Cabo Tourist Tax 2026: The “Embrace It” Fee Explained (Los Cabos & Baja Sur)
Wondering if you have to pay the Cabo tourist tax?
If you’re planning a trip to Baja California Sur state, home to Cabo San Lucas, San José del Cabo, La Paz and Todos Santos, the answer is yes.
The state’s tourist fee is called Embrace It, and it costs 488 pesos (about $27 USD) per person, plus a processing fee at checkout.
It started on July 1, 2025, and the state confirmed it stays in place for all of 2026.
It’s caused quite a bit of confusion, so let’s clear everything up so you can travel with confidence.
As someone who has been living in Mexico since 2018, and runs several Mexico travel blogs, I’ve done the research.
In this article, I’ll explain what the tax is, who has to pay it, how to pay it, and how to avoid scam sites.
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Cabo Tourist Tax 2026: Quick Answers
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What is it? | Embrace It, Baja California Sur state’s tourist fee |
| Where does it apply? | Cabo San Lucas, San José del Cabo, La Paz, Todos Santos, Loreto and the rest of Baja California Sur |
| How much? | 488 pesos (about $27 USD) per person, plus a processing fee |
| Who pays? | Foreign visitors over 12 who stay more than 24 hours |
| Where to pay | The official site: embraceit.bcs.gob.mx |
| When to pay | Before you arrive or on arrival, and before you leave the state |
What is the Embrace It Tax? (aka the Cabo Tourist Tax)
Embrace It is a tourist fee charged by the government of Baja California Sur state.
It applies to these popular Mexico destinations, and everywhere else in the state:
- Cabo San Lucas
- La Paz
- Todos Santos
- Los Cabos
- La Ventana
- San José del Cabo
- Balandra Beach
- Loreto
- Los Barriles
- Mulegé
Cabo San Lucas is the most popular destination in the state, so the fee is usually called the Cabo tourist tax, but it applies anywhere in Baja Sur.
It’s not included in your airfare or your hotel rate. This is a totally separate fee you pay yourself (more on how below).
The money goes toward tourism development, environmental conservation, and community programs in the state.
Who Has to Pay the Cabo Tourist Tax?
Embrace It applies to foreign visitors over 12 who stay more than 24 hours in Baja California Sur.
This means:
✅ Tourists from the U.S., Canada, Europe, the Caribbean, Asia, Africa, etc.
✅ Visitors staying in hotels, Airbnbs, or resorts in Baja California Sur
✅ Travelers arriving by air, land, or sea
✅ Children over 12 (13 and older)
Embrace It does not apply to:
❌ Mexican citizens
❌ Temporary and permanent residents of Mexico
❌ Children 12 and under
❌ Visitors who stay 24 hours or less, which usually includes passengers on Mexican cruises, since most cruise stops are shorter than that
❌ Travelers who only visit Baja California state (more on that below)
How Much is the Cabo Tourist Tax?
The Embrace It fee is 488 pesos (about $27 USD) per person, plus a processing fee that’s added at checkout.
When it started in July 2025, it was 470 pesos. It went up to 488 pesos in 2026.
It’s a one-time fee per trip, not a per-day or per-hotel charge.
So whether you’re in Baja Sur for 3 days or 3 weeks, you only pay it once.
How to Pay the Cabo Tourist Tax Online
There’s only one official place to pay the tax online, so please don’t pay any other site that says you can pay it with them.
- ✅ The official Embrace It website: embraceit.bcs.gob.mx
- ❌ Do not pay ANY other site, or you risk being scammed
You pay with a credit or debit card (Visa, Mastercard or American Express).
After you pay, you’ll get a digital QR code that may be checked at the airport, so screenshot it and save it to your phone.
⚠️ Note: Don’t pay anyone who approaches you at the airport offering to “handle” the tax for you. Pay only on the official site.
When Do You Need to Pay the Embrace It Tax?
You can pay online before your trip or when you arrive, but you have to pay before you leave Baja California Sur.
At Los Cabos Airport, travelers may be asked to show proof of payment.
