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Restricted Zone Property Lease Mexico (Contrato de Arrendamiento en Zona Restringida)

Restricted Zone Property Lease Mexico (Contrato de Arrendamiento en Zona Restringida)

CONTRATO DE ARRENDAMIENTO DE INMUEBLE EN ZONA RESTRINGIDA

Celebrado conforme al Artículo 27 Constitucional, Ley de Inversión Extranjera Artículo 11 y Código Civil Federal

I. PARTES

ARRENDADOR:

Nombre / Razón Social: [Landlord Name]

Nacionalidad: [Landlord Nationality]

RFC: [Landlord RFC]

Domicilio: [Landlord Address]

ARRENDATARIO:

Nombre: [Tenant Name]

Nacionalidad: [Tenant Nationality]

Documento de Identidad / Pasaporte: [Tenant ID]

RFC: [Tenant RFC]

Domicilio: [Tenant Address]

II. DECLARACIÓN DE ZONA RESTRINGIDA Y NATURALEZA DEL CONTRATO

Las partes declaran que el inmueble objeto del presente contrato se ubica dentro de la zona restringida definida por el Artículo 27 de la Constitución Política de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos: [Restricted Zone Type].

Las partes reconocen expresamente que el presente instrumento constituye exclusivamente un contrato de arrendamiento (uso temporal y oneroso) conforme al Código Civil Federal Artículo 2398, y no transfiere al arrendatario ningún derecho de propiedad, dominio directo, opción de compra, derecho de tanto, interés fiduciario ni ningún otro derecho equivalente a la adquisición sobre el inmueble, en cumplimiento del Artículo 27 Constitucional y del Artículo 11 de la Ley de Inversión Extranjera.

Confirmación ZOFEMAT: [ZOFEMAT Confirmation]

III. INMUEBLE OBJETO DEL ARRENDAMIENTO

Dirección: [Property Address]

Descripción: [Property Description]

Clave Catastral / Folio RPP: [Cadastral Key]

Uso del Inmueble: [Lease Purpose]

IV. PLAZO DEL ARRENDAMIENTO

El arrendamiento inicia el [Lease Start Date] y vence el [Lease End Date]. El presente contrato no otorga al arrendatario ningún derecho de prórroga forzosa ni opción de compra al término del plazo.

V. RENTA Y FORMA DE PAGO

Renta Mensual: [Monthly Rent].

Depósito en Garantía: [Security Deposit].

El arrendador emitirá CFDI por cada pago recibido conforme a las disposiciones del SAT. El arrendatario extranjero o empresa con participación extranjera mayoritaria deberá retener ISR conforme al Artículo 161 LISR si aplica.

VI. OBLIGACIONES DE LAS PARTES

El arrendatario se obliga a: usar el inmueble exclusivamente para el uso pactado ([Lease Purpose]); no realizar actividades comerciales no autorizadas; no construir obras permanentes sin licencia municipal y autorización SEMARNAT cuando aplique; respetar los lineamientos de ZOFEMAT para acceso a playa; y no subarrendar ni ceder los derechos del presente contrato sin consentimiento escrito del arrendador.

El arrendador garantiza que el inmueble es de su propiedad, libre de gravámenes incompatibles con este arrendamiento, y que el uso objeto del contrato no contraviene disposición legal o reglamentaria alguna.

VII. PROHIBICIÓN DE DERECHOS DE PROPIEDAD

Queda expresamente prohibida cualquier interpretación del presente contrato como constitutiva de una opción de compra, derecho real de uso, fideicomiso de beneficio, o cualquier otro derecho que implique adquisición directa o indirecta del inmueble por parte del arrendatario extranjero, en cumplimiento del Artículo 27 de la Constitución Política de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos y del Artículo 11 de la Ley de Inversión Extranjera.

VIII. LEY APLICABLE Y JURISDICCIÓN

El presente contrato se rige por el Código Civil Federal (Artículos 2398–2496), el Artículo 27 Constitucional, la Ley de Inversión Extranjera Artículo 11, y el Código Civil del estado de ubicación del inmueble como ley supletoria. Las partes se someten a la jurisdicción de los Juzgados Civiles del lugar donde se ubica el inmueble para cualquier controversia derivada de este arrendamiento.

FIRMAS

En [Contract City], a [Contract Date].

EL ARRENDADOR:

[Landlord Name]

Firma: _________________________

EL/LA ARRENDATARIO/A:

[Tenant Name]

Firma: _________________________

Landlord (Arrendador)

________________

Signature

Tenant (Arrendatario)

________________

Signature

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What Is a Restricted Zone Property Lease Mexico (Contrato de Arrendamiento en Zona Restringida)?

