To check an off-plan project in Mexico, match what the developer tells you against the official record before each payment. Start with the 3 official registers listed below, then ask the questions that the 65 projects we track in Mexico most often leave open.
The check most often missing in Mexico: permit or licence number (not public for 65 of 65 projects).
- Official registers
- What projects here leave out
- Questions to ask the developer
- Free check
- Questions and answers
Step 1: official registers in Mexico#
PROFECO contract register (RPCA) (Mexico)
- What it proves
- The seller has registered its model sales contract with PROFECO, which developers selling homes to consumers must do. You can download the registered model.
- What it does not prove
- That the company owns the land or holds permits. Check the business name on the registration matches the seller: a number can belong to another business.
- How to search
- Search by business name, trade name or registration number, then compare the registered model with the contract you are asked to sign.
Open the official register (opens in a new tab) rpca.profeco.gob.mx
From our register guide.
Registro Publico de la Propiedad (RPP) (Mexico)
- What it proves
- Who owns the land, mortgages and liens, and whether a condominium regime has been recorded. Each state runs its own registry.
- What it does not prove
- Construction permits.
- How to search
- Ask a notary for a certificate of no liens (certificado de libertad de gravamen) from the state RPP for the property.
No public online search; ask the authority directly.
From our register guide.
Municipal construction licence and environmental authorisation (Mexico)
- What it proves
- The construction licence from the municipality, and where required an environmental impact authorisation (federal SEMARNAT or state).
- What it does not prove
- Ownership of the land.
- How to search
- Ask for the licence and authorisation numbers and confirm them with the issuing office.
No public online search; ask the authority directly.
From our register guide.
Step 2: what off-plan projects in Mexico leave out#
Share of the 65 tracked projects that make each check public, and how many are confirmed by an official register or independent source.
| Check | Public | Not public | Confirmed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Permit or licence number | 0 (0%) | 65 | 3 |
| Deposit protection | 4 (6%) | 61 | 0 |
| Construction progress | 21 (32%) | 44 | 10 |
| Site or floor plans | 34 (52%) | 31 | 0 |
| Developer track record | 42 (65%) | 23 | 11 |
| No guaranteed-return language | 64 (98%) | 1 | 0 |
Step 3: questions to ask the developer#
The questions our research agent raised most often for projects in Mexico, with how many projects they apply to. Each one points at a gap in what the developer publishes.
- No building permit mentioned: ask for the number before paying. (64 of 65 projects)
- No deposit protection published: will your payments go into an escrow or trust account in your name? (61 of 65 projects)
- Completion advertised for 2028: does progress on site match? (43 of 65 projects)
- Title type not stated: leasehold, freehold or a company structure? (21 of 65 projects)
- Legal dispute reported in public sources: ask the developer for the current status, in writing. (2 of 65 projects)
- An extension is promised: is it a binding clause with a fixed price, or only a promise? (1 of 65 projects)
- "Guaranteed" returns: who guarantees them, and what happens if they can't pay? (1 of 65 projects)
- Developer in financial trouble in public sources: ask the developer for the current status, in writing. (1 of 65 projects)
Send them in writing: ask the developer with our template.
Step 4: run a free check#
Paste the project page into the free desk review: our agent reads it, quotes every claim and looks it up in the registers above where it can. Then see all projects we track in Mexico.
Questions and answers#
What should I check before buying off-plan in Mexico?
The permit or licence number, deposit protection, construction progress, plans, the developer's track record and any guaranteed-return promise. In Mexico the check most often missing is permit or licence number (65 of 65 tracked projects do not publish it).
Is there an official register to check an off-plan project in Mexico?
Yes: PROFECO contract register (RPCA); Registro Publico de la Propiedad (RPP); Municipal construction licence and environmental authorisation.
What do developers in Mexico most often leave unanswered?
No building permit mentioned: ask for the number before paying. (64 of 65 projects).
Are you the developer, or did we get something wrong? Send documents and we add your reply or correct the record: right of reply · corrections. Every figure here is computed from the open dataset (/data/bali-cases.json, CC BY 4.0) and changes when the data changes.