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Environmental impact authorization in Mexico: which projects need SEMARNAT approval, MIA modalities, review terms, public consultation and 2026 fees

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

Projects in thirteen federal categories, from pipelines, energy, mining, chemicals and cement to coastal real estate and works in protected areas, need a prior environmental impact authorization from the Ministry of Environment (SEMARNAT) before any work starts. Most file an environmental impact statement (MIA) in particular or regional modality, decided within 60 days, extendable by up to 60 more, with possible suspension of up to 60 days for clarifications; low impact projects covered by standards or authorized industrial parks file a lighter preventive report decided in 20 days. Federal fees in 2026 run from MXN 17,975 for a preventive report to MXN 189,771 for a high complexity regional MIA, and working without authorization risks fines, closure and permit revocation.

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

Maximum extension of the MIA review term in complex projects	60 daysLGEEPA art. 35 BIS, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Term for SEMARNAT to decide whether a preventive report suffices	20 daysLGEEPA art. 31, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Federal duty for a preventive report, 2026	17975.34 MXNLFD art. 194-H, section I, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Federal duty for a particular MIA, high grade, 2026	145021.5 MXNLFD art. 194-H, section II c), as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Federal duty for a regional MIA, high grade, 2026	189771.14 MXNLFD art. 194-H, section III c), as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Maximum LGEEPA administrative fine (days of minimum wage read as UMA)	50000 UMALGEEPA art. 171, section I, as of 2026-10-26 · in force
Notice deadline for emergency works started without evaluation	72 hoursReglamento EIA art. 7, as of 2026-10-26 · in force

The rule

1. Which projects need federal authorization. Prior SEMARNAT authorization is required, in the cases set by the regulation, for: (I) hydraulic works, general communication routes, oil, gas, coal and product pipelines; (II) oil, petrochemical, chemical, steel, paper, sugar, cement and electricity industries; (III) exploration, extraction and processing of minerals reserved to the Federation and nuclear materials; (IV) hazardous or radioactive waste treatment, confinement or disposal; (V) forestry in tropical forests and hard to regenerate species; (VII) land use changes in forest areas, jungles and arid zones; (VIII) industrial parks with highly risky activities; (IX) real estate developments affecting coastal ecosystems; (X) works in wetlands, coastal ecosystems, lagoons, rivers, lakes and estuaries connected to the sea, their shores or federal zones; (XI) works in federal protected natural areas; (XII) fishing, aquaculture or farming that may endanger species or ecosystems; and (XIII) other federal works that may cause serious, irreparable imbalance. For section XIII, SEMARNAT notifies the developer, who has 10 days to respond; SEMARNAT then has 30 days to say whether an MIA is needed, and silence means it is not. The federal authorization does not bind state or municipal authorities, which issue their own permits.
Cost to do it: Environmental consultants prepare the study; the federal fee depends on the modality (see the fee rule).
Example: A solar plant on former farmland in an arid zone needs a federal authorization both as an electricity industry project and for the land use change. / A US developer building a beach resort that affects dunes or mangroves needs a federal MIA under sections IX and X, plus municipal construction permits.Ley General del Equilibrio Ecológico y la Protección al Ambiente (LGEEPA), DOF 28 January 1988, art. 28 reformed DOF 23 February 2005, last reform DOF 19 January 2026; Reglamento en materia de evaluación del impacto ambiental, DOF 30 May 2000, last reform DOF 31 October 2014, LGEEPA arts. 28 and 33; Reglamento art. 5, 2005-02-23 official text · verified 2026-10-26

2. Instrument and modality. The developer files an environmental impact statement (manifestación de impacto ambiental, MIA) describing possible effects on ecosystems and prevention and mitigation measures, with a risk study for highly risky activities. The MIA is regional for industrial and aquaculture parks, aquaculture farms over 500 hectares, highways and railways, nuclear power, dams and projects altering river basins, for sets of projects in a plan or region, and where cumulative or synergic impacts are expected; otherwise it is particular. A preventive report (informe preventivo) replaces the MIA, for sections I to XII, when official standards regulate all relevant impacts, when the works are foreseen in an evaluated urban or ecological plan, or when the plant is located in an authorized industrial park; SEMARNAT decides within 20 days whether an MIA is still needed.
Cost to do it: Preventive report fee: MXN 17,975.34 (about USD 963), far below a regional MIA.
Example: An auto parts plant inside an authorized industrial park can usually file a preventive report rather than a full MIA (art. 31, section III). / A 600 hectare shrimp farm must file a regional MIA because it exceeds 500 hectares.LGEEPA arts. 30 and 31 (reformed DOF 13 December 1996); Reglamento arts. 9 to 11, LGEEPA arts. 30 and 31; Reglamento arts. 10 and 11, 1996-12-13 official text · verified 2026-10-26

