Moving to Los Cabos from the U.S.: Step-by-Step Checklist
By Karla & Erick | Cabo Realty | Century 21 Paradise Properties
What do you need to do to move to Los Cabos from the U.S.? Moving to Los Cabos goes in this order. Plan 6 to 12 months ahead. First choose your residency type and apply at a Mexican consulate in the U.S. Then pick your community and rent or buy. Next, bring your household goods duty-free (one time only, within 6 months of entering as a resident). Bring your pets with the right paperwork, and drive your car with Mexican insurance. Once you arrive, finish your residency card within 30 days. This checklist takes you step by step from "we're thinking about it" to "we live here," written for families coming from California, Texas and Arizona.
🧳 Free Los Cabos Relocation Guide
Neighborhoods, healthcare, schools, safety and real living costs: what U.S. families need to know before moving to Los Cabos.
Most of the families we help are coming from California, Texas and Arizona. They're often buying in a golf or oceanfront community like Palmilla, Pedregal, Querencia, Puerto Los Cabos, Cabo del Sol, Cabo Real, Club Campestre, Quivira or Diamante. Some plan to live here full time. Others plan to split the year between Cabo and the U.S. Your path changes a little depending on which one you are:
Not sure where you fit? Read Residency in Mexico for Americans: Temporary vs Permanent and How to Apply.
Goal: decide where, how and with what budget.
☐ Visit with intention, not as a tourist. Stay in the area you're considering in the month you'd actually live here, including summer. September is the hottest and most humid month.
☐ Choose your area. San José del Cabo, the Tourist Corridor and Cabo San Lucas feel very different. Start with Best Neighborhoods to Live in Los Cabos for Wealthy Americans and Expat-Friendly Neighborhoods in Los Cabos.
☐ Check safety by area. See Where Is the Safest Place to Live in Cabo and Where to Avoid in Cabo.
☐ Build a real monthly budget. Include HOA, electricity (A/C in summer is the big one), staff, insurance and travel back to the U.S. Use The Cost of Living in Los Cabos vs Major U.S. Cities and Living Costs in the Cabo Corridor.
☐ Decide: rent first or buy. Many families rent 6–12 months, then buy. If you already know the community, buying first saves a second move. See Real Rental Costs in San José del Cabo and Legal Tips for Renting Safely in Los Cabos.
☐ Pick your residency type. Temporary (1 year, renewable up to 4 years total) or permanent. Both are based on income or savings, and temporary can also qualify through property ownership.
☐ Talk to your CPA (U.S. side). U.S. citizens keep filing U.S. taxes while living abroad. If you're leaving California, ask how to end your state residency correctly. Also read Does Mexico Tax U.S. Retirement Income?
A home purchase in Los Cabos usually takes about 60 working days with cash and around 90 with financing. Starting early means your home is ready the day you arrive.
☐ Read the Step-by-Step Guide to Buying Property in Los Cabos.
☐ Understand the fideicomiso (bank trust), which is how foreigners own property near the coast.
☐ Budget 5% to 9% on top of the price for closing costs, including the 3% acquisition tax (ISABI) in Los Cabos.
☐ Plan your dollar-to-peso transfers. See How Currency Exchange Affects Buying Property in Mexico.
☐ Retiring? Compare Top Retirement Communities in Los Cabos.
Goal: get your visa and lock in the essentials.
☐ Book your consulate appointment. Your residency starts at a Mexican consulate in the U.S., not in Mexico. Wait times for appointments can run from 2 weeks to 3 months. Families in California, Texas and Arizona have several consulates nearby.
☐ Gather your financial proof. In 2026 the guideline amounts were about:
| Residency type | Monthly income | Or savings |
|---|---|---|
| Temporary | ~US$4,400 | ~US$74,000 (or property worth ~US$598K) |
| Permanent | ~US$7,400 | ~US$298,000 |
Amounts are tied to Mexico's minimum wage and the exchange rate, and they change every year. Each consulate can apply its own criteria. Permanent residency on financial grounds is usually granted to retirees.