A Restricted Zone Property Lease Mexico (Contrato de Arrendamiento en Zona Restringida) is a written contract by which a Mexican national or a Mexican legal entity grants a foreign national (extranjero), a foreign company, or a Mexican company with a foreign-majority ownership the temporary use and enjoyment of real property located within the zona restringida — the legally defined restricted zone established by Article 27 of the Constitución Política de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos — in exchange for periodic rent payments, governed by the Ley de Inversión Extranjera (LIE) Article 11 and the complementary regulations of the Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores (SRE) and the Comisión Nacional de Inversiones Extranjeras (CNIE).

The zona restringida (restricted zone) is defined by Article 27 of the Constitución Política as a strip of 50 kilometres measured from the mean high-tide line (línea de la marea alta) along all Mexican coastlines — Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, Gulf of California, and Caribbean — and a strip of 100 kilometres measured inland from all international land borders with the United States and Guatemala/Belize. Within this zone, Article 27 of the Constitution prohibits foreigners from directly acquiring the dominio directo (direct ownership) of real property. This constitutional prohibition applies to ownership — but critically, Article 11 of the Ley de Inversión Extranjera establishes that the zone restriction does not apply to non-residential purposes leases and that foreigners may freely lease real property anywhere in Mexico, including within the restricted zone, for any lawful purpose.

The key legal distinction established by LIE Article 11 is between ownership (which foreigners cannot hold directly in the restricted zone) and the right of use (which foreigners may freely exercise through a lease agreement). A foreigner who leases a condominium in Cancún, Quintana Roo, or a vacation home in Los Cabos, Baja California Sur — both located within the coastal restricted zone — does so under an ordinary lease agreement (contrato de arrendamiento) governed by the Código Civil Federal or the applicable state civil code, with no requirement for an SRE permit, a CNIE notification, or any special administrative authorisation.

The fideicomiso bancario (bank trust) mechanism established by the Reglamento de la Ley de Inversión Extranjera is required only for foreigners who wish to acquire direct beneficial ownership interests in restricted zone real property through a Mexican fiduciaria (trust bank) authorised by the Secretaría de Hacienda y Crédito Público (SHCP) — it is not required for lease agreements. This distinction is frequently misunderstood: foreign nationals renting a beach house for a fixed term are subject only to ordinary lease law and the Código Civil Federal Articles 2398–2496, not to the LIE fideicomiso regime.

For Mexican companies with foreign majority ownership (sociedades con participación extranjera mayoritaria) that wish to use restricted zone property for non-residential commercial purposes, LIE Article 11 requires that the company present a written commitment (cláusula Calvo) before the SRE agreeing to be treated as a Mexican national for the purposes of the property rights and renouncing any foreign government diplomatic protection claim. The Procuraduría Federal del Consumidor (PROFECO) and the Registro Público de la Propiedad (RPP) are also relevant regulatory bodies for restricted zone lease transactions involving foreign parties.

State civil codes applicable to coastal and border states — including the Código Civil para el Estado de Baja California Sur, Código Civil para el Estado de Quintana Roo, Código Civil para el Estado de Sonora, and Código Civil para el Estado de Chiapas — govern the substantive rights and obligations of restricted zone lease agreements in each respective state, supplemented by the Código Civil Federal as a supletory framework.

When Do You Need a Restricted Zone Property Lease Mexico (Contrato de Arrendamiento en Zona Restringida)?

A Restricted Zone Property Lease Mexico is required whenever a foreign national, foreign-controlled entity, or a Mexican company with foreign majority shareholders seeks to use real property located within Mexico's constitutional restricted zone — the 50 km coastal strip or 100 km border strip — for residential, vacation, commercial, or other lawful purposes through a formal written lease agreement that clearly establishes the parties' rights under Mexican foreign investment law.

The agreement is needed when foreign nationals retire or relocate to Mexican coastal communities — Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco; Playa del Carmen or Tulum, Quintana Roo; Mazatlán, Sinaloa; San Miguel de Allende proximity zones near the US border — and wish to lease residential property under a documented agreement that protects their security of tenure without requiring any government permit or SRE authorisation that would be needed for ownership.

A restricted zone lease is required when a foreign-owned hospitality or tourism company (empresa turística) leases commercial premises — hotel buildings, restaurant locations, retail spaces, marina berths — within a coastal resort zone under a long-term commercial lease. LIE Article 11 permits such leases without CNIE approval, but the company must ensure the lease does not constitute a disguised acquisition of beneficial ownership, which would trigger the fideicomiso requirement.

The contract is needed when a Mexican property developer (desarrollador inmobiliario) renting vacation units to foreign tourists requires a legally compliant lease template that correctly identifies the restricted zone status of the property, avoids prohibited provisions, and complies with the Ley Federal de Protección al Consumidor (LFPC) and the Norma Oficial Mexicana NOM-070-SCFI for tourist accommodation services.

