Quintana Roo Wills at 3,000 Pesos as Notary Campaign Deadline Nears

Cancún, Quintana Roo — People in Quintana Roo who want to draw up a will at a reduced price have until Friday, October 30, to take advantage of a state campaign that charges 3,000 pesos plus VAT, notary Elmer Paredes said.

The program has run for more than 15 years and operates in coordination with the Notaries Council and the Quintana Roo government, which provide subsidies and incentives that lower the fees, taxes and professional charges tied to the process.

Paredes said the campaign gives people a chance to leave the distribution of their assets in writing and prevent potential family disputes after death. He warned, however, that many people put off the decision out of fear or because they believe they need a sizable estate to draw up the document.

In an interview with SQCS, he clarified that a will does not transfer ownership or possession of assets while the person is alive. The owner can still sell, donate or mortgage property without asking beneficiaries for authorization, and can modify the document if they change their mind about where their estate should go.

The notary said it is not strictly necessary to have every property title or receipt in hand to grant a will, since assets can be disposed of in general terms. Still, he recommended clearly identifying individual properties when they are to be assigned to different heirs, to reduce the risk of confusion and later disputes.

He also noted that an estate is not limited to houses, land, vehicles or money, and may include rights linked to digital platforms and social media accounts. Parents, he added, can set out provisions on the guardianship of their children in the event that both die, subject to the applicable legal conditions.

Among the requirements to begin the process, he listed official identification, a tax status certificate, proof of address, a list of assets and instructions on how the person wants them distributed.

“Documentation proving each property is advisable when the aim is to specify assets, though it is not always essential to grant a will,” he said.

Paredes said the public open will, formalized before a notary, is one of the most widely used formats. The original document remains with the person who grants it, while records are kept at the notary’s office and with the relevant authorities so it can be located later.

In Quintana Roo, he said, witnesses are not ordinarily required, though support measures can be used in specific cases, such as when a person has difficulty expressing their wishes.

According to the notary, between 2,000 and 3,000 wills have been drawn up in Quintana Roo during this year’s campaign. Outside the campaign period, the cost can rise considerably: he cited fees of around 7,000 pesos and as much as 20,000 pesos, depending on the complexity of the document. Cases involving trusts or other special provisions carry different prices.

With the campaign closing, he recommended booking an appointment as soon as possible at one of the state’s 124 notary offices, since schedules can fill up in the final days. The list of notaries is available on the websites of the Secretaría de Gobierno and the Dirección General de Notarías.

Paredes stressed that a will can be drawn up as soon as a person is able to express their wishes freely, and that waiting until old age or until an illness strikes can complicate the procedure. The campaign ends Friday, October 30.