BajaNomad

CROSSING SOUTHBOUND INTO BAJA

Udo - 4-18-2025 at 01:46 PM

This is a very important topic to post on this forum. It is written in the first person by an acquaintance in Ensenada. This was originally posted on a FACEBOOK page.
I am not the person who wrote it originally. It was posted on a private non-shareable page, therefore i needed to do a cut and paste:
I don't know if this applies only to San Ysidro, or if other Southbound crossing are doing this as well.

4/17/25 ATTENTION Drivers with California Plates:
Do NOT, under ANY circumstances, drive into Mexico with expired tags. They are confiscating vehicles left & right.
For the past month, I've been watching the rapidly growing collection of impounded cars, trucks and other toys at the border as you enter Mexico at San Ysidro POE. They have expired tags and/or are from states other than California.
TODAY, as I was leaving work and literally walking out the door, I told a coworker about the situation and 25 minutes later I was getting pulled over as I crossed. I drive an older vehicle and of course the tags are not on the front, so they can't tell until they pull you over and check. The ONLY thing he cared about was the registration -- not my Mexican insurance, not my driver's license or my passport card. None of that. JUST the registration.
They're taking cars. Tell everyone you know. Have your 💩 together if you cross South.

BajaNaranja - 4-18-2025 at 03:03 PM

Thanks Udo for the heads up -

Shocking that our southerly neighbors would suddenly feel compelled to enforce their rules on our poor unsuspecting US voters, what the heck did we do to deserve that? /s

AKgringo - 4-18-2025 at 03:51 PM

Just a guess, but maybe they are cracking down on illegally imported cars? If registration fails because a car can't pass smog or safety standards in CA, the black market in Baja may look like a better option than the wrecking yard North of the border.

David K - 4-18-2025 at 07:20 PM

I said this on Facebook where it was posted, but it is illegal in California to drive with expired tags, plus you can't get Mexican insurance in that condition. So, go for it Mexico!

Timo1 - 4-19-2025 at 09:37 AM

Where i come from they don't issue "tags". Just a blank liscence plate. This doesn't sound right

lencho - 4-19-2025 at 09:48 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Timo1  
Where i come from they don't issue "tags". Just a blank liscence plate. This doesn't sound right

Huh? How do cops know if your registration is up-to-date? Do you get new plates every year?

Lee - 4-19-2025 at 09:59 AM

Quote: Originally posted by lencho  
Quote: Originally posted by Timo1  
Where i come from they don't issue "tags". Just a blank liscence plate. This doesn't sound right

Huh? How do cops know if your registration is up-to-date? Do you get new plates every year?


The RV I drove in Baja had a plain Montana plate (my LLC) that read ''PERMANENT'' across the bottom. No tags.

Some states have windshield stickers, some don't have anything. It's complicated.

Timo1 - 4-19-2025 at 10:13 AM

We use the same plates year after year. No tags or window stickers. I heard the police cars are equipped with scanners. But that's just speculation I think

Lee - 4-19-2025 at 10:42 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Timo1  
We use the same plates year after year. No tags or window stickers. I heard the police cars are equipped with scanners. But that's just speculation I think


Don't know about Baja cops with scanners.

W. on I-70 coming down into Salina, UT, I passed a black car following a car close enough that I thought gotta be a cop. Nobody else on the road.

Black car caught up with me and followed me awhile. Knew he was scanning my plate. No problem.

cupcake - 4-19-2025 at 11:01 AM

Quote: Originally posted by AKgringo  
Just a guess, but maybe they are cracking down on illegally imported cars? If registration fails because a car can't pass smog or safety standards in CA, the black market in Baja may look like a better option than the wrecking yard North of the border.


Many years ago, California residents that had a vehicle that would not pass the smog test would get a post office box in Arizona or Nevada, in a small town just over the border, and register their vehicle to that PO Box. People used to do something similar to get out of paying California sales tax on expensive vehicles, like RVs. Don't know if that is still going on these days.

surabi - 4-19-2025 at 02:15 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Timo1  
We use the same plates year after year. No tags or window stickers. I heard the police cars are equipped with scanners. But that's just speculation I think


Even if you come from a state that does this, I would assume you can produce paperwork which shows the registration is current? While you might still get pulled over and detained as current registration isn't visible on the plate, I would think that showing them the current paperwork would hopefully prevent confiscation.

Would be a good idea to also have some paperwork from your DMV making it clear that they don't issue tags or new plates every year. Mexican customs officials can't be expected to be aware of plate requirements in all US states or Canadian provinces, which also vary. British Columbia, Manitoba and Ontario being the only provinces which issue both front and rear plates.

chatolj - 4-20-2025 at 06:24 AM

California trailer registration has permanent plates with no tags. The paperwork states a vaild 5 year time period starting from when the fees are paid. Most of the Mexican officials are hip to this.

Timo1 - 4-20-2025 at 09:35 AM

Surabi I am from BC. Not an American

StuckSucks - 4-20-2025 at 09:41 AM

When we crossed at Tecate a month ago, they would not accept a copy of my registration -- they wanted to see the original. After lots of back-and-forth, they reluctantly let me go.

Maderita - 4-20-2025 at 11:41 AM

Quote: Originally posted by StuckSucks  
When we crossed at Tecate a month ago, they would not accept a copy of my registration -- they wanted to see the original. After lots of back-and-forth, they reluctantly let me go.


That has been exactly my experience during the past 8-10 years with dirtbikes and trailers. Original registration papers required. Despite the printing on California DMV registrations that "a facsimile copy" is acceptable.

Three things to consider

AKgringo - 4-20-2025 at 11:44 AM

I have watched enough Cop shows to observe that many regions refer to the whole plate as a "tag".

In Alaska (perhaps other states?) it is possible for some citizens to get a "P" sticker instead of one with an expiration date making them "permanent plates" on an RV or private vehicle.

At least in California, if you are storing or regularly using a vehicle with out of state plates, you better have a driver's license that matches the plate.

surabi - 4-20-2025 at 11:50 AM

I'm from BC, too. But I've lived in Mexico for 20 years and been a permanent resident for 12 years, so it's been a long time since I drove a BC plated vehicle. I seem to recall there being a time when they did issue yearly registration date stickers, but that may have been scrapped a long time ago, or my memory could be faulty.