G/LIC/N/3/MEX/ 7 
2 June 2021 
(21-4554) Page: 1/8 
Committee on Import Licensing  Original:  Spanish  
 
  
REPLIES TO QUESTIONNAIRE ON IMPORT LICENSING PROCEDURES1 
NOTIFICATION UNDER ARTICLE 7.3 OF THE AGREEMENT ON  
IMPORT LICENSING PROCEDURES (20 21)2 
MEXICO 
The following communication, dated 17 May 2021, is being circulated at the request of the delegation 
of Mexico.  
 
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Outline of systems  
1. The import licensing system (prior permit and/or automatic noti ce) in Mexico rests on the premise 
that imports into the country are exempt from this requirement except for those products which are 
subject to prior import licensing (prior permit and/or automatic noti ce) by decision of the 
Ministry  of the Economy  (SE). In Mexico, the import licensing procedure (prior permit and/or 
automatic noti ce) is based on the Foreign Trad e Law and its Implementing Regulation s as well as 
the SE's decision issuing general rules and criteria in respect of foreign trade.  
 
The products subject to Mexico's import licensing system, identified by tariff heading, are published 
in the ministerial decision s issued by the SE and published in the Diario Oficial de la Federación  
(DOF), the national O fficial Journal of the Government of Mexico.  
 
The import licensing system , administered by the SE , is subject to the opinions and 
recommendations of  the Foreign Trade Commission (COCEX), which acts as a consultative body to 
all entities of the Federal Public Administration in matters concerning trade policy formulation  and 
may hold consultations with the interested parties.  
 
In order to ensure that the regulation containing the import licensing requ irement properly  identifie s 
the regulatory impact,  and the social benefits and costs that its implementation would generate, all  
import licence s are subject to the regulatory improvement process in the National  Commission on 
Regulatory Improvement (CO NAMER). CONAMER conducts  an ex ante  analysis of the regulation  that 
is to be issued  with a view to ensuring the quality thereof , and the process is backed up by  a public 
consultation , which gives it  considerable value added.  
 
Import licensing procedures are app lied in an impartial, transparent and expedit ious manner, and 
are administered fairly.  
 
 
1 See document G/LIC/3, Annex, for the questionnaire.  
2 This notification also concerns 2020.  G/LIC/N/3/MEX/ 7 
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  Purpose s and coverage of licensing  
2. Non-automatic import licensing (prior pe rmit)3 and automatic import not ice.4 
 
3. The import licensing system  is applied to products from all countries on a most -favoured -nation 
basis, except where licences are administered in accordance with preferential agreements.  
 
4. The non -automatic licensing (prior permit) regime is used by the Mexican Government to regula te 
trade in specific products , to protect consumers, public health and the environment , and to regulate 
trade in products in accordance with the provisions of the international treaties and agreements to 
which Mexico is a party.  
 
According to  Article 21 of  the Regulations to the Foreign Trade Law, the automatic import notice  
should be seen as an automatic licensing requirement to which the SE may subject imports of goods 
for the purposes of maintaining a register of foreign trade operations , provided there is no alternative  
administrative procedure that would enable  such operations to be monitored and controlled  in a 
more flexible manner.  
 
5. The Governmen t of Mexico's import licensing system rests on the following legal basis:  
 
i. The Foreign Trade Law (Title IV, Chapter II, Section I, Article 20 and Section  II, Articles  21 
and 22) ; 
 
ii. The Implementing Regulations to the Foreign Trade Law (Title III, Chapter II ); 
 
iii. The Decision of  the Ministry of the Economy (SE) on general rules and criteria in respect of 
foreign trade, containing provisions applicable in Mexico to prior permits and automatic 
notices. The tariff headings subject to licens ing are published in th e DOF in conformity with 
the Foreign Trade Law, thereby ensuring the system 's transparency . 
 
In the light  of the above, prior import permits and automatic import  notices , as part of the 
Mexican  Government's legal system governing foreign trade, can be required by law.  
 
Since the Federal Executive is under obligation to ensure that the different economic entities involved 
in foreign trade conduct their activities in a climate of legal certainty and to clearly define the status 
of the different rules establishing the various foreign trade instruments and programmes, the 
SE issues ministerial decisions regulating the licensing regime applicable  in Mexico.  
 
Procedures  
6. Information regarding the import licensing system , time-periods  for application, administrative 
procedures and the formalities for filing applications applicable to each procedure , are published by 
the SE in the DOF. 
 
I. To ensure that the information is made available for consultation nationwide by  any interested 
party, both in printed and electronic form, it is posted on the DOF web site 
(http://dof.gob.mx/index.php ). 
 
This allows  the governments of other countries and their trade representatives (chambers of 
commerce) to acces s publications on the import licensing system  in Mexico immediately.  
  
 
3 A list of the products subject to non-automatic import licensing is provided in Annex I of this 
document.  
4 A list of the products subject to automatic import licensing is provided in Annex II of this document.  G/LIC/N/3/MEX/ 7 
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  II. Not applicable.  
 
