December 2021
Driving to Mexico with a dog is less stressful now that Mexico has new pet requirements for entering Mexico from the U.S. and Canada by car.
In November 2019, Mexico relaxed the regulations about bringing pets to Mexico.
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Bringing Pets to Mexico – US/Canadians only
Note: Only dogs and cats are considered pets by Mexico’s definition.
What changed for driving to Mexico with pets?
As of November 2019, driving to Mexico with your dog or cat, you do not need to spend the money to go to a veterinarian and get a health certificate.
You do not need to have a veterinarian provide proof that the pet has had parasite prevention.
You do not need to provide a rabies certificate for your dog or cat.
What has not changed
- Only a small amount of dog food is allowed to be brought into the country (enough for a week or two is OK)
Here is a link from the USDA confirming the new requirements for bringing pets to Mexico.
Will my dog be inspected at the border?
Mexico border agents are not OISA officers. Therefore they are not part of the SAGARPA-SENASICA which oversees the importation of animals.
There is not an OISA office at the border. No one is there to inspect your pet.
Documents to have while traveling
Although Mexico does not require a health certificate to enter with your dog, it is always a good idea to have following documentation with you:
- An up-to-date rabies certificate. You may be asked to present it when entering back into the U.S.
- Vaccination record of vaccines and due dates
- Record of medications for flea/ticks/mites and lice. Plus, heart worm prevention.
Crossing the border back into the U.S.
UPDATE June ’21: Although Mexico no longer requires proof of the rabies vaccine for your dog or cat you will need to bring the up-to-date rabies certificate with you in order to enter back into the U.S. with your pet.
Reason: On July 14 2021, the CDC put a temporary suspension on dogs entering the U.S. from countries that have a high risk of dog rabies.
113 countries are on this list – Mexico is NOT on this list. View list
However, when you enter the United States, they may ask where your pet is coming from. At this time you will provide a verbal statement that your dog(s) lived in a country that is NOT high risk for at least 6 months.
They may ask to see your passport for proof.
More from the CDC on bringing your pet in to the U.S.
NEW Visitors Permits Requirements (for humans)
Getting a FMM is not the same as it used to be. The Mexico Immigration Office no longer allows tourists to visit Mexico for up to 180-days automatically.
A FMM is a visitors permit, known as Forma Migratoria Multiple or FMM. It is what you need to enter Mexico legally.
When driving across the border you will be required to complete the FMM card at the immigration office.
Often times the desk for the FMM is in the same building where the desk is for the TIP (temporary import permit, for cars) is located.
The immigration official will ask how long you intend to stay in Mexico.
Be sure to let them know your plans so that they provide you with sufficient days for your visit.
The immigration official may ask for proof of how long you are staying; such as hotel, Airbnb, and VRBO reservations. If you are flying out, show the airline ticket.
Be sure to surrender your FMM and TIP when leaving Mexico!
Their new systems will keep track of your entry and departure. The officials will look you up on their system before determining how many days they allow you to stay in Mexico.
You can learn more about the FMM here.
Travel Resources
The GrinGO App for traveling in Mexico.
WAZE is the best app for directions and up-to-date information on accidents and where the police are. All information is supplied by other drivers. It is also a great resource to contact other drivers around you to find out why you find yourself stuck in traffic.
Another great resource is the private Facebook group called On The Road To Mexico. Even if you are not a fan of FB, this private group is well worth joining.
There are 56K+ members who can help to answer your questions real-time with up-to-date travel information all throughout Mexico.
Google Translate, as it allows you to use your phone’s camera to translate menus, signs, ads etc if you are not familiar with Spanish.
WhatsApp for free texting and internet phone calls all over the world.
Uber and DiDi for ride -share services. Very inexpensive in Mexico. Note: not all states in Mexico allow ride-share services.
As always… safe travels!
You may be interested in…
Columbia Bridge Border Crossing – Details on crossing from Texas to Mexico
My Reviews on 10 Pet Friendly Airbnb Lodgings
Flying WITHIN Mexico with Dogs
Thinking of Moving to Mexico? Read the 2021 Immigration Guide
Hi my mom will be traveling with her yorkie/chihuahua mix dog by car to Mexico. I spoke to vet and they said they will need international health certificate. Has it changed recently? Website didn’t really helped. It has listed for when pets are coming in to US but I’m confused. Would those rules apply likewise even though her dog is traveling from US to begin with? We are in GA so it will be a drive but excited!
