Vacation rentals, taxes right
For foreigners who rent out their home in Mexico, through Airbnb, Vrbo or other platforms, or directly to guests.
What happens to your rental income
- Platforms withhold tax before they pay you. They hold back income tax (ISR) and IVA from every payout. How much depends on whether the platform has your RFC (your Mexican tax ID) and where your payouts land.
- Withholding isn't always the end of it. If last year's platform income stayed under a set threshold, you may be able to choose to treat the platform's withholding as your final tax, with no deductions. Otherwise, you or your contador file returns, monthly and yearly, and can deduct expenses.
- Every month there's a tax receipt. Each platform issues a monthly receipt (a CFDI) for what it withheld. You or your contador need these, and your bank deposits need to match what you declare.
- Your state charges lodging tax. Platforms collect it in some places. For bookings you take directly, it's usually up to you.
- Some places keep a registry. Some cities and states require hosts to register, carry insurance or file reports.
What you get
A profile for each property
State and municipality, the platforms you use, whether they have your RFC, your tax residency and where your payouts land. Casa al Día uses these to apply the right rules.
A withholding check
What the platforms are likely withholding from you today, and the steps that can lower it, such as giving the platform your RFC, changing where your payouts land or fixing the platform's tax settings.
A monthly tracker
Upload each platform's monthly withholding receipt (the CFDI file), plus Airbnb's earnings report. Casa al Día matches them against your bank deposits and shows you anything that doesn't line up.
A threshold warning
A warning as your platform income for the year nears the threshold, so you and your contador can plan instead of finding out at tax time.
Direct bookings and lodging tax
Log the bookings you take yourself and see the lodging tax due for your state.
Registry deadlines
Registry folios, insurance expiry dates and report deadlines, where your city or state requires them.
A packet for your contador
A monthly PDF and CSV with your payouts, withholdings and direct bookings, ready for your contador.
Where it works
The platform withholding rules are federal, so the withholding check and the monthly tracker work wherever your home is in Mexico. Lodging tax and registries are set by each state or city. At launch, Casa al Día has the lodging-tax rules for Jalisco and Nayarit, which covers Puerto Vallarta, Nuevo Vallarta, Bucerías and the Riviera Nayarit. We add other states, and their registries, as their rules are reviewed.
What stays with you
- You or your contador file. We don't file returns or pay taxes. You pay SAT directly.
- We never ask for your SAT password, CIEC or e.firma. Nothing in Casa al Día needs them.
- Our amounts are estimates. Each one shows how we calculated it. We're not an accounting firm, and nothing here is tax advice.
Price
Rentals is US$19 a month per property. With one worker and one property, Home covers both for US$25 a month. Prices are in US dollars.