Goods Across Borders · Customs rule card
Firearms → Mexico
Purpose: Traveling · Verified: 2026-07-25
Illegal to bring firearms without SEDENA permit
Details
Mexico strictly controls firearms under the Federal Law on Firearms and Explosives. Import without a SEDENA (Secretariat of National Defense) permit is a serious federal crime. Even a single round of ammunition can result in imprisonment. US travelers have been jailed for inadvertently bringing firearms across the border.
Legal reference
Federal Law on Firearms and Explosives
Leaving with this item
Mexico prohibits taking firearms out of the country without an advance export authorisation; licensed hunters and sport shooters are the main exception categories.
Practical advice
Never bring firearms or ammunition into Mexico. US-Mexico border seizures are common and penalties include years of imprisonment.
Customs authority
Servicio de Administración Tributaria — SAT (Tax Administration Service, Customs Division) · https://www.sat.gob.mx