Fees for Mexican (XE) amateur radio permits

Updated 20 February 2010

How much is the fee?
Fees for Mexican amateur radio permits are adjusted every 6 months, in January and July of each year. In the early 1990s, the fees were the equivalent of US$ 70. Since then, the fees are now fixed to the same amount Mexican hams pay for a 5-year license - no matter if the permit is valid for 6 months, one year, or even 5 years.

As of 18 February 2010, the fee was 1131 pesos.

Where - and how - do I pay the fee?
With at least one possible exception (in Tijuana, Baja California), the fees are paid by a deposit at a Banamex bank branch near the SCT or CoFeTel office. After you submit your paperwork, the secretary or clerk at the SCT/CoFeTel office will give you a piece of paper with all the deposit information printed on it. You will take this paper to a Banamex bank branch to deposit the fee.

The SCT has a bank account with Banamex, one of Mexico's largest banks. By doing this, the SCT in Mexico City will receive your fee payment - and no money should have to be paid in the SCT or CoFeTel office. At the bank, the fee can be paid/deposited in Mexican pesos or the equivalent amount in a foreign currency can be exchanged at that moment. The US dollar is the most common foreign currency in Mexico, but Canadian dollars and euros (among a few others) should also be OK at Banamex branches. Traveler's checks could be cashed and exchanged at the bank branches, but there could either be fees for that service or a lower exchange rate compared to exchanging cash.

In Tijuana, you may be asked to pay the fee at the SCT office. In that case, be prepared with Mexican pesos - lots of them.

WD9EWK/VA7EWK - Mexican (XE) ham-radio permits