STPS rules for electronic time recording in Mexico

What is known as of November 4, 2026 about the STPS general provisions for electronic working-time records in Mexico, what they must define, what is already certain and an 8-week plan to be ready by January 1, 2027.

Status as of November 4, 2026

The STPS general provisions have not yet been published in the Official Gazette (DOF).
The duty to keep electronic working-time records, and the fine for not doing so, become enforceable on January 1, 2027, with or without detailed technical rules.
What the law already fixes does not change: electronic records, per worker, with start and end time, available to the authority on request.
This guide is updated as soon as the STPS publishes. Last check: November 4, 2026.

The reform of Mexico's Federal Labor Law (LFT) published on May 1, 2026 added section XXXIV to article 132: employers must keep an electronic record of each worker's working hours, including start and end time, and provide it to the labor authority when requested. The fifth transitory article tasks the Ministry of Labor (STPS) with issuing general provisions that define the scope and the exceptions, effective January 1, 2027.

Since then, many companies have been waiting for "the rules" before deciding what to do. This guide separates three things: what the STPS has not said yet, what the law already requires regardless, and what to do in the weeks left in 2026.

What the STPS has said so far

In public statements in late September 2026, Labor Minister Marath Bolaños explained that electronic records are meant to strengthen labor inspection and verify compliance with the maximum workweek of each stage of the reform (48 hours in 2026, 46 in 2027, 44 in 2028, 42 in 2029 and 40 in 2030). He did not describe a technology, an official platform or a delivery format.

As of November 3, 2026, specialized press still reported that the STPS has not published the implementing rules, with uncertainty concentrated on remote work, digital-platform work, staff without fixed schedules and possible exceptions.

What the provisions must define

The law itself says what they will contain at minimum. The rest is a reasonable expectation, not a certainty, and is labeled as such.

Topic	What we know
Scope	Required by the fifth transitory article. It will say which employers and which workers the record applies to.
Exceptions	Required by the fifth transitory article. The point micro and small companies, field work and remote work are waiting for.
Format and delivery to the authority	Expectation. The law only says the record is provided "when requested"; the provisions will likely set how (file, platform or on-site inspection).
Retention period	Expectation. Until a specific rule exists, the general duty of LFT article 804 on attendance records applies (see FAQ).
Mandatory technology	Nothing suggests fingerprints, face recognition or a specific device will be required. The law says "electronic record" and nothing more.

What is already certain without waiting for the STPS

It must be electronic. Paper sign-in sheets no longer count as a working-time record.
Per worker and per day, with start and end time. "Completed the shift" is not enough.
Deliverable. You must be able to hand the record to the authority on request. If it lives on a supervisor's phone or in a lost email, it is not deliverable.
With evidentiary value. The record can be full proof if it is shown to have been agreed between the worker and the company: put that agreement in writing in the contract or the internal work rules.
With a fine. Not keeping it is punished with 250 to 5,000 UMA under article 994, section IV Bis. See how much that is in pesos.

8-week plan to be ready by January 1, 2027

Weeks 1 and 2 (November): inventory. List every workplace, every post and how attendance is recorded today (paper, time clock, spreadsheet, nothing). Identify field staff, staff at client sites and remote staff, where records usually fail.
Weeks 3 and 4: choose the system and run a pilot. The minimum it must meet: a record per worker, start and end time, a date and time that cannot be edited by hand, a searchable and exportable history. Try it at one site or one shift.
Weeks 5 and 6 (December): written agreement and training. Add electronic time recording to the internal work rules or to a contract annex, and hand out a privacy notice if the system uses location or photos. Train supervisors first, then staff.
Weeks 7 and 8: everyone, plus one owner. Extend the record to the whole workforce, name who keeps and hands over the records, and save a monthly backup.
January 2027: check against the provisions. When the STPS publishes, compare scope, exceptions, delivery format and retention against what you already have. If you started early, the adjustment will be small.

The reform compliance checklist has these steps in detail.

Frequently asked questions

Have the STPS provisions been published yet?

No. As of November 4, 2026 they have not been published in the Official Gazette. The law sets their effective date at January 1, 2027. This page is updated as soon as they come out.

Can I wait for them before starting?

You can, but on January 1, 2027 the recording duty and the fine are already enforceable, and rolling out a system, training and agreeing in writing takes several weeks. What the law already requires (electronic, per worker, start and end, deliverable) will not change with the provisions.

Does a spreadsheet or a paper sheet count?

Paper is not an electronic record. A spreadsheet is electronic, but anyone can edit it without a trace, so it is hard to prove who recorded, when, and that the worker agreed. The law does not forbid it today, but it is the weakest format in an inspection or an overtime lawsuit.

Is a fingerprint or face-recognition time clock mandatory?

No. Section XXXIV says "electronic record" without fixing a technology. A phone check-in, a web app or a QR code comply just as well, as long as they store each worker's start and end time and can be handed over.

What about remote work, field staff or people without a fixed schedule?

That is exactly what the provisions must clarify when they define scope and exceptions. Meanwhile the general duty applies the same: record the start and end of each worker's day. For field staff, the practical way is to record from their own phone at the site where they work.

How long must the records be kept?

Section XXXIV does not say, and the provisions will probably define it. Meanwhile LFT article 804 applies: it already requires keeping attendance records for the last year and for one year after the employment relationship ends. Keeping them longer does not hurt.

What is the fine for not keeping the record?

250 to 5,000 UMA under article 994, section IV Bis, enforceable from January 1, 2027. The fines guide has the calculation in pesos.

How PPanel helps

PPanel already covers what the law requires today: each worker clocks in and out from their phone, with server date and time, location and photo, even without internet at that moment; the history is searchable and exports for delivery to the authority. When the STPS publishes its provisions, we will review them point by point and tell our customers what adjustments are needed, if any. Request a demo or try PPanel free for 15 days.

Sources

Informational content based on the text published in the DOF and the press sources cited. It is not legal advice. PPanel is a recording tool: using it does not release the company from its obligations, and legal compliance is each employer's responsibility. Consult your labor lawyer for your case. Last review: November 4, 2026. The STPS general provisions had not been published on that date.