Thinking about shipping to Mexico? You should be.
According to a 2025 report by Mordor Intelligence, Mexico is one of the fastest-growing eCommerce markets in the world, and it’s still early enough for brands to establish a strong foothold.
The country’s online retail market is projected to nearly triple in size, growing from US$52.58 billion in 2025 to US$122.79 billion by 2030. Additionally, 78.5% of online purchases in Mexico happen on a mobile phone. All of which is good news for eCommerce businesses.
But before international sellers can begin moving inventory, collecting payments, and issuing invoices, they face a critical requirement: an RFC or CURP.
Short for Registro Federal de Contribuyentes, an RFC functions as Mexico’s taxpayer identification number and is the business document most commonly needed for legal compliance. Without it, many business activities are legally off-limits, such as issuing electronic invoices, opening a business bank account, and even operating through major marketplaces such as Amazon México or Mercado Libre.
CURP stands for Clave Unica de Registro de Poblacion, which is the unique identity code for both citizens and residents of Mexico.
Although both RFC and CURP play roles in Mexican compliance, the RFC is the primary—and most widely required—document for international eCommerce businesses. A CURP is typically needed only for individuals or as part of RFC registration.
As you plan your cross-border growth, it’s crucial to understand one new reality. Before you ship a single parcel—or collect that first payment—Mexican law requires the right tax ID (RFC or CURP) for every recipient. Here’s what global sellers need to know to prepare for seamless eCommerce fulfillment in this booming market.
What Is an RFC?
The Registro Federal de Contribuyentes (RFC) is Mexico’s tax identification number for both businesses and individuals. Issued by the Servicio de Administración Tributaria (SAT)—Mexico’s equivalent of the IRS—the RFC connects every financial, tax, customs, and invoicing activity to the responsible party, serving as the official taxpayer registry.
For Mexican citizens, residents, and businesses operating locally, the RFC is required for activities such as:
- Digital invoicing (facturas)
- VAT and income tax reporting
- Import and customs filings
- Marketplace compliance and payouts
You can think of the RFC as the functional equivalent of a U.S. EIN for businesses or a Social Security number for individuals. It is used to track income tax, VAT, and all other Mexican tax obligations.
Every business transaction is tied to this identifier.
What Is a CURP (Clave Única de Registro de Población)?
The CURP, known in English as the Unique Population Registry Code, is Mexico’s personal identification code. Every citizen, legal resident, and foreign national who needs to complete official paperwork in Mexico is assigned a CURP. It functions much like a Social Security Number in the United States.
If you’re an individual representing a business or handling legal work in Mexico, you’ll need a CURP first—often as a prerequisite for registering for an RFC. While companies themselves don’t have a CURP, their legal representatives do. CURP is essential for personal identification and official records but plays a supporting role in most business contexts.
How Does the RFC Relate to CURP?
People often confuse the RFC with the CURP. Here are the key differences:
RFC (Registro Federal de Contribuyentes):
Used for tax, invoicing, banking, and all business compliance in Mexico. Required for companies and individuals conducting business, submitting tax filings, or operating on Mexican marketplaces.
CURP (Clave Única de Registro de Población):
A unique population ID for every individual in Mexico, including citizens, legal residents, and foreign representatives. Needed for government programs and, usually, as part of the RFC registration process for individuals acting as company representatives.
A Mexican citizen will have both. For foreign sellers or company representatives, a CURP is often needed before applying for an RFC. Companies themselves do not need a CURP, but their representative does.
For international eCommerce businesses, the RFC is the main requirement for legal operations in Mexico. The CURP plays a supporting background role for individuals, but almost all non-Mexican companies and cross-border sellers will rely on the RFC for tax, customs, and marketplace compliance.
Now, let’s look at why these identification numbers matter for international eCommerce businesses—even if you’re shipping from abroad—and how recent changes from the Mexican government impact your documentation and delivery process.
Why Do These Matter for International eCommerce Businesses?
Even if your business is based outside Mexico and you do not need your own RFC number, Mexican customs and tax authorities now require every package entering the country to include the recipient’s RFC (tax ID) or, in some cases, their CURP (national ID) on the shipping label and required customs documents.
This is a direct result of updated Mexican tax laws to improve traceability of economic activity and to ensure all imports are compliant with their federal taxpayers registry. Major carriers, shipping platforms, and marketplaces will block, return, or hold shipments if these details are missing or inaccurate.
This compliance step has a real impact:
- Customs authorities can delay or reject noncompliant shipments.
- Customers may experience missed deliveries, frustration, or canceled orders—hurting retention and trust.
- Your business may face negative reviews, penalties, and challenges scaling in Mexico if these requirements aren’t followed.
How to Collect and Use the Consignee’s RFC or CURP
To ensure every shipment meets Mexican tax authority requirements and avoids unnecessary customs delays, you’ll want a reliable process for handling your recipient’s tax ID. Here are the key steps to follow:
- Add a required RFC/CURP field for every Mexican shipping address in your checkout flow.
- Verify the RFC or CURP format with a prompt or validation tool to reduce manual entry errors.
- Ensure this tax ID information is passed with the order to your fulfillment partner, carrier, or marketplace.
- Update your shipping labels and customs paperwork with these details—many carriers will now require you to fill in both the RFC and CURP fields, or one if the other is not present.
- Don’t use a “generic RFC” unless authorized by the customer or Mexican tax administration service (SAT), as this may void exemptions or cause issues.
Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
Navigating Mexico’s updated requirements for RFC and CURP collection can catch even experienced eCommerce teams off guard. Without the right process and guidance, it’s easy to stumble into compliance issues or delivery delays.
Here are some of the most frequent missteps international sellers encounter:
- Failing to collect an RFC/CURP before fulfillment begins.
- Entering incorrect tax ID or official identification information due to typos or missing characters.
- Not updating information when a customer requests changes after placing an order.
- Assuming either ID is optional—Mexican government enforcement is robust, and tax administration service (SAT) audits shipments thoroughly.
- Using a generic RFC when not eligible, risking loss of exemptions or shipment rejection.
Avoiding these pitfalls is essential to avoid costly setbacks in the Mexican market. If you’re ready to take the guesswork out of compliance, partnering with an experienced cross-border logistics provider can make all the difference.
Need Help Expanding into Mexico? ePost Global Can Get You There
Entering Mexico’s eCommerce market can be a smart move, but it also introduces layers of operational complexity. The RFC is just one part of the equation. Once you’re compliant, you still need to handle:
- Customs paperwork
- Carrier and marketplace requirements
- Cross-border delivery timelines
- Returns logistics
And that’s before you factor in the realities of international fulfillment, fluctuating duties, import documentation, and last-mile delivery challenges.
That’s why many brands partner with a cross-border shipping and logistics expert instead of trying to navigate everything solo.
At ePost Global, we help international sellers move into Mexico without the headaches. Our team simplifies the entire process from documentation to final delivery so that you can stay focused on selling, not wrestling with regulations.
With more than 50 million packages shipped, we know what it takes to build a cross-border strategy that actually works. We guide brands through:
- RFC/CURP-related documentation needs
- Customs and import requirements
- Optimized routing and carrier selection
- Last-mile delivery that meets shopper expectations
Expanding into Mexico can be one of the most profitable growth moves you make, but only if compliance and logistics are handled correctly from day one.
Ready to make Mexico your next growth market?
Reach out to ePost Global, and we’ll help you expand efficiently, compliantly, and confidently.
