Auramip® Intellectual Property Law Firm
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Golden quill pen writing light, copyright registration of creative works in Mexico before INDAUTOR

Copyright

File with INDAUTOR from the US: official fee about US$20, answer within 15 business days, same-day certificate when eligible. Quotes usually same day.

Copyright Registration in Mexico: INDAUTOR Filing for Creators and Companies

Copyright in Mexico is registered with INDAUTOR, not IMPI, and the official fee is about US$20 per work, with no VAT. INDAUTOR answers within 15 business days at most, and a complete application filed in person through its Express Autor service gets the certificate the same day. Registration does not create your copyright, which exists from the moment the work is made. It gives you dated proof of authorship, which is what you need to enforce in Mexico. We are an intellectual property law firm in Mexico City that files for authors, developers, studios, and companies in the United States, Latin America, and beyond.

MXN 367 official fee

About US$20 per work, with no VAT

Same-day certificate

Through Express Autor, filed in person with a complete application

15 business days at most

INDAUTOR's response time in every other case

Open to foreign applicants

Same rights as Mexican nationals, LFDA art. 7

Email Us for a QuoteOr write directly to coc@auramip.com
Cracked shield, the risk of unprotected creative work in Mexico

Is Your Creative Work at Risk in Mexico?

Creating work without copyright protection is a risky endeavor. Others can copy your books, music, software, or art. They can make money from your job while you can’t stop them.

Without INDAUTOR registration, proving ownership of your work is challenging. You might face costly legal fights. Or worse, someone could say they made your work first. Many creators learn too late that someone stole their work. Don’t let this happen to you.

Copyright Expert

We do copyright law

Full Service

Register and protect all creative works

INDAUTOR Expert

We know Mexican copyright rules

Clear Updates

You'll always know what's happening

Copyright registration gives you legal proof of ownership for your creative work. We ensure that your application complies with INDAUTOR rules. Also, copyright registration provides official documents for use in legal disputes.

What We Protect:

Books & Writing

Books, articles, poems, and written content

Music

Songs, compositions, and recordings

Art

Paintings, photos, sculptures, and visual art

Software

Computer programs, apps, and digital tools

Videos

Films, videos, and multimedia content

  1. 1
    Work Review: 1 to 2 business days

    Ensuring the work qualifies for copyright protection

  2. 2
    Application Preparation

    Completing INDAUTOR forms with work details and creator information

  3. 3
    Filing: 1 to 2 business days

    We file either through the online system (INDARELIN) or physically at INDAUTOR offices

  4. 4
    INDAUTOR Processing: 1 to 15 business days

    INDAUTOR processes your application and answers within 15 business days at most

  5. 5
    Certificate Issuance

    The certificate comes with INDAUTOR's answer, within that same period. It shows the registration number, date and rights holder name

Sealed certificate beside a gold stopwatch, same-day copyright certificate through INDAUTOR's Express Autor service

Same-Day Certificate with Express Autor

INDAUTOR runs a service called Express Autor. When the application is complete, has no requirements and is filed in person, the certificate of registration is issued the same day you file.

INDAUTOR receives Express Autor filings Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 11:00, at its offices in Mexico City (INDAUTOR directory). Every other filing gets INDAUTOR’s answer within 15 business days at most.

The condition that matters is “no requirements”. A form with a missing document or an inconsistent author name goes to the standard route. That is the part we check before anything is filed.

Laptop with streaks of gold light on screen and a gold seal on the keyboard, software copyright registration in Mexico

Registering Software in Mexico

Mexican law protects computer programs, including artificial intelligence programs, on the same terms as literary works, whether in source code or object code (LFDA art. 102, as reformed in May 2026).

  • INDAUTOR accepts the program on the medium where it is stored, such as a USB drive or CD-ROM.
  • The complete code must be deposited. Filing only the first and last pages is no longer enough.
  • Registration is what you bring to an enforcement action in Mexico. A software company in Costa Rica registered its program in Mexico with us, then brought infringement actions against third parties using it without authorization.
Cristian Orta Corona, copyright lawyer in Mexico City

We do copyright law. We know how INDAUTOR works. Every filing is handled personally by Cristian Orta Corona, not passed to a paralegal.

INDAUTOR Expertise:

We are well-versed in Mexican copyright law. We understand what INDAUTOR needs for applications.

All Creative Fields

We work with a diverse range of creators, including authors, musicians, software developers, and filmmakers.

Proven Results

From single works by individual authors to software companies enforcing their registration in Mexico, as in the case above.

Complete Help

We do everything from start to finish. You know what’s happening at every step.

Gold-sealed certificate, official INDAUTOR copyright registration in Mexico

Protect Your Creative Work

Every creative work is different. We provide you with honest pricing after we understand your needs. The official INDAUTOR fees are listed below; our own fee is quoted per case. Your creativity deserves absolute protection.

