The PUI Law, explained for hotel owners

If you run a hotel, hostel, motel, inn or even an Airbnb in Mexico, the PUI Law already applies to you. And while it sounds complicated, the idea is simple: the government needs to be able to ask whether a person reported missing stayed somewhere. For that, every lodging must register its guests’ identity and be able to answer that query. This guide explains, in plain English, what PUI is and what you need to do.

What is the PUI Law?

PUI stands for Single Identity Platform (Plataforma Única de Identidad). It is a federal obligation created by the General Law on Enforced Disappearance (article 12 Bis). Its purpose has nothing to do with tourism or taxes: it is to help locate missing persons. It is run by the Ministry of the Interior through RENAPO, together with the National Search Commission.

One point that reassures many owners: PUI works by query. The government asks about a specific person (by CURP or name) and your hotel answers. It is not mass monitoring of all your guests, nor anyone watching in real time who stays with you.

Who does it apply to?

Every lodging establishment, regardless of size or category, and whether you operate as an individual or a company. Hotels, hostels, motels, inns, cabins, B&Bs, glamping and Airbnb-style short rentals: all are equally required.

What data must you capture?

For each guest: CURP, full name, date of birth and an ID document. For Mexicans, the INE or CURP; for foreigners, the passport or migratory form (FMM) along with their nationality. No card data, spending or preferences are requested.

How much is the fine?

The article 43 Bis penalty runs from 10,000 to 20,000 UMA per infraction — roughly 1.17 to 2.35 million pesos. That is why it is worth taking compliance seriously from now on.

What you need to do, step by step

• Start today by capturing each guest’s identity at check-in.
• Keep your registry (the guest book) tidy and exportable.
• Get your SAT e.firma (the owner’s or the company’s).
• Create your LlaveMX, the government’s free digital identity.
• Register your hotel on the official portal and set up a secure query URL.

The last steps are the technical part: encryption, authentication and connection to the federal platform. That is exactly what PUIhoteles solves for you, connected to R2 OS in real time, with no developers to hire. So you focus on welcoming guests and we make sure your hotel stays compliant.

When do you need to be connected?

The obligation to capture identity is already in force. Full federal interconnection becomes fully enforceable once the government publishes the last operating manual, still pending as of June 2026. The sensible move is to start capturing today and be ready to connect as soon as the window opens.