If a company wants to build a pipeline, a power transmission line or other infrastructure on your land in Mexico, or your property has already been affected, you are entitled to negotiate and to receive compensation. Castro Defense advises and represents landowners, ejido members and communal landholders across Mexico, including foreign owners of Mexican property, in land occupation (ocupación superficial), easement and compensation matters, through an online process and under Mexican law.
No upfront fees: we only get paid if we recover
We do not ask for an advance payment: we only get paid once you receive the compensation. Our fees are a percentage of the compensation actually obtained, set by the complexity of the case. You cover only related costs, such as expert reports or supplies. The terms are set out in the contract you review before signing. We do not promise amounts or results.
What does Mexican law say about using your land?
Since March 18, 2025, two new laws apply: the Hydrocarbons Sector Law (Ley del Sector Hidrocarburos), covering exploration, extraction and pipeline transport, and the Electricity Sector Law (Ley del Sector Eléctrico), covering transmission and certain power plants. Both require the compensation and conditions for using, occupying or acquiring land to be negotiated and agreed with the owner or rights holder, including ejido and communal rights. The negotiation must be transparent:
- The company must state its interest in writing and show and explain the project, its possible impacts and any benefits.
- The arrangement may be a lease, voluntary easement, surface or temporary occupation, sale, exchange or any other lawful form.
- Compensation must cover damage to property other than the land and the use, enjoyment or purchase of the land, based on market value at the time of negotiation. For hydrocarbon extraction projects, it is also assessed over time.
- The agreement must be in a written contract, with no confidentiality clauses penalizing disclosure of the amounts.
- The agreement is filed with a federal district judge or agrarian court for validation.
- In hydrocarbons, the company must refrain from abusive practices or undue influence on your decision (Hydrocarbons Sector Law, art. 146).
To open negotiations, INDAABIN (Mexico’s National Property Administration and Appraisal Institute) publishes land value tables, and the parties may commission appraisals from authorized experts.
What if there is no agreement?
If no agreement is reached within the period each law sets, the company can ask a judge to establish a legal easement (servidumbre legal) or request mediation before SEDATU (the Ministry of Agrarian, Territorial and Urban Development) or the Ministry of Energy, supported by social witnesses and appraisals. If mediation fails, an administrative legal easement may be requested. Having advice from the company’s first letter lets you negotiate with full information and protect your rights at every stage.
For roads and other public works, Mexico’s Constitution allows expropriation only for public utility and with compensation (art. 27).
How does it work online?
- Case evaluation form. Tell us which project affects your land and what stage it is at.
- Document review. A lawyer reviews your case and explains your options and deadlines. Response time: 48 calendar hours, or 1 to 4 hours in urgent matters.
- Contract and power of attorney as a PDF. You sign with your e.firma (the advanced electronic signature issued by Mexico’s tax authority, SAT) or another electronic signature. Some agrarian or notarial steps may require a handwritten signature or your presence; we will tell you first.
- Case updates. We report each step of the negotiation, mediation or court case. Channel: channel and frequency of updates.
Documents to gather
- Deed, title, parcel certificate (certificado parcelario) or other proof of your rights.
- Letters, offers or contracts the company has sent you.
- Maps, photos and any record of the damage.
- Previous appraisals, if any.
Photos and digital records of the damage can be documented with chain of custody through our digital forensics service.
How to know you are dealing with real lawyers
Attorneys who handle these matters: names and cédula profesional numbers. Verify any professional license in the National Registry of Professionals of Mexico’s Ministry of Public Education. Your data is handled under our privacy notice. See the other areas of our legal defense practice.
Tell us about your case
This content is for information only and is not legal advice for a specific case. The outcome of any proceeding depends on the facts, the evidence and the authority’s decision; Castro Defense does not guarantee results.
Official sources
- Hydrocarbons Sector Law (Ley del Sector Hidrocarburos), arts. 132 to 146. Chamber of Deputies, DOF March 18, 2025 (Spanish).
- Electricity Sector Law (Ley del Sector Eléctrico), arts. 88 to 100. Chamber of Deputies, DOF March 18, 2025 (Spanish).
- Political Constitution of the United Mexican States, art. 27. Chamber of Deputies (Spanish).
- INDAABIN and Agrarian Attorney’s Office (Procuraduría Agraria). Government of Mexico (Spanish).
Frequently asked questions
Can I be forced to allow a pipeline or power line on my land in Mexico?
The law treats these activities as public utility or social interest, and if there is no agreement the company can ask for a legal easement through the courts or an administrative procedure. That is why negotiating well from the start matters: you are entitled to a transparent negotiation, to understand the project and to compensation (Hydrocarbons Sector Law, arts. 133 and 138; Electricity Sector Law, arts. 91 and 96).
What should the compensation cover?
Depending on the arrangement agreed, it must cover damage to property or rights other than the land and payment for the use, enjoyment or purchase of the land, based on its market value at the time of negotiation. In hydrocarbon projects it also covers a provision for damages the project may cause (Hydrocarbons Sector Law, art. 133; Electricity Sector Law, art. 91).
Can the company ask me to sign a confidentiality clause?
Contracts recording these agreements may not include confidentiality clauses that penalize either party for disclosing the terms, amounts and conditions of the compensation (Hydrocarbons Sector Law, art. 133; Electricity Sector Law, art. 91).
Who can advise ejido members?
Ejidos, their members and communal landholders may request advice and, where applicable, representation from the Agrarian Attorney's Office (Procuraduría Agraria), and they may also hire private counsel. When an ejido member holds individually recognized rights, the compensation must be paid to them directly (Hydrocarbons Sector Law, art. 134; Electricity Sector Law, art. 92).
Who pays for appraisals in a hydrocarbons project?
The Hydrocarbons Sector Law provides that appraisals carried out in this procedure, and the fees of any social witnesses, are paid by the assignee, contractor or permit holder, as set out in the regulations (art. 145).