Copyright Search & Check

  • Complete INDAUTOR and international search
  • Written opinion about your protection options
  • Smart advice for registration
  • Expert application prep and filing
  • INDAUTOR tracking throughout
  • Handle all government needs
  • Complete registration and certificate
  • Ongoing legal advice
  • Draft and register copyright licenses
  • Transfer agreements
  • Contract review
  • INDAUTOR contract registration

Beyond Copyrights

  • Patent Registration: Protect your inventions
  • Trademark Defense: Stop people from copying your brand
  • Copyright Defense: Stop others from stealing your work. See our copyright law updates for Mexico
  • Fight Theft: Strong protection against unauthorized use
  • Worldwide Protection: Protect your works globally through the WIPO system
  • Manage Multiple Works: Handle many copyrights smartly
  • Court Cases: Defend your rights in Mexican courts
  • Remove Stolen Content: Take down unauthorized online content

Copyright exists in Mexico from the moment a work is created. Registration is not what creates the right; what it gives you is proof of authorship and a date, which is what you need when you have to enforce.

Copyright is handled by INDAUTOR, not IMPI, and its fees are set by the Ley Federal de Derechos. These are federal duties and carry no VAT.

INDAUTOR official feeCost (MXN)Approx. USDBasis
Registration of a literary or artistic work, graphic characteristics, phonogram, videogram or book$367.00~US$20Art. 184, fracc. I, II and III
Search of registry records$261.00~US$14Art. 184, fracc. IV
Registration of a copyright contract$1,927.00~US$103Art. 184, fracc. V
ISBN assignment$315.00~US$17Art. 184, fracc. XXI a)
ISSN assignment$227.00~US$12Art. 184, fracc. XXVII

At $367 pesos, registering a work in Mexico costs about US$20.

Reservas de derechos are a different thing, and often the thing you need

A reserva de derechos is not a copyright registration. It protects titles of periodicals, artistic names, fictional or symbolic characters and promotional campaigns. It is frequently what a foreign company actually needs when it believes it needs a trademark or a copyright. If what you are protecting is a brand on goods or services, the answer is a trademark in the right Nice class, not a reserva.

Reserva de derechosCost (MXN)Approx. USDBasis
Periodical publications and broadcasts$2,906.00~US$155Art. 184, fracc. XIV
Fictional or symbolic characters, artistic names, group names$5,739.00~US$305Art. 184, fracc. XV
Renewal, periodicals$1,525.00~US$81Art. 184
Renewal, characters and names$3,001.00~US$160Art. 184

Fees are published by INDAUTOR under the Ley Federal de Derechos. USD is approximate, at the Banxico FIX rate of 18.7962 MXN per USD published on 30 October 2026.

Our fees are quoted per case. For a single work it is a small job. For a catalogue, a character portfolio, or anything involving contracts and assignments, it is not.

Glass map of Mexico, Central and South America joined by gold lines, using a Mexican copyright registration across Latin America

Using Your Mexican Registration Across Latin America

A Mexican certificate of registration can be used in another country once it is apostilled or legalized, depending on the country where you need it.

When you need a registration in that country as well, we file it through correspondent firms, so a single point of contact covers Mexico and the rest of the region.

I already registered my work with the US Copyright Office. Do I need to register it in Mexico too?
Your work is already protected in Mexico without registration: Mexican law protects a work from the moment it is fixed in a material form, and foreign authors have the same rights as Mexican nationals (LFDA arts. 5 and 7). A Mexican registration is worth it when you plan to take legal action in Mexico. When the infringement is on the internet, it usually is not, because you can use the platforms' notice and takedown mechanisms instead.
Can a foreign company or individual register a copyright in Mexico?
Yes. Foreign authors and rights holders have the same rights as Mexican nationals (LFDA art. 7). A foreign applicant sends a notarial power of attorney, duly apostilled, and two copies of the work. The application can be signed and filed online, but online registration of a work requires the e.firma (Firma Electrónica Avanzada) issued by Mexico's tax authority, the SAT. Some procedures, such as a reserva de derechos, can be filed remotely by email; the reserva certificate is then collected in person or sent by INDAUTOR on request.
How long does INDAUTOR take to issue the certificate?
Through INDAUTOR's Express Autor service, the certificate is issued the same day you file, provided the application is complete, has no requirements and is filed in person. In every other case, INDAUTOR answers within 15 business days at most.
What does the registration certificate prove?
It reflects an entry in the Registro Público del Derecho de Autor, and registered facts are presumed true unless proven otherwise (LFDA art. 168). Platforms such as Amazon or YouTube do not require it, but it serves as evidence when a third party uses your work without authorization.
What does it cost?
INDAUTOR's official fee to register a literary or artistic work, phonogram, videogram or book is MXN 367, about US$20, with no VAT (Ley Federal de Derechos, art. 184). Tell us what you want to register and we send you a fixed quote.
Can software be registered?
Yes. Computer programs, including artificial intelligence programs, are protected on the same terms as literary works, in source code or object code (LFDA art. 102). INDAUTOR accepts the program on the medium where it is stored, such as a USB drive or CD-ROM. The complete code must be deposited, not only the first and last pages.
Is a Mexican registration valid in other Latin American countries?
The Mexican certificate can be used in another country once it is apostilled or legalized, depending on the country. We can also file the registration in other countries through correspondent firms.
What is a "reserva de derechos" and do I need one?
A reserva de derechos is not a copyright registration. It protects titles of periodicals, artistic names, fictional or symbolic characters and promotional campaigns. You need one if you publish periodically, online or in print.

Ready to Protect Your Creative Work in Mexico?

Send us the type of work, its name and who created it. You get a quote and the list of what we need from you, usually the same business day.

Email Us for a QuoteOr write directly to coc@auramip.com