Low Testamentary Culture in Mexico
Mexico’s testamentary culture is notably low, with only six out of every 100 people legally inheriting their assets nationwide, and a mere 20% in the capital, Ciudad de México, according to the Comisión Nacional para la Protección y Defensa de los Usuarios de Servicios Financieros (Condusef).
The Organización para la Cooperación y el Desarrollo Económicos (OCDE) confirms that Mexico ranks among the economies with the least testamentary culture within the organization. Annually since 2003, the campaign “Septiembre, mes del testamento” (September, Testament Month) has been celebrated to encourage Mexicans to formalize their patrimonial succession contracts with various benefits, such as discounts and free consultation.
What is a Testament?
According to the Colegio Nacional del Notariado Mexicano, a testament is an act wherein an individual designates, in the presence of a notary, who will become owners of their assets and properties after death, making them beneficiaries of the patrimonial estate. This act is considered a solemn, unilateral, personal, and free legal act.
With a testament, upon the testator’s demise, assets are more easily transferred to designated individuals in the proportion specified, thereby safeguarding one’s patrimonial interests. Yadira Aideé Huerta Reyes, a law professor at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), highlights two beliefs that hinder testament adoption: the perception of it being an expensive and tedious process, and the superstition that creating a testament invites death.
“In Mexico, the idea of approaching death is a taboo,” Huerta Reyes explains. “When testaments are mentioned, people often associate them with an imminent end.”
Consequences of Dying Intestate
Should you pass away without a testament, the state will oversee the distribution of your material assets according to established formulas. This often results in half of your estate going to your spouse and the other half to your children, as noted by BBVA’s analysis team.
Such a scenario may lead to the sale of assets, negatively impacting some beneficiaries. Moreover, if you have minor children, complications may arise as someone might be appointed to represent their interests. Therefore, it’s crucial to secure and maintain your testament in a safe, accessible location.
Testament Costs Across Mexican States in September 2025
Here’s a breakdown of testament costs and periods for each Mexican state in September 2025:
- Baja California: Cost – 1,500 pesos plus IVA; Period – September-October.
- Baja California Sur: Cost – 2,600 pesos; Period – September.
- Campeche: Cost – 1,800 pesos for seniors and 2,400 pesos for the general public; Period – September.
- Chiapas: Cost – 1,000 pesos plus IVA for the general public and 700 pesos plus IVA for seniors; Period – 100 days starting September 1.
- Chihuahua: Cost – 507 pesos for holographic testaments; Period – September.
- CDMX: Cost – 3,800 pesos with notary; Period – September-October. Cost – Dirección General de Regularización Territorial (DGRT): from 707 pesos; Period – All year.
- Coahuila: Cost – 1,800 pesos; free for firefighters and police officers; Period – September.
- Colima: Cost – offers up to 50% discount; government eliminated full registration right payment for testament advertisement during the promotion period. Cost – approximately 2,400 pesos; Period – September-October.
- Durango: Cost – 1,500 pesos plus IVA; Period – September and October with prior appointment.
- Edomex: Cost – 1,000 pesos for seniors and 2,000 pesos for the general public; Period – September.
- Guanajuato: Cost – 2,600 pesos for seniors, women, and migrants; 3,300 pesos for the general public; Period – September-December.
- Guerrero: Cost – 500 pesos for seniors and 1,500 pesos for the general public; Period – September.
- Hidalgo: Cost – 950 plus IVA for seniors; 2,500 plus IVA for the general public and 500 plus IVA for security public forces’ operational elements; Period – September-December.
- Jalisco: Cost – 2,300 pesos; Period – September to October 10.
- Michoacán: Cost – 3,000 pesos; Period – September-October.
- Morelos: Cost – 700 plus IVA for seniors, migrants, and high-margination individuals; 1,000 plus IVA for the general public; Period – September-October.
- Nayarit: Cost – 2,450 for universal testaments; 3,266 for testaments with specific dispositions or legacies; 862 for seniors; Period – September-October.
- Nuevo León: Suggested Cost – 3,500 pesos; Period – September.
- Oaxaca: Cost – 1,000 pesos for assets up to 1.5 million pesos; Period – September.
- Puebla: Cost – 1,800 pesos; Period – September.
- Querétaro: Cost – 3,000 pesos; Period – September.
- Quintana Roo: Cost – 3,000 pesos plus IVA; Period – September-October.
- San Luis Potosí: Cost – 2,500 pesos; additional discount for Cuerpo de Bomberos, Cruz Roja, and security public forces’ safety and citizen protection; Period – September-December.
- Sinaloa: Cost – free for vulnerable women with DIF letter; 1,000 pesos with DIF letter; 2,000 pesos for the general public; Period – September.
- Sonora: Cost – free for holographic testaments; 50% discount with notary from a regular cost of 3,870 pesos; Period – September.
- Tabasco: Cost – between 2,500 and 3,000 pesos; Period – September.
- Tamaulipas: Cost – 3,000 pesos as universal heir; Period – September.
- Tlaxcala: Cost – 2,000 pesos; Period – September.
- Veracruz: Cost – 1,500 pesos for the general public and 1,200 pesos for seniors and military personnel; Period – September-October.
- Yucatán: Cost – free for holographic testaments; 2,200 pesos with notary for the general public and 2,000 pesos for seniors, disabled individuals, nursing staff, paramedics, and security public forces’ operational elements; Period – September.
- Zacatecas: Cost – offers up to 75% discount; however, the exact price is unspecified. In 2023, it was reportedly the most expensive in the country at 3,720 pesos, according to Profeco data; Period – September.
