Anyone with a Mexican cell phone number has exactly one month to register their line with the federal government or lose service. The cell phone registration deadline of June 30, 2026, applies to all Mexican-issued mobile lines, including prepaid, postpaid, physical SIM, and eSIM accounts. Starting July 1, unregistered lines will be suspended, cutting off calls, texts, and data.
The federal mandate took effect on January 9, 2026, and requires users to link each phone number to a government-issued ID and a CURP (Clave Única de Registro de Población), Mexico’s national population registry code. Registration also requires biometric verification, typically a selfie or live photo matched to the user’s ID. Each person can register up to 10 lines, and the process is free.
How to Register Your Line
Users can complete registration online through their carrier’s official website or app, or in person at authorized service centers. Telcel, AT&T Mexico, and other carriers offer the process at their retail locations across Baja California and Baja California Sur. The process requires a valid ID, your CURP, and a live photo for identity verification.
For Mexican citizens, registration requires an INE voter credential and CURP. Foreign residents with legal status in Mexico must also have a CURP, which is tied to their immigration process. Residents who have not yet obtained a CURP will need to do so before they can register their phone lines.
What Foreigners and Tourists Need to Know
Tourists who purchased a Mexican SIM card before January 9 must register that line by June 30 using their passport. New SIM cards activated after January 9 should have been registered as part of the activation process. Tourists who cannot obtain a CURP face a practical barrier: carriers must register every line against a CURP, which visitors typically cannot get.
There is one key exception. Foreign-issued phone lines, including international eSIMs, are not subject to the registration requirement. If you use a U.S. or Canadian phone number roaming on a Mexican network, the law does not apply to your line. Foreign eSIMs roaming on Telcel or AT&T Mexico are also exempt.
Confusion Persists in Baja
A survey of Los Cabos and Baja California Sur residents found widespread confusion about the requirement. Some were unaware the mandate existed, while others had been putting off registration. Privacy concerns have also surfaced, as the law effectively builds a national biometric database. Mexico’s Supreme Court struck down a similar registration plan several years ago on constitutional grounds, but the current law moved forward under new legislation.
Officials say the registration aims to combat phone scams and extortion. The law covers all 127 million mobile lines in Mexico. Those who miss the deadline can still register after July 1, but their service will remain suspended until they complete the process.
This story was first reported by the Gringo Gazette.