Starting a Business - Mexico

Foreign investment may hold up to 100% of the capital of Mexican companies in most economic activities without needing a Mexican partner; no general nationality requirement for shareholders.

Certain activities are reserved to the State or Mexican nationals; others cap foreign participation — e.g. 49% for explosives/firearms manufacture, domestic newspaper printing, freshwater/coastal fishing and port administration, and 10% for production cooperatives. Higher participation in some areas needs Foreign Investment Commission approval.

A Sociedad por Acciones Simplificada can be formed online via gob.mx/tuempresa without a notary and with no minimum capital, registering automatically in the Public Commercial Registry; annual income is capped (≈7.08 million pesos for 2024).

Most foreign-owned entities use a S.A. de C.V. or S. de R.L. de C.V., incorporated by a notary public or public broker (corredor público) who drafts the deed and bylaws; a name-use permit from the Secretaría de Economía and at least two shareholders are required.

Companies with foreign investment must register in the Registro Nacional de Inversiones Extranjeras within 40 business days of incorporation; since 1 January 2025 filings are made through the RNIE digital platform, and late filing draws penalties of 30–100 UMA per day.

New companies register with the SAT (tax authority) for an RFC; since 2022 entities must identify and keep records of their beneficial owners, and a legal representative (foreign or Mexican) is needed to operate.