Which medicines need a prescription
Article 226 of Mexico's General Health Law sorts medicines into six groups for sale to the public:
- Groups I to III, controlled medicines: they need a special prescription or one that the pharmacy records and keeps. They include narcotics and psychotropic drugs.
- Group IV (fraction IV), prescription only: they may be refilled as many times as the doctor indicates. The antibiotics agreement (see below) is based on this group.
- Group V, no prescription, sold in pharmacies only.
- Group VI, no prescription, which may also be sold in shops other than pharmacies.
The same law prohibits selling medicines from street stalls or by street vendors.
Antibiotics: prescription only
Since 2010, a Ministry of Health agreement has required that antibiotics be sold only on presentation of a medical prescription. At each sale, the pharmacy stamps the prescription with the quantity dispensed and the date, and keeps it once the prescribed amount has been used up. It only fills it within the length of the prescribed treatment. The agreement covers the antibiotics on the list published by COFEPRIS.
If you think you need an antibiotic, see a doctor first: many mild infections do not need one, and taking one when it is not medically indicated can also cause side effects.
What a valid prescription must include
Under the Regulations on Health Supplies, a prescription must show the prescriber's full printed name and address and their professional license (cédula profesional) number, plus the date and a handwritten signature. It must also state the dose, the presentation, the route, how often to take it and how long the treatment lasts.
If you are visiting from abroad
- Prescriptions from another country: the UK government advises that prescriptions issued outside Mexico must be translated into Spanish, and even then a pharmacy may not accept them. If you need a prescription medicine, a doctor in Mexico can assess you and, if treatment is indicated, issue a Mexican prescription.
- Different names: according to the CDC, the same medicine may have a different brand name in Mexico. Keep a note of the active ingredient and the dose, and show it to the doctor or pharmacist.
- Your own medicines: Mexico's National Customs Agency (ANAM) allows medicines for personal use in your luggage; for psychotropic drugs, you must show the prescription. The CDC recommends carrying them in their original containers.
Pharmacies open 24 hours
According to the UK government, many pharmacies in large Mexican cities are open 24 hours. This guide does not recommend any particular one. To find one nearby, ask your hotel front desk or search for "farmacia 24 horas" on a map, and call ahead to confirm the hours.
COFEPRIS, Mexico's health regulator, recommends buying medicines from formally established businesses with a health license, an operating notice and documentation of the legal acquisition of the products, and warns about the risks of buying them on websites, including digital platforms and social media. It also publishes medicine safety alerts. The CDC advises against buying from open markets, street vendors or suspicious-looking pharmacies, and recommends asking for a receipt. Check that it is in its original packaging and look at the expiry date.
Frequently asked questions
Can I buy antibiotics without a prescription in Mexico?
No. Since 2010, antibiotics are sold only on presentation of a medical prescription, which the pharmacy stamps at each sale and keeps once the prescribed amount has been used up.
Will my prescription from home work?
It may not. According to the UK government, prescriptions issued outside Mexico must be translated into Spanish, and the pharmacy may not accept them. At a medical visit in Mexico, the doctor assesses your case and, if treatment is indicated, can issue a prescription with a Mexican professional license number.
How do I find a pharmacy open at night?
According to the UK government, many pharmacies in large Mexican cities are open 24 hours. Ask your hotel front desk or search on a map, and call ahead to confirm it is open.
Sources
- Chamber of Deputies (Mexico). Ley General de Salud (General Health Law), articles 226, 241, 251 and 252. Current text, last amended in the DOF on January 15, 2026. diputados.gob.mx
- Secretaría de Salud (Ministry of Health, Mexico). Acuerdo por el que se determinan los lineamientos a los que estará sujeta la venta y dispensación de antibióticos (agreement on the sale and dispensing of antibiotics). Diario Oficial de la Federación, May 27, 2010. dof.gob.mx
- Reglamento de Insumos para la Salud (Regulations on Health Supplies), articles 29 and 30. Orden Jurídico Nacional, Secretaría de Gobernación. ordenjuridico.gob.mx
- COFEPRIS. Aviso de riesgo (risk notice): Sobre la comercialización de medicamentos y dispositivos médicos a través de sitios web. Mexico City, May 3, 2024. gob.mx
- COFEPRIS. Alertas sanitarias de medicamentos (medicine safety alerts). Accessed October 19, 2026. gob.mx
- Agencia Nacional de Aduanas de México (ANAM, National Customs Agency). Equipaje y franquicia (luggage and allowances). Accessed October 19, 2026. anam.gob.mx
- Hagmann SHF, Norton SA. What To Do When Sick Abroad. In: CDC Yellow Book 2026: Health Information for International Travel. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2025. cdc.gov
- Halsey ES, Evans DP. Traveling with Prohibited or Restricted Medications. In: CDC Yellow Book 2026: Health Information for International Travel. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2025. cdc.gov
- Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). Mexico travel advice: Health. GOV.UK. Accessed October 19, 2026. gov.uk
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Healthy Habits: Antibiotic Do's and Don'ts. Accessed October 20, 2026. cdc.gov