The objective of this study is to analyze the institutionalized citizen participation on municipal governments and to asses if its models and designs of participation subscribed, favors or limits participation. The municipal government's regulations of citizen participation from the state Jalisco of Mexico are analyzed. The main result is that this municipalities experience a shallow institutionality of citizen participation because few municipalities formalize it and that this formal rules are characterized by limiting rather than encourage the participation. It is concluded that the formal rules shape an environment that can limit the practice and its potential to influence in local policy in a democratic way.