Drinking age in Mexico (2026)
Last reviewed: 29 October 2026
In short: The Ley General de Salud bans selling or supplying alcohol to minors in any case. Under the Código Civil Federal the age of majority is 18. Rules on hours, places and public drinking were not found at federal level.
| Rule | What applies |
|---|---|
| Minimum age to buy beer and wineBuying and drinking alcohol | 18 years [1] |
| Minimum age to buy spiritsBuying and drinking alcohol | 18 years [1] |
| Drinking by younger people with an adultBuying and drinking alcohol | The Ley General de Salud says alcohol may not be sold or supplied to people under 18 'in any case and in any way'. It states no exception, for example for a parent's consent. [1] |
| Drinking in public placesBuying and drinking alcohol | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| Where and when alcohol is soldBuying and drinking alcohol | ⚠ Not yet verified |
Notes
- Article 220 says 'menores de edad' and does not state a number. The age of 18 comes from article 646 of the Código Civil Federal, which sets the age of majority. State laws may add rules.
- Article 220 treats a breach as equivalent to the crime of corrupting minors. It covers sale and supply, not drinking itself.
- The Ley General de Salud (arts. 217 to 220) has no rules on hours or places of sale or on drinking in public. No federal source on this was found; states and municipalities regulate it.
Sources
- Orden Jurídico Nacional (Secretaría de Gobernación): Ley General de Salud (consulted 29 October 2026) · all sources
Related pages
Mexico: rules by state or province
| State | Minimum age to buy beer and wine | Minimum age to buy spirits | Drinking by younger people with an adult | Drinking in public places | Where and when alcohol is sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baja California | 18 | 18 | Under-18s barred from bars; restaurants/fondas exempt | ⚠ Not yet verified | Sales 10:00-3:00 maximum; election-day and security closures |
| Baja California Sur | 18 | 18 | No, even with parents | Banned in streets, parks, squares and schools | Fixed hours by business type; election-day ban |
| Chiapas | 18 | 18 | No entry to bars under 18; no sale to minors | No on public roads | Default hours in art. 17 Bis; no sale to minors |
| Coahuila | 18 | 18 | No alcohol under 18; no exception stated | ⚠ Not yet verified | Shops 10-23h Mon-Sat; Sun 10-14h sealed only |
| Durango | 18 (sale to under-18s banned) | 18 (sale to under-18s banned) | No sale to under-18s; no entry to bars; no exception stated | Banned on public roads, parks and plazas | Hours set by licence or municipality; election-day bans |
| Guerrero | 18 (no entry or sale for under-18s) | 18 (same rule for all alcohol) | Under-18s barred from bars; no parent exception stated | Fined (50-200 UMA) unless at a permitted event | Municipal hours; election-day sales ban |
| Jalisco | 18 | 18 | No entry under 18; no sale to minors | No on streets, parks, squares (unless licensed venue) | State window 12:00-04:00 (venues), 10:00-22:00 (shops) |
| Querétaro | 18 (entry barred under 18) | 18 (entry barred under 18) | No sale to minors, no entry under 18; no exception stated | No on public roads, in parks or in vehicles; exceptions by p | Hours set by each municipality; no sale on civic holidays |
| Sinaloa | 18 | 18 | No sale or consumption under 18; no exception stated | Banned on public roads, parks, squares | Hours per licence; no sale on listed national dates |
| Sonora | 18 | 18 | No sale or supply under 18; no exception stated | No on public roads, parks or in vehicles; permit exception | Hours set by state Executive |
| Tabasco | 18 (sale to under-18s is an infraction) | 18 (same rule for all alcohol) | No sale or consumption for minors; no parent exception | ⚠ Not yet verified | Hours set by venue type; no sales on election days |
| Yucatán | 18 (sale to under-18s prohibited) | 18 (same rule for all alcohol) | No sale or supply to minors; no exception stated | No on the public road | Authorised hours (not stated in the law); no sale to minors |
General information, not legal advice. Rules change: check the official source before you fly or ride.