In short
Mexico has no federal licence for real estate agents. Whether an agent needs a licence depends on the state: Quintana Roo, Chihuahua and Sinaloa are among the states whose laws we read on 15 October 2026, and each runs its own register. At the federal level, the only agent-related rule we found concerns contracts, not people: under NOM-247-SE-2021, the standard-form contracts used to sell housing must be registered with PROFECO, the federal consumer protection agency. So before you pay a deposit, find out which state the property is in, then search that state’s register and PROFECO’s contract register.
What the agent does
An agent (agente inmobiliario or asesor inmobiliario) markets a property, brings buyer and seller together and helps with the offer. Chihuahua’s law lists the services it regulates: promotion, intermediation (services “tending to the conclusion of a contract of sale, lease, trust, assignment or any other contract transferring ownership, use or usufruct”), administration of rented property, and consultancy. An agent does not draw up the deed: in Mexico that is the job of a notario público (see the notary page). The agent also does not give a legal opinion on title; for that see real estate lawyers.
The law: state by state
The rules are set by each state congress, so a Mexico City or Quintana Roo rule is not a national one. The three texts we read say the following.
| State | Instrument | What it requires |
|---|---|---|
| Quintana Roo | Ley de Prestación de Servicios Inmobiliarios, last reform in the state gazette 16 Dec. 2025 | A person or company providing real estate services needs a valid matrícula (registration number) and constancia issued by the state Secretaría de Desarrollo Territorial Urbano Sustentable (art. 5). Validity is two or four years (art. 11). |
| Chihuahua | Ley de Prestación de Servicios Inmobiliarios, state gazette no. 44, 2 June 2018 | A state register of agents and a licence valid five years (arts. 8 and 16). Only licence holders may present themselves as licensed agents or agencies (art. 13). |
| Sinaloa | Regulation published in the state gazette on 6 Dec. 2024 | Agents must apply to the Archivo General de Notarías for registration and a licence, “as an indispensable requirement” to provide real estate services (art. 17). Licence valid four years (art. 9). |
For the other states we do not state anything. In our reading, a number of states have a register and others none that we could find; do not assume your state is one or the other. Texts also change: the Chihuahua text we read is the 2018 version and we did not check later amendments.
Two details matter to a foreign reader. In Quintana Roo, foreign individuals must in addition have met the immigration requirements that allow them to carry out paid activities (art. 5), and a foreign company must show that it may carry out paid activities in Mexico and the agent in charge must prove sufficient Spanish (art. 8). In Chihuahua, a foreign applicant must show a regular immigration status (art. 9). Both are conditions on the agent, not on you as a buyer.
Penalties exist where we read them. In Quintana Roo, presenting yourself as a real estate service provider without the licence is punished by a fine of 500 to 1,000 times the annual UMA (art. 28), and the Secretaría can suspend or cancel a matrícula (arts. 26 and 29).
The federal rule that does exist: contracts
NOM-247-SE-2021, an official Mexican standard published in the Diario Oficial de la Federación on 22 March 2022, applies to developers, builders, promoters and others who advise on and sell housing to the public. Section 6 says the contracts used for real estate services and sales “must be registered with PROFECO and be available for consumers to consult” before signing. For a promise-to-sell contract the standard says it “must be registered with PROFECO” before use (6.1). It took effect 180 calendar days after publication. Enforcement is split: the Ministry of Economy supervises compliance, and PROFECO verifies it and sanctions breaches (section 13).
The standard checks a contract model, not the person. A registered contract does not prove that an agent holds a state licence, and a licensed agent may still use an unregistered contract.
How you check an agent
- Ask the agent, in writing, for the licence or matrícula number and the issuing state.
- In the states with a register, search it on the official site of that state’s government. We could not establish the public search address for Quintana Roo, Chihuahua or Sinaloa. Quintana Roo’s law (art. 24) says the Secretaría must run a public searchable list showing each provider’s validity and status, and a list of those sanctioned or cancelled. Look for it on the state government portal.
- Compare the name on the register with the name on the listing agreement.
- Open PROFECO’s contract register (rpca.profeco.gob.mx). It can be searched by business name, trade name, registration number or type of contract. Check that the contract you are offered is registered.
- Never pay a deposit to an individual’s personal account; ask for an invoice or receipt. Quintana Roo’s law (art. 12) obliges providers to give a tax invoice or receipt for advance payments.
What the registers’ terms say
We read the PROFECO contract register page: it carries no terms of use, only a notice that current models and a historical archive are available. The state portals of Quintana Roo, Chihuahua and Sinaloa: we found no public search page, so we read no terms. Payotte copies none of these registers.
What it costs
We found no official scale of agent commission in the texts we read, and give no percentage. The fee for obtaining a licence is set by the state (Quintana Roo refers to a rate published by the state finance secretariat); we did not find a figure. Agree the commission in writing, say who pays it, and ask whether there are other charges.
Which professional to consult
A real estate lawyer can read the listing agreement or the promise-to-sell contract (see real estate lawyers). A notary prepares the deed. For the overall sequence, see buying a home in Mexico, step by step, and for the buyer’s bill, the closing costs calculator.
Questions to ask
- Which state licence or matrícula do you hold, and when does it expire?
- Is the contract you want me to sign registered with PROFECO, and under what number?
- What is your commission, who pays it and when?
- Who is the owner, and will you give me the title details so a notary can check them?
- Do you work for the seller, for me, or for both?
Frequently asked questions
Is there a national agent licence in Mexico?
We found none. The licensing laws we read belong to individual states.
Do all states require a licence?
No state can be assumed. Where we read the law (Quintana Roo, Chihuahua, Sinaloa) a register exists; for most other states we did not establish anything.
Does PROFECO license agents?
No. PROFECO registers standard-form contracts under NOM-247 and enforces the consumer rules; it does not license people.
Can a foreigner work as an agent?
In Quintana Roo and Chihuahua the law asks a foreign applicant to show the right immigration status. That is a condition on the applicant, not on clients.
Can Payotte recommend an agent?
No. Payotte states the rule and where to check it; it does not list, rank or recommend agents.
Sources
- Ley de Prestación de Servicios Inmobiliarios del Estado de Quintana Roo (last reform 16 Dec. 2025) (consulted 15 October 2026)
- Ley de Prestación de Servicios Inmobiliarios del Estado de Chihuahua (POE no. 44, 2 June 2018) (consulted 15 October 2026)
- Reglamento de la Ley de Prestación de Servicios Inmobiliarios del Estado de Sinaloa (Periódico Oficial, 6 Dec. 2024) (consulted 15 October 2026)
- NOM-247-SE-2021, Diario Oficial de la Federación, 22 March 2022 (consulted 15 October 2026)
- PROFECO, Registro Público de Contratos de Adhesión (consulted 15 October 2026)