Bank account and personal information requirements for using Shopify Payments in Mexico

Before you can use Shopify Payments in Mexico, you need to understand the requirements that are in place to comply with regulations and to prevent financial crimes. Personal information is collected to verify your identity and business details, and certain types of documentation are accepted for this purpose.

Requirements for using Shopify Payments in Mexico

Before you use Shopify Payments in Mexico, you must ensure that you meet the following requirements:

Eligible business types: Certain types of businesses and services aren't permitted to use Shopify Payments. To determine whether your business is eligible, refer to the list of prohibited business types for Mexico in the Shopify Payments Terms of Service (TOS).
Bank account requirements: Your bank account must meet the following requirements before you can connect it to Shopify Payments:
- The bank account is located in Mexico.
- The bank account is eligible for SPEI transfers.

Unsupported bank account types

Certain bank account types aren't compatible with Shopify Payments. The following account types aren't supported:

Checking accounts that accept only wire transfers: These accounts don't work with Shopify Payments.
Savings accounts: Savings accounts can't be used for Shopify Payments payouts.
Flex-currency accounts: Accounts that support multiple currencies simultaneously aren't supported.
Money transfer services: Services that mimic bank accounts, such as some fintech platforms, can't be used with Shopify Payments.

Although non-Shopify virtual accounts are supported, you can experience more payout failures with these accounts.

To confirm whether your account can accept the transfer type listed for your region, contact your bank.

Purpose of collecting information

Shopify and its banking partners are required to collect and verify information about you and your business to comply with regulations in Mexico that are designed to prevent financial crimes. As local rules and regulations evolve, you might be contacted by Shopify and its banking partners to provide additional information throughout the lifespan of your Shopify Payments account.

The information that's collected is used to confirm the identity of the business, the identities of individuals linked to the business, and the nature of the relationship between the two.

Shopify never physically mails documentation to you. Any important documents or communications are emailed, or made digitally available to the store owner in the Settings > Users page of your Shopify admin.

Review Shopify's Privacy Policy to learn about how your information is kept confidential and safe.

Required personal and business information for activating Shopify Payments in Mexico

Correctly identifying your business type is essential because it determines the information that you need to provide.

If you haven't registered your business with the government yet, then select Individual.

If you have registered your business and have a Registro Federal de Contribuyentes (RFC) for the business entity, then select your business type based on the following guidance:

Sole proprietorships must select Individual.
Non-profit organizations must select Non-profit.
All other businesses must select Private corporation.

If you're not sure what business type to pick, then contact Shopify Support for help with selecting the right one.

Individuals

Individuals are single owner businesses that haven't registered with the government and are doing business privately. Individuals need to provide the following information:

Legal first and last name: Your full legal name as it appears on government-issued documentation.
Date of birth: Your birth date.
Registro Federal de Contribuyentes (RFC): Your personal RFC number, associated with your name, as issued by the Servicio de Administración Tributaria (SAT).
Email address: A valid and active email address.
Phone number: A valid and active phone number.
Residential address in Mexico: Your home address, matching your documentation.

Ensure that your name, date of birth, and home address are accurate and that they match your government-issued documentation. If your information can't be verified, then you're asked to update your name and date of birth to match your documentation, and you might be asked for photo ID. Review the list of acceptable photo ID documents.

If your address can't be automatically verified, then you must upload a proof of address document. When providing this document, ensure that the address listed in your account matches exactly with the address on the document. Update the information in your account to match the document if necessary. Review the list of acceptable address documents.

Private corporations

A private corporation is a business whose equity is divided into shares, owned by shareholders. A company is considered its own legal entity, separate from the people who run it. They typically also have a board of directors.

Private corporations must assign either a beneficial owner or an executive with decision-making power as their account representative. The account representative needs to provide the following information:

Legal first and last name: Your full legal name as it appears on government-issued documentation.
Date of birth: Your birth date.
Registro Federal de Contribuyentes (RFC): Your personal RFC number, associated with your name, as issued by the Servicio de Administración Tributaria (SAT).
Email address: A valid and active email address.
Phone number: A valid and active phone number.
Residential address: Your home address, matching your documentation.
Job title: The job title you hold with the business.
Equity: If applicable, the equity percentage you own of the business.

Private corporations also need to provide the following details about their business:

Registered business name: The legal business name as shown in the SAT business registry.
Registro Federal de Contribuyentes (RFC): Your business's RFC number, associated with the business, as issued by the Servicio de Administración Tributaria (SAT).
Business phone number: An active contact phone number for the business.
Business address: The official registered address of the business as shown in the SAT business registry.

