In less than three weeks, the Mexican federal government made two moves that matter a great deal to the automotive industry in Nuevo León and across the country. First, it temporarily eliminated the import duty on parts brought in to assemble automobiles. Then it added a safeguard: those same imports now need a prior permit from the Ministry of Economy (Secretaría de Economía). If your company assembles vehicles, sells to an automaker, or is planning an automotive project in the region, it is worth understanding how both measures fit together.
First move: duty exemption for five years
On October 13, 2026, the Federal Official Gazette (DOF) published the Decree amending the Tariff of the Law of General Import and Export Duties. The change targets tariff item 9803.00.01, which covers parts and components for automobile assembly and carried a 10% ad valorem duty.
Under the decree, that tariff item became temporarily duty exempt. The exemption took effect on October 14, 2026 and will remain in force for five years from that date. According to El Financiero, the recitals of the decree point to lowering setup and operating costs for new automotive projects, attracting production lines, and strengthening domestic supply chains in line with Plan México, with particular attention to projects that ramp up gradually through SKD and CKD assembly, that is, vehicles that arrive partially or completely disassembled.
The key point is that the benefit is not general. It applies only to companies in the terminal automotive industry that hold a bonded warehouse authorization for vehicle assembly and manufacturing under the Customs Law, and that comply with the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Economy.
Second move: prior permit since October 30
On October 29, 2026, the DOF published the Agreement amending the Ministry of Economy's General Foreign Trade Rules and Criteria. The agreement adds item 1 BIS to Annex 2.2.1 and section III BIS to Rule 2.2.4, and it took effect on October 30.
As of that date, goods under tariff item 9803.00.01 that are imported on a definitive basis or placed in a bonded warehouse are subject to a prior import permit. The framework works as follows:
- The permit is decided by the General Directorate of Trade Facilitation and Foreign Trade.
- Before that, the General Directorate of Heavy and High Technology Industries must issue a favorable opinion.
- That opinion depends on the company showing compliance with guidelines to be issued by the Ministry of Economy, which will be published on the National Foreign Trade Information Service (SNICE).
- The requirement will remain in force for as long as the October 13 tariff decree is in force.
In other words, zero duty is not automatic. Being exempt from the duty does not release a company from the permit or from other administrative requirements. The specialized analyses we reviewed agree that the agreement itself does not set the documentary requirements, response times, or the term of each permit: all of that is left to the guidelines.
Why this matters in Nuevo León
The state is one of the most active automotive hubs in the country. According to Cluster Industrial's automotive investment report published on July 20, 2026, Nuevo León attracted US$1,114.5 million in the first half of the year, spread across 20 projects that account for 28.5% of national automotive investment for the period, second only to Coahuila.
In that context, the measure may have effects in several directions:
- Automakers and new projects. Companies assembling with imported kits can cut costs significantly, but only if they obtain the permit and meet the guidelines. Without a permit there is no import under that tariff item, even if the duty is zero.
- Local suppliers. Companies that currently sell components to an automaker should pay close attention: a lower duty on imported parts may change their customers' purchasing decisions. This is a good time to review supply agreements, their terms, and their volume clauses.
- Investors evaluating a location. The decree is designed to attract production lines. Anyone analyzing a project in the region should build the bonded warehouse authorization and the permit process into their planning.
What is still pending
The missing piece is the Ministry of Economy's guidelines. They will define what a company must demonstrate to obtain the favorable opinion, with which documents, and on what timeline. Until they are known, any estimate of duty savings should be treated as provisional.
At CounselHub we support automotive companies in reviewing supply agreements, structuring investment projects in Nuevo León, and coordinating with their customs brokers and foreign trade advisors. If you have questions about how these measures affect you, we will be glad to review them with you.
