Countries › Mexico › Guide › 13. Regulation › Consumer protection in Mexico: PROFECO, total price display, advertising, warranties, adhesion contracts, online sales and subscriptions, and 2026 fines

Consumer protection in Mexico: PROFECO, total price display, advertising, warranties, adhesion contracts, online sales and subscriptions, and 2026 fines

Last verified: 2026-10-26 · Status: Changing

The Federal Consumer Protection Law applies to every business that sells goods or services to final consumers in Mexico, enforced by the Federal Consumer Protection Agency (PROFECO). Prices must be shown as a total including taxes, fees and any other charge, advertising must be truthful and verifiable, warranties cannot be shorter than 90 days, defective goods entitle the buyer to replacement or refund plus a credit of at least 20 percent, and some adhesion contracts must be registered before use. Online sellers must give contact details and security information, and since December 2025 must disclose recurring charges, get express consent, warn five days before automatic renewals and allow immediate cancellation; 2026 fines reach MXN 6.39 million, or 10 percent of income for repeat serious misleading advertising.

USD conversions use MXN 18.6638 per US dollar, the US Federal Reserve H.10 noon buying rate in New York for 23 October 2026 (FRED series DEXMXUS), the latest observation available when this page was verified. Peso amounts set in UMA use the 2026 daily UMA of MXN 117.31, in force since 1 February 2026 (INEGI publication in the DOF of 9 January 2026, as cited in IMSS Technical Council agreement ACDO.AS2.HCT.270126/9.P.DIR). Conversions are for orientation only.

Key facts

Minimum warranty period	90 daysLFPC art. 77, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Minimum credit (bonificación) for defective goods, as a share of the price	20 %LFPC art. 92 TER, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Advance notice of automatic renewal of subscriptions	5 calendar daysLFPC art. 76 BIS, section VIII, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
PROFECO term to resolve on adhesion contract registration (silence means approval)	30 business daysLFPC art. 87, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Maximum fine in particularly grave cases, 2026	6391474.56 MXNLFPC art. 128 BIS, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Maximum closure in particularly grave cases	90 daysLFPC art. 128 BIS, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Maximum fine for repeat grave misleading advertising, as share of gross annual income from the products	10 %LFPC art. 128 BIS, as of 2026-10-26 · in force

The rule

1. Scope. The law is public order: its provisions cannot be waived by contract and apply throughout Mexico. A consumer is anyone who acquires or enjoys goods or services as final recipient; businesses that buy inputs for production are consumers only for PROFECO complaints and conciliation and only if they are accredited micro businesses. A supplier is anyone who habitually or periodically offers, distributes, sells, leases or grants use of goods and services. The Ministry of Economy and PROFECO are the authorities.
Cost to do it: No registration for ordinary suppliers; compliance is labelling, pricing, contracts and complaint handling.
Example: A foreign brand selling to Mexican consumers through its own Mexican website is a supplier under the law. / Contract clauses choosing foreign law cannot waive LFPC rights (art. 1).Ley Federal de Protección al Consumidor (LFPC), DOF 24 December 1992, last reform DOF 12 December 2025, Arts. 1 and 2, 1992-12-24 official text · verified 2026-10-26

2. Price, advertising and price gouging. Suppliers must show, notoriously and visibly, the total amount to pay, including taxes, fees, interest, insurance and any other cost, cash or credit. Information and advertising in any medium must be truthful, verifiable and clear, without text, images or brands that mislead; misleading or abusive information includes true statements presented in an inexact, exaggerated, partial or tendentious way, and comparative advertising follows the same rule. Claims of endorsement by professional associations need scientific evidence. Suppliers may voluntarily submit advertising to PROFECO for a non binding opinion. Prices cannot be raised without justification due to natural phenomena or health emergencies.
Cost to do it: Breach of the total price rule (art. 7 BIS) is fined MXN 760.89 to MXN 2,434,847.42 in 2026; misleading advertising (art. 32) can be treated as particularly grave.
Example: An airline or ticketing site that shows a fare and adds service fees at checkout breaches art. 7 BIS. / About USD 40.77 to USD 130,458.Ley Federal de Protección al Consumidor, arts. 7 BIS (reformed DOF 11 January 2018), 10 BIS and 32, Arts. 7 BIS, 10 BIS and 32, 2018-01-11 official text · verified 2026-10-26

3. Warranties and remedies. A warranty may not be shorter than 90 days from delivery or service. Consumers may choose replacement or refund (by the same payment method unless they accept another) plus a credit (bonificación) where net content is short, the good does not match the quality, brand or specifications offered or official standards, or a repair under warranty fails; a replacement after a failed repair must be new. The credit is at least 20 percent of the price paid, without prejudice to damages.
Cost to do it: Product cost of returns plus the 20 percent minimum credit.
Example: A buyer of a MXN 15,000 laptop that fails after repair within warranty can get a new one or a refund plus at least MXN 3,000. / About USD 804 laptop; credit at least about USD 161.Ley Federal de Protección al Consumidor, arts. 77 (reformed DOF 11 January 2018), 92 and 92 TER, Arts. 77, 92 and 92 TER, 2018-01-11 official text · verified 2026-10-26

4. Adhesion contracts. The Ministry of Economy may, through official standards (NOMs), require prior registration with PROFECO of adhesion contracts that may involve disproportionate or abusive terms or high default risk. Registered contracts must give PROFECO administrative jurisdiction over disputes and show the registration number. PROFECO must resolve within 30 business days; silence means approval. Unregistered contracts that required registration have no effect against the consumer, and the registered model must be used exactly. Additional services may only be provided with the consumer's express consent.
Cost to do it: Registration is an administrative filing; using a contract that differs from the registered model is particularly grave and fined MXN 228,266.96 to MXN 6,391,474.56.
Example: A gym chain or real estate developer selling off plan uses a contract registered with PROFECO; if it changes clauses it must register the modification first. / Up to about USD 342,453 if the contract used differs from the registered one.Ley Federal de Protección al Consumidor, arts. 86, 86 BIS and 87 (art. 87 reformed DOF 11 January 2018), Arts. 86, 86 BIS and 87, 2018-01-11 official text · verified 2026-10-26

