Definition
The pedimento is the Mexican customs document that formalizes a foreign-trade operation (import, export, or other regimes) and the payment or guarantee of related duties — key to releasing goods.
If operations asks “has it cleared?” and trade answers in another chat, the pedimento is not governed.
Related: customs clearance · nearshoring · Carta Porte.
What it means in practice
The pedimento identifies the operation before customs. Its status (filed, paid, released) decides whether the inland leg can start with confidence.
For the transportation management system (TMS), the pedimento is a trip milestone — not an isolated PDF in the broker’s inbox.
Why it matters by role
| Role | What they watch | If the pedimento is opaque |
|---|---|---|
| Trade compliance | Number and duties | Rework and risk |
| Traffic / operations | Released to load? | Truck waiting |
| Shipper | Real ETA | Broken promise |
| Accounts payable | Crossing costs | Charges with no trip link |
Minimum pedimento fields on the trip
| Field | Question | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Pedimento number | Unique identifier? | Required |
| Operation type | Import / export / other? | Sets the flow |
| Status | Filed / paid / released? | Milestone |
| Release date | When can it leave? | Freight start |
| Trip reference | Which shipment does it tie to? | File |
How to use the pedimento in operations (5 steps)
Select a step to see detail
Step detail · 01
Create / file
Step 1
Expensive mistakes
1.Assigning a truck before release
You buy detention and frustrate the carrier.
2.Treating pedimento as “customs-only”
Traffic never sees the milestone and invents ETAs.
3.Mixing it with Carta Porte
Different documents; fixing one does not fix the other.
4.Number only on WhatsApp
No audit trail and no closed trip file.
OCL and the trip file
OCL records the pedimento milestone with the trip to coordinate freight and crossing. It does not replace the customs broker. OCL can stamp invoices and Carta Porte.
Sources and further reading
Key takeaways5 points
- Pedimento = the Mexican customs document that formalizes the foreign-trade operation and related duties.
- Without a released pedimento there is no reliable legal start for import/export freight: traffic must see status on the same trip.
- Connect customs clearance, shipment, and the crossing file.
- Do not confuse pedimento with Carta Porte or Mexico’s digital tax invoice (CFDI): different layers.
- OCL surfaces the pedimento milestone on the trip. It does not prepare pedimentos. OCL can stamp invoices and Carta Porte.
Does your pedimento live on the trip — or in an email?
Frequently asked questions
The Mexican customs document that formalizes the foreign-trade operation and related duties.
For operations that require it, without release there is no reliable legal freight start.
No. Pedimento is customs; CFDI is tax. They can coexist in the same Mexico flow.
At least whether it is released to load/leave, with a date.
Usually the customs broker or trade team — not the TMS.
It surfaces the milestone in the trip file so transport is not assigned blind.