Shopify banking partners verify your information by comparing it against government registries in Mexico. Pay careful attention to case, punctuation, and symbols.

If the information you provide about the business can't be verified, then you might need to provide a business verification document. When providing this document, ensure that the registered name, RFC, and business address listed in your account match exactly with the information on the document. Update the information in your account to match the document if necessary.

You should additionally list any other people who are beneficial owners of the company. Ensure you enter their names, dates of birth, and home addresses exactly as shown on their government documents. They might need to provide a photo ID or proof of address if their identities can't be verified automatically using the information provided.

Non-profits

A non-profit (NPO) is an entity that's established for purposes other than generating profit for its shareholders. Its primary mission is to serve a public or community benefit.

Non-profits must assign either a director or an executive with decision-making power as their account representative. The account representative needs to provide the following information:

Legal first and last name: Your full legal name as it appears on government-issued documentation.
Date of birth: Your birth date.
Registro Federal de Contribuyentes (RFC): Your personal RFC number, associated with your name, as issued by the Servicio de Administración Tributaria (SAT).
Email address: A valid and active email address.
Phone number: A valid and active phone number.
Residential address: Your home address, matching your documentation.
Job title: The job title you hold with the business.
Equity: If applicable, the equity percentage you own of the business.

Non-profits also need to provide the following details about their business:

Registered business name: The legal business name as shown in the SAT business registry.
Registro Federal de Contribuyentes (RFC): Your business's RFC number, associated with the business, as issued by the Servicio de Administración Tributaria (SAT).
Business phone number: An active contact phone number for the business.
Business address: The official registered address of the business as shown in the SAT business registry.

Shopify banking partners verify your information by comparing it against government registries in Mexico. Pay careful attention to case, punctuation, and symbols.

You should additionally list any other people who are on your board of directors or who are key decision makers. Ensure you enter their names, dates of birth, and home addresses exactly as shown on their government documents. They might need to provide a photo ID or proof of address if their identities can't be verified automatically using the information provided.

Acceptable document types

To complete the verification process, you need to provide certain documents to validate your personal information and in some cases your business information. The following document types are acceptable for individuals and businesses in Mexico.

Identity documents

Identity documents must show your name, date of birth, and photograph. The name and date of birth on your Shopify Payments account must be updated to match the information shown in the identity document you're providing. The documents must be valid and must not be expired. The following documents are accepted as proof of identity:

Pasaporte (Passport)
Tarjeta de identificación (ID card, photographs of front and back are required)
ID consular / ID matricular consular (Consular ID/Matricular Consular ID Card)
Credencial de elector (Voter ID card)
CURP, Clave Única de Registro de Población (Unique Population Registry Code)
Acta de nacimiento (Birth Certificate)
Licencia de conducir (Driver license)

Address documents

Address documents must show your full name and residential address. The name and address on your Shopify Payments account must be updated to match the information displayed in the address documents that you're providing. The following are the accepted address documents when using Shopify Payments in Mexico:

Recibo de servicios (Utility Bills) - dated within 6 months
Estado de cuenta de una institución financiera (Statement from a financial institution) - dated within 6 months
Aviso emitido por el gobierno (Government issued letter) - dated within 12 months

Business or entity documents

Business documentation must clearly display the legal entity name, RFC number, and address of your business. The details on your Shopify Payments account must be updated to match the information displayed in the documents that you're providing. The following documents are accepted for business verification:

Cédula de Identificación Fiscal (Tax ID)
Estatutos (Articles of Incorporation)
Reglamentos vigentes (Current Bylaws)
Poder notarial (Power of attorney)
Constancia de Situación Fiscal (SAT)

Ensuring documentation compliance

When providing your documents, ensure that they meet the necessary criteria. Review the following guidelines to ensure compliance:

Accuracy: Ensure that the information on your documents matches what you've entered in your Shopify Payments account. Update your account to match your documents, if necessary.
Clarity and legibility: Make sure that your documents are clear and large enough to read. Ensure the entire document is visible in the photograph.
Completeness: Ensure all the necessary details are visible on your document. Review the acceptable document types listed on this page to understand what details must be included on the document.
Original documentation: Take an original photograph of your document using a camera. Don't photocopy, scan, or screenshot your documents. Don't paste photos of documents into other documents. Don't take photos of computer screens or printouts.
- If your document was issued to you digitally, then provide the PDF file with all pages as it was originally given to you, with no alterations.
Validity: Ensure photo IDs aren't expired and that proof of address is recently issued. If providing proof of business registration, then your business should still be actively registered and in good standing.

Troubleshooting common issues

Before contacting Shopify Support, review the following common onboarding issues and their solutions.

