Owning in Punta Mita comes with a simple but important annual obligation: predial, the local property tax. If you split time across markets or manage multiple homes, it can be easy to miss changing rules or new discounts. In a year with updated assessed values and active municipal collection, understanding how predial works helps you plan cash flow and avoid friction at closing. Below, you’ll find the essentials for Punta Mita owners, from calculation and 2025 updates to payments, penalties and sale requirements. Let’s dive in.
What predial is and who manages it
Predial is a municipal property tax. For Punta Mita, the municipality of Bahía de Banderas administers and collects it under Nayarit’s municipal finance law. That means local rules, rates and discounts apply to your property.
The municipal Catastro office determines your property’s valor catastral, the assessed value used as the tax base. Changes to cadastral tables or your property’s characteristics can affect what you owe. You can confirm the legal framework in Nayarit’s municipal finance law.
How Punta Mita predial is calculated
Your predial is generally calculated as: assessed value multiplied by the municipal rate published each year in the Ley de Ingresos. The tax is based on the cadastral value, not the market price, so bills often appear lower than what you might see in the U.S.
Typical municipal ranges in Mexico are frequently cited as low percentage bands, used only as orientation. For general context, see this primer on real estate taxes in Mexico. Always verify the exact Bahía de Banderas rate and your assessed value with the municipal Tesorería or Catastro.
2025 changes owners should note
Bahía de Banderas updated its cadastral tables effective January 1, 2025. This change can increase or decrease assessed values, which may move your predial bill even if nothing else changed. Local coverage of the update is available here: approved cadastral update for Bahía de Banderas.
The municipality also promoted early payment discounts for 2025: 15 percent in January, 10 percent in February and 5 percent in March, plus targeted concessions for qualifying groups. See the municipal announcement on predial discounts. Programs are set annually, so check the current year’s notices.
When and how to pay
You can pay online with your cuenta predial through the municipality’s portal or in person at designated offices in Valle de Banderas and Nuevo Nayarit. The city promotes quick online payments and publishes office locations and instructions on its site. Start here: Bahía de Banderas online predial payments.
State law allows annual or periodic payments as set by the municipality, which is why you see early payment campaigns each year. If you need a printed receipt or have questions about your account, contact Catastro or Tesorería with your cuenta predial.
Late payment penalties
If you pay late, expect recargos, which are surcharges and interest added monthly, and potential administrative collection. These charges are published each year and can complicate a future sale if they accumulate. For an overview of how predial penalties and discounts typically work in Mexico, see this explanatory article.
Foreign owners and fideicomisos
If you own through a fideicomiso, your predial obligation is the same as any owner. The municipal tax applies to the property regardless of structure. For a concise explanation of foreign ownership via bank trusts, see BBVA’s overview of fideicomisos.
Remember that trustee fees are separate recurring costs and should be budgeted alongside predial and HOA dues. If you rent your property, federal income tax rules apply in addition to predial. For context on foreign owner obligations, see this guide for nonresident owners.
Selling or buying in Punta Mita
At closing, the notary typically requires proof that predial is current or a constancia de no adeudo. Obtain this certificate from the municipal Tesorería or Catastro shortly before completion. Timing and fees vary by office, so plan ahead.
For a description of the no‑debt certificate as used in municipal and notarial processes, review the federal service overview of the constancia de no adeudo. Your notary will confirm the exact documents needed for Bahía de Banderas.
Quick owner checklist
- Find your cuenta predial and verify your assessed value with Catastro if anything changed on your property.
- Pay early to capture January to March discounts and keep digital receipts with your records.
- If your 2025 bill rose sharply, ask Catastro to confirm how the cadastral update affected your valor catastral and request clarification if needed.
- For a sale, secure a recent constancia de no adeudo and settle any arrears before closing. For a purchase, require the seller’s receipts and the constancia.
- If you own through a fideicomiso, budget trustee fees separately and set reminders for predial and HOA due dates.
- If you rent, coordinate with a Mexican tax advisor about income tax and VAT compliance, which are separate from predial.
A smart way to steward your Punta Mita home
Predictable holding costs and clean municipal records protect your lifestyle and your exit. If you want to align a Punta Mita residence with a larger cross‑market portfolio strategy, let’s talk about timing, structure and documentation so your next move is effortless. Connect with Brendan Brown to start a discreet conversation.
FAQs
What is predial in Punta Mita and who collects it?
- Predial is the municipal property tax collected by Bahía de Banderas, using cadastral values set by Catastro under Nayarit’s municipal finance law.
How is Punta Mita predial calculated each year?
- Your bill equals the property’s assessed value multiplied by the municipal rate in the annual Ley de Ingresos, based on cadastral value rather than market price.
What 2025 changes could affect my predial bill?
- Bahía de Banderas updated its cadastral tables effective January 1, 2025, which may change assessed values and therefore what you owe.
How do I pay predial for a Punta Mita home?
- Use your cuenta predial to pay online through the municipality’s portal or visit Tesorería or Catastro offices for in‑person service.
Do foreigners pay the same predial in Punta Mita?
- Yes. Whether you hold title directly or through a fideicomiso, the municipal predial obligation is the same for the property.
What predial documents are needed to sell in Punta Mita?
- The notary typically requires a constancia de no adeudo and recent predial receipts, so request the certificate close to closing and clear any arrears first.
