Mexico has no single national picture, so this guide covers federal highways and Mexico City only. Federal highways cap cars at 110 km/h, while Mexico City sets 80 km/h on central lanes of controlled-access roads and 50 km/h on primary roads. States and cities apply their own rules, so check locally anywhere else.
| Road type | Cars |
|---|---|
| Federal highways | Up to 110 km/h |
| Mexico City, central lanes of controlled-access roads | 80 km/h |
| Mexico City, primary roads | 50 km/h |
| Mexico City, secondary roads | 40 km/h |
| Mexico City, school and hospital zones | 20 km/h |
What are the speed limits in Mexico?
On roads under federal jurisdiction, Expansión reported that the General Law on Mobility and Road Safety, published on 17 May 2022, sets 110 km/h for cars, 95 km/h for buses and 80 km/h for freight. Treat these as ceilings: the sign on the stretch you are driving comes first.
In Mexico City, Article 9 of the Traffic Regulation sets 80 km/h on central lanes of controlled-access roads, 50 km/h on primary roads, and 40 km/h on secondary roads and the side lanes of controlled-access roads. School and hospital zones are 20 km/h, and car parks and pedestrian streets are 10 km/h, according to El Financiero in December 2025.
What kinds of speed cameras does Mexico use?
Enforcement depends on the road, and the federal side changed in 2026. A reform of the Federal Highway and Bridge Traffic Regulation gave the National Guard power to sanction drivers from 26 May 2026, and Expansión described its permanent “Radar” operation to detect vehicles over the limit.
A further decree, published in the federal gazette on 13 August 2026, added Article 136 Bis, under which speeding offences on federal roads may be recorded by electronic devices, El Imparcial reported. The infrastructure and transport ministry announced 20 smart road gantries able to measure speed, but the report said that does not confirm they are already issuing penalties.
Mexico City runs fixed cameras and mobile radars. The Ministry of Citizen Security reported 150 photo-radar devices in March 2025, with 79 in use and 71 being upgraded, plus seven new radars on trial, according to Mexico Business News. Its fixed devices work with Fotocívicas, a points scheme tied to the number plate, and agents operate the mobile radars, La Razón reported in February 2025. The city published its Fotocívicas camera locations in 2019, Eje Central reported.
Are speed camera apps legal in Mexico?
Detector devices are banned in Mexico City, and we found no specific rule on phone apps. Article 43 of the city’s Traffic Regulation lists anti-radar systems and speed radar detectors among prohibited accessories, according to Excélsior in March 2025. ADN40 reported in May 2026 that Article 37 Bis of the State of Mexico’s regulation bans radar detectors and devices that alert drivers to patrol locations. We found no specific federal rule, and press summaries of these rules differ, so check the current text locally (checked on 30 October 2026).
What should visiting drivers know?
- Speeds are in km/h. Limits and enforcement can change when you cross a state line.
- Do not fit a radar detector in Mexico City or the State of Mexico, given the rules above.
- Federal, state and municipal roads differ. The federal rules apply only to federal roads and bridges.
- Slow down near schools and hospitals, where Mexico City’s limit is 20 km/h.
Heading south? See our Brazil guide.
