What ID you need to cross between Windsor and Detroit
Two different agencies check your documents on this trip. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) decides who enters the United States at Detroit, and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) decides who enters Canada at Windsor. Their rules are not the same, and the U.S. side is stricter, so the document that gets you home is not always enough to get you there. The rules are identical at all three crossings: the Gordie Howe Bridge, the Ambassador Bridge and the Detroit–Windsor Tunnel.
The short version
- Going to Detroit, every adult needs a passport, an enhanced driver’s licence or a trusted traveller card such as NEXUS. A regular driver’s licence will not get you into the U.S.
- Coming back to Windsor, a passport is simplest. Canadians without one can use other proof of citizenship or status from CBSA’s list.
- Children who are U.S. or Canadian citizens and under 16 can show a birth certificate at U.S. land crossings, even a photocopy.
- Travelling with a child who is not yours, or without the other parent? Bring a consent letter.
Going to Detroit: entering the United States
For Canadian and U.S. citizens arriving by land, CBP accepts documents that meet the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative:
- a valid passport;
- a U.S. passport card (U.S. citizens only);
- an enhanced driver’s licence or enhanced ID card;
- a trusted traveller card: NEXUS, SENTRI or FAST.
A regular driver’s licence, a health card or a birth certificate on its own will not get an adult into the U.S. by land. Every person in the vehicle needs their own document, children included. U.S. lawful permanent residents show their green card (Form I-551).
If you are a Canadian permanent resident, or a citizen of any other country, the U.S. looks at your citizenship rather than where you live. Check CBP’s requirements for your passport before you go, because you may need a visa or other travel authorization to enter the U.S.
At the booth: have everyone’s documents out before you pull up and hand them over together. If everyone in the vehicle has an RFID-enabled card, such as a NEXUS card, a U.S. passport card or an enhanced driver’s licence, you can use the Ready Lane where one is open.
Coming back to Windsor: entering Canada
Canadian citizens and permanent residents
CBSA recommends carrying a valid Canadian passport on every trip abroad, including day trips to the U.S. Without one, CBSA lists other documents it accepts, including:
- a Canadian citizenship card or certificate of Canadian citizenship;
- a Canadian permanent resident card;
- a birth certificate, if you were born in Canada;
- a provincial or territorial enhanced driver’s licence or enhanced photo ID card;
- a NEXUS or FAST card held by a Canadian citizen;
- a Secure Certificate of Indian Status.
The full list is on CBSA’s travel documents page. Canadian permanent residents who use a NEXUS or FAST card must still carry a passport and proof of permanent residence.
U.S. citizens
CBSA recommends a valid passport. Without one, bring proof of U.S. citizenship such as a birth certificate, a certificate of citizenship or naturalization, or a U.S. enhanced driver’s licence, plus photo ID if that document has no photo.
U.S. permanent residents
Arriving by land, show your U.S. permanent resident card (green card). You do not need a passport for a land crossing into Canada.
Everyone else
Visitors of other nationalities should check the Government of Canada’s entry requirements for their passport before leaving Canada, so they know they can get back in.
Travelling with children
Into the U.S.: U.S. and Canadian citizen children under 16 can show a birth certificate instead of a passport at land crossings, and CBP accepts an original, a photocopy or a certified copy. Children under 19 travelling with a school, religious or youth group under adult supervision can do the same.
Into Canada: CBSA asks adults travelling with anyone under 18 to carry identification for the child, carry copies of any custody documents, and arrive at the border in the same vehicle as the child. Bring a consent letter if you share custody and the other parent or guardian is not with you, or if you are not the child’s parent or legal guardian. The letter should include the full name, address and phone number of the parents or guardians giving consent, and CBSA recommends having it notarized.
NEXUS members
A NEXUS card is an accepted entry document at U.S. and Canadian land crossings and lets you use the NEXUS lane when it is open. Everyone in the vehicle must be a member to use that lane. CBSA still advises carrying your passport or proof of permanent residence in case you need to prove your citizenship or status. See the live NEXUS lane wait times.
Common questions
Can I cross from Windsor to Detroit with just my driver's licence?
No, unless it is an enhanced driver's licence. At U.S. land crossings, adult Canadian and U.S. citizens need a passport, an enhanced driver's licence or enhanced ID card, or a NEXUS, SENTRI or FAST card. U.S. citizens can also use a U.S. passport card. A regular driver's licence is not enough.
Do I need a passport to come back into Canada?
CBSA recommends a valid Canadian passport for every trip abroad, including to the U.S. If you don't have one, CBSA lists other acceptable documents, such as a Canadian citizenship card or certificate, a birth certificate if you were born in Canada, a permanent resident card, a provincial enhanced driver's licence, or a NEXUS card held by a Canadian citizen.
Does my child need a passport to go to Detroit?
Not at a land crossing, if the child is a U.S. or Canadian citizen under 16. They can show a birth certificate instead, and CBP accepts an original, a photocopy or a certified copy. Children under 19 travelling with a school, religious or youth group under adult supervision can do the same.
Do I need a consent letter to travel with my child?
CBSA asks for a consent letter when you share custody of a child under 18 and the other parent or guardian is not travelling with you, or when you are not the child's parent or legal guardian. The letter should give the full name, address and phone number of the parents or guardians who are not travelling, and CBSA recommends having it notarized.
Are the ID rules different at the Tunnel and the bridges?
No. The rules are set by each country, so they are the same at the Gordie Howe Bridge, the Ambassador Bridge and the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel.
Official sources
This page summarises official guidance in plain language and is not legal advice. Border officers decide who may enter, and rules change; check the official pages before you travel. Spot something out of date? Tell us.