Mexico Rule 3.7.5: Courier Customs Clearance

Mexico rule 3.7.5 is the part of Mexico's General Foreign Trade Rules (Reglas Generales de Comercio Exterior, or RGCE) that lets authorized courier and parcel companies clear the goods they carry through a simplified procedure. It is the main reason a low-value express shipment can reach a customer in Mexico without the importer filing a full customs entry. It also has firm limits, and several of them affect healthcare and life science shipments directly.

This guide explains what regla 3.7.5 says as of October 2026, which shipments qualify, when the simplified process is not allowed, what documents Mexico customs clearance requires and how to plan healthcare shipments from the United States. It is based on the SAT compilation of the RGCE for 2026, which incorporates the original rules published in the Diario Oficial de la Federación on December 27, 2025 and the amending resolutions of May 14 and September 22, 2026. SAT notes that only the DOF publication has legal force, and the rules are amended several times a year, so confirm the current text with your courier or Mexican customs broker before relying on a threshold or rate.

What is Mexico's rule 3.7.5?

Mexico's rule 3.7.5 is the RGCE rule that allows a courier and parcel company holding the authorization described in rule 3.7.3 to carry out the customs clearance of the goods it transports, using a simplified pedimento filed through a customs broker or authorized representative. For imports, the procedure applies when the customs value does not exceed USD 2,500, or the equivalent in other currency, per consignee. There is no value limit for exports under the rule.

Under the simplified procedure the courier does not declare each product's full tariff classification. Instead, it enters a generic code on the pedimento: 9901.00.01 for goods measured in pieces, 9901.00.02 for goods measured in kilograms and 9901.00.05 for goods measured in liters. Exports use 9902.00.01. One pedimento can cover a single consignee or several consignees in the same shipment, in which case each receives a copy.

The rule also sets the courier's other obligations. It must calculate taxes under rules 3.7.6 or 3.7.35, declare the value acknowledgment number required under the Customs Law, enter the applicable codes from Annex 22, transmit air cargo information and send documents showing compliance with any non-tariff regulations that apply to the goods' real tariff classification.

Which shipments qualify for simplified clearance under rule 3.7.5?

Shipments qualify for simplified clearance under rule 3.7.5 when they are carried by an authorized courier company, have a customs value of USD 2,500 or less per consignee, arrive by air or land, carry a specific description and a real declared value, and are not in any excluded category. Goods that were placed in a bonded warehouse or a strategic bonded zone before import cannot use the procedure.

The Mexico courier simplified clearance threshold of USD 2,500 is a ceiling for the procedure, not a duty-free limit. Taxes still apply. Rule 3.7.35 sets the global rate that combines duties and taxes for goods cleared this way. As of October 2026 the main rates are shown below.

The USMCA rows matter most for US shippers, but notice the condition attached to each one: the goods must not be subject to non-tariff regulations. Many healthcare products are regulated, so they may not benefit from the reduced rates even when they are made in the United States. Treaty preference outside the courier procedure, including formal USMCA claims, is covered in our guide to USMCA tariff relief.

When is the simplified process not allowed?

The simplified process is not allowed for goods that the rule specifically excludes, for goods whose description or value does not meet the rule, and for goods that customs cannot classify from the information given. The exclusions in the current text are:

• Goods classified in tariff line and NICO 8711.60.01 00, and goods that applicable rules say courier companies cannot import.

• Hard-to-identify goods presented as powders, liquids or pharmaceutical forms such as tablets, capsules, granules, pills and lozenges that need physical or chemical analysis to determine their composition and classification, regardless of quantity or value.

• Shipments that form part of a series of shipments made or planned to avoid duties, taxes or the regulations that apply to formal entries.

• Goods with no declared value or a value of zero.

• Goods with no description, or with a generic description such as "artículos diversos", "artículos varios", "regalo", "obsequio" or "cortesía", in Spanish or any other language.

• Goods whose description does not let the courier determine whether they are subject to non-tariff regulations, whether they are prohibited or whether they can only be cleared at an exclusive customs office.

The second exclusion matters most for healthcare shippers. A shipment of tablets, capsules or powdered reagents cannot be pushed through the courier procedure simply because it is small. It needs a formal entry with full classification and, in most cases, the relevant sanitary authorization. The description rule matters too. "Lab supplies" or "medical samples" will not do. Describe what the item is, what it is made of and what it is used for, such as "plastic pipette tips, sterile, for laboratory use".