3. Procedure, public consultation and terms. SEMARNAT checks formalities and integrates the file within 10 days, then makes the MIA public. On request of anyone from the affected community it may hold a public consultation: the developer publishes an extract in a widely read state newspaper within 5 days of filing; any citizen may ask within 10 days of publication for the MIA to be made available in the state; for projects that may cause serious imbalance a public information meeting may be held; and any interested party has 20 days to propose additional measures. SEMARNAT must decide within 60 days of receipt. It may request clarifications, which suspend the term for no more than 60 days; in exceptionally complex projects it may extend the term once by up to 60 more days, notifying within 40 days of receipt (or 10 days after additional information). It may authorize, authorize with conditions or deny, and may require insurance or guarantees where serious damage is possible. Industrial or commercial secrets may be kept confidential.
Cost to do it: Newspaper publication of the extract is at the developer's cost; budget consultant time for clarifications.
Example: An MIA filed on 1 February with no clarifications should be decided about 60 days later; with a 60 day suspension and a 60 day extension, the outer term is about 180 days. / On a USD 200 million plant, plan the EIA as a critical path item of roughly two to six months after filing, plus preparation of the study.LGEEPA arts. 34, 35 and 35 BIS (reformed and added DOF 13 December 1996); Reglamento arts. 46 and 51, LGEEPA arts. 34, 35 and 35 BIS; Reglamento arts. 46 and 51, 1996-12-13 official text · verified 2026-10-26

4. Changes, exemptions and validity. Expansions, modifications, replacement of infrastructure, rehabilitation and maintenance of authorized or exempt installations need no new authorization if they are unrelated to the production process that was authorized and do not increase impact or risk; the developer must give prior notice. Other changes may be exempted if they cause no imbalance: SEMARNAT has 10 days after notice to decide. Changes to an authorized project must be submitted and SEMARNAT decides within 10 days whether a new MIA is needed, and communicates any new conditions within 20 days. Emergency works may start without prior evaluation, with notice within 72 hours. Authorizations cover only environmental aspects, last no longer than the proposed execution time, and the developer must notify start, completion and change of holder.
Cost to do it: Modification request fee MXN 12,952.55 (about USD 694); exemption request fee MXN 5,941.17 (about USD 318).
Example: Replacing a boiler with one of the same capacity in an authorized cement plant only needs prior notice; adding a new kiln line needs a new evaluation. / Buying a project with an MIA authorization requires notifying the change of holder (Reglamento art. 49).Reglamento LGEEPA en materia de evaluación del impacto ambiental, Arts. 6, 7, 28 and 49, 2000-05-30 official text · verified 2026-10-26

5. Federal fees in 2026. The environmental impact duty is paid per filing: preventive report MXN 17,975.34; particular MIA MXN 48,338.98, 96,680.23 or 145,021.50 and regional MIA MXN 63,258.58, 126,514.87 or 189,771.14 depending on a score of three criteria (federal protected area, forest land use change, highly risky substances: 1 point if no, 3 if yes; total 3 is minimum, 5 to 7 medium, 9 high); modification of an authorized project MXN 12,952.55; exemption request MXN 5,941.17. Amounts are updated each year and published in Annex 4 of the Miscellaneous Tax Resolution.
Cost to do it: From MXN 17,975.34 (USD 963) to MXN 189,771.14 (USD 10,168) per filing.
Example: A particular MIA for a chemical plant using highly risky substances, outside protected areas and with no forest land, scores 1+1+3 = 5, medium grade: fee MXN 96,680.23. / About USD 5,180.Ley Federal de Derechos, art. 194-H; Resolución Miscelánea Fiscal para 2026, Annex 4, DOF 28 December 2025, LFD art. 194-H, sections I, II, III, VI and VIII, 2025-12-28 official text · verified 2026-10-26

