Guide › Moving in Mexico: the checklist

Moving in Mexico: the checklist

The general list plus what comes on top in this country: deadlines, offices and customs.

58 tasks · General checklist

Contracts and authorities

17 weeks before
Check the notice to vacate: usually 30 days per the contract
Rules are in the state Civil Code (Mexico City: art. 2478 ff.); the contract sets the notice and penalties.
14 weeks before
Hand in the written notice and get it acknowledged
Keep a copy signed by the landlord or the agency.
13 weeks before
Arrange viewings for the next tenant
11 weeks before
Sign the new lease
10 weeks before
Pay the deposit (usually one month's rent) and the first month's rent
Often plus a guarantor with property (fiador) or a legal bond (póliza jurídica); have the contract checked before signing.
9 weeks before
Arrange the handover date for the old flat
6 weeks before
Cancel internet and TV contracts
6 weeks before
Book a van for the cellar and small items
4 weeks before
Book time off for moving day
3 weeks before
Draw up the list of address changes
2 weeks before
Adjust the home insurance
Not mandatory, but advisable.
7 days before
Cancel the standing order for the old rent

Packing and decluttering

5 weeks before
Get moving boxes
5 weeks before
Get packing material
4 weeks before
Set a decluttering day per room
3 weeks before
Move the cellar and attic ahead of time
2 weeks before
Pack seasonal and rarely used things
10 days before
Pack the workspace
5 days before
Pack the kitchen, defrost the fridge
2 days before
Pack the first-night box
2 days before
Keep the toolbox separate

Old home

9 weeks before
Declutter: sell, give away, dispose
6 weeks before
Clear out the cellar and attic
4 weeks before
Book a bulky waste collection
7 days before
Factory-reset the smart home devices
1 day before
Read and photograph the meters
7 days after
Clean the old place for the handover
10 days after
Sign the handover protocol, count the keys
4 weeks after
Track the return of the deposit
Deadline per the contract, often 30 days; sign the handover record.

New home

9 weeks before
Record the inventory and condition with photos, both sign
Annex to the contract; the basis for the deposit.
6 weeks before
Book the electrician and tradespeople
6 weeks before
Check mounting points: shower rail, lamps, curtains
4 weeks before
Order the internet connection
4 weeks before
Decide what to buy new
2 weeks before
Draw a furniture plan per room, take measurements
7 days before
Test the internet connection
7 days before
CFE, gas and water: change the account holder or open a new one
The CFE bill is the most important proof of address — keep the first one.
1 day after
Record and report defects on moving in
3 days after
Label the doorbell and letterbox
7 days after
Set the smart home up again
7 days after
Condominium administration: rules, moving days, fees
Agree moving hours and lift use beforehand.

Moving day

13 weeks before
Fix the moving date
9 weeks before
Book the moving company
2 weeks before
Reserve parking outside both buildings
2 weeks before
Reserve the lift at both addresses
10 days before
Arrange care for children and pets
3 days before
Move the plants separately
3 days before
Plan bikes and bulky items separately
On moving day
Food and drink for the helpers
On moving day
Final walk-through of the old flat

After the move

7 days after
Change addresses one by one: Correos de México does not forward mail
Tell banks, insurers, subscriptions and authorities directly; update parcel services.
10 days after
School: change of school through the SEP with proof of address
Public schools by zone; bring the CURP and report card.
2 weeks after
Tell the bank, employer and insurers
2 weeks after
Update subscriptions and delivery services
2 weeks after
Apply for the INE voter ID with the new address
ine.mx, by appointment; the credential is the ID for almost everything.
2 weeks after
Change your tax address with the SAT (RFC)
Within ten days of moving (Federal Tax Code, art. 27); online with e.firma.
2 weeks after
Driving licence and vehicle registration: change the address
With the state mobility secretariat; moving to another state means new plates.
2 weeks after
IMSS or ISSSTE: change your clinic (UMF) to the new address
imss.gob.mx; change of clinic online.

In the app: when setting up the move or under Tasks → Template. Everything can be deselected; a template is a suggestion.

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The checklists in this guide are compiled with care, but without guarantee of completeness or currency. Deadlines and responsibilities change. The information of the respective authority or contracting party is authoritative.