☐ Get the visa sticker in your passport. It's valid for 180 days. Plan your move so you enter Mexico within that window.
☐ Choose schools (if you have kids). Bilingual and international schools fill up, so apply early. See Top Schools for Expats in San José del Cabo, Top Schools in Cabo San Lucas, Picacho McGregor and Delmar International School.
☐ Plan your healthcare. Medicare generally does not cover care in Mexico. Most U.S. families here use international or Mexican private health insurance, plus the private hospitals in Los Cabos. See Top Healthcare Options for Expats in Los Cabos.
☐ Decide on your car. Drive yours down or buy here? See The Best Way to Get Around Cabo.
Goal: pack legally and avoid surprises at the border.
Temporary and permanent residents can import their household goods duty-free one time only. It has to happen within 6 months of entering Mexico as a resident. Here's what the Mexican consulate asks for:
☐ Application form, signed.
☐ Passport plus copies (valid at least 6 more months).
☐ Your residency visa or residency card, plus copies.
☐ A detailed inventory in Spanish, 4 signed sets. Electronics and appliances need brand, model and serial number.
☐ Items must be used and owned for at least 6 months (clothing, furniture, books, art, kitchen items).
☐ Your name must match exactly on the passport, inventory and visa.
☐ Pay the consular fee (check the current amount with your consulate).
💡 Tip from Karla & Erick: Many of our luxury buyers bring very little furniture. Homes in Palmilla, Querencia, Pedregal or Diamante are often sold fully or partly furnished, and heavy U.S. furniture doesn't always suit the beach climate. Bring art, personal items and what you love, and buy the rest here. Ask us which homes come furnished before you ship a container.
☐ Dogs: Since August 3, 2026, Mexico requires a screwworm (NWS) inspection certificate. A USDA-accredited vet must sign it within 5 days before travel, and no APHIS endorsement is needed.
☐ Cats: No health certificate is required.
☐ On arrival: SENASICA inspects every pet at the airport or border. Bring a clean carrier and no more than one day's food. If they find ticks, your pet can be held until cleared.
☐ Check your airline's rules for heat embargoes. Summer flights from Phoenix, Dallas or Houston can restrict pets in cargo.
☐ Find a vet before you land: Pet Care in Los Cabos: A Guide for Expats.
☐ Baja California Sur is in the Baja free zone, so you don't need a temporary import permit (TIP) if you stay on the peninsula.
☐ Buy Mexican auto insurance before you cross. Your U.S. policy is not enough.
☐ From California or Arizona: Many families drive down the Baja peninsula, roughly 1,000 miles from the border.
☐ From Texas: Driving through mainland Mexico and taking the ferry to La Paz does require a TIP. Most Texans fly and ship or buy a car instead.
☐ Details: Regulations for Foreign-Plated Vehicles in Baja California Sur.
☐ Set up mail forwarding or a U.S. mailing address.
☐ Tell your U.S. banks you'll be living in Mexico, and keep at least one U.S. card with no foreign transaction fees.
☐ Keep your U.S. phone number on a low-cost plan or port it to a VoIP service so you get banking codes.
☐ Scan passports, birth and marriage certificates, school records and medical records. Some Mexican procedures require apostilled documents.
☐ Refill prescriptions for 90 days and bring your doctor's letter. See Reliable Pharmacies for Expats in Cabo San Lucas.
☐ Fly or drive in with your passport carrying the residency visa sticker. Tell immigration you're entering as a new resident, not as a tourist. This step matters.
☐ Los Cabos International Airport (SJD) has nonstop flights from major hubs in California, Texas and Arizona. See how easy Los Cabos is to reach from the U.S.
☐ Keep your inventory, pet papers and insurance printed, not only on your phone.
☐ Do a walkthrough of your home: water, A/C, hot water, Wi-Fi and gate access.
