How much does a fideicomiso cost in 2026?
For a home bought through a fideicomiso in Rosarito, Tijuana, Ensenada or San Felipe, total buyer closing costs in 2026 come to roughly 5.4% to 5.9% of the price in our worked examples, excluding legal fees. The biggest line is the ISAI transfer tax, not the trust. After closing, expect a yearly bank fee of roughly USD 550–650 plus predial (property tax).
Written by Galarza Legal · Updated October 2026
Estimates only. Every fee, tax, cost and total on this page is an estimate for general information, based on the 2026 published government tables and typical quotes from banks, notaries and appraisers. What you actually pay is set by each office, bank, notary or provider when you pay it, and changes with the exchange rate, the appraisal and the details of your property. Mexico Trust Services confirms figures only in a written quote.
Why does a foreign buyer pay for a fideicomiso at all?
Article 27 of the Mexican Constitution says foreigners cannot hold direct title to land within 100 km of the borders or 50 km of the coasts. This is the restricted zone, and all of Baja California is inside it. A foreign buyer therefore holds a home through a fideicomiso: a bank trust in which a Mexican bank is the trustee and the buyer is the beneficiary (fideicomisario).
The Ley de Inversión Extranjera (foreign investment law) requires a permit from the Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores (SRE) to set one up. The trust can run for up to 50 years and can be renewed. The property is not the bank's asset: you keep the rights to use, rent, sell and improve it, and to name substitute beneficiaries. The extra cost of buying as a foreigner is mainly the SRE fees and the trustee bank's fees; a Mexican buyer pays the tax, notary, registry and appraisal too.
What are the SRE fees in 2026?
The SRE fees are federal and are set in pesos each year by the Ley Federal de Derechos (Art. 25, published in the DOF on 7 November 2025 for 2026). The buyer pays them directly.
- For a normal purchase you pay the first two lines: about MXN 22,245 in total. A cesión de derechos, a change of beneficiaries or a change of trustee bank carries no SRE fee; the bank reports these to the SRE (Reglamento de la Ley de Inversión Extranjera, Art. 11, fr. III).
- The dollar figure moves with the exchange rate. The peso figure is the official one.
| SRE fee (2026) | Estimated amount (MXN) | Estimated USD (at 18.50) |
|---|---|---|
| Permit to set up a fideicomiso | 21,648.83 | 1,170 |
| Examination of each application | 596.29 | 32 |
| Permit to enlarge the trust's property or change its purposes, or to extend its term on time | 9,740.31 | 527 |
| Late request to extend the trust's term | 10,613.78 | 574 |
Estimates only. Final amounts are set by each office, bank, notary or provider at the time of payment, and change with the exchange rate, the appraisal and the details of the property.
What do the bank, notary, registry and appraisal cost?
These are the other one-time costs of a fideicomiso purchase. Each provider quotes and charges its own fee.
- Trustee bank setup (acceptance) fee: roughly USD 600–750. No bank publishes its restricted-zone fee schedule, so this is a market reference range. Banco Inmobiliario Mexicano (BIM) is the firm's main trustee; others include Banorte, Monex and Scotiabank. Ask the bank whether it quotes and bills its fees in pesos or in U.S. dollars. Each bank quotes its own fee.
- Notary (notario): fees follow the Arancel de Notarios para el Estado de Baja California, the fee schedule the state government issues under the Ley del Notariado (Arts. 199–200) and that notaries must charge, scaled to the value of the deal. IVA (value-added tax) is added at 8% if the notary applies the northern border incentive (in force until 31 December 2026), or at 16% otherwise. In our USD 350,000 example the fee is about MXN 63,558 plus MXN 5,085 IVA. The notary figure in our example is the firm's estimate, worked out from the Colegio de Notarios' 2025 fee sheet; the notary's own quote is what counts.
- Registro Público de la Propiedad y del Comercio (RPPC), the property registry: document analysis MXN 395.02, the notary's preventive notice MXN 295.30 and inscription of the transfer into the trust MXN 12,398.60, about MXN 13,089 in total (Ley de Ingresos del Estado de B.C. 2026, Art. 12). A mortgage, if there is one, costs MXN 11,877.34 more to register.
- Lien certificate (certificado de libertad de gravamen): MXN 503.41. It shows whether the property has mortgages or embargoes. The lien certificate is not included in the totals below, because who pays for it is agreed between buyer and seller.
- Appraisal (avalúo): the firm's reference fees are MXN 4,500 for values up to MXN 1 million, 7,000 up to 3 million, 9,500 up to 6 million and 14,000 above that.
