Tecate Border Wait Time
Tecate, CA · Mexico → US (Northbound entry)
Current wait
Passenger vehicles
- Standard10 min
- SENTRIN/A
- Ready LaneN/A
Commercial vehicles
- StandardLanes Closed
- FASTN/A
Hours: 6 am-10 pm
Latest snapshot: 10/29/2026, 3:50:10 AM UTC
Best & worst times to cross
Typical wait times by day of week + hour, averaged from the last four weeks of data. Times are approximate local at the crossing.
Quietest
- Thu 12am–1am20 min avg
- Wed 5pm–6pm21 min avg
- Wed 9pm–10pm21 min avg
Busiest
- Mon 12am–1am175 min avg
- Sun 7pm–8pm159 min avg
- Sun 8pm–9pm157 min avg
Nearby crossings
Guides for this crossing
About this crossing
Tecate, CA is a US Customs and Border Protection port of entry on the Mexican border. Wait times shown are for travelers entering the United States. Numbers come directly from CBP and update roughly every hour while the port is staffed.
Don't Wait is an independent app. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or acting for CBP, CBSA or any other government agency.
Typical waits at Tecate
Computed from the waits we recorded at this crossing (standard passenger lane, whenever a wait was reported). Past patterns are not a prediction.
Over the last 90 days (19,091 readings), the standard passenger-vehicle lane at Tecate averaged 100 min. Weekdays averaged 88 min and weekends 129 min.
Sundays were the busiest day on average (155 min) and Fridays the quietest (74 min).
The busiest stretch was Sundays 6pm–9pm, averaging 213 min. The quietest was Wednesdays 9pm–12am, averaging 57 min. Times are local to the crossing.
Waits reached 30 minutes or more in 97% of readings and 60 minutes or more in 83%.
CBP publishes passenger-vehicle wait times here for standard, SENTRI and Ready Lane lanes.
Commercial-truck waits are published for standard and FAST lanes.
Posted hours: 6 am-10 pm.
Frequently asked
Do I need a passport to cross at Tecate, CA?
Yes. US citizens need a passport, passport card, enhanced driver's license, or SENTRI card. Non-US citizens need a valid passport plus any required visa.
Are SENTRI lanes always faster?
SENTRI lanes are typically much faster than standard lanes, especially at peak times, but they can still see delays when traffic is heavy or when a few lanes are open. SENTRI provides expedited US entry for pre-approved low-risk travelers from Mexico. Apply at ttp.cbp.dhs.gov.
What hours is the Tecate crossing open?
6 am-10 pm. Hours are set by CBP and may change for holidays or staffing.
How often is this wait time updated?
CBP officers at each port update their reported wait time roughly every hour while the port is staffed. We re-poll the CBP feed every five minutes and cache the result for both speed and to be kind to the upstream feed.
Why is the wait time blank or "no data"?
CBP doesn't publish a number for that lane right now — usually because the port hasn't reported in over an hour, the lane is closed, or the port is idle. We show whatever CBP publishes without modification.
When is the best time to cross at Tecate, CA?
In our last 90 days of recorded waits, the quietest stretch for standard passenger vehicles was Wednesdays 9pm–12am (about 57 min on average) and the busiest was Sundays 6pm–9pm (about 213 min). Times are local; today's live wait can differ.