☐ Finish your residency at the INM office within 30 days of arrival. This is called the "canje," and it turns your visa into your residency card. Missing it is the most common and most expensive mistake.
☐ Put utilities in your name or confirm who pays: CFE (electricity), water and gas. In summer, A/C is the biggest bill.
☐ Set up internet and a Mexican cell line.
☐ Register with your HOA and get gate access for family and staff.
☐ Choose your doctor, dentist and the nearest private hospital.
☐ Learn which English-friendly services are around you: English Communication in Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo.
☐ Open a Mexican bank account. Banks usually ask for your passport, residency card and proof of address. Ask your branch for its exact list.
☐ Report foreign accounts in the U.S. If your foreign accounts add up to more than US$10,000 at any time in the year, you must file an FBAR. Ask your CPA.
☐ Import your household goods if they didn't come with you. Your 6-month window is running.
☐ Get hurricane-ready. The Eastern Pacific hurricane season runs May 15 to November 30. Ask your HOA about its storm plan, shutters and generator.
☐ Find your favorite beaches: What Part of Cabo Has Swimmable Beaches.
☐ Meet your community: golf clubs, beach clubs, volunteer groups and church groups are the fastest way to make friends.
☐ Pay your property tax (predial) early in the year if you own. There is usually a discount for paying in January.
Most families need 6 to 12 months. That covers residency, choosing a community, buying or renting, and shipping their things. If you rent first and come as a tourist, it can be much faster.
Not if each stay is under 180 days. Tourist stays can be up to 180 days, at the immigration officer's discretion. To live here full time, or to import your household goods duty-free, you need temporary or permanent residency.
Yes. Foreigners can buy without being residents. Near the coast you buy through a fideicomiso (bank trust). Owning property worth enough can also help you qualify for temporary residency.
Yes, one time, as a temporary or permanent resident. It must happen within 6 months of entering as a resident, with an inventory approved by the Mexican consulate.
Yes. In Baja California Sur you don't need an import permit, but you must have Mexican auto insurance. If you drive through mainland Mexico to reach the La Paz ferry, you do need a TIP.
Generally no. Medicare doesn't cover care outside the U.S. except in very limited cases. Most Americans here use private international or Mexican health insurance.
It depends on your lifestyle. Golf families often choose Querencia, Palmilla, Puerto Los Cabos, Cabo del Sol or Diamante. Oceanfront privacy points to Pedregal. Families with school-age kids often prefer San José del Cabo. We'll help you match your lifestyle to the right community.
Planning your move to Los Cabos?
We help families from California, Texas and Arizona find the right home and community, and we connect you with trusted local professionals for every step.
Sources: Consulate General of Mexico in Houston, household goods for foreigners (consulmex.sre.gob.mx); USDA APHIS, Pet Travel from the United States to Mexico (aphis.usda.gov); Medicare.gov, Travel outside the U.S.; NOAA National Hurricane Center (nhc.noaa.gov); Mexperience, Mexico residency financial requirements 2026; IRS, Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR).
Disclaimer: This article is for general information only and is not legal, immigration, tax or medical advice. Requirements and amounts change, and each consulate may apply its own criteria. Always confirm with the consulate, INM, your CPA and the relevant authorities before acting. Information verified October 2026.
Karla & Erick | Cabo Realty | Century 21 Paradise Properties
Your home in Los Cabos, with people who live here.
Karla Andreu and Erick Flores are MLS members with Century 21 Paradise Properties, focused on luxury golf and oceanfront communities: Querencia, Palmilla, Pedregal, Quivira, Diamante, Cabo del Sol, Cabo Real, Club Campestre and Puerto Los Cabos.
Most of our clients come from California, Texas and Arizona. We help them buy, sell and relocate with real market data, honest advice and one clear plan from the first video call to closing day.
No pressure. No surprises. Just the right home for the way you want to live.
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