Property
Mexico — Property: Legal Checks
Legal checks on a Mexican property purchase start with whether it lies in the restricted zone (100 km from borders, 50 km from the coast), where foreigners must use a bank-held fideicomiso that needs an SRE permit requested electronically through SIPAC27; the trust contract must be a public deed. Outside the zone, foreign buyers must sign an agreement with the SRE waiving diplomatic protection. Beyond these foreign-ownership requirements, these official sources do not set out how the title, registry or notary checks are done or how long they take, so have a notary and a lawyer confirm the title, the seller's ownership and any liens before you pay a deposit.
VerifiedGovernment / official sourceSecretaría de Relaciones Exteriores (SRE) — restricted-zone and foreign-acquisition proceduresLast reviewed: 2026-10-23
Key facts
- Check first whether the property is inside the restricted zone (100 km from borders, 50 km from the coast).
- Inside the zone, foreigners use a bank-held fideicomiso, which needs an SRE permit requested through SIPAC27 and a public-deed trust contract.
- Outside the zone, foreign buyers sign an agreement with the SRE waiving diplomatic protection over the property.
- Official sources do not detail the title and registry checks or their timing; have a notary confirm ownership, liens and title chain.
Steps
- Request current Escritura Pública and antecedentes registrales — Verify against the state's Registro Público de la Propiedad.
- Confirm non-ejido (private) status — Ejido/communal land carries different, more restrictive title rules.
- Obtain encumbrance and no-debt certificates — Cover property tax, water, and electricity accounts.
- Final pre-closing registry search — Performed by the notary within 24 hours of closing to catch any last-minute competing filings.
Common mistakes
- Paying a deposit before confirming whether the property is in the restricted zone.