Example: every line of a USD 350,000 purchase in Rosarito
This is the buyer's side of a fideicomiso purchase in Playas de Rosarito at USD 350,000 (MXN 6,475,000 at 18.50 pesos per dollar), excluding legal fees. Bank figures use BIM's reference quote.
| Item | Estimated MXN | Source |
|---|---|---|
| ISAI (property acquisition tax) | 217,875 | Ley de Ingresos de Playas de Rosarito 2026, Art. 9 |
| Notary fees | 63,558 | Arancel de Notarios del Estado de B.C. (firm estimate; the notary confirms) |
| IVA 8% on notary fees (northern border incentive, if the notary applies it; 16% otherwise) | 5,085 | IVA, northern border rate |
| Registry (analysis, notice, inscription) | 13,089 | Ley de Ingresos del Estado de B.C. 2026, Art. 12 |
| Appraisal | 14,000 | Firm's reference fee |
| SRE permit + examination | 22,245 | Ley Federal de Derechos Art. 25 |
| Bank setup fee (USD 650) | 12,025 | Bank quote |
| First annual bank fee (USD 550) | 10,175 | Bank quote |
| Total | ≈ 358,051 (≈ USD 19,354, 5.53%) |
Estimates only. Final amounts are set by each office, bank, notary or provider at the time of payment, and change with the exchange rate, the appraisal and the details of the property.
How much is ISAI in each town?
ISAI (Impuesto Sobre Adquisición de Inmuebles) is the municipal tax the buyer pays on acquiring property. Each municipality sets it in its own 2026 Ley de Ingresos. The base is the highest of three figures: the price, the catastral (tax-roll) value and the appraisal. The tax is then worked out by brackets: (base − bracket floor) × marginal rate + a fixed amount. In 2026, Playas de Rosarito, Tijuana, Ensenada and San Felipe all charge ISAI on a progressive scale, so a single flat percentage does not describe the tax.
Playas de Rosarito (Art. 9) starts at 1.5% up to MXN 500,000 and climbs in steps to 5% above MXN 6.8 million. Tijuana (Art. 8) writes its tariff in UMAs (UMA 2026 = MXN 117.31 per day), from 1.5% up to about 4.68% at the top. Ensenada (Art. 4) runs from 1.25% up to 5.75% above MXN 10.6 million, plus a public-safety surcharge of 0.25% of the tax base, paid with the ISAI. San Felipe, now its own municipality (Art. 5), runs from 1.5% up to MXN 800,000 to 5% above MXN 6.4 million. Because only the top slice is taxed at the top rate, the effective rate is lower:
- Effective ISAI as a share of the price, assuming the price is the highest of the three values and 18.50 MXN/USD.
- The Ensenada figures include the public-safety surcharge of 0.25% of the tax base, paid with the ISAI.
| Town | USD 200k | USD 350k | USD 500k | USD 800k |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Playas de Rosarito | 2.73% | 3.36% | 3.84% | 4.27% |
| Tijuana | 2.54% | 3.32% | 3.93% | 4.21% |
| Ensenada | 2.73% | 3.38% | 3.88% | 4.63% |
| San Felipe | 2.46% | 3.22% | 3.75% | 4.22% |
Estimates only. Final amounts are set by each office, bank, notary or provider at the time of payment, and change with the exchange rate, the appraisal and the details of the property.
Total buyer closing costs by town
These totals are the buyer's side of a fideicomiso purchase: ISAI, notary and IVA, registry, appraisal, SRE permit and examination, bank setup fee and the first annual bank fee. They are rounded and exclude legal fees. Exchange rate: 18.50 MXN/USD.
- Town detail: Rosarito closing costs, Tijuana closing costs, Ensenada closing costs, San Felipe closing costs.
- For your own price and town, use the estimate page at galarza.mx/closing-costs.
- For comparison, a Mexican national buying directly (no trust) in Rosarito at USD 350,000 pays about 4.84%. The difference is mostly the SRE and bank fees.
| Town | USD 200,000 | USD 350,000 | USD 500,000 | USD 800,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Playas de Rosarito | ≈ USD 11,700 (5.8%) | ≈ USD 19,400 (5.5%) | ≈ USD 27,700 (5.5%) | ≈ USD 43,800 (5.5%) |
| Tijuana | ≈ USD 11,300 (5.7%) | ≈ USD 19,200 (5.5%) | ≈ USD 28,100 (5.6%) | ≈ USD 43,300 (5.4%) |
| Ensenada | ≈ USD 11,700 (5.8%) | ≈ USD 19,400 (5.5%) | ≈ USD 27,900 (5.6%) | ≈ USD 46,700 (5.8%) |
| San Felipe | ≈ USD 11,200 (5.6%) | ≈ USD 18,800 (5.4%) | ≈ USD 27,200 (5.4%) | ≈ USD 43,400 (5.4%) |
Estimates only. Final amounts are set by each office, bank, notary or provider at the time of payment, and change with the exchange rate, the appraisal and the details of the property.
