Mexico’s National Customs Agency (ANAM) has clarified how customs authorities will handle goods that fail to comply with Mexican Official Standards (Normas Oficiales Mexicanas, or NOMs) for commercial information at the border. In Press Release 74/2026, dated 8 September 2026, ANAM issued an orienting criterion for its administrative units, drawing an important distinction between outright non-compliance and the presentation of omitted or inaccurate data.
The clarification stems from Mexico’s broader Customs Law (Ley Aduanera) reform, published in the Official Journal of the Federation (DOF) on 19 November 2025 and in force since 1 January 2026, which significantly hardened the consequences of NOM commercial-information failures at customs.
What Has Changed
Before the reform, when customs inspection detected non-compliance with NOM commercial-information requirements (such as labelling), the goods were generally retained, and importers had a facility to remedy the issue within a set period without a seizure.
Under the reformed framework, that has changed in two significant ways:
- Non-compliance with NOM commercial-information requirements is now subject to embargo (initiation of a formal customs seizure proceeding), not merely retention.
- The previous facility allowing importers to correct the non-compliance within 30 business days without a seizure has been removed.
ANAM’s 8 September criterion explains how its administrative units should apply these rules in practice, and distinguishes between two situations: failing to comply with the NOM regulation itself, and complying but with omitted or inaccurately presented data.
The Consequences at the Border
Once a Customs Administrative Procedure (Procedimiento Administrativo en Materia Aduanera, or PAMA) has been initiated, the following applies:
- 30-day period to demonstrate compliance. The importer has 30 days from notification of the initiation of the proceeding to demonstrate compliance with the applicable non-tariff regulations and restrictions.
- Forfeiture if compliance is not shown. If compliance is not demonstrated within that period, the goods may be forfeited to the federal treasury.
- Fines for omitted or inaccurate data. Where NOM compliance is ultimately demonstrated but the commercial information was presented with omitted or inaccurate data, fines ranging from 2% to 10% of the goods’ commercial value may be imposed, under the relevant articles of the Customs Law.
Why This Matters
For manufacturers, importers, and brands shipping regulated products into Mexico, this is a meaningful increase in risk at the border. Labelling and commercial-information errors that might previously have led to a temporary hold can now trigger a formal seizure proceeding, with the possibility of losing the goods altogether if compliance cannot be demonstrated in time, plus fines even where the underlying product does comply.
Commercial-information NOMs typically govern how products must be labelled for the Mexican market, covering details such as product identification, country of origin, importer information, and other mandatory declarations. Getting these right before goods reach customs is now more important than ever.
What Manufacturers and Importers Should Do Now
Businesses importing NOM-regulated goods into Mexico should:
- Strengthen the review of commercial information, labelling, and accompanying documentation before shipment.
- Confirm that product labelling fully meets the applicable NOM commercial-information requirements for each product.
- Ensure customs documentation is accurate and complete, avoiding omitted or inaccurate data that could trigger fines.
- Establish internal quality checks so labelling and documentation are verified ahead of customs clearance, reducing the risk of seizure and delays.
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To read the official documentation (Spanish only), access below.
How C-PRAV Can Support You
C-PRAV helps manufacturers and importers achieve global market access and regulatory compliance, including for the Mexican market. Our team can review your product labelling and commercial-information requirements against the applicable NOMs, help you prepare accurate technical and customs documentation, and support your compliance strategy so your goods move through Mexican customs smoothly, reducing the risk of seizure, fines, and delays.
Have questions? We’re here to help.