Shipping to Mexico from the USA works with both USPS and UPS in 2026: USPS Priority Mail International and Priority Mail Express International each accept up to 70 pounds to Mexico, and UPS offers door-to-door air services plus UPS Standard by ground. The details that most often hold up Mexico parcels are customs ones: goods declared above US$50 owe Mexican import taxes, USPS Priority Mail International can’t be insured to Mexico, and products like supplements, cosmetics and vapes need permits or are banned.
This guide covers the services on the lane, transit times, Mexican customs rules, restricted items and how to address a parcel so it reaches the right colonia. To price a specific box, compare live USPS and UPS rates to Mexico in the ParcelPath rate calculator.
Before you print a label, double-check the delivery address itself: our Mexico address format guide walks through the street, colonia, five-digit código postal and state order Correos de México expects.
Which carriers ship from the US to Mexico?
USPS hands Mexico-bound mail to Correos de México for final delivery, while UPS carries parcels on its own network and handles customs brokerage for the recipient. USPS’s International Service Alerts page shows no suspension for Mexico as of October 2026.
| Service | Expected delivery | Max weight to Mexico | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| UPS Worldwide Express / Worldwide Saver | Typically 1 to 3 business days to major cities | Per UPS package limits | E-commerce orders, B2B and time-sensitive parcels |
| UPS Worldwide Expedited | Typically 2 to 5 business days | Per UPS package limits | Heavier parcels that still need door-to-door tracking |
| UPS Standard | Day-definite ground delivery; varies by city | Per UPS package limits | Heavy, non-urgent business shipments across the border |
| USPS Priority Mail Express International | 3 to 5 business days to many major markets | 70 lb; Flat Rate Envelope 4 lb | Urgent documents and small parcels; merchandise insurance available |
| USPS Priority Mail International | 6 to 10 business days to many major markets | 70 lb; Medium and Large Flat Rate Boxes 20 lb | Gifts and personal parcels (no insurance to Mexico) |
| USPS First-Class Package International Service | Varies by destination | 4 lb | Light, low-value items |
One USPS detail matters for valuable parcels: merchandise insurance is not available on Priority Mail International to Mexico, only on Priority Mail Express International. Global Express Guaranteed has been suspended since September 29, 2024. FedEx also serves Mexico if you book it directly; our FedEx shipping overview covers that network.
How long does shipping to Mexico take?
UPS air services usually reach Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey in 1 to 3 business days, and USPS Priority Mail International typically takes 6 to 10 business days. Postal delivery outside large cities can take longer, because Correos de México’s final mile is slower in rural states and smaller towns.
Customs is the biggest variable. Parcels declared above US$50 wait for tax assessment, and items that need a health or commerce permit can be held until the recipient produces it. Parcels also slow down around the late-year holidays and Semana Santa, the Easter week when much of Mexico pauses.
What customs and taxes apply when shipping to Mexico?
Mexican customs, run by the Agencia Nacional de Aduanas de México (ANAM) with taxes collected under Mexico’s SAT, charges import taxes on goods declared above US$50, a rule USPS says has applied to postal shipments since March 1, 2019. Under USMCA, Mexico exempts express shipments valued up to US$117 from customs duties and up to US$50 from taxes, so US-origin courier parcels often owe tax before they owe duty.
- Commercial invoice: Correos de México asks for a commercial invoice with goods declared above US$50, and commercial shipments should include two copies inside the package.
- Import permits: postal merchandise valued over US$1,000 needs an import permit or license; merchandise below US$1,000 doesn’t.
- Formal entries: larger commercial imports go through a pedimento (customs declaration) filed by a licensed customs broker, and the importer must be listed in Mexico’s Padrón de Importadores.
- US origin: goods that qualify as USMCA-originating need origin data to receive preferential duty treatment.
Mexico revised how it taxes courier imports in 2025, so the exact amount the recipient pays depends on the carrier’s current calculation, the product and its origin. If you’re selling to Mexican customers, tell them up front who pays, and describe every item precisely in Spanish or English with quantity, value and country of origin.
What can’t you ship to Mexico?
