What Can I Build on My Lot? A Guide to Land Use Zoning in Mexico City

Before buying a lot, building a house, or investing in a real estate development, there is one question that almost nobody asks in time: what am I actually allowed to build on this property? In Mexico City, the answer does not depend on what you want to do, but on the zoning designation that the authority has assigned to that property under the corresponding Urban Development Program.

This zoning designation is established by the Secretariat of Urban Development and Housing (SEDUVI), where, property by property, the permitted use (residential, commercial, industrial, offices, etc.), the maximum height, the number of stories, and the percentage of open area that must be preserved are defined. All of this is summarized in an official determination known as Land Use, and is expressed through a code that, although it may seem indecipherable, is actually quite easy to read.

For example, when reviewing a property you may find a code like this:

H 3 / 30 / MB

It is read as follows:

• H → type of use (in this case, Residential)
• 3 → maximum number of stories that may be built
• 30 → minimum percentage of open area that must remain unbuilt
• MB → density (in this example, Medium-Low)

From that same code, two indicators are calculated that are, in fact, the most important for any investment analysis: the COS (Land Occupancy Coefficient), which indicates the percentage of the lot that may be occupied at ground level, and the CUS (Land Utilization Coefficient), which indicates how many total square meters may be built by adding together all stories. These two figures—more than the price per square meter—are what determine the true profitability of a property.

With this logic in mind, it is easier to understand the variety of land use categories that exist in the city. The following table summarizes the most common ones:

Note: each code is accompanied by abbreviations indicating density (High, Medium, Low, Very Low, or Restricted), as well as the specific designation for the property's number of stories and required open area. Therefore, the table above serves only as a general guide and does not replace the official consultation for your specific property.

Why Does This Matter for Your Investment?

Buying a property without verifying its land use designation is like making a blind bet: you may purchase a lot planning to build an apartment building, only to discover afterward that the zoning allows only two stories and requires 40% open area, drastically reducing the project's profitability.

For this reason, before making any purchase or undertaking any development in Mexico City, it is advisable to consult the property's land use designation through the SIG Ciudad MX system and obtain the Official Zoning Certificate (Certificado Único de Zonificación) from SEDUVI to ensure legal certainty. If the property's current land use designation does not match the intended project, it is worth evaluating whether applying for a zoning change is feasible—an additional process that takes time and is not always approved.

Understanding these rules from the outset not only helps avoid penalties: it is what allows you to realistically calculate a property's development potential and, as a result, make a better investment decision.

You may also be interested in: Potential Use Study