III. Import licences a pproved  by the SE are allocat ed to all natural or legal persons that need to 
carry out foreign trade operations . It should be noted that the SE approves all import licences 
for natural or legal persons that fulfil the administrative requirements for engaging in foreign 
trade operation s. 
 
The elements  used to ensure that a pproved  import licences are effectively used for the importation 
of the products indicated  in the SE's resolution  are: 
 
• import or export customs procedures;  
• description of the goods;  
• condition of the goods (new or used);  
• tariff heading;  
• quantity to be imported or exported;  
• unit of measurement ; 
• value of the invoice in dollars;  
• country or countries of provenance  or destination.  
The authorized quantities for each of the import licences that have not been utilized under  the 
authorization that was granted  cannot be cumulated for future licence applications.  
 
Publicly available information on import ers to which an import licence has been granted by the 
Mexican Government can be consulted by the general  public  or by other governments and export 
promotion bodies in the exporting countries through the transparency portal 
(https://www.snice.gob.mx/cs/avi/snice/avisospermisos.html ). 
 
IV. The due date is established a s of the time of publication in the DOF of a ministerial decision 
providing for the allocation  of an import licence . It is important to note that licence applications 
may be filed immediately upon entry into force of the corresponding provision . 
 
V. Generally  speaking , the time it takes to grant licences varies according to the type of licence , 
and ranges from 1 to 15 wor king days.  
 
VI. Recipients  of import licences may use them immediately upon issuance  by the SE. 
 
VII. All import licences administered by the SE are granted by a single administrative body, in this 
case the SE itself, so that the applicant only has to deal  with a single focal point to obtain the 
licence in  question.  
 
VIII. Applications are examined in the chronological order in which they are submitted . They are 
analysed, and approved  in accordance with the criteria established in the regulations 
applicable  to each product for which an  import licen ce is required . It is important to note  that 
there is no maximum limit on the amount to be allocated per applicant.  
 
IX. Not applicable.  
 
X. Not applicable.  
 
XI. Not applicable.  
 G/LIC/N/3/MEX/ 7 
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  7. The Government has not set any time-limit for the submission of applications for a licence . It is 
up to the persons in question to submit their applications at such time as their schedule  of foreign  
trade operations requires them to do so . 
 
According to the  time-frame set forth  in the decision on regulations for each licence, the interested 
parties receive their approved licences once they have met the corresponding requirements, 
regardless of whether  or not  the goods have arrived at the port without a licence.  
 
It is up to the interested parties to familiarize themselves with  the tariff and non -tariff regulations 
applicable to the goods they are importing or exporting before they carry out their foreign trade  
operations.  
 
The import licence t hat has been approved for a certain good may be extended at the request of the 
interested party, provided that the criteria on which the original approval was based are still valid, 
that part of the quantity originally a pproved  is still outstanding, and th at the licence has not expired . 
The request for extension must be submitted to the Single Window for foreign trade, and the 
time-limit for reply ing is 13 working days.  
 
8. Applications for import licences must meet all of the criteria and requirements for submission . If 
an import  licence application is not duly substantiated or is incomplete, it will be refused . The 
interested party may resubmit the application once the causes of the refusal  have been rectified . It 
is accepted once all of  the inconsistencie s – of which the applicant is informed in advance in a 
resolution issued by the SE via the Single Window  – have been remedied.  
 
Under Articles 85 and 86 of the Federal Law on Administrative Procedures, applicants may submit 
an appeal  for review to the SE within a period of 15 days from the day following the entry into effect 
of the notification of the resolution in question . The document of appeal must be submitted to the 
SE, and the appeal will be heard by the supervisory authority.  
 
In their document of a ppeal, the applicants must provide  the following  information : 
 
• the administrative body to which  it is addressed;  
• the name of the appellant and of the injured third party where applicable, and an address for 
notifications;  
• the measure being appealed and the date on which the appellant was notified or learned of 
the measure;  
• the grievances ; 
• where applicable, a copy of the challenged decision or measure and of the corresponding 
notification . In the case of measures for which  there has been no decision within the time-limit 
and which are  therefore deemed to have been refused , either the written request for initiation 
of the procedure or the document on which there was no decision must be attached ; and 
• the evidence they are sup plying that has an immediate and direct bearing on the challenge d 
decision or measure , by attaching the documents available, including those certifying their 
standing if they are acting on behalf of another party or of legal person s. 
Eligibility of importe rs to apply for licence  
9. Any natural  or legal person established in Mexico may apply for an import licence (prior permit 
and/or automatic notice) provided they meet the relevant requirements.  G/LIC/N/3/MEX/ 7 
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  Documentation al and other requirements for application for lic ence  
10. Applicants for import licences (prior permit and/or automatic notice ) must include  the following 
information in their application:  
 
