Moving back to Mexico? Your things come in duty-free
Your used furniture, appliances and tools of your trade enter Mexico without import tax under menaje de casa — and if you were repatriated or deported, the certificate is free and you don't even need a customs broker. Tell us your case and we'll show what qualifies, what's excluded, and what it really costs.
Check your case
What are you bringing?
What qualifies (duty-free)
What's excluded
Documents you'll need
What it really costs
Email me my document checklist for the consulate
Worked examples
Mexican returning after 8 years in Texas, shipping a car
You: Mexican national returning to live in Mexico: Duty-free
Your used household goods come in DUTY-FREE — no import tax, no IVA. Here's what qualifies, what doesn't, and what you'll actually pay.
⚠ Leave out of the menaje: your car (vehicles are always excluded — that's a separate import).
ℹ️ There is NO 'one of each appliance' limit — that's a myth. The Ley Aduanera and the consular rules set no quantity or value cap on used household furnishings.
What qualifies (duty-free)
- ✓ Used furniture, appliances and household furnishings (owned 6+ months)
- ✓ Clothing, books and personal effects
- ✓ The tools and instruments of your trade or profession (herramientas de trabajo)
What's excluded
- ✗ Automobiles and any motor vehicle — always excluded from menaje
- ✗ New goods, or anything acquired less than 6 months ago
- ✗ Merchandise, raw materials, inventory or equipment for commercial/industrial use
- ✗ Cash or instruments over the equivalent of USD $10,000 (declare separately)
Deported after 14 years; free certificate, no broker
You: Repatriated / deported Mexican national: Duty-free
Your used household goods come in DUTY-FREE — no import tax, no IVA. Here's what qualifies, what doesn't, and what you'll actually pay.
✓ México te Abraza: your certificate is FREE and you clear your goods WITHOUT a customs broker (Segob, DOF 17-Jul-2025). Vehicles are still excluded.
⚠ Leave out of the menaje: business inventory/equipment (commercial goods don't qualify); brand-new items (they must be owned 6+ months).
ℹ️ There is NO 'one of each appliance' limit — that's a myth. The Ley Aduanera and the consular rules set no quantity or value cap on used household furnishings.
What qualifies (duty-free)
- ✓ Used furniture, appliances and household furnishings (owned 6+ months)
- ✓ Clothing, books and personal effects
- ✓ The tools and instruments of your trade or profession (herramientas de trabajo)
What's excluded
- ✗ Automobiles and any motor vehicle — always excluded from menaje
- ✗ New goods, or anything acquired less than 6 months ago
- ✗ Merchandise, raw materials, inventory or equipment for commercial/industrial use
- ✗ Cash or instruments over the equivalent of USD $10,000 (declare separately)
Student on temporary residency, only 8 months abroad
You: Foreigner with temporary residency / student: Not yet
The student/researcher route needs at least 1 year abroad. You're at 8 months — you don't qualify yet.
ℹ️ There is NO 'one of each appliance' limit — that's a myth. The Ley Aduanera and the consular rules set no quantity or value cap on used household furnishings.
What qualifies (duty-free)
- ✓ Used furniture, appliances and household furnishings (owned 6+ months)
- ✓ Clothing, books and personal effects
- ✓ The tools and instruments of your trade or profession (herramientas de trabajo)
What's excluded
- ✗ Automobiles and any motor vehicle — always excluded from menaje
- ✗ New goods, or anything acquired less than 6 months ago
- ✗ Merchandise, raw materials, inventory or equipment for commercial/industrial use
- ✗ Cash or instruments over the equivalent of USD $10,000 (declare separately)
Examples are recomputed whenever the underlying rates or data change; the date above is the last recompute.
Methodology & data sources
Rules verified against the Ley Aduanera (Art. 61-VII), the Reglas Generales de Comercio Exterior 2026 (DOF 27-Dec-2025, Cap. 3.3) and Mexican consular (SRE) menaje pages. The duty-free benefit (franquicia) covers used household furnishings, appliances and the tools of your trade — "used" means acquired at least 6 months before import — for Mexicans (including repatriated and deported nationals) who lived abroad more than 6 months, and for foreigners with permanent residency; temporary residents and students get a temporary import instead (students: 1 year abroad). Automobiles are always excluded, as are commercial/industrial goods and new items. The certificate is issued at your consulate; a standard applicant pays a consular fee (varies by consulate) plus a customs broker (agente aduanal). Under the Segob agreement of 17 July 2025 (México te Abraza), repatriated and deported nationals get the certificate free and clear goods without a broker; the program is confirmed active through 2026. There is no "one of each appliance" limit — that's a common misconception. Our Freshness Keeper tracks the RGCE annual updates and the program's status.
Sources: ANAM — Menaje de casa · Ley Aduanera Art. 61-VII · SRE — consular menaje · Segob — México te Abraza
Frequently asked questions
Do I pay tax to bring my furniture to Mexico?
No — a documented menaje is duty-free and IVA-free on your used goods. You pay the freight, the broker and (if standard) the consular fee.
Can I only bring one of each appliance?
No, that's a myth. There is no quantity or value limit on used household furnishings.
Can I bring my car in the menaje?
No — vehicles are always excluded. Importing a car is a separate customs process.
Is it free for deported or repatriated Mexicans?
Yes — free certificate and no broker under México te Abraza (active through 2026). Vehicles still excluded.
How long do I need to have lived abroad?
More than 6 months for returning Mexicans and permanent residents; 1 year for the student/researcher route.