Drivers are reporting checkpoints today, February 11, 2026, on the highway corridor between La Paz and Los Cabos, where officials are stopping vehicles to verify immigration status and vehicle paperwork. Several visitors say cars have been impounded at the checkpoint when documents did not match the driver or were expired, so this is not the day to “hope it’ll be fine.”
What they appear to be looking for is simple. Proof you are legally in Mexico, and proof the vehicle is legally on the road. If you are visiting, keep your passport and your FMM entry document accessible. If you are a resident, carry your resident card. On the vehicle side, have current registration, and make sure the plate stickers and paperwork are up to date and match the vehicle you are driving. The U.S. Embassy routinely advises travelers in Mexico to keep copies of passport and vehicle registration on hand, which is good practice even when no checkpoints are reported.
If you are driving a foreign plated vehicle, be extra careful. Rules in Mexico can hinge on your immigration status and whether the vehicle paperwork is current. Our own past reporting for Baja readers has stressed that tourists and temporary residents may drive foreign plated vehicles in Baja only when registration is valid, and that mismatches can cause problems.
Bottom line. If you are headed south or north today, assume you may be stopped, stay calm, be polite, and have your documents ready before you reach the checkpoint. If anything is expired or unclear, it may be smarter to sort it out first than to donate your afternoon to paperwork purgatory.
Photo and scoop courtesy of: Enjoy Los Cabos Life
