How to invoice in Mexico
In Mexico a valid tax invoice is not a PDF or Word file — it must be a CFDI (Comprobante Fiscal Digital por Internet) version 4.0 XML, generated and stamped in real time by a SAT-authorized PAC (certification provider) before it is legally valid. Every CFDI must carry both parties' RFC, exact registered legal name and fiscal postal code (código postal), the issuer's tax regime (régimen fiscal), the recipient's CFDI use (uso del CFDI), and SAT product/service catalog codes. The recipient receives an XML plus a QR-coded PDF representation, and records must be retained for five years.
| Mexico at a glance | Detail |
|---|---|
| Currency | MXN (MX$) |
| Standard IVA | 16% |
| Tax ID | RFC |
| Paper size | US Letter |
| Typical terms | Net 30 |
| E-invoicing | Mandatory — live |
Tax ID format: The RFC (Registro Federal de Contribuyentes) is 12 characters for companies (3 letters + 6-digit date + 3-character homoclave, e.g. ABC680524P76) and 13 characters for individuals (4 letters + 6-digit date + 3-character homoclave, e.g. GODE561231GR8)..
What Mexican invoices must include
- The word “Invoice” and a unique, sequential invoice number
- The issue date (and the supply date if it differs)
- Your business name, address and RFC
- The client's name and address (and their RFC for reverse-charge or intra-EU supplies)
- A clear description and quantity for each line
- The net amount per IVA rate, the rate(s) applied and the IVA amount
- The total payable, in MXN
- Payment terms, the due date and how to pay (bank name, IBAN/account)
- Both parties' RFC (tax ID)
- Recipient's fiscal postal code (código postal)
- Issuer's tax regime (régimen fiscal)
- CFDI use (uso del CFDI)
- Payment form and method (forma / método de pago)
- SAT product/service code (clave de producto o servicio)
- SAT fiscal folio / UUID and timbre (assigned by the PAC)
IVA & reverse charge
For cross-border work, the right wording matters. Invoice Forever offers ready-made Mexican IVA notes such as:
- IVA charged at the standard rate of 16% where applicable.
- A reduced 8% IVA applies in the northern and southern border zones under the federal border stimulus decree, where the taxpayer is registered and the requirements are met.
- Exports of goods and services are zero-rated at 0% IVA under Article 29 of the Ley del IVA; retain customs/export documentation.
E-invoicing in Mexico
E-invoicing has been mandatory for all B2B, B2C and B2G transactions since 2014, and CFDI version 4.0 has been the sole valid format since 1 April 2023 (after CFDI 3.3 was retired). Every invoice must be issued as XML, validated and digitally stamped (timbrado) in real time by a SAT-authorized PAC (certification provider), and delivered with a QR-coded PDF representation. Issuing or using false or simulated CFDIs (facturas apócrifas) carries criminal liability under Mexican tax law, and SAT continues to tighten authenticity and anti-fraud controls.
Invoice Forever can export a structured EN 16931 / Peppol BIS (UBL) e-invoice alongside the PDF (beta) — the format most of these mandates are built on. You still send it via your own access point, and some countries require their own national format.
Verified 23 July 2026 against the source. E-invoicing rules are changing quickly, so always confirm the current position with the Servicio de Administración Tributaria (SAT) before you rely on it. This page is general guidance, not tax advice.
Payment terms in Mexico
Net 30 is the common B2B norm, though 30–60 day terms are widespread with larger buyers. The CFDI must state the payment form (forma de pago) and payment method (método de pago) — PUE for a single up-front payment or PPD when settled in installments, which triggers a separate payment-receipt CFDI (complemento de pago).
Questions about invoicing in Mexico
The standard IVA rate is 16%. A reduced 8% IVA applies in the northern and southern border zones, and certain supplies (such as most food and medicines) are zero-rated at 0%, while a few services are exempt.
Yes. Both the issuer's and the recipient's RFC (Registro Federal de Contribuyentes) are mandatory on every CFDI, and they must match the name and fiscal postal code registered with SAT or the invoice will be rejected.
Yes. CFDI 4.0 e-invoicing is fully mandatory for B2B, B2C and B2G: invoices must be issued as XML and stamped in real time by a SAT-authorized PAC. A plain PDF or paper invoice has no fiscal validity.
Make an invoice for Mexico, free.
MXN and 16% IVA already set, on US Letter paper. No signup, no watermark.
Make an invoice for Mexico