Spot checks have been rare so far, but they do happen, so have your QR code ready at check-in, just in case.
What If I Don’t Pay the Cabo Tourist Tax?
Not everyone is asked to show proof of payment, but random checks happen at the airport.
If you haven’t paid, these are the possible consequences:
👎 Paying at the airport: You may be asked to pay before you’re allowed to board.
👎 Missing your flight: Sorting out the payment at the last minute can take time.
👎 Denial of boarding: As a worst-case scenario, you may not be allowed to board until you’ve paid.
Visiting Baja California State (aka Baja Norte)? You Don’t Pay Embrace It
This part confuses a lot of people, especially on a first trip to Mexico.
There are two states on Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula: Baja California and Baja California Sur (both circled on the map above).
- Baja California, aka Baja California Norte or Baja Norte, is to the north (norte means “north”)
- Baja California Sur, aka Baja Sur, is to the south (sur means “south”)
Baja Norte is home to places like Tijuana, the Valle de Guadalupe wine region, Ensenada, Rosarito, Mexicali and Tecate.
Embrace It only applies to Baja California Sur.
As of October 2026, Baja California state doesn’t charge a visitor fee like Embrace It, though hotels there (like everywhere in Mexico) add a lodging tax to your bill.
Quick Note: The Visitax for Cancún
If you’re traveling to Cancún, Tulum, Playa del Carmen, or anywhere in Quintana Roo state, there’s a different tourist tax you need to pay.
The Visitax (aka the Cancún tourist tax) applies to foreign tourists visiting Quintana Roo and the Mexican Caribbean.
Quintana Roo includes popular destinations like these:
- Cancún
- Tulum
- Playa del Carmen
- Isla Mujeres
- Riviera Maya
- Cozumel
- Holbox Island
- Bacalar Lagoon
- Mahahual
- Akumal
If you’re traveling to any of those places → check out my full guide to the Visitax and other Mexico tourist fees in 2026.
Cabo Tourist Tax FAQs
Still have questions? Here are the ones I get most often from readers.
Is the Embrace It tax included in my plane ticket?
No. It’s separate from your airfare, hotel charges and any other fees, and you pay it yourself on the official website.
Who needs to pay Mexico’s Embrace It tax?
Foreign visitors over 12 who stay more than 24 hours in Baja California Sur state.
If you’re traveling to any of the 31 other states in Mexico, you don’t need to pay it.
Is the Embrace It tax per person, or per group?
It’s per person, so each traveler over 12 in your group pays it.
If you’re traveling as a couple or family, you’ll pay for each traveler who qualifies.
Do children need to pay the Embrace It tax?
Children 12 and under don’t pay. Anyone over 12 who stays more than 24 hours in Baja California Sur does.
Do cruise passengers pay the Cabo tourist tax?
Cruise passengers aren’t mentioned on the official Embrace It site, but the fee only applies to stays of more than 24 hours, and most cruise stops in Cabo are shorter than that.
Cruise passengers do pay Mexico’s federal cruise passenger fee ($10 USD since August 1, 2026), but the cruise line adds it to your taxes and fees.
Do I need to pay again if I leave and come back to Baja Sur?
Yes, the Embrace It tax is tied to each trip to Baja California Sur. If you leave and return on a different trip, you’ll need to pay it again for that visit.
Will I be denied boarding if I don’t pay the Embrace It tax?
Probably not, but random checks do happen at Los Cabos Airport.
It’s smarter to pay ahead of time and have your QR code ready, so you don’t deal with delays or last-minute stress at the airport.
Can I pay the Embrace It tax in cash?
No. Payment is online only, by credit or debit card.
My Final Thoughts on the Cabo Tourist Tax
No one likes paying extra fees, but Embrace It is the law in Baja California Sur, and paying it is the easiest way to avoid airport headaches.
It’s also a small price to pay for the beaches, towns and pueblos mágicos of Baja Sur.
It takes just a few minutes to pay here online.
Plus, if you like to travel responsibly, it’s one way to support conservation and local communities in one of Mexico’s most beautiful regions.
