Mexican Official Standards (NOM) are mandatory technical standards in Mexico. If you import products to sell in the country, you need to know which ones apply to your goods and comply with them before they reach customs. Without NOM compliance, your cargo won’t be released.
What are NOMs?
NOMs are technical regulations issued by Mexican federal government agencies. They establish requirements for commercial information, safety, labeling, and quality that products sold in Mexico must meet, whether domestic or imported.
Not all NOMs apply to all products. The specific NOM you must comply with depends on your merchandise’s tariff classification code and product type.
NOM-050-SCFI-2004: General product labeling
This is the broadest NOM and applies to most consumer products that don’t have a specific NOM.
Scope: All products intended for the final consumer sold in Mexico.
Mandatory label information:
- Generic name or denomination of the product
- Net content in Metric System units
- Name, business name, and fiscal address (including postal code, city, and state) of the manufacturer or responsible party
- Country of manufacture (“Made in…” or “Product of…”)
- Risk warnings for hazardous products
- All information must be in Spanish
Exclusions: Products covered by a specific NOM, bulk products, live animals, books, audiovisual media, and catalog spare parts.
NOM-004-SE-2021: Textiles and garments
If you import clothing, fabrics, textile accessories, or home textiles, this is your NOM.
Key facts:
- Published in January 2022, effective January 15, 2023
- Replaces the previous version NOM-004-SCFI-2006
- Applies to textile products with fiber composition of 50% or more
Mandatory information:
- Fiber composition (percentages)
- Care instructions (washing, drying, ironing)
- Size or measurements
- Country of origin
- Data of the manufacturer or responsible importer
- Everything in Spanish
Critical point: If your supplier in China doesn’t include Spanish-language labels with this information, you need to resolve this before shipment. Re-labeling in Mexico is significantly more expensive.
NOM-024-SCFI-2013: Electronics and appliances
Applies to electronic, electrical, and home appliance products, including their accessories and consumables.
Scope: New, refurbished, used, and secondhand products.
Requirements:
- Packaging must include product identification, manufacturer or importer data, country of origin, and nominal electrical characteristics
- Instruction manuals in Spanish
- Warranty information in accordance with Mexican law
- All information must be in Spanish
Note: An update project (PROY-NOM-024-SE-2022) was published in September 2022, but the 2013 version remains the current and applicable standard.
NOM-051-SCFI/SSA1: Food and beverages
If you import food or non-alcoholic beverages, this NOM establishes labeling requirements that include the well-known warning seals (excess sugars, sodium, calories, saturated fats, trans fats).
Additional requirements:
- Nutritional information
- Ingredient list
- Allergen declaration
- Expiration or best-before date
- Production lot
Authority: COFEPRIS is the authority that oversees compliance with this NOM and may require a Prior Health Import Permit (PSPI) for certain foods.
Other frequently required NOMs for imports
| NOM | Applies to |
|---|---|
| NOM-003-SCFI | Electrical safety for grid-connected products |
| NOM-015-SCFI | Batteries and cells |
| NOM-019-SCFI | Safety for electronic and IT equipment |
| NOM-020-SCFI | Leather goods and footwear |
How do you demonstrate NOM compliance?
The general process for demonstrating compliance is:
- Identify the applicable NOM for your product based on its tariff classification
- Conduct the necessary laboratory tests at an accredited laboratory
- Obtain the NOM certificate from an accredited certification body
- Ensure the labeling on the product meets all requirements before shipment
NOM certification costs vary widely depending on the product and standard: from $20,000 MXN for simple products to $60,000 MXN or more for products requiring extensive safety testing.
What you can no longer do: the non-commercialization letter
Before October 2020, it was possible to import products without NOM compliance through a non-commercialization letter, declaring that the product would not be sold to the public. This practice was eliminated. Today, all products subject to NOM must demonstrate compliance at the time of import.
Where to check which NOM applies to your product?
Your customs broker is the first resource. When classifying your product with the correct tariff code, the applicable non-tariff regulations are automatically identified, including NOMs.
You can also consult directly through the SNICE system of the Ministry of Economy, which links each tariff classification to its regulations.
The most costly mistake
The most costly mistake we see is importing without verifying NOM compliance at origin. When goods arrive in Mexico without the correct labeling, you have two options:
- Re-label at port: Costly, slow, and you pay storage while you resolve it
- Return the goods: Even more costly and in practice almost never viable
The solution is simple: verify labeling and regulatory compliance before the goods leave Asia. An inspector at origin can check that your labels comply with the applicable NOM for a fraction of what it would cost to fix at destination.
Conclusion
NOMs are not optional for imported products. Ignoring them results in held cargo, unexpected costs, and lost time. The key is to identify the applicable NOM from the start of your operation, ensure your supplier labels correctly, and verify compliance before shipment.
Need to verify that your goods comply with the NOM before shipping? Contact us and we’ll coordinate an inspection at origin.