Knowing the structure of an Official Mexican Standard (NOM for its name in Spanish) is important because it allows knowing if the standard is still a draft, if it indicates a state of emergency or if it is in force. It also allows the ministry that issued it.

Here’s what all the letters and numbers mean (NOM-006-SCFI-2012):

E.g.: NOM-006-SCFI-2012

• NOM: Indicates that it is an Official Mexican Standard
• 006: Standard-specific numeric
• SCFI: Acronym for the ministry issuing the standard
• 2012: Year in which the standard was approved and published in the Official Journal of the Federation

If the letter P or PROY is written before the abbreviation NOM, this indicates that it is a standard draft (e.g.: PROY-NOM-006-SCFI-2012) and it can not be used because it could be modified if there are comments made or obtained by the technical committee that produced the standard draft. 

The acronym EM, after the acronym NOM, indicates a state of emergency (e.g.: NOM-EM-158-SEMARNAT-2009) and prevents the objects or situations mentioned in the NOM.

Identifying the different parts that create a NOM allows the type of NOM that is, the ministry that issues it and the date of approval, making easier the research for the NOM in the official catalog. If you would like to consult the current NOM catalog, please check the following link: https://www.sinec.gob.mx/SINEC/Vista/Normalizacion/BusquedaNormas.xhtml