Bien Inmueble (Real Property / Real Estate)bee-EN een-moo-EH-bleh
Bien inmueble is real property—land and any structure or improvement permanently attached to it—as defined in Federal Civil Code Article 750. The term distinguishes immovable property (buildings, land parcels) from bien mueble (movable personal property such as furniture or vehicles).
By Daniel Ortega · Last reviewed 7 November 2026
How it works
When a foreign buyer purchases a bien inmueble in Mexico, the property must be formalized through a notario público in a public deed (escritura pública) and registered at the state Public Property Registry (Registro Público de la Propiedad) to have legal effect against third parties. Article 750 of the Federal Civil Code lists thirteen categories of real property, including soil, buildings fixed to it, plants while rooted, anything permanently attached that cannot be removed without damage, and real rights over inmuebles. In Quintana Roo's restricted zone (within 50 kilometers of the coast), foreign buyers must hold the bien inmueble through a bank trust (fideicomiso) or a Mexican corporation; outside the restricted zone, direct title is permitted with an SRE permit (MXN 5,250). Transactions trigger municipal acquisition tax (ISAI): 3 percent in Benito Juárez and Cozumel, 4 percent in Solidaridad and Tulum. Annual property tax (predial) on a bien inmueble ranges from approximately 0.1 to 0.19 percent of cadastral value in most Quintana Roo municipalities. The notary process from offer to final registration typically takes four to eight weeks.