Mexico to Hike Import Tax on Low-Value Packages to 33.5%

Mexico will raise the import tax on low-value packages from 19% to 33.5% starting Aug. 15, targeting shipments valued under US$2,500 delivered via courier or parcel services, according to a regulatory change published Monday.

The new tariff will primarily apply to imports from countries without a free trade agreement with Mexico, including China. The change is expected to affect users of e-commerce platforms such as Shein and Temu, which frequently source goods from Chinese suppliers.

Under the revised rules, a US$500 shipment from China, currently subject to a US$95 import tax, will now incur a tax of US$167.50.

The tax hike follows a policy introduced in January, when the government argued that a 19% tariff was necessary to protect domestic industries such as textiles and footwear from rising volumes of imports intended for resale.

For imports from the United States and Canada—both parties to the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), the government established a separate tax structure in the updated Foreign Trade General Rules (RGCE). Shipments valued above US$117 will continue to be taxed at 19%, while packages worth between US$50 and US$117 will remain subject to a 17% rate. Shipments under US$50 from USMCA countries will remain tax-exempt.