Quintana Roo’s digital tax registry advances fiscal control

Cancún, Mexico — The implementation of the State Taxpayer Registry (REC) this year, which is linked to obtaining vehicle license plates, represents a significant advance in fiscal digitalization in Quintana Roo, one of the most advanced states in this matter.

This was explained by Pablo Gutiérrez Laguna, vice president of the state delegation of the National Association of Tax Specialists, who noted that this measure follows the trend of authorities using digital tools to obtain data that can be cross-referenced with tax declarations.

In the case of the REC, the electronic signature from the Tax Administration Service (SAT) was originally required, which caused inconveniences among citizens, so it was finally accepted to only present an updated Unique Population Registry Code (CURP).

“It is very complex, because someone who owns a vehicle is not necessarily a taxpayer, but the authority has two reasons for implementing the REC: control and revenue collection, since there are always fees to pay,” he stated.

With the REC, Quintana Roo authorities seek to cross-reference vehicle ownership data with tax declarations, a measure that the expert considered positive, although he pointed out that this trend was already occurring naturally due to the reduced use of cash by citizens.

“There is a global trend to use less cash and a greater banking of money, with purchases through cards,” he detailed. “In Mexico, we also have the Anti-Money Laundering Law, which does not allow using more than 900,000 pesos in cash for purchases.”

Although this increased control and cross-referencing of information may generate concern, Pablo Gutiérrez Laguna noted that it is a positive trend, as the banking of income promotes formality, allows citizens to build credit history to access loans, government programs, and employer benefits.