Shipping to and from Mexico.
USMCA gateway between North America and Central America. Our partner network handles Mexico's busiest ports and land borders with real-time customs brokerage and cross-border drayage.
Mexico freight, coordinated across the whole operating thread.
Mexico is the world's 15th-largest economy and a critical hub for North American trade under the USMCA agreement. The country is a major automotive, electronics, and aerospace manufacturing center. Logistics to Mexico involves two main routes: maritime through Manzanillo (Pacific) and Veracruz (Atlantic), or overland through land borders (Laredo, El Paso, San Diego). Mexican customs (SAT) are notoriously complex, with additional COFEPRIS (food/health) and SEDENA (military) inspections on sensitive cargo. Ground distribution from US border to interior Mexico requires Mexican-licensed carriers (FMCSA does not grant permits for cross-border LTL). Our partner network in Monterrey and Guadalajara handles 300+ cross-border shipments monthly.
Mexico's SAT (Servicio de Administración Tributaria) requires all imports to have SAT authorization. PEDIMENTO (customs declaration) is mandatory. COFEPRIS (food/pharma), SEDENA (defense goods), and PROFEPA (environmental) issue additional inspections. Land border clearance via CBP + SAT typically 2–4 hours. Port clearance: 3–7 days depending on port and cargo type. USMCA requires Certificate of Origin for preferential rates. Standard tariff: 0–20% depending on product. Our licensed customs broker partners file PEDIMENTOS and manage SAT compliance for all cargo.
Annual imports referenced in the country profile.
Annual exports referenced in the country profile.
Trade position and market context.
Routing compared across ocean, air, ground, customs and partner options.
Port of Manzanillo
Mexico's busiest container port (3.5 million TEU/year). Pacific gateway for Asia trade. Modern facilities, faster than Veracruz. Average clearance: 3–4 days.
Port of Veracruz
Atlantic/Caribbean gateway (2.8 million TEU/year). Older port with heavy congestion. Average clearance: 5–7 days. Gateway to Central America.
Laredo Land Border
Busiest land border crossing (Mexico-USA). 15 million trucks/year. For FTL/LTL direct to interior Mexico (Monterrey, Mexico City). CBP + SAT clearance (usually 2–4 hours).
El Paso Land Border
Major entry point to Mexico City and central regions. Less congested than Laredo. Gateway to Chihuahua manufacturing zone.
Mexico City Airport
Mexico's largest international airport. Modern cargo facilities. Flights to USA, Europe, Asia. 1+ million metric tons/year cargo.
Mexico City (MEX)
Air cargo gateway — Mexico City.
Guadalajara (GDL)
Air cargo gateway — Jalisco.
Monterrey (MTY)
Air cargo gateway — Nuevo León.
Cancún (CUN)
Air cargo gateway — Quintana Roo.
What moves through Mexico.
The freight plan changes by product category, Incoterm, customs regime and gateway. These are the trade patterns already documented for this market.
Frequent trading partners
You cannot import into Mexico until you are on the register
Mexico controls who may import before it controls what enters. These steps take weeks, so start them first.
- Tax number and digital signature — You need a Mexican tax number and an electronic signature before anything can be filed.
- Importers' register — Your company must be listed on the padrón de importadores before its first entry.
- Sector register — Steel, textiles, footwear, chemicals and other sectors need a second, product-specific listing.
- Authority for the customs agent — You give a named agent written authority to file for you, and it is recorded with the tax office.
- An address that checks out — An address the tax office cannot verify suspends the register. That stops every entry.
What the pedimento actually contains
The pedimento is the entry. Each field drives a cost or a control, and the wrong value is hard to undo.
| Element | What it says | Where it goes wrong |
|---|---|---|
| Regime key | Whether goods enter for good, temporarily, or for processing | The wrong key changes the tax and is painful to correct. |
| Tariff code and extra digits | The tariff line, plus the digits that identify the product further | Copying the exporter's code invites a fine. |
| Customs value | Price paid, plus freight and insurance to the border | Leaving freight out understates the tax base. |
| Origin and preference | The origin, and any agreement you are claiming under | A claim with no certificate behind it fails on review. |
| Digital document folio | Invoice and packing list uploaded before filing | Files uploaded late stop the entry from being filed at all. |
| Agent licence | The customs agent who signs for the entry | The agent shares the liability. Pick one who checks your data. |
NOM labelling stops more shipments than duty does
Mexican official standards, known as NOMs, set labelling and safety rules by product. The label is checked when the goods enter.
- Commercial information labels — Most consumer goods need Spanish labels with the importer, the contents and care details.
- Food and drink labels — Prepackaged food follows its own standard, with ingredients and warnings in Spanish.
- Electrical safety — Many powered products need a certificate from a body accredited in Mexico.
- Certify before you ship — Testing takes weeks. Start it while the order is still in production.
- Labelling after arrival — You can label in an approved bonded facility. It works, but it costs time and handling.
- Sample retention — Certification bodies keep samples on file. Build that into the first order quantity.
Red light, green light, and the road move after it
Mexican customs runs a selection check at the gate. Whatever it returns, the domestic leg has paperwork of its own.
- Automated selection — A green result releases the cargo. A red result sends it for physical inspection.
- A second check — Some entries face a further review after the first one clears.
- Prior inspection — You may inspect and verify goods before filing. It pays off on mixed or used cargo.
- Consolidated loads — One problem shipment can hold the whole consolidation. Ask how your box is loaded.
- Transport supplement — Road and rail moves inside Mexico need a transport supplement on the tax invoice.
- Route planning — Cargo theft is a real risk on some highways. Agree stops, seals and daylight running in advance.
Errors that turn a routine entry into a long one
Mexican entries rarely fail on freight. They fail on documents that do not agree with each other.
- An invoice in English only — Mexican customs works in Spanish. A translated invoice avoids a query.
- Value split across documents — Tooling or moulds billed separately still belong in the value. Declare them.
- A temporary import left open — Goods brought in temporarily must leave, or change regime, on time.
- Weights that do not match — The scale at the gate settles the argument. Weigh the load before you seal it.
- No route planned for repairs — Goods sent back for repair need the right regime in both directions. Set it with your customs agent first.
Corridors that touch Mexico.
Documented lanes with mode, customs and transit guidance drawn from the corridor data.
🇲🇽 Mexico → 🇺🇸 United States
Ship from Mexico to all US states by ground, ocean, or air. We handle USMCA rules, pedimento paperwork, and nearshoring supply chains.
🇺🇸 United States → 🇲🇽 Mexico
Ship from the USA to Mexico by ground, ocean, or air. We handle USMCA rules, pedimento papers, and maquiladora supply chains. We deliver across the country.
Services available for Mexico.
Mexico shipping questions.
Answered from the country profile and the operating requirements documented for this market.
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