What does a fideicomiso cost every year?
Two costs repeat every year, and a third arrives at the end of the trust's term.
- Bank annual administration fee: roughly USD 550–650 a year, quoted by the bank. Keep it current: unpaid fees cause problems when you later sell or change beneficiaries.
- Predial (annual property tax): set by each municipality on the catastral value. Playas de Rosarito approved increases of up to 200% for 2026 (reported by Zeta Tijuana, December 2025), so check your 2026 bill rather than assuming last year's amount.
- If the home is in a condominium or gated community, the homeowners' association charges its own maintenance fees, which are set by the association, not by law.
- Renewal: the trust runs up to 50 years and can be renewed. In 2026 the SRE charges MXN 9,740.31 for an on-time extension and MXN 10,613.78 for a late one, plus MXN 596.29 to examine the request.
Why do fideicomiso quotes online differ so much?
If you have read three websites and seen three different numbers, these are the usual reasons:
- Old SRE figures in dollars. Many pages quote the SRE permit as a round dollar amount from an earlier year. The fee is set in pesos and updated each January; for 2026 it is MXN 21,648.83 plus MXN 596.29.
- A flat "2%" transfer tax. In 2026, Playas de Rosarito, Tijuana, Ensenada and San Felipe all charge ISAI on a progressive scale, so a single flat percentage does not describe the tax. At USD 350,000 the effective rate is above 3% in all four towns, and above 4% at USD 800,000.
- Bank fees are not published. Any figure for setup or annual fees is a range until the bank quotes your file.
- Different contents. Some quotes leave out ISAI, the appraisal or the first annual fee; others fold in legal fees. Compare line by line.
- Exchange rate. Most costs are in pesos, so a different rate changes the dollar figure.
How Galarza Legal can help
You pay each provider directly: the notary, the trustee bank, the SRE, the appraiser and the registry. Galarza Legal never receives or holds money for any of them; we coordinate the steps and check the figures. If you want the purchase price held by a third party until closing, buyers can use an escrow company. Our own legal fee is not in any figure on this page: we quote it after reviewing the property and its documents.
Mexico Trust Services is the fideicomiso service of Galarza Legal, a Mexican law practice in Baja California led by Lic. Pati Claudia Galarza (Cédula Profesional 15176510). We prepare the SRE application, obtain the bank's quote, review the title and lien certificate, check the notary's tax calculation and explain each line before you pay it, in English or Spanish. Start with the application, book a consultation, call +1 619-568-2424 or email [email protected].
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the SRE permit for a fideicomiso in 2026?
MXN 21,648.83 for the permit plus MXN 596.29 for the examination of the application (Ley Federal de Derechos Art. 25, 2026). The buyer pays the SRE directly. These figures are estimates; the final amounts are set by each office, bank, notary or provider when you pay them.
Is the transfer tax in Baja California 2%?
Not as a flat rate. In Rosarito, Tijuana, Ensenada and San Felipe ISAI is charged by progressive brackets. In our examples the effective rate runs from about 2.5% at USD 200,000 to over 4% at USD 800,000. These figures are estimates; the final amounts are set by each office, bank, notary or provider when you pay them.
What is the yearly cost of keeping a fideicomiso?
The trustee bank's annual fee, roughly USD 550–650 depending on the bank, plus predial to the municipality and any homeowners' association fees. These figures are estimates; the final amounts are set by each office, bank, notary or provider when you pay them.
Do the closing costs on this page include your legal fee?
No. All totals exclude legal fees. We quote our fee after reviewing the property and its documents.
Can I avoid the trust costs by buying through a Mexican company?
A Mexican company (S.A. or S. de R.L.) can hold title directly, but it is meant for commercial use and carries its own ongoing obligations. For a residential home, a fideicomiso is the usual route.
Why is my bank quote different from the ranges here?
Banks do not publish restricted-zone fees, so the ranges here are market references. Your bank's written quote is the figure that applies.
Who pays the closing costs, the buyer or the seller?
The buyer pays ISAI and the purchase costs on this page. The seller pays income tax (ISR) on the gain. Other items can be shared if the purchase agreement says so.