What Does The US Export To Mexico? 2025-26 Trade Guide

Mexico just pulled off something remarkable. In 2025, the United States shipped a record $338 billion in goods south of the border, and Mexico is now close to overtaking Canada as America’s number one export market. 

Yet if you ask most exporters what actually fills those trucks, railcars, and ocean containers crossing into Mexico every day, you get vague answers like machinery or cars. The real picture is more specific, more interesting, and more urgent than ever. 

At Artemus Transportation Solutions, we help US exporters, customs brokers, and freight forwarders stay ahead of these changes with purpose-built AES filing software and cross-border compliance tools. 

This guide walks you through what the US exports to Mexico by category, industry, and dollar value, and what every exporter needs to know about staying compliant through the changes ahead.

The US-Mexico Trade Overview (2025 In Numbers)

Before we break down categories, here is the short answer. In 2025, the United States exported $338.0 billion worth of goods to Mexico, a 1.2 percent increase over 2024 and a new all-time record, according to the Office of the United States Trade Representative. 

Mexico was the second largest destination for US goods exports, second only to Canada, and the top source of US goods imports. The total two-way goods trade reached $872.8 billion.

The top export categories from the US to Mexico, in rough order by value, are electrical machinery, industrial machinery, energy products, vehicles and auto parts, plastics, and agricultural goods. Agricultural exports alone exceed $30 billion and include corn, pork and pork products, dairy, and soybeans. 

That single paragraph answers the primary question. The rest of this guide shows you why those numbers matter, how they are changing, and what exporters need to do about it.

Total US Exports To Mexico In 2025

The $338 billion figure is no small thing. According to the US Census Bureau 2025 Annual Press Highlights, the United States set record export levels to 47 countries in 2025, and Mexico led that list by a wide margin. The next highest was the United Kingdom at $97 billion, meaning US exports to Mexico were more than three times the value of exports to America’s third-largest trading partner.

The Trade Deficit And The Bigger Picture

US goods imports from Mexico in 2025 totaled $534.9 billion, up 5.8 percent year over year. That produced a US goods trade deficit with Mexico of $196.9 billion, a 14.8 percent jump from 2024. 

The deficit has become a political flashpoint, but it also reflects something more fundamental: the two economies are woven together through integrated supply chains, especially in the automotive, electronics, medical devices, and textile industries.

Where Mexico Ranks Among US Trading Partners

In 2025, Mexico was the number two US export destination, just $7 billion behind Canada. According to the US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Mexico was also the number one source of US goods imports, ahead of both Canada and China. 

On the services side, the US runs a surplus with Mexico. In 2024, US services exports to Mexico hit $50.4 billion, producing a $5.3 billion services surplus.

Know More About: Top 10 Exports Of USA In 2024: Leading Export Categories

What Products Does The US Export To Mexico?

The US export basket to Mexico is heavily weighted toward manufactured goods that feed Mexican factories, followed by energy products and agricultural commodities. Here is how the top categories break down.

Rank & Category	Key Products	Estimated Value
1. Electrical Machinery & Electronics	Semiconductors, integrated circuits, printed circuit boards, wiring harnesses, telecom equipment	Top US-supplied category into Mexico’s $117B import market
2. Industrial & Mechanical Machinery	Construction equipment, agricultural machinery, metalworking tools, HVAC systems, production equipment	$52+ billion/year
3. Vehicles & Automotive Parts	Engines, transmissions, steering systems, sensors, electronic control units, assembled vehicles	$39 billion in auto parts (2024), 52% of Mexico’s auto-parts imports
4. Energy Products	Refined petroleum (gasoline, diesel, propane), natural gas, LNG	$41 billion (2024)
5. Plastics & Chemicals	Plastic resins, primary-form plastics, industrial chemicals, fertilizers, and pharmaceutical precursors	Top supplier in Mexico’s $32.7B plastics import market
6. Agricultural Products	Corn, pork, dairy, soybeans, wheat, beef, processed foods, beverages, planting seeds	$30.2 billion (2024)

Sources: US Census Bureau, USTR, USDA, US Energy Information Administration, Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024 data).

1. Electrical Machinery And Electronics

Electrical machinery sits at or near the top of the US export list to Mexico every single year, and for good reason. Mexico’s total electrical machinery imports hit roughly $117 billion in 2024, making it the country’s single largest import category, and the United States is the number one supplier to that market. 