Under the Ley de Inversión Extranjera Article 11 and the Código Civil Federal Articles 2398–2496, a restricted zone lease is needed when the lease term exceeds one year, when significant advance rent payments (rentas anticipadas) are to be made, or when the lessee makes capital improvements to the property — all situations where written documentation prevents disputes about the nature of the arrangement and ensures neither party inadvertently creates rights that could be construed as ownership-equivalent interests subject to Article 27 Constitutional restrictions.

The agreement is also required by Mexican financial institutions (instituciones de crédito) and escrow companies (empresas de depósito en garantía) that finance restricted zone property purchases by Mexican nationals who subsequently lease to foreign tenants — the lender requires documented lease income as part of the mortgage (hipoteca) underwriting and compliance review.

What to Include in Your Restricted Zone Property Lease Mexico (Contrato de Arrendamiento en Zona Restringida)

A valid Restricted Zone Property Lease Mexico under the Ley de Inversión Extranjera, Constitución Política Article 27, and the applicable state civil code must contain the following essential elements to be enforceable and to comply with foreign investment regulations.

Identification of Parties with Nationality: Full legal name, nationality (nacionalidad), passport number or official identity document, RFC (if applicable), and domicilio of the lessor (arrendador) — who must be a Mexican national or a Mexican legal entity without foreign majority ownership for the lease to be outside the LIE Article 27 constitutional prohibition framework — and of the lessee (arrendatario), including their country of origin and immigration status in Mexico (Tarjeta de Residencia Temporal o Permanente, visa type, or tourist permit — FMM) issued by the Instituto Nacional de Migración (INM).

Restricted Zone Disclosure: An express declaration (declaración expresa) identifying the property as located within the zona restringida as defined by Article 27 of the Constitución Política — specifying whether it is within the 50 km coastal strip or the 100 km border strip — and confirming that the agreement constitutes a lease (arrendamiento) only and does not grant any ownership interest (dominio), beneficial ownership (fideicomiso beneficiary interest), option to purchase (opción de compra), or any right that could be construed as equivalent to ownership under Articles 27 Constitutional and 11 LIE.

Property Description: Complete address within the restricted zone, the cadastral key (clave catastral) registered at the municipal catastro (registro catastral), the property registry folio at the Registro Público de la Propiedad (RPP) of the corresponding state, and a description of the property — including, for coastal properties, confirmation that the property does not encroach on the federal maritime zone (zona federal marítimo-terrestre — ZOFEMAT) administered by the Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (SEMARNAT) under the Ley General de Bienes Nacionales.

Lease Term: The agreed duration — for residential or vacation-use leases there is no legal maximum; for commercial leases within the restricted zone, LIE Article 11 permits lease terms up to the maximum allowed under the applicable state civil code. The lease must expressly state it is terminable without creating any acquisition right or option in favour of the lessee.

Rent and Payment: The agreed rent in Mexican pesos (MXN) — or in US dollars (USD) for commercial restricted zone leases where the parties agree on foreign currency under the Ley Monetaria with payment at the tipo de cambio FIX published by Banco de México (Banxico) — the payment due dates, accepted payment methods, and late payment charges (pena convencional or intereses moratorios).

No Disguised Ownership Clause: An express prohibition on any interpretation of the lease as creating an option to purchase, right of first refusal enforceable against the lessor, beneficial trust interest, or any other ownership-equivalent right — this clause protects both parties against regulatory risk under the SRE and CNIE compliance framework.

Restricted Activities: A list of activities prohibited at the leased property — including construction of permanent structures without municipal licence (licencia de construcción municipal) and SEMARNAT environmental clearance, any modification of the ZOFEMAT or beach access, and any commercial tourist activity requiring registration with the Secretaría de Turismo (SECTUR) or the state tourism authority — to protect the lessor's compliance with applicable federal and state regulations.

Forms-legal.com provides this Restricted Zone Property Lease Mexico template as a starting point for landlords and foreign tenants in Mexico's coastal and border zones. Given the intersection of constitutional property law, foreign investment regulations, environmental law, and state civil codes, all parties should consult a licensed Licenciado en Derecho experienced in restricted zone real estate transactions before executing this agreement.

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Forms Legal. (2026). Restricted Zone Property Lease Mexico (Contrato de Arrendamiento en Zona Restringida) (Mexico) [Legal document template]. Forms Legal. https://forms-legal.com/mexico/real-estate/leases/restricted-zone-property-lease-mexico

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@misc{formslegal-restricted-zone-property-lease-mexico,
  author       = {{Forms Legal}},
  title        = {Restricted Zone Property Lease Mexico (Contrato de Arrendamiento en Zona Restringida) (Mexico)},
  year         = {2026},
  howpublished = {\url{https://forms-legal.com/mexico/real-estate/leases/restricted-zone-property-lease-mexico}},
  note         = {Free legal document template}
}

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