In Baja California Sur —La Paz, Los Cabos, Todos Santos, Loreto and the rest of the state— any person or company carrying out real-estate transactions on behalf of others needs a registration and license from the Registry of Professional Real-Estate Agents (RAPI). This guide summarizes the current official requirements with their sources.
The law, the regulation and the authority
- Law: Ley que Regula a los Agentes Profesionales Inmobiliarios en el Estado de Baja California Sur, published July 20, 2017, in force since January 1, 2018, last amended September 10, 2018.
- Regulation: Reglamento de la Ley que Regula a los Agentes Profesionales Inmobiliarios del Estado de BCS, Official Bulletin (extraordinary) no. 13 of March 14, 2019.
- Authority: the Ministry of Tourism and Economy (SETUE), through its Office for the Regulation of Real-Estate Agents. Procedure information: setuesbcs.gob.mx/rapi.
Is the license mandatory?
Yes. Article 11 requires registration and a license for any real-estate transaction. It does not apply to people dealing only in their own property (art. 3). Foreigners must prove their immigration status and work authorization.
- Notaries (art. 11): before formalizing a real-estate act they must check the agent's registration and license, and report anyone who lacks them.
- Agent duties (art. 8): yearly renewal, continuing education, reporting changes within 30 business days, issuing an invoice or receipt for deposits, and putting their full name, license number and signature on each transaction's documents.
- Penalties (arts. 17–19): warning, admonition, a fine of 10 to 250 UMA, suspension of 30 to 365 days or cancellation; posing as an agent without a current license carries a fine of 1,000 times the daily UMA.
Requirements
Per the law (art. 4), the Regulation (art. 5) and the RAPI requirements page:
Individuals: signed application; valid official ID; criminal-record certificate; RFC tax registration no older than 3 months; proof of tax address; certificate of training or certification from an accrediting body (Unidad Acreditadora); photo and proof of payment.
Companies: articles of incorporation registered in the Public Registry; notarized power of attorney; IDs of the legal representative and the Responsible Manager (Encargado Responsable); the Responsible Manager's criminal record and training; RFC; tax address for each branch; list of advisors with their files; photo and payment receipts.
Advisors (asesores): people working for a licensed agency are registered with a letter signed by the Responsible Manager, ID, criminal record, RFC, training certificate and photo. They receive an ID numbered AI-####, shown in the public registry.
Documents are uploaded as PDFs through the portal and the originals are checked afterwards (Regulation, arts. 5 and 7).
2026 fees, validity and renewal
| Item | Official 2026 fee |
|---|---|
| License and registration | MXN 13,942 |
| Yearly renewal (refrendo) | MXN 2,788 |
| Yearly ID (agent or advisor) | MXN 2,091 |
| ID replacement | MXN 418 |
| License replacement | MXN 697 |
Source: SETUE 2026 fee schedule. As of September 30, 2026 the requirements page still showed older amounts; confirm before paying. Payment is made at state collection offices (no bank transfers, per setuesbcs.gob.mx/rapi).
- Validity: 3 years with a yearly renewal, filed at least 5 business days before expiry (art. 12).
- Timeframes: missing documents can be completed within 30 business days; the license is issued within 30 business days once the file is complete (art. 6).
Where to apply
- RAPI portal: individuals (new and renewal), companies and advisors.
- Office in La Paz: Isabel la Católica & Ignacio Allende, Col. Centro, 23000; tel. +52 612 123 9400 ext. 05257 (source).
- Email: rapi@setuesbcs.gob.mx.
How to check the registry
The public registry is at rapireg.setuesbcs.gob.mx/padronapi.php: search by RFC, agent or representative name; it shows the license number (LIC-RAPIBCS-####), name, number of advisors and sanctions. Multilistado copies it daily so you can search for a Baja California Sur agent by name or number.
Already licensed: next step
If you appear in the RAPI registry, you already have a Multilistado profile. Claim it for free to list on the MLS, share inventory with agents across BCS and Baja California, and get your own website and email on your own domain. See your city page: Los Cabos, La Paz, Todos Santos, Loreto or Los Barriles.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a license to work as a real-estate agent in Los Cabos or La Paz?
Yes. Art. 11 of the BCS law requires registration and a license for real-estate transactions anywhere in the state. Foreigners must also prove their immigration status and work authorization.
How much is the RAPI license in 2026?
SETUE's official 2026 fee schedule lists MXN 13,942 for license and registration, MXN 2,788 for the yearly renewal and MXN 2,091 for the yearly ID. Confirm before paying.
What is a real-estate advisor in BCS?
Someone working for a licensed agency. The agency registers them and they receive an ID numbered AI-####, shown in the public registry.