This category covers semiconductors, integrated circuits, printed circuit boards, wiring harnesses, telecommunications equipment, and the thousands of components that feed everything from automotive infotainment systems to consumer electronics. 

The demand surge through 2025 was fueled by the US data center build-out, which saw roughly 30 percent investment growth year over year. Mexican factories need US-made chips and components to assemble the servers, storage systems, and networking gear that then flow back to American buyers.

2. Industrial And Mechanical Machinery

Industrial machinery is the second heavyweight. Mexican manufacturers import more than $52 billion a year in US machinery and equipment to run production lines, build infrastructure, farm at scale, and operate mines. 

This covers construction equipment, agricultural machinery, metalworking tools, specialized production equipment, and HVAC systems. As nearshoring pushes more companies to set up factories in Mexico, the demand for American-made capital equipment keeps climbing.

3. Vehicles And Automotive Parts

The US-Mexico auto corridor is one of the most complex trade relationships in the world. Vehicles manufactured in the region often cross the border seven to eight times during production. 

The United States exports engines, transmissions, steering systems, advanced sensors, and electronic control units to Mexican assembly plants, and on the auto parts side alone, the US supplies roughly 52 percent of all auto parts imported by Mexico, far ahead of Japan and Germany. 

American firms are also the largest foreign investors in Mexico’s auto sector, accounting for about 45 percent of total automotive FDI in 2024. USMCA rules of origin require 75 percent regional value content for passenger vehicles and light trucks, up from 62.5 percent under NAFTA. That tighter rule has pulled more sourcing into North America and boosted US component exports.

4. Energy Products: Refined Petroleum, Natural Gas, And Gasoline

Mexico is the largest buyer of US refined petroleum products in the world. According to the US Energy Information Administration, US petroleum product exports to Mexico totaled $37 billion in 2024, averaging about 1.2 million barrels per day of gasoline, diesel, and propane. Total US energy exports to Mexico that year came to roughly $41 billion when natural gas and other energy commodities are included. 

Natural gas flowing from Texas and the Permian Basin powers Mexican factories, homes, and electricity grids, and in 2024, the US hit a new all-time record for natural gas exports globally. As Mexican domestic refining capacity has stagnated, reliance on US refined products has deepened.

5. Plastics And Chemicals

Plastic resins and primary forms of plastic are consistently among the top five US exports to Mexico, and the numbers back it up. Mexico’s total plastics imports reached roughly $32.7 billion in 2024, making it Mexico’s fifth-largest import category, and the United States sits at the top of that supplier list. 

These resins feed into automotive interiors, packaging, consumer electronics, medical devices, and construction materials. Industrial chemicals, fertilizers, and pharmaceutical precursors round out the category, giving US chemical manufacturers a steady and substantial cross-border market.

6. Agricultural Products: Corn, Pork, Dairy, And Soybeans

US agricultural exports to Mexico hit $30.2 billion in 2024, and that year Mexico became the single largest market for US farm exports, surpassing China for the first time. USDA data breaks that number down into three roughly even buckets. 

Consumer-oriented products (meat, dairy, processed foods, fruits, and beverages) accounted for $14.6 billion, or nearly half of the total. Bulk commodities like corn, soybeans, wheat, rice, and pulses added another $10 billion. 

The remaining $5.6 billion came from intermediate goods such as sweeteners, soybean meal, distillers grains, and planting seeds. US corn alone moved more than 12 million metric tons into Mexico in 2024. Because Mexican agricultural production cannot keep pace with population growth and rising protein demand, US agriculture has a structural role in feeding the country.

Know More About: What Does Mexico Export To The US? Trade Insights

US Exports To Mexico By Industry

Looking at the export flow through an industry lens tells a different story than a category list. It shows where deep integration lives and where the growth is coming from.

1. The Automotive Supply Chain

Automotive is the single most integrated sector between the two countries. Ford, GM, Stellantis, Volkswagen, Toyota, Honda, and Nissan all run major operations in Mexico. Components often cross the border multiple times during assembly, and a single vehicle can contain parts that have moved between the US and Mexico seven or eight times before final sale. 

