How to Check a Doctor or Dentist License in Mexico Before You Book
Mexican law requires doctors and dentists to show their license number, and specialists need a board certificate for surgery. How to check both, what a clinic needs, and how CONAMED handles complaints.
To check a doctor or dentist in Mexico, search their name in the Ministry of Public Education’s National Registry of Professionals, which shows each registered degree and its license number (cédula profesional). Specialists should also hold a current certificate from their specialty board. Complaints about care go to the National Medical Arbitration Commission (CONAMED), whose service is free.
What licenses should a doctor in Mexico have?
Article 79 of the General Health Law (Ley General de Salud) says doctors, dentists, nurses, psychologists, nutritionists and other health professionals may practice only with degrees or specialty certificates legally issued and registered by the education authorities. In practice, that registration is the cédula profesional issued by the Ministry of Public Education (SEP) through its Directorate General of Professions.
| Credential | Who issues it | What it proves |
|---|---|---|
| Cédula profesional (general) | SEP, Directorate General of Professions | A registered degree, such as medicine (médico cirujano) or dentistry (cirujano dentista) |
| Cédula de especialista | SEP, after an opinion from the national committee of specialty boards | A registered specialty diploma, such as cardiology or orthodontics |
| Specialty board certificate (certificado de especialista) | The medical specialty board (Consejo de Especialidad) recognized by CONACEM | Current, renewable certification of skills in that specialty |
| Health authorization for the facility | Health authorities | The clinic or hospital may operate |
Article 83 adds a simple test: health professionals must display a sign with the institution that issued their degree, their cédula number and, where relevant, their current specialty certificate. The same details must appear on their stationery and in their advertising.
How do you look up a cédula profesional?
The SEP’s cédula profesional page on gob.mx links to the National Registry of Professionals (Registro Nacional de Profesionistas) search for professional licenses. The search is free and needs no account.
- Note the doctor’s full name, including both surnames, and the cédula number from the office sign or a prescription.
- Open the license search (Consulta de Cédulas Profesionales) from the SEP page.
- Search by name. Mexican names are registered with paternal and maternal surnames, so try both if the first search finds nothing.
- Compare the result: the degree, the issuing school and the cédula number should match what the doctor displays.
- For a specialist, check for a second record with the specialty. A general medical cédula alone does not show specialty training.
Our page on pharmacies and prescriptions in Mexico explains why prescriptions must carry the doctor’s cédula number as well.
How do you confirm a specialist is board-certified?
For any specialty surgical procedure, Article 272 Bis of the General Health Law requires two things: a specialist cédula issued by the education authorities, and a current certificate from the specialty board. The boards are recognized by the National Regulatory Committee of Medical Specialty Boards (CONACEM), which was set up by the National Academy of Medicine, the Mexican Academy of Surgery and the boards themselves.
Board certificates expire and must be renewed, so the date matters. Ask the doctor for the certificate and its validity, then check the member listing of the relevant board, for example the board of plastic surgery or of orthopedics. Under Article 272 Bis 3, professional associations must keep a public electronic directory of specialists who perform surgical procedures, with their current certificate.
What should a clinic or hospital have?
Facilities where surgery or obstetric procedures are performed, or hemodialysis is provided, need a prior health authorization under Article 198 of the General Health Law. Article 272 Bis 1 requires cosmetic, plastic and reconstructive surgery to take place only in facilities with a current health license (licencia sanitaria) and with specialized professionals. Many other medical offices file an operating notice (aviso de funcionamiento) instead, under Article 200 Bis.
Before a procedure, ask the clinic to show its health license and the name and cédula of the person responsible for health compliance (responsable sanitario). Federal health authorizations are handled by the Federal Commission for the Protection against Sanitary Risk (COFEPRIS).
Where do you complain about medical care?
CONAMED (Comisión Nacional de Arbitraje Médico) takes complaints about care from public and private doctors, dentists and hospitals, and its service is free. It works through conciliation first: a conciliator proposes solutions and helps both sides reach an agreement without assigning blame. If that fails, the case can go to arbitration, where CONAMED rules on responsibility based on the evidence.
- Who can file: the patient, a relative or a legal representative with proof of authority.
- What to bring: official ID, your contact details, the provider’s name and address, a clear account of what happened, proof of the medical relationship (receipts, notes, prescriptions, lab results) and what you are asking for.
- Where: Av. Marina Nacional 60, 14th floor, colonia Tacuba, Miguel Hidalgo, Monday to Friday 9 am to 6 pm; phone 55 5420 7000; email [email protected].
CONAMED refers excessive charges, administrative or labor matters, criminal complaints and license revocation requests to other bodies. For a billing dispute with a private provider, ask the consumer agency Profeco; a possible crime goes to the prosecutor’s office.
Bottom line
Write down the doctor’s full name and cédula number, check both in the SEP registry and, for any surgery, ask for the board certificate and the clinic’s health license before you pay a deposit. Keep receipts and medical notes in case you need CONAMED. This is general information, not medical or legal advice; see our guide to private health insurance if an insurer will cover the procedure.
FAQ
Can a foreign-trained doctor practice in Mexico?
Article 79 requires degrees registered by the Mexican education authorities, so a foreign degree must first be recognized in Mexico. Ask to see the Mexican cédula; without one, the degree is not registered in Mexico.
Does a cédula prove the doctor is a specialist?
No. A general cédula shows the basic degree. Specialists have a separate specialty cédula, and for surgery they also need a current board certificate.
Does CONAMED charge for a complaint?
No. CONAMED states that its service is free. You can also call for guidance before deciding whether to file.
Can CONAMED take away a doctor’s license?
No. CONAMED handles conciliation and arbitration. Requests to revoke a license or for criminal sanctions go to other authorities.
