DO NOT TAKE GUNS OR AMMUNITION OF ANY KIND TO MEXICO!!!

If you take weapons across the border you may become one of the many of U.S./Foreign citizens arrested each month for violating Mexico's strict firearm and ammunition laws, whether you knew about the law or not. You will go to jail and your vehicle will be seized an you will pay court costs and other fees ranging into the tens of thousands of dollars defending yourself. Worst of all, you may get up to a 30-year sentence in a Mexican prison if found guilty. Remember, once you cross the border with a firearm or ammunition it is too late! Ignorance of this law will not get you leniency from the police. You will be arrested and sent to jail. Also, the Mexican judicial system is governed by Napoleonic Law which states that you are presumed guilty and must prove your innocence, the opposite of the U.S. laws.

Car Insurance

Insurance from a Mexican company is required by Mexican law in the event of an accident, even if you are not at fault. A Mexican Insurance policy greatly reduces the chances that you will face jail time, and limits the financial burden you might come by after an accident. A Mexican Insurance policy provides coverage for damage to your vehicle or its total loss. We use Adventure Mexican Insurance Services and you can find them using this link:

Adventure Mexican Insurance Services

Under Mexican law, motorists are required to have insurance, or "proof of financial responsibility", in the event of an accident, even if you did not cause it. As a foreigner traveling in Mexico, the only way of demonstrating this financial responsibility is to have sufficient real currency to cover damages, or an insurance policy from a Mexican company. U.S. or any other non-Mexican insurance does not cover your liability for potential accidents, nor does it fulfill the basic requirement for insurance according to Mexican law. 

What can I take into Mexico?

When crossing into Mexico, if you have no merchandise to declare, you must go through the Stop and Go light check point.  A green light means proceed ahead without inspection.  A red light means stop for inspection.

When you travel to Mexico by airplane or by ship, you are allowed to import (duty free) a total of items worth up to $300 per person (including children).  For example, a family of five members consisting of the parents and three minor children can import up to $1,500 worth of merchandise, duty free.

When you bring items whose value exceeds the above mentioned limits, but not more than $1,000.00, you can pay the taxes yourself.  If your merchandise is worth more than $1,000.00, you must use the services of a customs broker.

Tourist are allowed to bring in their personal effects duty free, in addition to the above, your personal effects may include: New or used good for personal use, such as clothing, footwear, and hygiene products, so long as they are in accordance with the duration of the trip, and their quantity does not suggest that they can be the object of commercialization. A tourist can also bring a set of binoculars, a photographic camera and a vidio recorder (their power sources too), a television, a radio or radio-cassette, tape, CD, or DVD player, a personal computer (i.e. laptop, notebook, omni book, etc.), up to 20 recording tapes or CD’s, 5 DVD’s, 12 rolls of unused film, a cell phone, a typewriter, a musical instrument that can be hand carried, books & magazines (whose quantity does not suggest that they can be the object of commercialization). For out door activities tourist can bring a camping tent and camping equipment, a set of fishing equipment, a pair of skis, 5 used toys for minors (as long as they can be transported by one person), two sets of used personal sports equipment (as long as they can be transported by one person), a motor-less boat less than 5 1/2 meters long or surf board with or without a sail. Regarding disabled persons, goods for personal use that, by their characteristics, compensate for or diminish their disability. Tourist can bring medicine for personal use (The perscripton must be shown if they are psycotropic substances). Adult passengers may also bring a maximum of 20 packs of cigarettes, 25 cigars or 200 grams of tabacco, and up to 3 liters of whine, beer, or liquor, with the understanding that a larger quantity of these products cannot be imported without complying with the applicable regulations and restrictions.

If you are inspected and are discovered with items of greater value than is permitted and you have not paid duty on them, you risk having to pay a high fine (of up to four times the value of each item) or seizure of the goods as a contraband plus the seizure of the car in which the goods are traveling. If weapons or ammunition are found, the penalty could include imprisonment.

The following are products you can take into Mexico without previous authorization:

•  dehydrated or canned foods
•  roasted coffee (packaged),
•  fresh or dry meats (beef, sheep or goat from US or Canada) candy (not lactic)
•  bamboo (dry)
•  dried spices
•  dry herbal medicines
•  dry or preserved insects canned jellies or fruit preserves nuts
•  straw articles or artisans dried fish
•  cheese (processed in US or Canada) canned or processed sauces soups without meat canned or processed vegetables
•  dogs or cats (with health certificate).

Penalties for drug offenses are strict and convicted offenders can expect large fines and jail sentences up to 25 years.

Be polite to everyone especialy the locals. This is a small town and the mexican you just insulted or harrassed may be related to one of the many police there and they do take care of their own and have close family bonds.