monterrey, Mazatlán or the Copper Canyon. Going past the border zone does take a bit more paperwork than a day trip to the border city, but it's all doable, and a little preparation at the border buys you a relaxed trip. This is the checklist we'd want in hand before leaving El Paso, Presidio or the Rio Grande Valley.
In short
- Read the US travel advisory first. Since May 2026 it asks US citizens to follow the same rules as US government employees, including no driving between border cities and the interior "with limited exceptions".
- Documents: passport (a book is the safest choice for the interior), an FMM tourist card stamped at the port, and a temporary vehicle import permit (TIP) for your car.
- Costs in 2026: FMM MX$983 (free by land for stays of 7 days or less); TIP US$45 + IVA online or US$51 + IVA at the border, plus a refundable US$200–400 deposit.
- Mexican liability insurance is required on federal highways. Your US policy doesn't count.
- On the way back, cancel the TIP to get your deposit back.
Before you go: the US travel advisory
This part isn't fun to read, but it's the first thing we'd check before planning a drive into the interior. The State Department's Mexico advisory (Level 2 overall, published 28 May 2026) added a line that matters for road trips: US citizens should follow the same restrictions as US government employees. Those general restrictions include:
- no travel between cities after dark;
- no driving between Mexican border cities and the interior of Mexico, "with limited exceptions";
- complying with road checkpoints;
- checking the advisory's maps of restricted areas.
The state-by-state detail now lives in those maps. For Chihuahua, the previous version (August 2025) rated the state "Reconsider travel", put the Copper Canyon off-limits to US government employees, and approved only Highway 45 from Ciudad Juárez to Chihuahua City. It did not approve Highway 16 west to Creel or the route from Ojinaga. We could not confirm how the May 2026 maps treat Chihuahua, so check them yourself.
Other governments draw the line differently. The UK and Australia advise against non-essential travel to most of Chihuahua, but exempt the Chepe railway route and the towns directly on it, Creel included.
We don't rate safety ourselves; that decision is yours. Read the current advisory and decide what's right for your trip.
Documents for you
- Passport. State says you need "a passport book or card" to enter Mexico by land. A news report from August 2026 claims the card only covers the border strip, and we found no official text confirming that. For an interior trip, a passport book avoids the question entirely. See also documents to cross back into the US.
- FMM (Forma Migratoria Múltiple). State says every land traveler needs one, even those staying within about 12 miles of the border. Fill it in online through INM's FMMe page, then stop at the INM office at the port to have it stamped. An online FMM isn't valid without the stamp, and there are immigration checks on the highway, so this short stop is worth it.
- Fee: MX$983 in 2026. By land, stays of 7 days or less pay nothing; if you stay longer, you pay when you leave.
- 2027: a budget bill would raise the fee to MX$1,334. It passed Mexico's lower house in general in October 2026 and still needs the Senate.
- More detail is in our FMM guide.
Your car: the temporary import permit (TIP)
Beyond the roughly 20 km (12 mile) border zone you need a TIP. A few "hassle-free" areas exist in Baja California and part of Sonora, but Chihuahua has none, so Chihuahua City and the Copper Canyon both require a permit.
- Where: online at Banjercito 10 to 60 days ahead (US$45 + IVA), at Mexican consulates in the US up to 6 months ahead, or at a border module (US$51 + IVA, cash or card). For El Paso travelers, third-party directories list a 24-hour module at the Km 30 checkpoint on Highway 45 south of Juárez; we couldn't confirm it on an official page. Ojinaga's bridge module has conflicting hours.
- Deposit (refundable): US$400 for 2007 and newer vehicles, US$300 for 2001–2006, and US$200 for 2000 and older.
- What to bring: passport, FMM, and a title or registration in your name. Leased or financed cars need a letter from the lender. Paper or temporary plates are refused. One vehicle per visitor.
- Getting the deposit back: you must check the car out at a Banjercito module before the permit expires. Crossing back isn't enough, and this is the step people most often forget.
All the details, including penalties, are in our vehicle permit guide (Spanish).
Mexican car insurance
Mexican law (Ley de Caminos, art. 63 Bis) requires third-party liability insurance for every vehicle on federal highways. State warns that uninsured drivers involved in an accident may be arrested. US policies aren't accepted as Mexican liability coverage, so buy a Mexican policy for the dates of your trip before you cross. It's one less thing to think about once you're on the road.
On the road
- Checkpoints. Expect military, immigration and customs checks. On Highway 45 south of Juárez these include the Km 30 checkpoint and the Samalayuca garita. Keep your passport, FMM and TIP within reach, and stay calm and patient; it usually goes quickly.
- Daylight only. The advisory's no-intercity-travel-after-dark rule is also good practical advice: livestock, slow trucks and unlit mountain curves.
- Tolls. Toll highways (cuotas) are usually faster and better kept. Carry pesos.
- Fuel and cash. Fill up in larger towns. ATMs can run out in small towns, so carry enough pesos for a day or two.
Choosing your crossing
Our advice as people who cross all the time: a long wait at the bridge can push the rest of the drive into the evening, which is exactly what the advisory says to avoid. We track every crossing:
- live waits for Ciudad Juárez–El Paso and Ojinaga–Presidio;
- statistics with the typical wait by weekday and hour, so you can plan to cross early and drive in daylight.
Coming home to the US
- Cancel your TIP at a Banjercito module, and keep your FMM paperwork in order, before you cross north.
- Declare all food and agricultural items. Undeclared items bring fines starting at US$300.
- Returning residents get a US$800 exemption, and CBP's 48-hour rule doesn't apply to trips to Mexico.
- Details: what you can bring into the US.
Heading to the Copper Canyon? Keep reading with our Copper Canyon route guide.
Official sources
- US State Department: Mexico travel advisory
- INM: electronic FMM
- Ley Federal de Derechos, art. 8 (FMM fee)
- ANAM: temporary vehicle import
- Ley de Caminos, art. 63 Bis (insurance)
- CBP: what to expect when you return
Spotted something out of date, or have a question we didn't answer? We'd love to hear from you at hola@alpuente.mx. Have a great trip.