The minimum alcohol content allowed for tequila under Mexican regulations is 35% ABV.
ABV means alcohol by volume, the standard measurement used on spirit labels. Mexican tequila regulations permit tequila within a defined strength range, beginning at 35 percent alcohol by volume and extending to 55 percent. Bottled products are commonly found around 38 to 40 percent ABV.
This minimum is separate from the rules defining whether tequila is made from 100 percent blue-agave sugars or from tequila made with additional permitted sugars. Category, production method, and alcohol strength are related labeling subjects, but they are not interchangeable.
The figure is also easy to mix up with the 40 percent ABV commonly seen on international bottles. Forty percent is a frequent commercial strength, not the Mexican regulatory minimum. The minimum is 35 percent, while the maximum permitted strength is 55 percent.