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openaccountants/skills/mexico-transfer-pricing.md

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v10Mexico
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1---
2name: mexico-transfer-pricing
3description: >
4 Use this skill whenever asked about Mexico transfer pricing rules, documentation requirements, or precios de transferencia compliance. Trigger on phrases like "transfer pricing Mexico", "Mexican TP documentation", "precios de transferencia Mexico", "master file Mexico", "local file Mexico", "CbCR Mexico", "APA Mexico", "SAT transfer pricing", "maquiladora safe harbor", "Article 76 LISR", or any question about intercompany pricing for Mexican entities.
5version: 1.0
6jurisdiction: MX
7category: transfer-pricing
8depends_on:
9 - transfer-pricing-workflow-base
10---
11 
12# Mexico Transfer Pricing Skill v1.0
13 
14---
15 
16## Section 1 -- Quick Reference
17 
18| Field | Value |
19|---|---|
20| Country | Mexico (United Mexican States) |
21| Tax authority | Servicio de Administración Tributaria (SAT) |
22| Key TP legislation | Articles 76, 76-A, 179-184, Income Tax Law (Ley del ISR -- LISR); Fiscal Code (CFF) Art. 34-A (APA) |
23| OECD member? | Yes |
24| BEPS signatory? | Yes |
25| Currency | MXN |
26| Documentation language | Spanish (Local File); Master File in Spanish or English |
27| TP documentation types | Four types: TP Report, Local File, Master File, CbCR |
28| Skill version | 1.0 |
29 
30---
31 
32## Section 2 -- Documentation Requirements
33 
34### 2.1 TP Report (Estudio de Precios de Transferencia)
35 
36| Item | Detail |
37|---|---|
38| Required? | Yes, for taxpayers with related-party transactions (general obligation under Art. 76 LISR) |
39| Threshold | All entities with controlled transactions must have TP study available |
40| Content | Functions/assets/risks, method selection, comparables, arm's length analysis |
41| Language | Spanish |
42| Filing | Not filed; maintained and available on SAT request |
43 
44### 2.2 Local File (Archivo Local)
45 
46| Item | Detail |
47|---|---|
48| Required? | Yes, for entities with cumulative income > MXN ~1,940 million (2025; indexed annually) |
49| Format | Per BEPS Action 13 / OECD standards with Mexico-specific content |
50| Language | Spanish |
51| Filing deadline | May 15 of the following fiscal year |
52| Filing method | Electronic submission to SAT |
53 
54### 2.3 Master File (Archivo Maestro)
55 
56| Item | Detail |
57|---|---|
58| Required? | Yes, for entities meeting the income threshold (same as Local File) |
59| Format | OECD Annex I to Chapter V |
60| Language | Spanish or English |
61| Filing deadline | December 31 of the following fiscal year |
62| Filing method | Electronic submission |
63 
64### 2.4 Country-by-Country Report (CbCR)
65 
66| Item | Detail |
67|---|---|
68| Threshold | Consolidated group revenue > MXN 12 billion (approx. EUR 750m; updated: ~MXN 16.59 billion per indexed thresholds) |
69| Filing deadline | December 31 of the following fiscal year |
70| Content | Per OECD Annex III |
71| Filing method | Electronic |
72 
73### 2.5 Important Distinction
74 
75Mexico distinguishes between:
761. **TP Report** (all entities with related-party transactions) -- general support file
772. **Local File** (large entities over threshold) -- OECD BEPS Action 13 format, filed with SAT
78 
79Both must be prepared; the Local File is more detailed and includes some Master File content.
80 
81---
82 
83## Section 3 -- Arm's Length Standard
84 
85### 3.1 Definition
86 
87Article 179 LISR: Transactions between related parties must be valued as if they were carried out between independent parties in comparable operations. The arm's length principle applies.
88 
89### 3.2 Accepted Methods (Article 180 LISR)
90 
91| Method | Accepted |
92|---|---|
93| Comparable Uncontrolled Price (CUP) | Yes |
94| Resale Price Method (RPM) | Yes |
95| Cost Plus Method (CPM) | Yes |
96| Transactional Net Margin Method (TNMM) | Yes |
97| Profit Split Method (PSM) | Yes |
98| Residual Profit Split | Yes |
99 
100### 3.3 Preferred Method
101 
102CUP is preferred by SAT where applicable. Discounted cash flow method accepted for transactions involving intangibles under certain conditions.
103 
104### 3.4 Range
105 
106Interquartile range applied; adjustment to median if result outside range.
107 
108---
109 
110## Section 4 -- Filing Obligations
111 
112| Obligation | Detail |
113|---|---|
114| TP Report | Maintain; available on SAT audit request |
115| Local File | Annual electronic filing (May 15) |
116| Master File | Annual electronic filing (December 31) |
117| CbCR | Annual electronic filing (December 31) |
118| Annual tax return (Declaración Anual) | Includes informative obligations on related-party transactions |
119| Informative multiple return | Related-party transaction information in annual return |
120 
121---
122 
123## Section 5 -- Deadlines
124 
125| Item | Deadline |