US exports feed this machine: engine blocks from Michigan, transmissions from Indiana, electronics from Texas and California, steel from Ohio and Pennsylvania. In turn, Mexico ships back completed vehicles, SUVs, pickup trucks, and subassemblies.

2. Electronics And Technology

Something quietly big happened in 2025. Mexican tech exports overtook automotive to become the country’s number one export sector, driven largely by computer equipment shipped to the United States. Chihuahua and Jalisco became the engines of this boom, together accounting for nearly 70 percent of Mexican tech exports. That tech boom runs on US components. 

American-made semiconductors, processors, memory chips, and specialized circuit boards flow into Mexican assembly plants, which then ship finished computers and servers back north. Texas alone received about 67 percent of Mexico’s computer equipment exports in 2025.

3. Agriculture And Agri-Food

Corn, soy, meat, and dairy dominate US farm exports to Mexico. In 2024, Mexico became the top foreign buyer of US agricultural products, surpassing China for the first time. The relationship is a classic case of complementary agriculture: Mexico sends fresh produce, beer, tequila, and fresh vegetables north; the United States sends grains, meat, dairy, and processed foods south. 

With Chinese demand for US soybeans falling, Mexico’s role as a soy buyer has grown in strategic importance for American farmers in the Midwest.

4. Energy Exports

Natural gas pipelines running from Texas into northern and central Mexico are among the most valuable cross-border infrastructure assets in North America. They supply electricity generation, industrial heating, and petrochemical production. 

With AI, data centers, and advanced manufacturing placing record strain on North American electricity grids, US natural gas exports to Mexico are expected to keep climbing through the rest of the decade.

Know More About: What Is Export Declaration? A Complete Overview

What Are The Compliance Requirements For US Exporters To Mexico?

Exporting to Mexico is not as simple as loading a truck and handing over a commercial invoice at the border. Four compliance pillars sit between you and a clean shipment.

1. AES (Automated Export System) Filing Requirements

Most US exports to Mexico valued at $2,500 or more per Schedule B classification require Electronic Export Information (EEI) filing through the Automated Export System, administered by US Customs and Border Protection and the Census Bureau. 

Shipments of licensed goods under the Export Administration Regulations or the International Traffic in Arms Regulations must be filed regardless of value. 

The exporter or the exporter’s authorized agent must file before the shipment leaves the US. Late, inaccurate, or missed AES filings can trigger civil penalties of up to $10,000 per violation, delay shipments at the border, and put future exports under heightened scrutiny.

2. USMCA Certificate Of Origin Essentials

Unlike the old NAFTA, USMCA does not require a specific certificate of origin form. A claim for preferential treatment must contain nine minimum data elements listed in Annex 5-A of the agreement. 

That information can be placed on a commercial invoice or any other document. Importantly, USMCA allows the importer, exporter, or producer to complete the certification, whereas NAFTA only allows the exporter. For US exporters, the certification process is a controllable lever that determines whether your customer in Mexico pays zero duty or gets hit with the new 2026 tariff rates.

3. Mexican Pedimento And Documentation Requirements

On the Mexican side of the border, the pedimento aduanal is the master customs document. Mexican customs brokers prepare this entry filing, and it must tie cleanly to the commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, USMCA certification data, and any required permits. 

Mexican customs became noticeably stricter after the creation of the National Customs Agency (ANAM) in 2022, and the enforcement changes rolled into the November 2025 Customs Law reform. 

Mexican customs brokers now carry full legal responsibility for classification and valuation, which has pushed them to be more conservative, especially with ambiguous descriptions.

4. Common Export Compliance Pitfalls That Cause Delays

Four issues show up again and again when US shipments get stuck at the Mexican border. The first is vague or inconsistent product descriptions. If your commercial invoice says industrial parts and your USMCA certification says automotive components, you are setting up a mismatch. 

The second is misclassified HS codes, which can trigger a wrong tariff rate and a customs audit. The third is missing or incorrectly completed USMCA data elements. The fourth is late AES filing, which is an issue on the US side that can hold up the Mexican clearance process downstream. 

Every one of these failure points is solvable with the right export compliance software, accurate data entry, and trained staff.

