Mexico has liberal freedom of panorama under copyright, but INAH separately controls tripods, drones, and commercial use at archaeological sites.
Shoot decision
Small personal or low-impact work may be fine, but commercial, staged, exclusive-use, tripod, light, or crew-heavy work can cross the permit line.
Permit line
Conditional, INAH (National Institute of Anthropology and History) for archaeological sites; site or property owners otherwise
Public space
Yes to photograph in public, but Article 87 of the Federal Copyright Law requires written consent to publish a person's portrait
Drone layer
Regulated by AFAC under NOM-107; sub-250g drones are exempt from registration, and flying over INAH sites needs a separate INAH permit
Guidance, not legal advice
Before you go
Work in this order. Each step answers a different risk, and skipping ahead is how a simple shoot turns into a permit, flight, or gear problem on site.
Use the source links before you schedule, invoice, or bring a larger setup.
Open official sourceTurn the rule answer into a route, frame list, and completion checklist before you are standing there.
Build shot listIf the plan includes a drone, check the flight side separately before you pack batteries.
Check Drone AuthorityCarry versatile gear and avoid a kit that only works for landmark-heavy commercial frames.
Match field gearAperture workflow
Country rules shape what you can publish and what gear is worth carrying. Check the legal layer, then plan the field kit.
Field kit
When rules affect what you can publish or sell, carry versatile gear and avoid a kit that forces one landmark-heavy shot.
Compact support for city and landscape work
$599 - $699
Photographers who hike or travel and want full height in a pack-friendly form.
Skip if: Expensive
Price-band check
Use the retailer for the current price after the kit still fits the rule constraint.
Simple normal lens for people and detail frames
$200 - $250
First-time Sony owners who want a budget prime for portraits and low light.
Skip if: Autofocus is slow and noisy
Price-band check
Use the retailer for the current price after the kit still fits the rule constraint.
Product links may earn a commission at no cost to you. Verify the rules first, then buy only what keeps the shoot practical.
Drone Authority
Photography access and drone permission are separate questions. Drone Authority covers the flight-law side for this country.
Conditional
Issuer: INAH (National Institute of Anthropology and History) for archaeological sites; site or property owners otherwise
Cost: No permit for personal photography; tripods, professional rigs, and drones at INAH sites need an advance permit and fee, and commercial use of site imagery needs INAH authorization
Personal handheld photography is fine at most INAH sites, but tripods, professional rigs, mounted action cameras, and drones require an advance INAH permit and fee. Commercial shoots and commercial use of site imagery need separate INAH authorization.
Regulated by AFAC under NOM-107; sub-250g drones are exempt from registration, and flying over INAH sites needs a separate INAH permit
For the category detail, see Drone Authority.
Yes to photograph in public, but Article 87 of the Federal Copyright Law requires written consent to publish a person's portrait
Exceptions: a person who is a minor part of a crowd, and photos for journalistic or informational purposes. Commercial use without consent is treated as infringement.
Full
The Federal Copyright Law permits reproduction and sale of works visible from public places, with credit and without alteration. Note this is copyright only; INAH separately restricts commercial use of archaeological-site imagery.
Knowing the rules is half the job. The craft side: