Skip to main content

Kold Gold participates in El Buen Fin 2026 · Nov 13–17 Learn more

Customs··9 min read

NOM Labeling in Mexico: How Imported Goods Comply

·Last reviewed:

Short answer: Many consumer goods imported into Mexico must carry a Spanish-language label that meets a Mexican Official Standard (NOM) on commercial information. For listed tariff lines, customs expects the label attached at entry. For goods covered by several labeling NOMs, the importer may instead bring a verification unit's certificate of conformity, or label in Mexico under verification.

Current as of October 15, 2026. This article explains how NOM labeling works at import in general terms; it is informational, not legal or tax advice, and it is not a list of the NOMs that apply to your product. Confirm your tariff line and its NOMs with the licensed customs broker handling the clearance.

A container of perfectly legal goods can be held at a Mexican port because of a label: wrong language, missing importer details, or a sticker that peels off. This guide explains what NOM labeling is, how Mexican customs checks it, and the three ways an importer can comply.

What a NOM is, and which ones are about labels

NOMs (Normas Oficiales Mexicanas) are mandatory technical standards; some set safety or performance requirements, and others set the commercial information a product must show. The second group are the labeling NOMs.

Most labeling NOMs carry "Información comercial" (commercial information) in their titles. Some common examples, by their official titles:

NOMOfficial title (abridged)What it covers
NOM-050-SCFI-2004Commercial information – general labeling of productsGeneral rule for products not covered by a specific labeling NOM
NOM-051-SCFI/SSA1-2010General labeling specifications for prepackaged food and non-alcoholic beveragesFood and drink labels, including the front-of-pack amendment published March 27, 2020
NOM-004-SE-2021Commercial information – labeling of textiles, apparel, accessories and household linenFiber content, care instructions and related data; it replaced NOM-004-SCFI-2006
NOM-015-SCFI-2007Commercial information – labeling for toysToy labels and warnings
NOM-024-SCFI-2013Commercial information for packaging, instructions and warranties of electronic, electrical and household appliance productsElectronics packaging, manuals and warranties

Which NOM applies depends on the product's tariff line, not on its name. This is not a directory: ask your broker for the NOMs tied to your exact tariff line.

How Mexican customs checks labels

The Ministry of Economy (Secretaría de Economía, SE) lists the tariff lines subject to NOMs at the point of entry in Annex 2.4.1 of its general foreign trade rules, and customs checks compliance when the goods are cleared. Numeral 3 of that annex covers the labeling NOMs.

The SE's general foreign trade rules were published in the Official Gazette (Diario Oficial de la Federación, DOF) on December 31, 2012, and Annex 2.4.1 is amended often. On May 29, 2026, for example, an amendment added NOM-024-SCFI-2013 to numeral 3 for certain mobile phone tariff lines, according to Trade Law College.

Under numeral 6 of the annex, as amended in the DOF on October 1, 2020, for goods listed in numeral 3 customs requires only that the labels carry the information the NOM sets and that, when the goods enter Mexico, they are attached, glued, sewn, hung or placed on the goods as each NOM requires, so that they cannot be removed at once and stay on until the product reaches the user. In practice: the label goes on before the goods reach the Mexican customs office, unless the importer uses one of the alternatives below.

The three ways to comply at import

For goods covered by several of the labeling NOMs in numeral 3, the same amendment lets the importer choose one of three routes. It names fractions I, II, III, VIII, IX, X, XI, XII and XIV of numeral 3; your broker confirms whether your NOM is among them.

RouteWhat happensConditions in the rule
1. Certificate of conformity at customsThe goods arrive labeled, with a constancia de conformidad issued by an accredited and approved verification or inspection unit; customs checks that the labels matchThe certificate's validity is indefinite and can be issued in the name of the producer, importer or seller, Mexican or foreign
2. Labeling in a bonded warehouseThe goods enter the bonded warehouse regime (depósito fiscal) in a general deposit warehouse accredited as a verification or inspection unit, and are labeled thereDeclare the code set by the SAT on the pedimento, and attach the service request and the contract with the warehouse
3. Labeling at a private addressThe goods go to a private address where a verification or inspection unit verifies, inspects or takes samplesAt least 2 years active in the importers' registry; at least USD 100,000 imported in the previous 12 months; verification scheduled no later than 30 calendar days from the import

Under route 1, if customs sees a discrepancy in the certificate, the same text says the goods are not held for that reason and customs reports it to the SE's standards office. If the label refers to products different from those in the certificate, customs holds the goods until they are labeled as the NOM requires, within the legal deadline, without prejudice to penalties.

Under routes 2 and 3, the verification units must report the service to the SE, and the rule gives them up to 40 calendar days from the day after clearance to confirm the verification.

A worked example: can you label at a private address?

Assumptions, illustrative: an importer that has been active in the importers' registry for three years and imported three shipments in the last 12 months, worth USD 28,000, USD 35,500 and USD 31,000.

  • Registry seniority: 3 years, which meets the 2-year minimum.
  • Imports in 12 months: 28,000 + 35,500 + 31,000 = USD 94,500.
  • Threshold: USD 100,000. The importer is USD 5,500 short.

Result: route 3 is not available for the next shipment. The importer can label at origin and use route 1, or use an accredited bonded warehouse under route 2. The rule refers to the value in Mexican pesos equivalent to USD 100,000; your broker applies the exchange rate.

What a general label must say

NOM-050-SCFI-2004, the general labeling standard, sets a minimum list of commercial information, in Spanish. Product-specific NOMs add their own requirements on top.

Under section 5.2.1 of NOM-050, as published in the DOF on June 1, 2004, labels must show at least:

  1. The product's name or generic description, when it is not identifiable at a glance.
  2. The quantity, under NOM-030-SCFI, when the content cannot be identified at a glance.
  3. The name and tax address of the manufacturer, for Mexican products, or of the importer. For imported products, NOM-050 lets this information be added in Mexico after clearance and before sale; ask your broker how customs treats it for your tariff line.
  4. The country of origin, for example "Hecho en…" ("Made in…").
  5. Risk warnings for hazardous products.
  6. Instructions, when use, handling or care require them.
  7. The expiry or best-before date, where applicable.

Section 5.2.2 requires the information in Spanish, without prejudice to other languages; when it appears in another language it must also appear in Spanish.

Common mistakes that hold goods

Many labeling problems come from details, not only from choosing the wrong NOM.

  • English-only labels, or Spanish translations that leave out required data.
  • Missing importer data on goods whose NOM or route does not allow adding it later.
  • Labels that come off: loose stickers on goods that must arrive labeled.
  • A certificate of conformity for a different product from the one in the container.
  • Assuming the general NOM applies when the tariff line points to a specific one, such as textiles or food.

How Kold Gold helps

Kold Gold is a Mexican digital freight forwarder. We coordinate ocean, air and ground freight, with clearance handled by our partner licensed customs broker; we do not hold a customs license, issue certificates of conformity or act as a verification unit. What we do: review, with our partner customs broker, the tariff classification and the NOMs before scheduling, and, when you need it, arrange pre-shipment inspection at origin so the labels are checked before the goods leave the factory. We do not handle registration in the importers' registry.

Transit times are approximate, tracking runs 24/7 and insurance is available. See customs brokerage, our guides to importing toys and importing electronics by container, or request a quote (the form is in Spanish). For the cost of a shipment, try the landed cost calculator. WhatsApp: +1 (619) 359-6567 or +52 55 8897 4255. Email: direccion@kold.gold.

Frequently asked questions

Do imported products need Spanish labels in Mexico?

In general, yes, for products covered by a labeling NOM. NOM-050-SCFI-2004 requires commercial information in Spanish, and other languages may appear alongside it. Product-specific NOMs, such as those for food, textiles, toys or electronics, set their own requirements.

Can I label my products in Mexico instead of at origin?

For goods covered by several labeling NOMs, yes, under conditions. The Ministry of Economy's rules allow labeling in an accredited bonded warehouse, or at a private address under a verification unit if the importer has at least 2 years in the importers' registry and USD 100,000 in imports over the previous 12 months.

What is a constancia de conformidad?

It is a certificate of conformity issued by an accredited and approved verification or inspection unit, stating that a product's label meets the applicable NOM. Presented at customs, it lets the authority check that the labels on the goods match it. Under the Ministry of Economy's rules, its validity is indefinite.

How do I know which NOM applies to my product?

From the product's tariff classification. Annex 2.4.1 of the Ministry of Economy's foreign trade rules links tariff lines to the NOMs checked at entry. Ask the licensed customs broker handling your clearance to confirm the NOMs for your exact tariff line before you print labels.

Sources

Consulted on October 15, 2026, unless a different date is shown.

Last reviewed: October 15, 2026.

Related articles

Back to the blog