Registering a mobile number in Mexico has become a mandatory procedure for all mobile users since 2026. This is about linking a phone number to an official ID card. The requirement applies to anyone using a Mexican phone number — for Mexican citizens, residents and travelers — and acts as a condition for maintaining the active line.
The telephone number registry was introduced to combat telephone fraud, extortion and the use of anonymous SIM cards. Registration opens the way to establish who is actually using the number and limit the circulation of illegal lines.
Registration is required. A number that is not linked to the identity of the owner or user is subject to deactivation.
Registration is valid from January 9, 2026. Lines that did not pass the bindinguntil June 30, 2026, are subject to phased deactivation: mobile Internet is turned off, calls and SMS are blocked, only access to emergency services and operator support remains. Operators are required to notify clients of the need to register, but responsibility for meeting deadlines lies with the user.
You should NOT register:
- contract (pospago) numbers,
- corporate numbers issued to a legal entity,
- service M2M / IoT-SIM (terminals, alarms, trackers, cash registers).
If a number is used by a person for calls, SMS or the Internet, and it is not a contract number, it is almost certainly subject to registration. Preposition «I have an old SIM» doesn't work — The age of the number does not matter.
One individual can register no more than 10 mobile numbers. The restriction applies regardless of whether the lines are contract or prepaid. Separate rules apply for legal entities, and registration is carried out only in person.
Registration is possible in two ways:
- in person, at any mobile operator customer service center throughout Mexico,
- remotely, through the online identification system (up to three attempts).
For Mexican citizens the following documents are required:
- valid photo ID (INE, passport, etc.),
- CURP.
For foreigners — Mexican residents and travelers:
- passport or resident card.
The law does not state that foreign residents are required to present a resident card or CURP. However, if there is a CURP, it is allowed to be presented along with the passport. But most often, when registering, they first ask for a resident card.
In addition, you need to offer a device (mobile phone) on which a SIM card with this number is installed.
Legal entities can only complete registration in person by presenting, among other things, an RFC.
The procedure for registering a mobile number is completely free.
Registration at the operator service center
Registration is possible by visiting the mobile operator service center in person. They may tell you to register your number online yourself. Do not agree and say that you want to register here and now.
Most often, your mobile phone is used to register, which then receives a confirmation code. The employee checks the documentation, confirms the identity and links the number to the CURP or passport data. At the same time, photographs of you and your documentation are taken. Once completed, the user receives a confirmation with the date and time of registration.
Registration online
Registration can be carried out remotely through the operator’s official platform. On the main page of all operators' websites or in their applications, look for a link with the title PARA PODER UTILIZAR TU LINEA DEBES VINCULARLA INGRESANDO A:, followed by a link that ends with /vinculatulinea
Good lighting and a working chamber are necessary. The online procedure includes:
- choice: Mexican citizen or foreigner,
- Uploading an image of an official ID (INE — on both sides),
- CURP download (for Mexican citizens),
- indication of mobile phone number,
- confirmation of confidentiality conditions,
- confirmation of identity and biometric data (depending on the operator):
- record a short video with text specified by the operator,
- head movements.
You are usually given up to three attempts to pass the test. If unsuccessful, you will need to contact support or a service center.
Virtual carriers such as Bait do not have their own customer service centers. Registration with them is carried out exclusively online through the operator’s website or application. Points of sale of SIM cards do not perform a registration function and are not able to link the number to the user’s identity, except in cases where online linking is not possible. Registration linkBait. If registration is unsuccessful, the user must personally contact the Bait service point with documents. Given the specifics of the operator, these are, in most cases, service points at Walmart stores.
New SIM cards must be registered before or immediately after activation, in other words immediately. Selling «anonymous» numbers or numbers without subsequent connection to the individual is not allowed. The operator is obliged to ensure that registration is possible before full use of the line begins.
Unlinking a number from user data is possible only in two cases:
- deactivate the line (dar de baja) from the operator,
- transfer the number to another person with his personal presence and documents.
The process of deleting user data from the registry is carried out free of charge, in person at the service center or remotely through the operator’s platform. You will need official identification, sometimes of the old and new owner. After the operation is completed, the user receives a confirmation.