Title Deeds in Mexico: What Notarization Is, What It Includes, Who Pays and How Much It Costs

What it means to notarize a purchase, what the process includes, who pays for what, how much it costs (5 to 6% in Mexico City), the Jornada Notarial discount program, timelines, and what changes when you buy with a mortgage.

Buying a property does not end when the price is agreed. It ends when the sale is formalized before a notary public and recorded in the Public Registry of Property. That process is the escrituración (notarization and titling), and for first-time buyers it is usually the least familiar part of the transaction, which is why it is important to be guided by a specialist to avoid mistakes, confusion and bad experiences. Here we explain what it is, what it includes, who pays for what, how much it costs and how long it takes.

What notarization means

To escriturar is to formalize the sale in a public deed. The notary certifies that a property is transferred from one person to another, under what conditions and for what price. The public deed is the title of ownership; what proves who the owner is before third parties is its registration in the Public Registry of Property, the entry that receives a folio real (property registry number).

Before signing, the notary investigates the property. They confirm that it belongs to whoever claims to own it, check that it carries no liens (mortgages, attachments or annotations in the Public Registry) and verify that there are no outstanding property tax, water or maintenance fees. A mortgaged property can still be sold; the loan is paid off in parallel, with part of the price, so that the property is delivered free of encumbrances.

Who chooses the notary

The buyer chooses the notary. It is often convenient to use the same notary the seller used when they bought, because they already have the file and the process moves faster. When buying in a new development, the developer usually requires the deed to be executed with the notary they designate.

What the process includes

• Certificate of freedom from liens. The notary requests it from the Public Registry to confirm that the property is unencumbered and can be sold.
• Folio real. The number under which the property is recorded in the Public Registry. The deed must include it; it can also be checked directly at the Registry.
• Land-use zoning certificate. Confirms that the property has the permitted land use according to its construction and to the regulations of the city and the neighborhood.
• Certificates of no debt. Property tax, water and, in condominiums, maintenance fees.
• Fiscal appraisal. In several states an appraisal is performed and stamped before the treasury. It is a government requirement to corroborate the market value of the transaction and to fight money laundering and tax evasion. The acquisition tax is calculated on the highest of three values: the agreed price, the appraisal and the cadastral value of the property.
• Preventive notice. The notary files it with the Public Registry while the transaction is in progress, so the seller cannot sell the same property to two different people.
• Real estate acquisition tax (ISAI). In Mexico City it is the heaviest item in the total cost.
• Notary fees, registration duties and expenses. Paperwork, filings and the registration of the deed in the Public Registry.
• Registration in the Public Registry. The final step. Once the deed is registered under its folio real, the property is in the buyer's name before third parties.

Who pays for what

The buyer pays all notarial costs, that is, fees, expenses, duties, paperwork, the acquisition tax, the fiscal and bank appraisals, and VAT when it applies (for example, on offices or retail premises). Any special procedures the buyer needs are also at their expense, such as a donation prior to the sale or permits from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The seller pays their income tax (ISR) on the gain from the sale and, if the property comes from an inheritance that has not been previously formalized, the costs of the adjudication.

How much it costs

In Mexico City the cost of notarization is between 5 and 6% of the transaction value. That figure already includes the acquisition tax, fees, duties, expenses and appraisals. In the State of Mexico and other states it varies by municipality and by the local tax schedule.

It can be less if the property qualifies for the Jornada Notarial (see below). It can be more if the property was acquired years ago and was never titled. This is the case of someone who bought in presale or from a developer, received the property, lived in it or rented it out, and never completed the deed. The government considers that they obtained a benefit without paying the acquisition tax, and charges surcharges and penalties for those years at the time of titling.

The Jornada Notarial

Mexico City has a permanent program, part of the local Fiscal Code since 2017, that reduces taxes, duties and fees for the titling of residential property. Discounts range from 10 to 60% and are calculated on the cadastral value of the property, not the market value. The lower the cadastral value, the greater the benefit. It applies only to residential properties in Mexico City and can be used once a year. For 2026, the highest discount applies to properties with a cadastral value of up to $465,580 MXN and the lowest to those of up to $2,417,272 MXN. Your notary can confirm whether your transaction qualifies.

How long it takes

An ordinary titling takes between 3 and 8 weeks, counted from the moment the notary has the complete file. Keep in mind that notary offices close during the last weeks of December and usually slow down for a couple of weeks in summer, so a transaction that starts in late November is normally signed in January.

What changes if you buy with a mortgage

When there is a mortgage, three things come into play: the bank's commercial appraisal, the bank's review of the property documentation and the deed, and a little more time. The bank validates that the property meets the minimum requirements to be financed and that the price matches the amount requested.

In practice it is a standard, well-supported process with one advantage: the bank will not close on anything that is not in perfect physical and legal condition, so the buyer is assured that the documentation ends up impeccable. What is added is the home insurance, which applies only to the loan amount.

What we do

At Mundo Urbano we accompany the transaction from the offer to the signing. We review the property's documentation before listing it, coordinate with the notary and with the bank when there is one, and follow up until the deed is registered. The estimated titling cost shown in our sales listings is indicative; the exact calculation is provided by the notary with the file in hand.

The costs and timelines described are general estimates for Mexico City and may vary depending on the property, the notary, the state and the form of payment. This information does not replace the advice of a notary public.