• general data concerning the applicant (for natural persons, the Single Population Registration 
Code (CURP) and complete name, and for legal persons, the business name and federal 
taxpayers' registration), telephone, email, and domicile of the applicant;  
• information concerning the product (new or used), the regime (definitive or temporary  import 
or export), general data on the goods to be imported or exported ( e.g. tariff heading, quantity, 
value in dollars, country of provenance ); 
• data concerning the legal representative or the person authorized to submit the application, 
domicile, date, place, name and signature of  the applicant;  
• the form includes a section in which any prior procedure may be mentioned if appropriate, as 
well as an annex in which the applicant may enter a list of headings, descriptions, values, 
quantities and codes . 
The following documents must be a ttached:  
 
- for legal persons : articles of association and amendments thereto, and the relevant powers of 
attorney;  
- natural persons : original and simple and legible copy of valid official identification, proof of 
domicile;  
- for both of the above : legible copy  of the federal taxpayers' registration  (RFC) and RFC  code, 
and specific documents for each one of the products subject to the regulations.  
11. Once the import licence has been approved, the SE automatically sends all of the information 
regarding the approved import licence to Customs, and the applicant may use the licence 
immediately, without being required to submit further information.  
 
12. Import licensing procedures are free : there is no administrative charge or licensing  fee. 
 
13. There are no deposit or advance payment requirements associated with a licence approval.  
 
Conditions of licensing  
14. All import licences (prior permit and/or automatic notice ) approved by the SE through a  
resolution carry a period  of validity, which takes full effect as from the time of their approval . The 
validity of import licences may be extended provided that the criteria on which the approval of the 
original import licence  was based are still  valid, that part of the quantity originally approved is still 
outstanding , and that the import licence has not expired.  
 
The m aximum period of validity for non -automatic import licences (prior permit s) is one  year. 
 
Automatic import notices have a maximum per iod of validity of four months from the date on which 
the SE issued the corresponding authorization code.  
 
15. The interested parties may utilize an import licence  in full or in part without any penalty for the 
non-utilization of the licence  or a portion o f the licence . 
 
16. The SE approves import licences for applicants that fulfil the stipulated  requirements and criteria . 
Consequently , they are personal and non -transferable between  importers, since they can be 
requested by any natural or legal person without restriction.  
 
17. The issue of import licences is not subject to any quantitative condition or restriction.  G/LIC/N/3/MEX/ 7 
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  Other procedural requirements  
18. The importation of goods subject to  an import licence (prior permit and/or automatic noti ce) is 
not subject to any administrative procedures other than the import licensing procedures described  
above.  
 
19. There is no relationship between the import licensing system and the foreign exchange  system.  
 
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 G/LIC/N/3/MEX/ 7 
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  ANNEX I 
NON-AUTOMATIC IMPORT LICENSING  
General description of the 
restriction  Codes of tariff lines affected, 
based on HS  2012 Detailed product description  
Prior import permit issued 
by the SE   Products under the following 
codes : 
4012.20.01  
4012.20.99  
6309.00.01  
7102.10.01  
7102.21.01  
7102.31.01  Used pneumatic tyres; worn clothing and 
other worn articles; diamonds, unsorted; 
diamonds, industrial, unworked; 
diamonds, non -industrial, unworked . 
Prior import permit for 
used vehicles  Used products under the following 
codes : 
8701.20.02  
87.02.10.05  
8702.20.05  
8702.30.05  
8702.40.06  
8702.90.06  
87.03.21.02  
8703.22.02  
8703.23.02  
8703.24.02  
8703.31.02  
8703.32.02  
8703.33.02  
8703.40.02  
8703.50.02  
8703.60.02  
8703.70.02  
8703.90.02  
8704.21.04  
8704.22.07  
8704.23.02  
8704.31.05  
8704.32.07  
8705.40.02  
87.06.00.99  Road tractors for semi -trailers; motor 
vehicles for the transport of ten or more 
persons; motor vehicles principally 
designed for the transport of persons; 
motor vehicles for the transport of 
goods; concrete -mixer lorries; chassis 
for motor vehicles.  
Prior import permit for 
hydrocarbons and 
petroleum products issued 
by the Ministry of Energy  Products under the following 
codes : 
2902.20.01  
2709.00.05  
2709.00.99  
2710.12.99  
2710.19.99  
2711.12.01  
2711.13.01  
2711.14.01  
2711.19.01  Gasoline, diesel oils, other hydrocarbons 
and petroleum products.  
 
  G/LIC/N/3/MEX/ 7 
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  ANNEX II  
AUTOMATIC IMPORT LICENSING  
General description of the 
restriction  Codes of tariff lines affected, 
based on HS  2012 Detailed product description  
Automatic import notice 
issued by the SE  
 Various products under the 
following chapters : 
72 
73 Products of the steel sector  
 
Automatic import notice 
issued by the SE   Products under the following code : 
9504.30.02  Electrical, electronic and/or mechanical 
gaming machines that perform random 
draws with numbers or symbols  
Automatic import notice 
issued by the SE   Various products under the 
following codes : 
64.01  
64.02  
64.03  
64.04  
64.05  Produ cts of the footwear sector  
 
Automatic import notice 
issued by the SE  Various products under the 
following chapters : 
51 
52 
53 
54 
55 
56 
57 
58 
59 
60 
61 
62 
63 
9404.90.99  Products of the textiles and clothing 
sectors  
 
 
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