SAT APIs for fintech in Mexico: what you can automate and how to choose a provider
Published: September 30, 2026 · Updated: September 30, 2026
Mexico's tax authority (SAT) offers services to download CFDI (electronic invoices), validate their status and publish its taxpayer lists, but no single API that delivers a taxpayer's full tax profile ready for analysis. That is why many lenders and fintechs use a tax data provider that connects to the SAT with the taxpayer's authorization, normalizes the information and delivers it through an API.
What the SAT offers directly
| Service | What it does | Limitation for a fintech |
|---|---|---|
| Bulk download web service | Downloads issued and received CFDI for a period | Requires the taxpayer's e.firma (advanced electronic signature), variable response times and engineering work to integrate and maintain |
| CFDI status verification | Confirms whether an invoice exists and is valid or cancelled | One invoice at a time; no view of the taxpayer as a whole |
| Published lists (69-B and others) | Downloadable files with taxpayers on each list | You have to download, process and keep them up to date |
| SAT portal | Tax status certificate, compliance opinion, tax returns | Built for manual use, not for integration |
What a tax data provider adds
- One connection per taxpayer, with their authorization, instead of integrating several services.
- A consent flow so the applicant authorizes access without sharing credentials with the lender.
- Normalized data: CFDI, tax returns, compliance opinion and tax status certificate in a consistent, structured format.
- Ready-made indicators: revenue, concentration, collections, compliance, 69-B risk.
- Other sources, such as Mexico's Public Registry of Commerce (Registro Público de Comercio).
- Continuous updates and monitoring.
Checklist for choosing a provider
| Criterion | What to ask |
|---|---|
| Connection methods | Does it accept the SAT password (CIEC) and the e.firma? What can each one access? |
| Data coverage | CFDI, tax returns, compliance opinion, tax status certificate, electronic accounting, SAT lists, Public Registry of Commerce? |
| Consent | How does the taxpayer authorize access? Does the lender ever see their credentials? Can consent be revoked? |
| Read-only | Can the provider file, sign or cancel anything with the SAT? The right answer is no. |
| Security | How are credentials stored? Encryption at rest, secrets vault, access logs? |
| Turnaround | How long does the first extraction take? How often is data refreshed? |
| Integration | Documented API, webhooks, sandbox, output formats? |
| Pricing model | Per extraction, per taxpayer or subscription? Overage costs? Minimum terms? |
| Support | Who responds when an extraction fails, and how fast? |
| Privacy | Does it have a privacy notice and a data processor agreement? |
Several providers operate in this market in Mexico, each with a different focus. Use this checklist with each of them and run a pilot with real taxpayers before deciding.
How Atlas handles it
- API-first platform: register RFCs (Mexican tax IDs), invite the taxpayer, run extractions and pull results and indicators from your own system.
- Connection with the SAT password or the e.firma, with the same scope.
- Read-only: Atlas never files, signs or modifies anything with the SAT.
- Sources: SAT, 69-B and EFOS lists, Public Registry of Commerce.
- Credentials are encrypted in a secrets vault; the lender never sees them.
- Volume-based pricing with no minimum term. See pricing.
See Atlas for lenders · Learn about the Atlas API · Request a demo.
Frequently asked questions
Does the SAT have a public API?
It has specific web services, such as bulk CFDI download and invoice verification, but no single API that returns a taxpayer's full tax information.
Do I need the taxpayer's e.firma to use a tax data API?
It depends on the provider. The SAT's own bulk download service requires the e.firma; with Atlas, the taxpayer can connect with either their SAT password or their e.firma, with the same scope.
Is it legal for a lender to access a client's tax information?
Yes, with the taxpayer's express authorization and a privacy notice that covers it.
How long does it take to get the data?
It varies by provider, CFDI volume and SAT availability. Ask for real turnaround times in a pilot.
How is this usually priced?
Per extraction, per taxpayer processed, or as a monthly subscription with included volume.
This article is for information only. Check each provider's terms and the regulations that apply to your institution.
See what Atlas finds in your RFCs.
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