My document was rejected.

Make sure the information on your account matches the information in the document you're submitting, and update your account to match your documentation if needed. If your documents are still being rejected, then refer to the following sections on this page:

Acceptable document types: Which documents are accepted and what details they must include. Screenshots, printouts of online searches, and registry screenshots are not accepted.
Ensuring documentation compliance: Requirements for accuracy, clarity, completeness, original documentation, and validity.

My address can't be automatically verified.

If your address can't be automatically verified, then you'll be asked to provide a proof of address document. Proof of address documents must include your full name and home address, and must be one of the accepted document types. Before uploading your document:

Confirm that the address on your Shopify Payments account matches exactly with the address on your proof of address document.
Update your account information to match your document, if necessary.
Confirm that the document includes your own full name. If you have a utility bill in someone else's name, then you'll need to provide a different document.
Upload a clear photograph of the document.

My business information isn't being verified.

Shopify banking partners verify your business information by comparing it against government registries in Mexico. If your business can't be verified, then check the following details:

Ensure that your registered business name matches exactly as it appears in government business registries, including letter case, punctuation, and symbols.
Ensure that your RFC number is correct.
Ensure that your business address matches the address listed in the government business registry.

If your information still can't be verified, then you might need to provide a business verification document. Ensure that the information on your document matches what you've entered in your Shopify Payments account.

I don't have an RFC for my business in Mexico, but I'm not an individual

If you don't have a Registro Federal de Contribuyentes (RFC) for your business entity, then you should proceed as an Individual. You can assign a key decision maker or owner as the account representative. Shopify Payments doesn't currently support other business structures that don't have an RFC.

Frequently asked questions

Review the following frequently asked questions about Shopify Payments requirements in Mexico.

Why do you need my photo ID or proof of address if I'm a company or non-profit in Mexico?

Even if you're registered as a company or non-profit, Shopify banking partners are required by regulations in Mexico to verify the identities of the people associated with the business, including their identities and where they're located.

I'm a citizen of Mexico but don't currently live there. Can I use Shopify Payments Mexico?

If your business type is individual, then you're required to live in Mexico to be eligible for Shopify Payments Mexico. If you don't currently live in Mexico, then you should instead create a Shopify Payments account for the region you do live in.

Update your store address to your current location. If your location is eligible for Shopify Payments, then you can create a Shopify Payments account for that region instead.

If you're a type of company or non-profit, then you're not required to personally live in Mexico, but your business is required to be registered there and have a Mexican business address. If you need help, then contact Shopify Support.

I'm a sole trader or sole proprietorship in Mexico. How do I enter my business information and RFC?

For the purposes of business and identity verification in Mexico, only the personal information of the owner is required if you're a sole proprietorship. Select the Individual business type accordingly.

If you're a sole proprietorship, then don't attempt to sign up as a different business type. You might have difficulty passing verification.

I'm a publicly traded company in Mexico. Which business type should I pick?

Select Private corporation. For the purposes of business and identity verification, the process for public and privately owned companies is identical.

You can skip past the section of the account setup form that requests that you add owners. If you've already set up the account and are being asked for ownership information as part of your verification process, then contact Shopify Support for assistance with updating your business type.

How do I update my Shopify Payments account information?

If you are actively being asked to complete account verification, then you can make any updates to your information from in the verification page along with submitting any documents that are being requested.

Outside of the verification process, the account owner of the store can update these details through Settings > General > Business Details. Click the three dots beside your business entity and then click "edit" to update that business's information, including business type.

Note that any changes you make here are automatically sent to our banking partners for review, and the new information is re-run through their verification process. It's possible the changes automatically re-verify, but you may also be asked for supporting documents.

If you have any difficulty with this process, contact Shopify Support for assistance.

My account was already verified. Why am I being asked to provide new information?

Over time, regulatory changes and updates to the requirements from Shopify's financial partners might require collecting additional information from account holders. These reviews help keep financial services safe and secure.

When these changes happen, you'll be notified through a banner or alert in your Shopify admin, and through a corresponding email. You must complete these requests to continue using Shopify's financial services.

Before you contact Shopify Support about Shopify Payments in Mexico

Before reaching out to Shopify Support, gather the following information to help resolve your issue faster:

Screenshots of any error messages you received (censor sensitive information like bank account numbers)
The business type you selected during setup
Your Registro Federal de Contribuyentes (RFC), if applicable
The specific step where you encountered the issue
The browser and device you're using
Your bank account details (country, currency, account type) without sharing the full account number

Having this information ready helps Shopify Support assist you more efficiently.