By industry · 4 min read
Time clock for auto parts stores: working-time record without devices
Short answer
An auto parts store can meet the electronic working-time record requirement by combining a QR code on site with location-based recording for people who work away from it. The law requires recording each person's start and end time; it does not require a wall-mounted time clock.
How work happens at an auto parts store
An auto parts store has counter salespeople, warehouse staff and motorcycle couriers, with a counter and constant deliveries to repair shops. That creates three challenges for measuring working time:
- Couriers spend the day away.
- There are several branches.
- The counter is open full Saturdays.
What the law requires of auto parts stores
Since the 2026 reform, the Federal Labor Law requires recording electronically the start and end time of each worker's workday (article 132, section XXXIV). Failing to do so is fined 250 to 5,000 UMA. The STPS will define who it applies to and what exceptions there will be. The details are in the reform guide.
Multiple locations. Each place needs its own clock-in point. With a QR code, that is one printed sheet per location.
Work outside the premises. The time a person is at the company's disposal is working time, even if they are not at your facilities.
How to record working time at an auto parts store
- Register the location, your team and their shifts.
- Those who work on site scan the QR code.
- Those who work offsite clock in from their phone, with the location confirmed at that moment.
- They all appear in the same report, with the place or mode of each record.
Example. The motorcycle courier records with location at the start. They do not need to return to the branch to mark their clock-out.
How much is the fine for not recording
How to do the math by hand
The minimum fine is 250 × $117.31 = $29,327.50. The maximum is 5,000 × $117.31 = $586,550. If the penalty is calculated per person, with 5 people the range goes from $146,637.50 to $2,932,750.
Common mistakes at an auto parts store
- Keeping attendance from memory or in a notebook.
- Recording the clock-in and forgetting the clock-out.
- Using a different control at each location.
- Asking staff who work offsite to stop by the office just to clock in.
What to check every day and every week
Every day.
- Who did not record their clock-in or clock-out.
- Records made in unexpected places.
- Departures later than planned.
Every week.
- Each person's overtime against the weekly cap.
- Rest days that were actually taken.
How much an overtime hour costs: example in pesos
Suppose a daily wage of $400 on a day shift. The ordinary hourly rate is $50. One overtime hour at double time costs $100 and one at triple time, $150. If a person works 9 overtime hours in a week in 2027, that is $900 extra.
It is an example to show the calculation, not a reference wage for the sector.
What changes every year, from 2026 to 2030
| Year | Maximum working hours | Double-time overtime | Triple-time overtime |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 48 h | 9 h | 4 h |
| 2027 | 46 h | 9 h | 4 h |
| 2028 | 44 h | 10 h | 4 h |
| 2029 | 42 h | 11 h | 4 h |
| 2030 | 40 h | 12 h | 4 h |
Decree published in the Official Gazette of the Federation on May 1, 2026, second and fourth transitory provisions, and article 68 of the LFT. Each change applies from January 1.
Related terms
What is the seventh day (séptimo día). The seventh day is the paid rest day, at full salary, that every person is entitled to for every six days worked.
What is REPSE. REPSE is the STPS registry required of every company that provides specialized services or work to another company with its own staff.
Minimum wage in Mexico: how much it is and how it is used. The minimum wage is the least a person can receive for a workday.
Frequently asked questions
Does an auto parts store need to buy a time clock?
No. The law requires an electronic record of working time, not a device. An app on a phone complies.
What options are there for recording working time?
An app on each person's phone, a shared tablet or a clock connected to a system. All three comply if they generate an electronic record per person, with a start and an end time.
What happens if someone works at two locations?
Use the same account. Each record is linked to the place where it was made.
Is staff tracked during the day?
No. The location is used only at the moment of recording.
Does this replace the advice of a lawyer?
No. It is general information. For decisions about your company, consult a labor lawyer.
Legal basis and sources
- Electronic working-time record: article 132, section XXXIV, of the LFT and fifth transitory provision of the decree.
- Overtime: articles 66 and 68 of the LFT and fourth transitory provision of the decree.
- Working hours: articles 58 to 64 of the LFT and second transitory provision of the decree.
- Decree amending the Federal Labor Law on the reduction of the working week. Official Gazette of the Federation, May 1, 2026.
- Federal Labor Law, current text. Chamber of Deputies.
How we write this content. The Sicheca team writes it from the official text of the law. When something is not yet defined by the authority, we say so. It is general information and does not replace the advice of a lawyer or an accountant.