Hola Kioshi! Nothing has changed. Your dog does not need an International Health Certificate to enter Mexico from the United States. Perhaps the vet should be more up-to-date and refer to the CDC webpage which states: “Effective 12/16/2019: A health certificate for dogs and cats is no longer needed to enter Mexico. Dogs and cats may be taken to the border without health certificate documentation, they will be inspected by SENASICA upon arrival. Please follow the guidance on this page.” Since your mom is driving, the dog will not be inspected by SENASICA at the border. They only do this… Read more »
Hi thank you kindly for responding! Her dog is up to date on vaccines so coming back to US shouldn’t be a problem then?
As long as the dog looks healthy and she has updated vaccine records, she will be fine coming back into the U.S.
Thank you so much for your help!! Our vet insisted that we needed a health certificate and they called to check. Saved $225! Thanks again 😄
My pleasure to help you! =8-)
Hi there we are traveling to Merida Mexico from Laredo Tx around Oct 8 or 9. It looks like you went to Merida. I would love your route and what pet friendly places you stayed in. It looks like the Las Palmas Hotel would be great. Any info you have is greatly appreciated. We have an 80 lb. 2 year old. Thank you Terese
Hola Terese! Yes, we did go to Merida starting from our home base in Mexico City (CDMX). We did not drive directly from CDMX to Merida. We traveled to many other states before reaching Merida. We stayed in Airbnbs for longer stays. For overnight stays we used Hampton Inn by Hilton. They are pet friendly. The Hampton Inns we used were in Puebla and Villahermosa. You might want to read my article (Pet Friendly Road Trip) https://www.travelingwith2dogs.com/pet-friendly-mexico-road-trip/. It shows our route from the Columbia Bridge border crossing to CDMX. Places we stayed with the dogs and activities we did with… Read more »
We are looking at driving to rocky point from AZ. When looking up rules and regulations for bringing a dog with us I see that they have to be crated. Is this correct? We have 100 pound rottie who does not have a crate, can we bring him? Thanks for your help.
Hola Lisa!
You are driving to Puerto Peñasco (Rocky Point) right? You do not need to put your dog into a crate when driving. That is for airlines, not cars. However, with that said… please make sure he is secured with a pet seatbelt. You will not be able to take him in the building with you to get your FMM card (tourist visa) stamped.
Enjoy your time in Mexico! =8-)
Hello and thank you so much for this information! It was very helpful 🙂
I need to cross to tijuana from San Diego and I have a puppy he’s only 2 months and a half, he doesn’t have his rabbies vaccine yet, can he still cross back to SD?
Thank you so much
Hola Mischell… I am happy you find this information helpful. Thank you =8-) As for your 2-month-old puppy and taking him to Mexico… from what I read on the CDC website you should be OK to bring him back into the US since Mexico is not on the high-risk list for rabies. Link below: https://www.cdc.gov/importation/bringing-an-animal-into-the-united-states/dog-origin.html This site states “However, when you enter the United States, you must provide written or verbal statements that the dogs lived in a country that is NOT high risk for at least 6 months or since birth.” Even though the CDC says a verbal statement… Read more »
Hello
Thank you for providing many details, your knowledge is very appreciated.
What route do you recommend …
I’m looking to travel from St. John’s Canada to playa Del Carmen with 1 dog.
What will I need to cross the boarders ??
Hola Kayla! Thank you for letting me know your find this information helpful. =8-) As for which route to take. I had to look up St. John’s Canada. What a charming place to live (in the summer). Google maps is suggesting taking the coastal roads along the Gulf of Mexico. I do not recommend this at all. That route takes you through some small towns and off the beaten path. Not safe. I suggest crossing the border in Texas and taking the main toll roads that run through the center of Mexico. The toll roads are in excellent condition and… Read more »
Dear DLWright,
Thank you for all the great information that you have provided.
May I ask this question?
We are moving permanently from Los Angeles to Baja California Sur, we’re driving and entering the border in Mexicali. with our 2 labradoodles who have all the necessary documents from the veterinarian. You mention we don’t need Temporary Vehicle Import Permit? do we need a FMM?