6. Sanctions. Breaches of the LGEEPA are sanctioned with fines of 30 to 50,000 days of the general minimum wage, read as UMA under the 2016 deindexation reform; temporary or permanent, total or partial closure; administrative arrest of up to 36 hours; seizure; and suspension or revocation of permits. Daily fines may accrue while a breach continues, up to the maximum, and repeat offences within two years can be fined up to three times and lead to permanent closure. Environmental damage also triggers liability under the Federal Environmental Liability Law.
Cost to do it: Fine range: MXN 3,519.30 to MXN 5,865,500 (about USD 189 to USD 314,271), up to three times for repeat offences.
Example: Starting earthworks for a coastal development before the MIA is granted can lead to closure of the site and a fine of up to MXN 5,865,500, plus the duty to repair the damage. / Up to about USD 314,271, or about USD 942,814 for a repeat offence.LGEEPA art. 171 (reformed DOF 31 December 2001 and 1 June 2012); decree on deindexation of the minimum wage, DOF 27 January 2016, transitory Third, LGEEPA art. 171; deindexation decree transitory Third, 2012-06-01 official text · verified 2026-10-26

Filing	Grade	MXN 2026	About USD
Preventive report		MXN 17,975.34	USD 963
Particular MIA	Minimum (score 3)	MXN 48,338.98	USD 2,590
Particular MIA	Medium (5 to 7)	MXN 96,680.23	USD 5,180
Particular MIA	High (9)	MXN 145,021.50	USD 7,770
Regional MIA	Minimum (score 3)	MXN 63,258.58	USD 3,389
Regional MIA	Medium (5 to 7)	MXN 126,514.87	USD 6,779
Regional MIA	High (9)	MXN 189,771.14	USD 10,168
Modification of an authorized project		MXN 12,952.55	USD 694
Exemption request (Reglamento art. 6)		MXN 5,941.17	USD 318

Environmental impact duties in 2026 (LFD art. 194-H; RMF 2026 Annex 4; USD at MXN 18.6638)

Step	Term
File integration	10 days
Preventive report decision	20 days
MIA decision	60 days from receipt
Suspension for clarifications	Up to 60 days
Extension in complex projects	Up to 60 days, once
Exemption or modification ruling	10 days

Review terms (LGEEPA arts. 31, 35 and 35 BIS; Reglamento arts. 6, 28 and 46)

Worked example

A foreign investor plans a 150 MW wind farm on rangeland. It is an electricity industry project (LGEEPA art. 28, section II) and, if it removes forest vegetation, a land use change (section VII). Not in a protected area, with forest land use change and no highly risky substances, it scores 1+3+1 = 5 and pays the medium particular MIA duty of MXN 96,680.23, about USD 5,180 (LFD art. 194-H). SEMARNAT has 60 days to decide; a clarification request can suspend the term up to 60 days and a complex case can add 60 more, so the investor schedules site works at least six months after filing, and separately obtains state and municipal permits (art. 33).

Step by step

1. Screen the project against the thirteen categories of LGEEPA art. 28 and the detailed list in Reglamento art. 5, and check state rules for projects outside federal scope.
2. Decide whether a preventive report is enough (standards, evaluated plan or authorized industrial park) or an MIA is needed, and whether it is regional or particular.
3. Hire an environmental consultant; add a risk study for highly risky activities (LGEEPA art. 30).
4. Pay the LFD art. 194-H duty at the 2026 amount and file; publish the newspaper extract within 5 days if a consultation is requested.
5. Answer clarifications fast, since they suspend the term; negotiate conditions and guarantees.
6. After authorization, notify start and completion of works, comply with conditions and notify any change of holder.

Common traps

Starting site clearing before authorization: closure, fines of up to 50,000 UMA and repair duties follow (LGEEPA art. 171; Federal Environmental Liability Law).
Assuming a federal MIA covers everything: it does not bind state or municipal authorities (LGEEPA art. 33).
Modifying an authorized project without telling SEMARNAT: changes must be submitted for a 10 day ruling (Reglamento art. 28).
Underestimating consultation: any community member can trigger a public consultation, and comments are recorded in the resolution (LGEEPA art. 34).
Letting the authorization lapse: it lasts only for the proposed execution time (Reglamento art. 49).

Sources

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