Know More About: What Does Canada Export To USA? A Complete Guide

Artemus Transportation Solutions: Simplifying US-Mexico Export Compliance

Managing export filings manually is where costly mistakes start. Artemus Transportation Solutions provides purpose-built AES filing software that supports Electronic Export Information submission, validates entries before transmission, flags missing data, and keeps your filings fully aligned with CBP and Census Bureau requirements. 

For exporters moving high volumes of goods to Mexico, or for those newly navigating USMCA’s documentation requirements, automation is the difference between smooth clearance and border delays.

Beyond AES, Artemus supports the full cross-border compliance stack with ISF, AMS, customs broker software, & more. Our platform gives customs brokers, freight forwarders, and exporters a single environment to manage filings across multiple jurisdictions with confidence. 

Know More About: What Does The USA Export To Canada? Trade Overview

FAQs

1. What Is The Total Value Of US Exports To Mexico In 2025?

US goods exports to Mexico reached a record $338.0 billion in 2025, up 1.2 percent from 2024. Total two-way goods trade between the two countries hit $872.8 billion, according to data from the Office of the US Trade Representative and the US Bureau of Economic Analysis. That made Mexico the second-largest US export destination, behind only Canada.

2. What Are The Top US Exports To Mexico?

The leading US exports to Mexico are electrical machinery, industrial machinery, energy products (including refined petroleum and natural gas), vehicles and auto parts, and plastics. Agricultural exports exceed $30 billion and include corn, pork and pork products, dairy products, and soybeans. Together, these categories account for the bulk of the $338 billion in US goods shipped to Mexico.

3. What Does Mexico Import From The US Most?

Mexico’s single largest import category from the US is electrical and electronic equipment, particularly semiconductors, integrated circuits, and components that feed Mexican manufacturing plants. Mexican factories also rely heavily on US-made industrial machinery, automotive parts, energy products, and raw materials like plastic resins. On the consumer side, corn, pork, dairy, and processed foods dominate Mexican imports from the US.

4. Who Is Mexico’s Number One Trade Partner?

The United States is Mexico’s number one trade partner by a wide margin. More than 80 percent of total Mexican goods exports went to the US in 2024, and over 40 percent of total Mexican goods imports came from the US. The two economies are the most deeply integrated trading pair in the world outside of the European Union’s internal trade.

5. How Much Does The US Rely On Mexico For Trade?

Significantly. Mexico is the number one source of US goods imports and the number two destination for US goods exports. In 2025, Mexico accounted for roughly 16 percent of total US goods exports, and US imports from Mexico made up an even larger share of total US goods imports. Millions of US jobs across automotive, agriculture, energy, and manufacturing are tied directly to the Mexico trade relationship.

6. Does Usmca Eliminate All Tariffs On US Exports To Mexico?

USMCA eliminates most tariffs on goods that qualify under the agreement’s rules of origin. However, goods that do not meet USMCA rules of origin are subject to Mexico’s Most-Favored-Nation tariffs, plus the new 2026 tariff increases on 1,463 product codes. 

The difference between zero duty and a 35 to 50 percent tariff often comes down to whether the USMCA certification of origin is properly documented. The agreement is not automatic. Exporters must actively claim preference and meet the required data elements.

7. What Filing Is Required To Export From The US To Mexico?

Most US exports to Mexico require an Electronic Export Information (EEI) filing through the Automated Export System when the shipment value is $2,500 or more per Schedule B classification, or whenever licensed goods are involved, regardless of value. The filing must be completed before the goods leave the US. 

On the Mexican side, the importer’s customs broker files a pedimento aduanal, supported by a commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, and USMCA certification where applicable. Missing or late filings trigger penalties and border delays.

Conclusion

The US-Mexico trade relationship is bigger, deeper, and more consequential than any headline statistic can capture. Three things are worth carrying away from this guide. First, 2025 set a new record with $338 billion in US goods exports to Mexico and $872.8 billion in total two-way goods trade, and Mexico is closing the gap on Canada as America’s top export market. 

Second, the actual exports are concentrated in electrical machinery, industrial machinery, vehicles, energy products, and agricultural commodities, with deep supply chain integration in automotive, electronics, and ag-food. Third, 2026 brings real regulatory change: the March USMCA review, Mexico’s sweeping tariff reform, and a tighter compliance environment that rewards exporters who document their origin claims and file their EEI data cleanly.

Know More About: What Does The US Export To Switzerland? Trade Insights