126|---|---|
127| Local File | May 15 of the following fiscal year |
128| Master File | December 31 of the following fiscal year |
129| CbCR | December 31 of the following fiscal year |
130| TP Report preparation | By time of annual tax return filing (March 31 for legal entities) |
131| Annual tax return | March 31 of the following fiscal year |
132| Maquiladora informative return | June of the following fiscal year |
133 
134---
135 
136## Section 6 -- Penalties
137 
138| Offence | Penalty |
139|---|---|
140| Late/incomplete TP informative return documentation | MXN 199,630 -- MXN 284,220 (indexed annually) |
141| Failure to file Local File / Master File | Similar administrative fines |
142| SAT TP adjustment -- tax omission | 55-75% of historical omitted taxes |
143| Late payment surcharge | 1.47% monthly on unpaid tax |
144| Inflation adjustment | Tax debt indexed for inflation |
145| Non-compliance with maquiladora safe harbor | Deemed permanent establishment of foreign principal |
146 
147---
148 
149## Section 7 -- Advance Pricing Agreements (APA)
150 
151| Item | Detail |
152|---|---|
153| Availability | Yes (general APA under Art. 34-A CFF) |
154| Types | Unilateral (primarily); bilateral available |
155| Governing legislation | Article 34-A, Fiscal Code (CFF) |
156| Application | To SAT with proposed methodology |
157| Duration | Up to 5 years (year of request + 1 prior + up to 3 forward) |
158| Fees | No formal fee |
159| Processing time | Variable; historically lengthy |
160| Maquiladora APA | ELIMINATED from 2022 reform; no longer available from FY2025 |
161 
162### Important: Maquiladora APA Elimination
163 
164From 2025, maquiladoras can NO longer request APAs. The sole mechanism available is the safe harbour (Article 182 LISR).
165 
166---
167 
168## Section 8 -- Safe Harbours
169 
170### 8.1 Maquiladora Safe Harbour (Article 182 LISR)
171 
172| Item | Detail |
173|---|---|
174| Applicable to | Maquiladora companies operating under Art. 181 LISR |
175| Calculation | Taxable profit = GREATER of: 6.5% of total costs/expenses (including foreign-sourced) OR 6.9% of total assets (including foreign-owned assets) |
176| Mandatory from 2025 | Only mechanism available (APA option eliminated) |
177| Consequence of non-compliance | Foreign principal deemed to have a Permanent Establishment in Mexico |
178| Annual informative return | Required in June of following year |
179 
180### 8.2 General Transactions
181 
182No safe harbour for non-maquiladora related-party transactions. All must be at arm's length with supporting documentation.
183 
184---
185 
186## Section 9 -- Recent Developments
187 
188| Date | Development |
189|---|---|
190| 2025 | Maquiladora APA option expired (last APAs covered 2021-2024); safe harbour now mandatory |
191| 2024 | Updated indexed thresholds for documentation obligations |
192| 2022 | Tax reform eliminated maquiladora APA from Article 182 LISR |
193| 2025 | Pillar Two under discussion; no legislation enacted yet |
194| Ongoing | SAT increasing TP audit activity, especially on maquiladoras and digital services |
195| Ongoing | Focus on substance requirements for intercompany transactions |
196| May 2026 | First Local File filing deadline for FY2025 (May 15, 2026) |
197 
198---
199 
200## Section 10 -- Interaction with Other Skills
201 
202| Related skill | Interaction |
203|---|---|
204| mexico-corporate-tax (ISR) | TP adjustments directly affect income tax (ISR) base |
205| mexico-bookkeeping | TP documentation relies on Mexican accounting standards (NIF) |
206| mexico-vat (IVA) | TP adjustments may affect customs valuation and IVA |
207| Maquiladora regime | Safe harbour is the sole TP mechanism for maquiladoras from 2025 |
208| Customs valuation | Related-party import pricing must be consistent with TP positions |
209| CbCR | SAT uses CbCR for risk-based audit selection |
210| Double tax treaties | Mexico's DTA network provides MAP for TP disputes |
211 
212---
213 
214## Disclaimer
215 
216This skill and its outputs are provided for informational and computational purposes only and do not constitute tax, legal, or financial advice. Open Accountants and its contributors accept no liability for any errors, omissions, or outcomes arising from the use of this skill. All outputs must be reviewed and signed off by a qualified professional before filing or acting upon.
217 

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Use this skill whenever asked about Mexico transfer pricing rules, documentation requirements, or precios de transferencia compliance. Trigger on phrases like "transfer pricing Mexico", "Mexican TP documentation", "precios de transferencia Mexico", "master file Mexico", "local file Mexico", "CbCR Mexico", "APA Mexico", "SAT transfer pricing", "maquiladora safe harbor", "Article 76 LISR", or any question about intercompany pricing for Mexican entities.

MXty-2025

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