Tijuana’s municipal government is inviting local businesses to join a new voluntary program designed to help them get current on permits and licenses without facing fines or sanctions.
The Secretaría de Desarrollo Económico de Tijuana (SEDETI), the city’s Economic Development Secretariat, launched the ACORDE program (Acompañamiento y Cumplimiento para el Desarrollo Empresarial, or Accompaniment and Compliance for Business Development) in late March. The city is now calling on all types of businesses to sign up.
How the ACORDE Program Works
The enrollment process starts with an email to sedetidpe@tijuana.gob.mx. After registration, SEDETI staff conduct a regulatory diagnostic to identify gaps in a business’s permits, licenses, or administrative paperwork. The agency then develops a structured action plan with ongoing follow-up to bring the business into full compliance.
The program covers a wide range of municipal requirements, from alcohol sales licenses and signage permits to operating licenses for commercial and industrial businesses. Rather than relying on inspections and penalties, ACORDE takes a guidance-first approach.
Manufacturing Sector Was First Target
ACORDE was initially presented on March 23 in partnership with Index Zona Costa BC, the regional maquiladora industry association. The manufacturing sector in Tijuana alone supports more than 230,000 direct jobs, with each position generating an estimated three indirect jobs across the metro area that includes Ensenada, Tecate, and Playas de Rosarito.
The program was designed to provide legal certainty for industrial investments along Baja California’s coast. It now extends beyond manufacturing to all productive sectors, including retail shops, medical clinics, and export-oriented companies.
Open Door Policy for All Sectors
SEDETI head Montejo Peterson said the program aligns with Mayor Ismael Burgueño Ruiz’s goal of running a government with “open doors” for all business sectors. The city frames ACORDE not just as an administrative cleanup effort but as a tool for strengthening competitiveness and orderly development across Tijuana.
For foreign-owned businesses and expat entrepreneurs operating in the city, the program offers a practical channel to resolve permit issues directly with the municipal government. Businesses of any size or sector can request enrollment by contacting SEDETI at sedetidpe@tijuana.gob.mx.
The ACORDE program launch was first reported by Punto Norte and El Tijuanense.