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School Uniforms and Supplies: What Your School Is Prohibited from Requiring by Law

October 16, 2026 · 5 min read

Each school year, thousands of families receive a list of uniforms and supplies with instructions to buy everything in one place. The law clearly states, with the article number, that this cannot be conditioned — and what fine the school faces if it insists.

What’s happening

Every school year, at some point, thousands of families receive a list: uniforms, notebooks, books, craft kits, sometimes even the backpack. Alongside the list, an instruction that many private schools repeat as if it were part of the rules: "everything is purchased here, with this supplier" or "items from other stores or previous cycles are not accepted."

The Federal Consumer Protection Agency (Profeco) issued this year again, clearly in its Back-to-School Guide 2026: no private school can force a family to buy uniforms, supplies, or materials from a specific place, nor require that these items be new. It’s not a recommendation or a good practice: it’s a legal obligation already written, with article numbers, in two federal laws.

This is not just on paper. Only in Morelos, Profeco documented at least 10 complaints against private schools during this cycle’s enrollment process, for misleading advertising and commercial abuses. These are complaints that, in theory, shouldn’t exist: the law has been clear for years.

What the law says, with name and number

The relevant article here is 146 of the General Education Law, which applies equally to public and private schools: "The acquisition of uniforms and educational materials, as well as extracurricular activities, shall not condition the provision of the public service referred to in this Law."

In other words: neither uniforms, nor notebooks, nor books, nor a school trip or a club can be a condition for a student to remain enrolled or attend classes.

The same law, in its article 170, section XXIII, explicitly lists "conditioning the service on mandatory purchases" as an infringement by those providing educational services, and section XXIV adds another, related: failing to clearly inform about tuition costs. Article 171 sets the penalty: a fine of 100 to 1,000 times the Unit of Measure and Update (UMA), which can double if the school reoffends. With the current UMA value since February 1, 2026 ($117.31 per day, according to INEGI), that fine ranges from $11,731 to $117,310 pesos, and can double in case of repeat offenses.

There is also a second law that applies when the school itself sells the uniform or supplies: article 43 of the Federal Consumer Protection Law, enforced by Profeco as the consumer authority. It states, relevant here: "The sale, acquisition, or rental cannot be conditioned on the purchase or rental of another product or service." Translated: the school can sell uniforms as an option, but cannot tie enrollment to buying there.

What your school can require, and what it cannot

What the law does allow:

Set a mandatory uniform model: color, cut, logo, design chosen by the school. Recommend a trusted store or supplier for those who prefer to buy there for convenience. Sell uniforms, supply packages, or books themselves, as an option among others, not as the only choice. Request general specifications of materials, such as a type of notebook or backpack, as long as these specifications are not tied to a single store or brand.

What the law does not allow, without exception:

Condition enrollment, re-enrollment, or student retention on purchasing the uniform or supplies from a specific provider. Require that items be new: a family can reuse the uniform, backpack, or notebooks from a previous cycle if they are still in good condition. Impose a single provider for extracurricular activities, such as trips, clubs, or excursions, and condition participation, grades, or retention on buying that package. Withhold report cards, certificates, or academic documents as a form of pressure related to these purchases; this is also prohibited separately by article 146 regarding any form of compensation.

What to do if your school already operates this way

If the school still conditions the purchase of uniforms or supplies on a single provider, the simplest and cheapest solution is to correct it before a formal complaint arises: just announce the specifications of the uniform or material, the design, color, type of notebook, and leave the purchase open to any establishment that meets those specifications, including the option to buy from the school if a family prefers.

If a family has already filed a complaint, there are two different paths depending on what is claimed. Profeco handles consumer complaints: conditioned sales, misleading advertising, prices. The educational authority that granted the Official Recognition of Studies (RVOE), whether the state authority or SEP depending on the case, is responsible for applying the fine from article 171 and, in the most serious and repeated cases, can revoke that authorization.

What your school gains

The cost of complying is low: announce specifications instead of a single provider. The cost of not complying is higher. A fine ranging from $11,731 to $117,310 pesos, which doubles if repeated, and a complaint that any family can file without a lawyer. Essentially, the difference is simply not tying the list of uniforms and supplies to one place.