Federal Maritime Zone / ZOFEMAT (Zona Federal Marítimo Terrestre)zoh-feh-MAHT
The Federal Maritime Zone (ZOFEMAT) is the federally owned strip of land 20 meters wide measured landward from the high-tide line along Mexico's coasts, as defined in Article 119 of the Ley General de Bienes Nacionales (National Assets Law).
By Daniel Ortega · Last reviewed 11 November 2026
How it works
The ZOFEMAT cannot be privately owned or transferred by escritura, because it belongs to the Mexican nation. A beachfront buyer purchases the private land behind the federal zone, not the zone itself. To use the ZOFEMAT—for example, to place a palapa, deck, beach club furniture, stairs or dock—the adjacent owner must obtain a federal concession (concesión) from SEMARNAT. Concessions may be granted for up to 50 years and are renewable within the last 10% of the term. The application fee ranges from MXN 729 to MXN 3,644 depending on use, and the concession holder pays annual fees calculated per square meter. The concession is personal and revocable; it does not convey ownership, and any permanent structures built on the federal zone revert to the nation when the concession ends. All beaches in Mexico are public; the concession holder must allow free transit along the ZOFEMAT. Before buying beachfront property in Quintana Roo, a buyer should verify that a valid, transferable concession exists and confirm it will be formally assigned during the transaction.