Thank you
Liliaana
Hola Liliaana! Thank you for your great questions! =8-) Yes, Baja is part of the Mexico Free Zone. The Mexico Free zone encompasses areas along Mexico’s northern and southern borders states, typically 12 to 16 miles from the border (20 to 26 km). Also, the entire Baja peninsula, a large portion of Sonora, and Quintana Roo lie within the free zone. Within the Mexico Free Zone, travel without a temporary importation permit (TIP) is allowed and unrestricted. You still need Mexico car insurance. Yes, you still need to get an FMM Tourist VISA to enter Mexico legally. This is a… Read more »
Hello, we want to take my husky mix to Tijuana, Mexico to the Veterinary so he can probably get chemotherapy over there since is cheaper than here in the US. We need to cross back and forth either in a car or by walking. I have an aunt over there and she said sometimes is faster to cross the border by walking that in a car. What type of documents etc does my doggy needs so he can travel with us back and forth? Please help us, I don’t know where else to ask…
Hola Yeny… I am so sorry to read about your husky. How fortunate you are to be close enough to TJ to take him/her there for chemo treatments. I agree with your tía that it would be faster to walk over. Especially if you do not have a Sentri pass for your car. As for documentation… good news, you do not need to get a health certificate. I suggest you bring a copy of your dog’s vaccine records, flea tick/parasite prevention and rabies certificate. Also, I would ask the veterinarian in TJ (who is treating your dog) to provide a… Read more »
We are making plans to hopefully take him to TJ this week so Thank you so much for your help, we really do appreciate it!!! 🙏🏻❤️🐶
You are welcome! I wish you all the best!
Hi Yeny and DLWright, I just wanted to follow-up on your experience with crossing the SD-TJ border with your husky. I find myself in a similar situation with my own husky and am seeking more less expensive treatment in TJ than the one being offered to us here in the States. Was the crossing back-and-forth fairly straightforward? (I hope you didn’t have any issues) Also, do you recommend the vet you took your husky in for chemo? I hope your husky is recovering well 🙏🏼
Hello Carlo, We never made it to Tijuana because unfortunately our Balto got worse, his tumors of cancer were really big already and he had like 7 of them. He had the worse cancer so he passed away 😭 I think maybe you could get some medicine first from Mexico to see if that helps because we did got some medicine that we wish would had gone the medicine sooner because the medicine helps with cancer but we got it way too late like if we would had got it right away when they discover the cancer maybe he would… Read more »
Thank you for this helpful article! We are traveling to Baja by RV with our dog, we are US residents. Do we need to find an OISA office to have him inspected upon arrival in Baja? Do they give us some proof that he passed inspection? He is in good health and up to date on all vaccines/fleas meds, etc.
Thanks for any insights!
Hola Maggie! I am happy to read you found the article helpful. =8-) Crossing the border into Baja with your dog will be easy! No need to look for a OISA office at the land border crossings because there aren’t any. And since you are going to be in Baja, no need to stop and get a TIP for your RV. Just make sure to bring a copy of your dog’s up-to-date rabies certificate with you. You never know if the U.S. border agents will ask for it when crossing back. Enjoy Baja! Loreto is one of my favorite pueblos… Read more »
Hola! First I would like to say thank you for your website!! I have searched so many articles and they are always so complicated. Yours is simple to understand, just what I was looking for! I am moving to Guaymas, Sonora, from Canada for a while with my two Labradoodles. I can’t bring my dog food into the US because it is lamb biased, but if I buy the same one in the US can I take it across into Mexico? Also, do I need to take them to an OISA facility or is that only for flying? Thanks so… Read more »
Hola Olivia… thank you for letting me know you found the website helpful! Interesting that you cannot bring the lamb-based dog food into the U.S. however you can order it in the U.S. Crazy. As for crossing the border into Mexico with the food, I think you will be just fine with bringing in some food for the dogs. I would suggest bringing enough food for a month and no more than that. Make sure you have your receipt with you to show you paid for it and you are not a reseller. I would not pack it all in… Read more »
Hola Deborah, You cannot imagine how happy I am that I found your website! Thank you so much for having such a simple yet thorough place where this (sometimes) confusing information can be found! My wife and I are moving from Canada to Mexico City with our two dogs (a boxer and a lab) in early October and we are travelling by car. Would you recommend any specific point at the US-Mexico border that we should consider for getting into Mexico? Our two main concerns are safety and “smoothness” of the process to cross by land with two dogs. Thanks… Read more »
Hola Andre! Thank you for letting me know you are finding my website helpful. That is my intention to help fellow travelers with pets. =8-) In my opinion the best place to cross the border into Mexico is the Columbia Bridge border crossing. The official name is the Colombia Solidarity International Bridge. I actually wrote about this border crossing in one of my posts – “Pet Friendly Mexico Road Trip” https://www.travelingwith2dogs.com/pet-friendly-mexico-road-trip/ I think you will find the information in this post helpful for your trip to CDMX. You will take Toll roads (Cuotas) all the way into CDMX. Very direct… Read more »
Thank you Andre for providing the impetus for me to write a new article on crossing the border in Texas to Mexico at the Columbia Bridge Crossing! Take a look and let me know if this article is helpful. =8-)
https://www.travelingwith2dogs.com/texas-mexico-columbia-bridge-border-crossing-with-a-dog/