Do I pay tax to bring my furniture to Mexico?

No. A properly documented menaje enters duty-free and IVA-free on your used household goods. You pay the freight, the broker and (for standard applicants) the consular fee.

Can I bring my car in the menaje?

No — vehicles are always excluded. Importing a car into Mexico is a separate customs process with its own rules and duties.

How long must I have lived abroad?

More than 6 months for returning Mexicans and permanent residents; about 1 year for the student/researcher route.

Menaje de Casa to Mexico: The Complete 2026 Guide

If you're moving back to Mexico, your used household goods can enter duty-free — no import tax, no IVA. Here's exactly who qualifies, what counts, what doesn't, and what it costs in 2026.

What is menaje de casa?

Menaje de casa is the customs benefit (a "franquicia") that lets people establishing residence in Mexico bring their used household belongings into the country without paying import duties or IVA. It exists in Article 61, section VII of the Ley Aduanera, and it is one of the most misunderstood parts of moving back home.

Short answer: A properly documented menaje enters Mexico duty-free and IVA-free on your used goods. You never pay import tax on your own furniture — the myth that "you pay tax on your things" is false.

Who qualifies in 2026?

The duty-free benefit is for people genuinely establishing (or re-establishing) residence in Mexico:

Mexican nationals returning to live in Mexico after living abroad more than 6 months.
Repatriated or deported nationals — explicitly included, and given the best terms (see below).
Foreigners with permanent residency (residente permanente).

Foreigners with temporary residency or students don't get the duty-free franquicia — they use a temporary import instead (the goods leave when the residency ends). The student/researcher route requires about 1 year abroad rather than 6 months.

What qualifies — and what's excluded

Qualifies (duty-free)	Always excluded
Used furniture & appliances (owned 6+ months)	Automobiles and any vehicle
Clothing, books, personal effects	New goods (under 6 months old)
Tools of your trade or profession	Merchandise / inventory for a business

Myth to drop: there is no "one of each appliance" limit. Neither the Ley Aduanera nor the consular rules cap the quantity or value of used household furnishings. The only real condition is that the goods are used — owned at least 6 months.

The certificate and the customs broker

You request a menaje certificate at your nearest Mexican consulate before you ship. You'll need proof of identity and Mexican nationality, proof of 6+ months abroad (bills, lease, pay stubs), and an itemized inventory in Spanish with brands, models and serial numbers. A standard applicant pays a consular fee (it varies by consulate and the current Ley Federal de Derechos) and normally hires a customs broker (agente aduanal) to clear the shipment.

México te Abraza: free for repatriated nationals

Under the Segob agreement published in the DOF on 17 July 2025 — part of the México te Abraza program, confirmed active through 2026 — repatriated and deported Mexicans get the menaje certificate free and can clear their household goods without a customs broker. Vehicles are still excluded.

What it really costs: the goods are duty-free either way. Your real costs are the international freight, the customs broker (waived for repatriated nationals), and — for standard applicants — the consular fee. Confirm the exact fee with your consulate.

Check your menaje in 30 seconds → Free tool: your eligibility, the qualifying items, your documents and the real cost.

Menaje de Casa to Mexico: the complete 2026 guide