What documents are needed for Mexico customs clearance?

For Mexico customs clearance you need, at a minimum, a commercial invoice with a specific description and real value, a transport document such as an air waybill, the consignee's details including the Mexican tax ID (RFC) where the consignee is required to have one and any permit or authorization that applies to the product. For a formal entry, the importer also needs a Mexican customs broker, registration in the importers' register where required and the full tariff classification.

Under rule 3.7.5, the courier can declare its own RFC, name and address when the importer's details have not been provided, and consignees do not have to be registered in the importers' register if the courier records the consignee's name and, where applicable, RFC on the pedimento. In practice, couriers ask shippers for these details at booking because missing data slows clearance. A complete commercial invoice remains the most important document in the file.

On the US side, check whether the shipment needs Electronic Export Information. The Census Bureau states that a commodity code must be reported for unlicensed cargo valued over $2,500, and for licensed cargo regardless of value, in its AES frequently asked questions. Our glossary entry on EEI filings explains when a filing is required per Schedule B number.

People sometimes search for a Mexico simplified shipment form. There is no separate form that a US shipper fills in for the courier procedure. The simplified document is the pedimento that the courier files through its broker, built from the data the shipper supplies on the invoice and air waybill.

How do you ship healthcare products from the US to Mexico?

You ship healthcare products from the US to Mexico by confirming the product's regulatory status in Mexico first, then choosing between courier clearance and a formal entry, then lining up the importer, permits, packaging and transport. For most medicines, medical devices and diagnostics, the regulatory step decides the rest.

A practical sequence for how to ship packages to Mexico in this sector looks like this:

1. Identify the importer of record in Mexico and confirm it can import the product. Our glossary entry on the importer of record explains the role.

2. Check whether the product needs a sanitary registration or import permit from COFEPRIS. For example, COFEPRIS issues a sanitary import permit for medical devices without sanitary registration for purposes such as research protocols, medical use, donation and laboratory testing, requested through Mexico's foreign trade single window.

3. Classify the product under Mexico's tariff and decide whether rule 3.7.5 is even available. Pharmaceutical forms needing analysis, regulated goods without compliance documents and goods over USD 2,500 per consignee need a formal entry.

4. Prepare a commercial invoice with a precise description, value, origin and HS code, plus any certificates the importer requires.

5. Check US export requirements, including EEI and any export license for controlled items.

6. Choose packaging and service level for the product's temperature range and the expected clearance time, including a buffer for inspection.

7. Agree in advance who will respond if Mexican customs asks a question, and how quickly.

Temperature-sensitive shipments need extra planning because customs holds consume packaging performance. A formal entry involves more steps than the courier procedure, so build in time for document review and a possible inspection. A cold chain shipping service can size packaging and refrigerant for the realistic clearance time rather than the best case.

Courier procedure or formal entry

When shippers look up customs clearance Mexico requirements, the first question is usually whether the courier procedure applies at all. The choice between the two routes depends on value, product type and regulation. Low-value, non-regulated items such as spare parts, printed materials or lab plasticware with clear descriptions usually fit the courier procedure. Medicines in tablet or capsule form, controlled substances, biological materials and regulated devices usually need a formal entry handled by a Mexican customs broker. Shipments above the USD 2,500 per consignee limit always go through a formal entry. Mercury's customs clearance team can help you choose the right route before the shipment is booked.

What changed recently and what to re-confirm

Earlier versions of this article described a 19% general rate for simplified courier imports from December 2024. The current RGCE text sets a general global rate of 33.5%, with the 19% rate now applying to qualifying USMCA-origin goods above USD 117. The rules have also been amended twice in 2026. Before relying on any figure, ask your courier or broker three questions: which RGCE text and resolution they are applying, whether your goods are subject to non-tariff regulations, and whether the courier procedure or a formal entry is appropriate. Wider trade changes, such as the effects of Mexico's new tariffs on US border trade, can also change the cost picture.

Planning US to Mexico shipments with fewer delays

Customs clearance in Mexico goes smoothly when the description is specific, the value is real, the importer is ready and regulated products have their permits before they ship. Rule 3.7.5 helps small, low-risk shipments move quickly, but it was not designed for most medicines or regulated healthcare goods. If you need customs clearance services for Mexico USA trade in the healthcare or life science sector, Mercury's customs brokerage and international teams can review your product list and documents before the first shipment leaves.