Mexico car tax calculator (Refrendo y tenencia)

Mexico's annual car cost is the state plate fee (refrendo), which every state charges, plus tenencia in the four states that still levy it.

Worked example · Total anual

With Valor del vehículo of 250,000 MXN, this model computes Total anual of 760 MXN. See the full working.

✓ Verified against 3 self-test cases Updated for 2026 · sources checked 2026-08-04

How Refrendo y tenencia (vehicle fees) in Mexico is calculated

Mexican car ownership costs the annual refrendo (plate fee) set by each state, plus tenencia (an ownership tax) where states still levy it — about 3% of the vehicle value. For 2026 the refrendo is 760 MXN in Mexico City, about 990 in the State of Mexico, 900 in Jalisco and 3,368 in Nuevo Leon for 2015-2026 models.

Only the State of Mexico, Oaxaca, Quintana Roo and Zacatecas still charge tenencia in 2026; Mexico City, Jalisco, Nuevo Leon and most other states subsidise it at 100%, so in practice it is not paid there. The refrendo is always due even when tenencia is not. Pick your state to load both. Estimate, not tax advice.

Worked example

ShowHide the full working: 2 inputs, 4 computed steps
CDMX, vehículo de 250,000 MXN — sólo refrendo
Inputs
Valor del vehículo250,000 MXN
EstadoCiudad de México — refrendo $760, tenencia subsidiada al 100%
Computed by the engine
Refrendo (placa) ✓ pinned760 MXN
Cobra Tenencia ✓ pinned0
Tenencia ✓ pinned0 MXN
Total anual ✓ pinned760 MXN

Every computed row comes from the engine, run on the inputs above. Rows marked ✓ pinned are also fixed by a published self-test, so a change to the model that moved them would fail its own tests.

Frequently asked questions

How much for a subsidized car in CDMX?

Just the refrendo — 760 MXN in 2026 — because Mexico City subsidises tenencia at 100%.

What is tenencia?

An ownership tax of about 3% of the vehicle value. The federal tenencia was abolished; only the State of Mexico, Oaxaca, Quintana Roo and Zacatecas still levy their own.

When is tenencia subsidized?

Most states, Mexico City, Jalisco and Nuevo Leon among them, subsidise it at 100%, so only four states actually collect it.

Sources

Estimate. Not tax advice. The verification badge means the model reproduces the stated formula through 3 self-test cases; the sources support that the formula matches the rules.

Check the arithmetic yourself: how this calculator is verified — the formula behind every derived value, the 3 test cases the engine reproduces, and what the badge does and does not claim. Also available as machine-readable JSON.

Related calculators

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Also for Mexico: Mexico Sueldo neto (net salary) · Mexico RESICO (simplified trust regime)

All Mexico calculators · All calculators

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