5. Online sales and subscriptions. In electronic transactions the supplier must keep consumer data confidential, use security measures and explain them before the transaction, give its physical address, phone numbers and complaint channels beforehand, avoid deceptive practices, disclose all terms, costs and payment methods, respect quantity and quality chosen and the decision not to receive marketing, and avoid unclear practices aimed at vulnerable groups. Since 13 December 2025 it must also disclose clearly any automatic recurring charges, their frequency, amount and date, obtain express informed consent for them, notify automatic renewals at least five calendar days in advance allowing cancellation without penalty, and offer immediate cancellation of services, subscriptions or memberships. PROFECO may keep a free public registry of consumers who do not want marketing use of their information.
Cost to do it: Breach of art. 76 BIS is fined MXN 1,093.02 to MXN 4,274,960.73 in 2026.
Example: A streaming service billing monthly must show the charge and date clearly, get express consent, and let users cancel immediately in the app; an annual plan that renews automatically needs a notice at least five days before. / About USD 58.56 to USD 229,051.Ley Federal de Protección al Consumidor, arts. 18 and 76 BIS (sections VIII and IX added by decree DOF 12 December 2025, in force the next day), Arts. 18 and 76 BIS, 2025-12-12 official text · verified 2026-10-26 · changed: Decree DOF 12 December 2025 added art. 76 BIS sections VIII and IX on recurring charges, renewal notices and immediate cancellation.

6. Fines in 2026. Fines are updated every year by PROFECO agreement; for 2026 (agreement DOF 23 December 2025): general breaches MXN 380.44 to 1,217,423.72; breaches of the articles listed in art. 127, such as total price and warranties, MXN 760.89 to 2,434,847.42; breaches of the articles listed in art. 128, such as information duties, price gouging, adhesion contracts, online sales and remedies, MXN 1,093.02 to 4,274,960.73; particularly grave cases (risk to a group of consumers, health or safety, basic goods, misleading advertising, repeat offences, contract mismatch) up to 90 days closure and MXN 228,266.96 to 6,391,474.56, or for repeat grave misleading advertising up to 10 percent of the gross annual income from the advertised products. Repeat offences may be fined up to double and lead to arrest of up to 36 hours.
Cost to do it: Maximum ordinary fine MXN 6,391,474.56 (about USD 342,453), plus closure of up to 90 days.
Example: A retailer that repeatedly advertises false discounts on appliances with MXN 200,000,000 of annual sales of those products risks up to MXN 20,000,000 (10 percent). / About USD 1.07 million on sales of about USD 10.72 million.Ley Federal de Protección al Consumidor, arts. 126 to 129; Acuerdo por el que se actualizan los montos de las operaciones y multas previstas en la LFPC para 2026, DOF 23 December 2025, Arts. 126, 127, 128, 128 BIS, 128 TER and 129, 2025-12-23 official text · verified 2026-10-26 · changed: Agreement DOF 23 December 2025 updated all LFPC fine amounts for 2026.

Article	Examples of breaches	MXN 2026	About USD
126	Breaches not listed elsewhere	MXN 380.44 to MXN 1,217,423.72	USD 20.38 to USD 65,229
127	Total price (7 BIS), warranties (77) and the other articles listed in art. 127	MXN 760.89 to MXN 2,434,847.42	USD 40.77 to USD 130,458
128	Information duties, price gouging (10 BIS), adhesion contracts (86 BIS, 87), online sales (76 BIS), remedies (92, 92 TER)	MXN 1,093.02 to MXN 4,274,960.73	USD 58.56 to USD 229,051
128 BIS	Particularly grave cases (128 TER), plus closure up to 90 days	MXN 228,266.96 to MXN 6,391,474.56	USD 12,230 to USD 342,453
129	Repeat offences	Up to double, arrest up to 36 hours

LFPC fine bands for 2026 (agreement DOF 23 December 2025; USD at MXN 18.6638)

Worked example

A foreign online retailer launches in Mexico with a paid annual membership. It shows prices including VAT and shipping (art. 7 BIS), posts its Mexican address and complaint channels (art. 76 BIS, section III), collects express consent for the recurring charge, emails members at least five days before renewal and offers one click cancellation (sections VIII and IX). A missing renewal notice is fined MXN 1,093.02 to MXN 4,274,960.73 in 2026, about USD 58.56 to USD 229,051 (art. 128).

Step by step

1. Show total prices including taxes and all charges in stores, websites and ads.
2. Substantiate advertising claims before launch; consider PROFECO's voluntary review.
3. Set warranties of at least 90 days and a returns process with the 20 percent minimum credit.
4. Check whether a NOM requires registering your adhesion contract with PROFECO before use.
5. For online and subscription models, implement the December 2025 rules on recurring charges, renewal notices and immediate cancellation.
6. Track the yearly fine update published by PROFECO each December.

Common traps

Drip pricing: adding fees at checkout breaches the total price rule (art. 7 BIS).
Waiving rights by contract: LFPC rights cannot be waived (art. 1).
Using an unregistered contract where registration is mandatory: it has no effect against the consumer (art. 87).
Hard to cancel subscriptions: since 13 December 2025 cancellation must be immediate (art. 76 BIS, section IX).
Raising prices during a hurricane or health emergency without justification (art. 10 BIS).

Sources

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