USPS’s list for Mexico includes several everyday items that US senders don’t expect to be banned. These are prohibited in mail to Mexico:
- Electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products
- Pharmaceutical products in pill, tablet, capsule or lozenge form
- Powders of all kinds, and whey and serum proteins of animal origin
- Pork meat and pork products, plus perishable pastries, confectionery, fruit and vegetables
- Coins, banknotes, precious metals and stones, jewelry and other valuables
- Ammunition, tear gas devices and foreign lottery materials
Other goods are restricted rather than banned. Chocolate needs prior authorization from Mexico’s Secretaría de Economía, medicines, cosmetics, beauty products and toiletries need prior approval from Mexico’s health authorities, and food supplements need a health certificate, so Correos de México advises against mailing them unless the recipient already holds the license.
How do you prepare and address a parcel for Mexico?
- Write the full address with colonia. Include street and number, interior number if any, colonia (neighborhood), municipality or alcaldía, then the five-digit postal code before the city and state. USPS asks for “MEXICO” alone on the last line.
- Add the recipient’s phone number. Carriers use it to arrange delivery and tax payment.
- Declare each item precisely. List quantity, value and origin. If the total is above US$50, include a commercial invoice.
- Insure through the right service. Choose Priority Mail Express International or UPS for valuable items, since Priority Mail International can’t be insured to Mexico.
- Check restricted items. Leave out supplements, protein powders, vapes and medicines unless the recipient holds the permits.
ParcelPath is free to use, with no subscription, per-label fee or minimum, and offers up to 89% off USPS and up to 85% off UPS on labels to Mexico. Readers who prefer Spanish can use our Spanish-language guide to envíos de Estados Unidos a México, which focuses on saving on each shipment.
How do you ship pallets or B2B freight to Mexico?
Most US-Mexico commercial freight moves by truck through border crossings such as Laredo, where cargo is handed to a Mexican carrier after a customs broker files the pedimento. USMCA-qualifying goods can cross with reduced or zero duty when the origin data is complete.
For palletized shipments, ParcelPath’s PalletPath service handles LTL freight; you can get an LTL freight quote in PalletPath for the US leg to the border. Our guides to shipping to Canada from the USA and the overview of shipping to North America compare the other USMCA lane, and our shipping calculator guide explains how carriers price parcels by weight and dimensions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest way of shipping to Mexico?
For gifts and personal parcels, USPS Priority Mail International is usually the lowest-priced tracked option for shipping to Mexico, accepting up to 70 pounds, though it can’t be insured to Mexico. Items under 4 pounds can go by First-Class Package International Service. For heavy business shipments, UPS Standard ground service can be competitive, so compare both carriers for your parcel’s weight and size.
How long does shipping to Mexico take from the US?
Shipping to Mexico usually takes 6 to 10 business days with USPS Priority Mail International and 3 to 5 with Priority Mail Express International, according to USPS. UPS Worldwide Express and Saver generally reach Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey in 1 to 3 business days. Rural deliveries, tax assessment on parcels above US$50 and permit checks can add days.
Do I have to pay taxes when shipping to Mexico?
The recipient usually pays. Mexico charges import taxes on goods declared above US$50, and under USMCA qualifying courier shipments valued up to US$117 are exempt from duty, so many US parcels owe tax but not duty. Postal merchandise above US$1,000 also needs an import permit. Larger commercial imports are cleared by a customs broker with a pedimento.
Can I ship vitamins or protein powder to Mexico?
Not easily. USPS lists powders of all kinds and whey proteins of animal origin as prohibited in mail to Mexico, and food supplements require a Mexican health certificate held by the importer. Correos de México advises against mailing supplements unless the recipient already has that license. Medicines in pill, tablet or capsule form are also prohibited by mail.
Sources
- USPS International Mail Manual: Mexico
- USPS International Service Alerts
- USPS: Priority Mail International
- USPS international shipping
- UPS: International Shipping Services
- U.S. International Trade Administration: Mexico import requirements and documentation
- Servicio de Administración Tributaria (SAT)
- United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, Chapter 7 (Customs Administration and Trade Facilitation), express shipments
Part of our North America guide. Related: Canada, Envíos de Estados Unidos a México, Shipping to North America.
